Photoshop - Workflow & PlugIns

[nickd01]

Hello All,

I've not posted here much, but lurk a lot. I hope you can all impart some knowledge my way.

Having recently upgraded from an EOS-3 to an EOS-5D I'm a little confused.

I'm happy with all aspects of photography from film, but I need some guidance in the digital-era....

- These histograms I get on the camera. Now, they're very pretty, and I have an *idea* what it means but I'd like to understand it more. Can anyone offer any pointers or links on how to best use them?

- I'm shooting RAW, and it's a minefield how to post-process these files into Photoshop. Are there any guidelines I can adapt to my way of working? I've been playing with Lightroom and the bundled Canon software with the camera - are there any alternatives?

- Now, Photoshop. What a huuuge program! I need help! How did you all learn it? Surely not just by trial and error?! Are there any guides on the interweb? It's so big, which areas should I concentrate on?

Many thanks, I hope to be contributing photos soon!

Nick

[GetCarter]

nickd01 said:

Hello All,

I've not posted here much, but lurk a lot. I hope you can all impart some knowledge my way.

Having recently upgraded from an EOS-3 to an EOS-5D I'm a little confused.

I'm happy with all aspects of photography from film, but I need some guidance in the digital-era....

- These histograms I get on the camera. Now, they're very pretty, and I have an *idea* what it means but I'd like to understand it more. Can anyone offer any pointers or links on how to best use them?

- I'm shooting RAW, and it's a minefield how to post-process these files into Photoshop. Are there any guidelines I can adapt to my way of working? I've been playing with Lightroom and the bundled Canon software with the camera - are there any alternatives?

- Now, Photoshop. What a huuuge program! I need help! How did you all learn it? Surely not just by trial and error?! Are there any guides on the interweb? It's so big, which areas should I concentrate on?

Many thanks, I hope to be contributing photos soon!

Nick

1/ Histograms will help you determine if you have over exposed or under exposed your photo. All is revealed by reading a couple of articles - Lots on-line, just google.

2/ Make sure you have the correct photoshop plugin for your camera, or dowload the FREE programme RAWSHOOTER ESSENTIALS - both available from the www.adobe.com wbsite.

3/ Photoshop is a very hard prog to master (I ain't nowhere near it), but there are two very good books out there, one of which I have used - by Martin Evening. 'Tis worth a second hand E Bay for a tenner (make sure you get your version of PS)

Good luck

Steve

Edited by GetCarter on Tuesday 30th January 15:26

[Shadytree]

Some of the best tutorials on Camera flow in photoshop I've seen are by Ron Bigelow.
(No relation to Deuce)

See HERE to be enlightened (or darkened)

The other tutorials on CURVES and TONES are great as well

[RingSpanner]

nickd01 said:

- I'm shooting RAW, and it's a minefield how to post-process these files into Photoshop. Are there any guidelines I can adapt to my way of working? I've been playing with Lightroom and the bundled Canon software with the camera - are there any alternatives?

- Now, Photoshop. What a huuuge program! I need help! How did you all learn it? Surely not just by trial and error?! Are there any guides on the interweb? It's so big, which areas should I concentrate on?

Manipulation of RAW files - depending upon which program you choose to use - can achieve much of the basic adjustments which you will undertake in Photoship.

Levels, Brightness, White Balance Adjustment, Tone, Saturation and Sharpness and Contrast, are all areas which most RAW software can alter. Don't waster your time learning these areas of PS, if you plan on using mainly RAW files.

In fact FWIW, my advice would be to steer clear of PS unless you really wish to go into the creative side of image manipulation.

HTH

[Andy M]

You've chosen an excellent camera - all the best people have 5Ds

To understand histograms, see here: www.luminous-landscape.com/tutorials/understanding-series/understanding-histograms.shtml

I use a method called 'shooting to the right', a good explanation is here: www.luminous-landscape.com/tutorials/expose-right.shtml

You've done right to have a play with Lightroom, as I find Photoshop Camera RAW (or whatever it's called) to be quite counter intuitive. Personally I use Apple's Aperture software, but it and Lightroom are much of a muchness!

Finally, a good book to better understand Photoshop is Scott Kelby's: www.amazon.co.uk/Photoshop-Digital-Photographers-Voices-Matter/dp/0321330625/sr=8-2/qid=1170072118/ref=pd_ka_2/203-2560865-7859100?ie=UTF8&s=books as recommended by many here.

Have fun, and good luck!

[mr noble]

www.adobe.com/uk/products/photoshoplightroom/


This is the Lightroom site. I know you've played with it but others might like to look at it.

Watch the video tour. Its going to be pretty amazing what it can do!

Very impressive and miles ahead of Rawshooter essentials. Can't wait to get a copy of that and CS2 to integrate with it.

Think I'll also put off uploading my web album in JAlbum until I get lightroom. It seems that the web section of LR is going to be awesome and allow you to very easily setup your own website based photo album.

Ace!!

Greg

[nickd01]

Thanks very much chaps, all appreciated.

I'll start the reading tonight.

[Colin Blues2]

The Canon Photo Professional App is pretty good (on the canon software disk) for RAW file processing - don't bother with the Zoombrowser for processing raw files.

[V6GTO]

Adobe Lightroom is £146:88 and CS 2 is £569:88.

Martin.

Edited by V6GTO on Wednesday 31st January 14:44

[fergusd]

Looks like the Rawshooter Premium mob will be getting a wee email from Adobe on about 19th Feb (from the fora) with info about an FOC licence for Lightroom 1.0 . . .

Downloaded the beta 4 recently for a play and performance has improved, still a little sluggish comparet to Rawshooter, but I think the highlight recovery and fill light adjusters are a huge step forwards from RSP . . . much less noisy - much more natural . . .

Having converted a number of images and had time to have a good look and play side by side with RSE . . . perhaps I like the lightroom images better . . .

Adobe have also incpororated small but usefull facets of the RSE UI into Lightroom which improves usability too . . .

Not a replacement for Rawshooters 'process 1000 images in 10 minutes' ease of use, but then that's not the be all and end all for me at the moment . . .

Fd

[mr noble]

Why do none of these programs incorporate a noise thing like Noise Ninja into their program. It would be a far better all in one shop which is clearly what Adobe are trying to do with LR 1 and CS2 together.

[fergusd]

mr noble said:

Why do none of these programs incorporate a noise thing like Noise Ninja into their program. It would be a far better all in one shop which is clearly what Adobe are trying to do with LR 1 and CS2 together.

RSE and Lightroom have noise removal capability, never played with any others . . . not sure how it stack up against external plugins as I rarely use either . . .

Fd

[mr noble]

The noise slider in RSE doesn't seem to do much. Plus, I often find that noise gets more noticable after Pshoping and could do with a CS plugin that works like unsharp mask.

Any ideas?

G