February POTM Entries!

[d2mini]

I shoot only raw files so yes, all my pics require some basic editing.
Usually a little bit (and i do mean little) of saturation, sharpening, color balance and contrast.
If you are shooting jpg, the software inside the camera is applying these adjustments for you. There is usually options in your menu settings for that kind of stuff.
Nothing wrong with a little tweak here and there. It's no different than anything you would do a in a darkroom when developing film, or anything that the machine at walgreens is doing for you when you drop off a roll. They all apply the same kind of adjustments.
A crappy pic with lots of photoshopping is still a crappy pic. ;)

But man! The pics so far this month are crazy good!
Maybe I will have to sit this month out after all. :shock:

 

[dustin_P74]

Maybe I will have to sit this month out after all. :shock:

music to my ears

 

[d2mini]

music to my ears

on second thought..... :x: :evil!?!?:

 

[dustin_P74]

Damn!

 

[cthegame]

so whats the limit? How much photoshoping is allowed? What about people who dont have photoshop or dont know how to use it. Wouldnt a graphic designer who owns a good camera pretty much dominate?

I see your point but if it were up to me, i wouldnt allow image manupulation. But since i cant beat 'em, i'll join em. :D

 

[dustin_P74]

but dennis doesnt manipulate his photos, he is just making them look right

 

[lightcs4]

OK, my personal take on PSing an image ... I like to see everyone's raw image. I can use GIMP to make an average image look good, but I don't think that is the point of POTM. Putting the three shots together really isn't changing the pictures.

 

[ccCapt]

I use Photoshop...and I use the term "use" lightly. I know how to crop and use the contrast/brightness feature. I try messing with the color balances to make the pic match my eye. I guess I do a manual "autofix".
So...there is more you can do with it? ;)

 

[d2mini]

Wouldnt a graphic designer who owns a good camera pretty much dominate?

Nope. I know a ton of designers that don't know how to use a camera properly.
Doesn't matter how good the camera is either. You can spend your life savings on equipment, but if you don't know how to use it, it won't do you a lick of good.
I can use my little p&s for this month if you want. Doesn't matter to me.

And what about the person that owns a canon g10 vs the person who owns a $100 walmart special? Should the canon owner not be allowed to play? My camera doesn't have a screen on the back to frame the shot, maybe you all should turn off your screens and use the viewfinder instead. Software, cameras, they're all just tools. It's never going to be a totally even playing field for anybody if you think about it. Just bring what ya got, click away and have fun... that's what it's all about. :D

 

[cthegame]

Just bring what ya got, click away and have fun... that's what it's all about. :D

Thats what i want to. Its all good. Now its just good to know photoshop is allowed. i just never knew that and always assumed we werent supposed to touch up pictures. I guess it was a dumb assumption on my part. Im not a photographer or anything so i didnt know whats ok or not in the world of photography. :Cheers::Cheers:

 

[XxKnuckleheadxX]

wow this is going nowhere fast lol. everyone has raw images. and i would be surprised who doesnt touch their photos up somewhat!???? i somewhat touched mine up. but i dont have a great photoshop. so i think from that said. there should be a basic rule as how far or how someone can touch a photo up. everyone has different programs to do different things. so one rule should be set. who wants to set the rules lets vote like we vote on our pics?

 

[Bifferwine]

Yeah I was under the impression that everyone at least cropped or autofixed their pictures. I don't know how to do anything but that, and it still seems to make the pictures look a little bit better.

I think there's a difference between "touching up" and "altering" though. Altering photos, so that they are misleading or not representative of what was actually taken, is not allowed. But adjusting color balance/contrast/brightness is allowed.

 

[ZOOT098]

i agree with d2
all the photoshopping in the world will not make a crappy pic a good pic

when d2 says he shoots in RAW he means his pic is not compressed when its taken

when i take a pic its not in RAW format but it is in LARGE format, i then take that image and adjust the contrast, and color

but if its out of focus or at the wrong angle or something photoshop wont help you anyway.

i agree with Biff touchup not altering

 

[d2mini]

when d2 says he shoots in RAW he means his pic is not compressed when its taken

Correct. Raw is uncompressed but ALSO the camera is not adding any adjustments to the pics like it is with jpg. When shooting jpg pics, the camera is adjusting saturation, contrast, sharpness, etc. You just don't have much control other than maybe choosing what intensity it applies these adjustments in the setup menu. So for all of you who are shooting jpg, you are adding adjustments to your photos, you just didn't know it. ;) So the jpg that downloads to your computer is kind of like the pictures you just picked up at walgreens where the machine decides what adjustments your pics need. Whereas the raw images I download to my computer are more like the working with the negative. I develop them the way I feel is best.

Btw, some of you already have... but if anyone has photo questions feel free to pm me. Equipment specific questions will be a little hard for me to answer if I'm not familiar with it, but I can help with general questions.

 

[Alexander]

Great, now that we have got that all ironed out over 3 pages lets continue the fun with POTM! :)

EDIT: and i feel sequence shots should be completely fair game as long as they are put together

 

[d2mini]

That sequence shot is badass.
I also love ccCapt's shot. :)

 

[bigploch]

So this isn't cop acetic? :mrgreen:

 

[yote]

Nope. I know a ton of designers that don't know how to use a camera properly.
Doesn't matter how good the camera is either. You can spend your life savings on equipment, but if you don't know how to use it, it won't do you a lick of good.
I can use my little p&s for this month if you want. Doesn't matter to me.

And what about the person that owns a canon g10 vs the person who owns a $100 walmart special? Should the canon owner not be allowed to play? My camera doesn't have a screen on the back to frame the shot, maybe you all should turn off your screens and use the viewfinder instead. Software, cameras, they're all just tools. It's never going to be a totally even playing field for anybody if you think about it. Just bring what ya got, click away and have fun... that's what it's all about. :D

That tip right there has helped my pics A LOT Dennis.When you first posted that tip,I tryed it,and noticed the difference with the very first shot.
IMO,POTM aint just about who can take the best pictures.Its about getting that PERFECT or UNUSUAL picture,those lucky shots:D
Besides,Dennis's shots should make us up our game a little,at least it does for me.Makes me practice with the camera and trying to wait for the perfect shot.:Cheers:
Just my 2 cents.

BTW,This month is going to be twice as hard as last month.All the shots are awesome.

 

[RAYRAY]

bigploch just got my vote !!!!!!!!!!!
How did the POTM get out of control. Take the picture, post the picture and vote fot the picture!! This is supposed to be fun right ???

 

[Alexander]

How did the POTM get out of control. Take the picture, post the picture and vote fot the picture!! This is supposed to be fun right ???