Can PhotoShop really fix everything

kelli_anne · Apr 27, 2010

As I have read through the threads, I have come to the concussion that people rely on PhotoShop way to much. Statements made, such as " I will just photoshop that"

Now don't get me wrong I think PhotoShop is a great tool, but that is what it is, a tool, not a fix it all. I believe that if people spend more time looking through the view finder and learning their equipment better, the less time they will spend in PhotoShop fixing everything that show have never happened in the first place. I think a lot of people need to go back to film and learn the hard way. Maybe they would respect photography and what it takes to make a GOOD photograph.

Just my thoughts

Sbuxo · Apr 27, 2010

Photoshop is an enhancement tool, but everything can be abused.

LaFoto · Apr 27, 2010

Simple answer: No, it can't!

You cannot miraculously make a good photo out of one that was bad to begin with.
When you missed the focus, you MISSED the focus. No sharpening method will bring it back.
When you overexposed and have blown, all white parts in your photos, then you HAVE them, and no Photoshop is going to remedy that technical error.

Which is why I also feel those who say "What? You used pp software on your photo? Oh, then it wasn't good to begin with?" ALSO see things from the wrong angle.

Photoshop is NOT the tool to make bad photos good.

It is a tool to make good photos better.
So yes, you enter a photo that is already good in itself into Photoshop and can come out with one that's better.

No more. No less.

Sharpiks · Apr 27, 2010

I agree here. I don't agree with constant shops of pictures, unless it's noise reduction or maybe color enhancements.

Photography is hard to grab a good grasp on, and if I just use photo shop I'll never get a real hang of it, which I want to do. Besides, I believe that once a picture is edited it loses more and more meaning.

That and LaFoto has a pretty good point.

Geaux · Apr 27, 2010

All photos are edited in some way or another, either digital or film. There are multiple things you can do in a dark room to edit the photo after its taken. Digital is just the new 'darkroom'.

But, rant on ... if it makes you feel better.

kelli_anne · Apr 28, 2010

Geaux said:
All photos are edited in some way or another, either digital or film. There are multiple things you can do in a dark room to edit the photo after its taken. Digital is just the new 'darkroom'.

But, rant on ... if it makes you feel better.

I have spent may hours in the dark room, I know that you can edit in a dark room, but you are limited to the amount of editing you can do. What I get tired of seeing is people saying that they will just photoshop it, and everything will be OK.

Geaux · Apr 28, 2010

Agreed, use of photoshop to me should be cloning out a pole that is not able to be moved or taken out no matter what angle you shoot at, color adjustments, noise reduction etc. I'm not a fan of those that change the whole scene by PS'n a new sky or a bridge (saw that in a thread earlier).

kelli_anne · Apr 28, 2010

LaFoto said:
Simple answer: No, it can't!

You cannot miraculously make a good photo out of one that was bad to begin with.
When you missed the focus, you MISSED the focus. No sharpening method will bring it back.
When you overexposed and have blown, all white parts in your photos, then you HAVE them, and no Photoshop is going to remedy that technical error.

Which is why I also feel those who say "What? You used pp software on your photo? Oh, then it wasn't good to begin with?" ALSO see things from the wrong angle.

Photoshop is NOT the tool to make bad photos good.

It is a tool to make good photos better.
So yes, you enter a photo that is already good in itself into Photoshop and can come out with one that's better.

No more. No less.

I completly agree with you. I just wish that people would learn this. PhotoShop is a great tool, I am with you on that. But people should not being using it for correnting major problems with the photo such as exposure, and focus as you said. And that is what I think a lot of people think they can do.

Sbuxo · Apr 28, 2010

I'd like to see the photoshopheads do what they do on an enlarger

kelli_anne · Apr 28, 2010

Sbuxo said:
I'd like to see the photoshopheads do what they do on an enlarger

hahahahahaha, yes, I still spend about 9 to 15 hours a week in a dark room, and i know that there is a big limit to the amount of editing that can be done. and a lot of people dont get that. I am sure that some of them have never seen an enlarger! lol

c.cloudwalker · Apr 28, 2010

kelli_anne said:
Sbuxo said:

I'd like to see the photoshopheads do what they do on an enlarger

Click to expand...

hahahahahaha, yes, I still spend about 9 to 15 hours a week in a dark room, and i know that there is a big limit to the amount of editing that can be done.

Actually, the only limit is your imagination. Nothing that is done in digital PP is new. It can't be because the software were created to replicate darkroom work. And unless some code writers are also artistically minded, digital PP will eventually become stale. Especially if film and darkroom disappear.

The idea of abusing PP is amusing because it is entirely subjective. It is up to the artist to decide and no one else. You don't have to like the results of some PP work but there is no such thing as abuse. Although even that is nothing new. Jerry Uelsmann was thought by some to abuse the darkroom because he used something like 15-20 enlargers to make one print. Others thought he was a magician of the darkroom.

In the film days, there was always a darkroom involved. Today there is always PhotoShop or whatever software you use. No difference.

And there is no difference either as far as fixing everything. OOF is OOF. Bad exposure is bad exposure. Etc, etc. Problems like this cannot be fixed after the fact.