Just a quick question...

[christianaaa]

Okay, I recently started photography [mainly because I just got a camera; I like to think I know the basics ] Anyway, I have this "problem" with editing my pictures. When is it okay to edit a picture and when should you leave it alone?

 

[ketan]

I personally prefer to leave the pictures as it is. It is a personal choice. I find editing makes it artificial.
If you are not happy with the photo taken then take another. This is the way one can learn (I presume that it is the objective). Thanks to digital...
Though I see on www.dpchallenge.com, almost everyone does basic editing like satuaration, hue etc.

 

[Sw1tchFX]

editing is all part of photography, it's been done since it was invented in the 19th century.

 

[gizmo2071]

I wouldn't say that I edit any/many pictures.
I call it processing.
Levels/Curves adjustment. (setting white/black point)
Contrast/Brightness.
Sharpen.
Convert to B&W.
And occasionally adjust the colours slightly.

But I have no problem with people heavily modifying/editing pictures either.

 

[am_photoer]

I have a darkroom and i use my contrast filters all the time, sometimes in double exposures and the like, with dodging, burning, and cropping (All post-processing). That is after the shot processing as well and is a must--you have to find a correct contrast and exposure time because you are changing a negative into a positive print.

In digital it is really the same thing, adjust those basic factors to make the image what you wanted it.

However, this is also post-processing: http://www.thephotoforum.com/forum/showthread.php?t=90818 just taken further. The end result is always the same to make the best picture out of the original data.

 

[Mike_E]

It depends on what you want as a finished product. If you want the photo to look 'enhanced' then rock on. Otherwise, go until you can just tell and then back it off a bit.