Actually trying to make a good photograph

[keythsea]

So, I went out among the town a couple of days ago and snapped several hundred pictures, which I am editing now that I have gotten over my initial fear of the editing program (its kinda neat actually...). Here are some that I feel confident enough that they will merit at least a 'well, it doesn't suck'.

 

[sscarmack]

What program are you using?

 

[oldhippy]

http://www.amazon.com/Understanding...-Photographs/dp/0817439390/ref=dp_ob_title_bk
One of my best starting out resources.

 

[keythsea]

What program are you using?

Silkypix Developer Studio 3.0 for Pentex.

 

[Derrel]

I owned two of the SilkyPix Developer Studio applications back when they were one of the few apps that could handle Fuji S5 Pro images. SilkyPix had some very unusual raw developing "looks", and some unsuaul, verbal descriptions on how to adjust images like,literally, "a little more contrast", and "a little less saturation", as well as other weird, Japanese-based ways of describing image characteristics.

For a time, I was shooting my Canon and Nikon 5D and D2x cameras in raw mode, and then processing everything in automatic batch captures using Canon DPP, Nikon Capture 4.x, Adobe Camera Raw, and SilkyPix 2.x, and it was very enlightening to see that on some shots, one of the three unique raw converters would often make much better JPEG conversions, on the whole, than the other three. I would shoot an entire day, then process EVERYTHING in EACH of the applicable raw converters, and review the results. Canon DPP only developed Canon, and Nikon only did Nikon NEFs, so despite four converters, it was always a three-horse race. SilkyPix was a bit non-intutive to me in terms of interface, but I was always impressed by how complete its looks were. It was a pretty interesting way to approach raw file editing. It is often badmouthed by people who like the "Adobe Way", and I think that's unfair. It can do some very beautiful image conversions.

 

[kdthomas]

As the pilots say, "Any landing you can walk away from is a good one", LOL, so I guess any picture you can make out is a good one

I think 2 and 3 speak to me more than the other two. The last one seems a little blown out in the wall detail, and maybe the focus is a little off?

As far as 2 & 3 ... one things that's always helped me is the channel mixer. I don't know what your experience is with it, but tinkering with that has gotten me some great results. Many times I separate the image into it's RGB components with GIMP and see which channels are prominent.

Just my .02

Great work ... keep it up!

 

[keythsea]

The last one seems a little blown out in the wall detail, and maybe the focus is a little off?

That's probably it. I made a point before setting out to go to manual focus because I wanted to get more familiar with it...then I would forget it every now and then. I'm sure going through all the shots you'll see where I remembered "Hey -- I need to focus this". That's just me being forgetful.

As far as 2 & 3 ... one things that's always helped me is the channel mixer. I don't know what your experience is with it, but tinkering with that has gotten me some great results. Many times I separate the image into it's RGB components with GIMP and see which channels are prominent.

I was wondering if GIMP would work with these sort of RAW files, or would I have to put them through their paces in Silky, then take them to GIMP for further working after savig them as a .JPG? The bigger uncertainty I have is using any sort of editing software, but that's going to go away with time and practice.

Just my .02

Great work ... keep it up!

I certainly will, if I can get away from work.

 

[kdthomas]

I've really only used GIMP because I always ran linux at my house. But now I'm moving towards Photoshop, since that's kind of the de facto standard (at least that I've seen)

I'll put the exposure on manual almost always, or failing that aperture-priority mode, but I always keep the autofocus on. I can't ever focus better than the camera.

I don't think GIMP will work directly with RAW files, but maybe there's a plugin ... ?