Allow me to introduce myself...

[mal]

Hi, my name's Mal Chadwick. I've been interested in photography for a long time now, but have only recently had the time and money to pursue it as a serious interest. I spent a little while browsing a few photography forums, but I was attracted by this one as there seems to be a wide range of different people and photographic styles here, as well as a friendly kind of atmosphere.

I'm especially keen on macro and abstract photography - I like using photographs to present everyday things on an unusual scale or from an unconventional perspective. As well as this, I love to photograph my other main hobby - rollerblading, so hopefully I'll be able to bring some subject matter that some of you might not have encountered before. Hopefully we'll be able to share some ideas and inspiration.

While I'm here, I have a question: what's this site's policy on Photoshop? I know that it's enormously useful for improving photos outside of the camera, but I've come across a number of people (I guess you could call them purists) who consider photoshopping a picture as unnacceptable, and the mark of a poor photographer. I suppose the logic is that you should be able to get it right at the time. How do you guys feel about the issue?

 

[Chase]

Welcome.

Generally speaking, I believe you'll find that just about every person here (that does much digitally) uses photoshop to some extent and finds it to be very similar to the process most photographers go through in the darkroom. Most people when doing darkroom work touch up the final print just the way many digital photographers do in photoshop. Hope that helps a little!

 

[mal]

That's helpful, thanks. Is it convention to 'declare' whether a photo you've posted has been photoshopped?

Also seeing as most people seem to state what their camera 'setup' is in their intro post, here's mine. My camera is a Fujifilm Finepix S20 Pro. For night time skate photography, I use a 25 year old Olympus hotshoe flash, which seems to work fine, but I'm looking into slave flashes as well, because with skate photography, I find that the optimum angle of illumination is not the same as the optimum place to take the picture from.

I've never actually used a film camera - I've shot digital since day one. I'm keen to try it out one day, but right now it's prohibitively expensive and time consuming.

 

[ferny]

Welcome to the forum.

Is it convention to 'declare' whether a photo you've posted has been photoshopped?

Most users here don't care what you do, they look at the photo. Some people here don't like photoshop. But they won't dismiss your photo or you for using it. They just choose not to use it themselves.

You'll notice something odd about this site if you stay a while. No-one has a chip on their shoulder and there isn't a single tosser.

 

[Hertz van Rental]

Welcome to TPF

 

[aggiezach]

Howdy yo! Welcome to the forum!

Zach

 

[Aoide]

Welcome to the forums mal. I think you will quite enjoy it here.

You'll notice something odd about this site if you stay a while. No-one has a chip on their shoulder and there isn't a single tosser.

I'm pretty sure I agree with this statement except somebody will have to explain tosser to me. :roll:

 

[airgunr]

Welcome! You'll like it here

 

[Corry]

Welcome to the forum.

Most users here don't care what you do, they look at the photo. Some people here don't like photoshop. But they won't dismiss your photo or you for using it. They just choose not to use it themselves.

You'll notice something odd about this site if you stay a while. No-one has a chip on their shoulder and there isn't a single tosser.

Welcome to the forum!!! I agree with what Ferny says as well!

You'll love it here.

 

[vonnagy]

welcome mal!

 

[Picksure]

Welcome to the forum.
You'll notice something odd about this site if you stay a while. No-one has a chip on their shoulder and there isn't a single tosser.

ferny is 100% right. Its the reason I have stayed with this place.


Welcome in!

 

[mrsid99]

Welcome aboard Mal from an avid "Photoshop" user!

 

[Nikon Fan]

Welcome Mal...you already fit in here, especially since you've contributed to helping my photo out Glad to have you aboard!!!

 

[Dweller]

Welcome to the forum! You will find a great collection of very firendly and helpful people here.. tosser free! (or so I hear... hehe)

I started out (just a few short months ago) with the purist mentality... until I spent an afternoon with a "bad" photo and turned it into something frameable.

I understand where the purists are coming from, but for someone still so new to the hobby Photoshop helps me see what I could have done differently.

 

[Mitica100]

Welcome to TPF.