Different quality with same # of pixels?!!

[creisinger]

Rachel, I'm sure you had a great wedding and you two seem to be a very happy couple but...

I hope you didn't pay that photographer any money for those shots?

This:

http://i812.photobucket.com/albums/zz47/Ffirecracker68/DPP_0137-1_filtered_filteredcopy.jpg

is the first image in the gallery, which you explained is "unedited" from the photographer. This is not just soft, it's out of focus. He applied a post processing soft filter to distract from the fact that the image is not sharp.

If the photographer did use a somewhat "professional" D-SLR which most likely has more than 6 MP this re-sized image you posted should be even crisp if the original is soft. Downsizing a soft image from 6 MP to like 600 pixels width gives you a good nice crisp look (if you know what you're doing).

Soft filter can do lovely things but judging by the lighting of the two of you which appears to be the sun nailing you guys from the right, almost putting you into darkness while your husband's right half of the face is pretty blown out.

As for the colors or "looks" of the other images that were taken with different cameras - that would be a "normal" thing. Every consumer camera shows different color reproduction especially visible on skin tones. The whole feel of an image is also determined a lot by the sensor type, size, make and quality of the optics, compression, post-processing etc. So there are far too many variables to make those images look "the same".

I really don't want to sound mean in any way but I wouldn't get hired for a job if a potential client would see a shot like this one in my portfolio.

To remotely illustrate I have a shot here that is already awfully soft - but when you downsize it - it should look a whole lot better. Also shot outdoors.

 

[Ffirecracker]

Wow.. in other words, I'm screwed? I'm gonna have to send her another email, she said she could send to me in raw format, but I was told most labs don't work with them, I have no idea either. Is it possible that she would have shrunk them to fit on the DVD? Or is it more likely she set her camera to low quality? Shucks.. Thanks for your post

 

[creisinger]

Wow.. in other words, I'm screwed? I'm gonna have to send her another email, she said she could send to me in raw format, but I was told most labs don't work with them, I have no idea either. Is it possible that she would have shrunk them to fit on the DVD? Or is it more likely she set her camera to low quality? Shucks.. Thanks for your post

Almost every professional wedding photographer won't give you any original files. They own the copyright and hang on to that tightly.

If you can get the RAW files (and I think in your case you're entitled to them) get the RAW files - that's a great start.

From that point on you can either edit the images (for the lab) yourself or maybe you have a friend who could help you with it. It's not rocket science either and if worse comes to worse you can still download a trial version of Photoshop and edit them yourself. All necessary tutorials how to do that are all over the internet. Assuming you have the time to do that...

It's either your time that you put into it or money to pay someone to do it for you...

You can fit over 330 12 Megapixel photos in RAW format onto a regular DVD-R. Buy a pack of ten and have her burn the photos for you. I assume she didn't take more than 3000 images that day.

And yes, usually photographers downsize (or "shrink") their images before sending them to the client, also to make sure that you can not print a gorgeous 60"x40" yourself for $15 at some poster place online. They want you to pay $80+ for a print from the photographer.

I have no idea what camera she was shooting with so it's hard to tell what the original size was.

Get the RAWs and take it from there.

Good luck!

 

[Ffirecracker]

Thanks so much for the info. She is just a 'beginner' therefore does not even offer printing services. I do have Photoshop Elements trial & a few other photo editors, and actually love doing editing. I guess I should just learn about how to work raw files. I messaged her and hope she will get back to me with some good news. Thanks again for helping me. Everyone else too.

 

[creisinger]

Thanks so much for the info. She is just a 'beginner' therefore does not even offer printing services. I do have Photoshop Elements trial & a few other photo editors, and actually love doing editing. I guess I should just learn about how to work raw files. I messaged her and hope she will get back to me with some good news. Thanks again for helping me. Everyone else too.

Anytime.

Check these links. That should get you started. Once you know that she will give you the images, start reading how to process the RAW files so you can get to work right away when you get the DVDs.

Photoshop Elements > Raw File Processing

Photoshop Elements Video Tutorial — Edit Camera Raw | PhotoshopSupport.com

 

[Ffirecracker]

Good news.. she has burned the raw files for me and is mailing them today, so I should have them in a few days. I'm glad she didn't delete them phew!!

I want to thank you again for helping me. I will go and read about processing raw files.

Have a great day,

Rachel

 

[creisinger]

Good news.. she has burned the raw files for me and is mailing them today, so I should have them in a few days. I'm glad she didn't delete them phew!!

I want to thank you again for helping me. I will go and read about processing raw files.

Have a great day,

Rachel

Good for you!

Indeed it would have been a nightmare if the RAW files were deleted...

Now you can see for yourself what the actually images looked like

Are you going to use Photoshop to process them? If so, let me know if you run into any trouble.

 

[silentfallen]

That is good to hear she didn't delete the RAW's on you.
And thanks again creisinger for the great links, im new to this whole photography thing also.. some great information in there.

 

[creisinger]

That is good to hear she didn't delete the RAW's on you.
And thanks again creisinger for the great links, im new to this whole photography thing also.. some great information in there.

The worst thing you can do it is NOT to ask for advice!

It's great to participate in a forum where people actually offer help! It can really boost your learning experience!

Ask and learn!

 

[Ffirecracker]

Yes I agree it's nice to have a place to come with questions I have a few programs I'm trying for editing, and I have Photoshop Elements. I have just received my CDs today so I'll go read the links you offered.