How do the pro's do it?

chahn · Oct 22, 2006

I am wondering how much the pros edit their photos. For example, if you look at the pictures from Getty Images or National Geographic do they all use some type of filtering and/or post editing? If so, how extensivly are those pictures edited? I guess the question is: did the original image (in real life) look like that or does it look great because they added the right filters and used something like Photoshop to make it look great?
If the answer is that the trick is in the editing can someone recommend the best way to learn how (I'm not looking to go pro, I just want to learn to produce great pictures).

W.Smith · Oct 22, 2006

chahn said:
I am wondering how much the pros edit their photos. For example, if you look at the pictures from Getty Images or National Geographic do they all use some type of filtering and/or post editing? If so, how extensivly are those pictures edited? I guess the question is: did the original image (in real life) look like that or does it look great because they added the right filters and used something like Photoshop to make it look great?
If the answer is that the trick is in the editing can someone recommend the best way to learn how (I'm not looking to go pro, I just want to learn to produce great pictures).

The trick is in 1) taking great photos, and in 2) editing them well. It's not either – or. It is BOTH.

The best way to learn proper editing is to enroll in a graphical college/academy for a few years. I'm not joking. Editing applications, like Photoshop, are high-tech instruments that require a lot of knowledge, training and years of experience in order to be used properly. Compare it with a full dentist's set of instruments: even if you can afford them, just because you have them doesn't mean you can remove my wisdom tooth properly. It would be a bloodbath!
So if you're not gonna enroll in a graphical college/academy for a few years, the only way to learn is to spend a loooot of time and attention on it. Read manuals from cover to cover. Try out what you're reading. Ask specific questions on forums like this one, and learn from the answers.
There's no shortcut to success.

mysteryscribe · Oct 22, 2006

And no guarentee of success in life at all.... But if you don't try to lean all you can you are almost certainly guarenteed to fail.

dewey · Oct 22, 2006

I would say that in this day and age it's leaning towards post processing... you can get away with quite alot in photoshop!

I agree that school is the way to go with digital imaging, but honestly you can self teach yourself. I went to school for business, but now I'm an Adobe trainer... I did take a few classes in Photoshop and Illustrator, but most of what I teach now was self taught.

Even just enrolling in one semester at a local community college will give you the ability to buy Photoshop at the "student" price. It's normal photoshop but it's a fraction of the price. You can go to the student bookstore section of any major bookstore like Barnes and Noble and get the discount. (It's not hard to buy it as a "Student") :wink:

Anyway, bottom line is that if school isn't an option, a few good books, some patience and dedication and you can learn Photoshop like a pro... it just takes time and practice.

~Dewey

fmw · Oct 22, 2006

dewey said:
Even just enrolling in one semester at a local community college will give you the ability to buy Photoshop at the "student" price. It's normal photoshop but it's a fraction of the price. You can go to the student bookstore section of any major bookstore like Barnes and Noble and get the discount. (It's not hard to buy it as a "Student")

Easy enough that I bought the education edition from B&H.

dewey · Oct 22, 2006

LOL... yeah they don't try very hard to verify your status as a student... but we're all students of life aren't we?

cosmonaut · Oct 22, 2006

It takes many years of dedication to become good at anything, and having a little God given talent don't hurt. Tiger Woods wasn't born a great golfer. It took years of hard work, and he is still working. Practice, Practice, Practice......
Cosmo

markc · Oct 23, 2006

My opinion is that editing can make an image flashy or impactful so that it may grab the average person's attention, but for something that will get the attention of someone who knows what they are looking at, you need to start with great composition. However, you often need some editing work to get the most out of an image. Without it, something that could be great may only be good.

A good music recording needs a recording engineering with a sound background in tech, but the song itself has to be good to start with. Throwing some reverb and compression on a crappy song isn't going to do the trick, and a great song that sounds like it was recorded over the telephone isn't what it could be either.

W.Smith · Oct 23, 2006

Pro editing may make a bad photo bearable, a mediocre photo good, and a great photo fantastic!
But it'll never make a bad photo good. Or a mediocre photo fantastic.

You can't build a sturdy house on shaky foundations.

sylph · Oct 23, 2006

W.Smith said:
Pro editing may make a bad photo bearable, a mediocre photo good, and a great photo fantastic!
But it'll never make a bad photo good. Or a mediocre photo fantastic.

You can't build a sturdy house on shaky foundations.

EXACTLY! :thumbup:

THORHAMMER · Oct 31, 2006

I agree on that...

the great photos I see all have a natural enough look that you could imagine seeing it for yourself .... I would say color correction/sharpening./contrast/levels etc... all these need to be adjusted slightly to bring out the look you want in the picture..

the first half is in the capture, the second in the developing. nowadays the developing is digital, not too much difference than film...

Orgnoi1 · Oct 31, 2006

W.Smith said:
Pro editing may make a bad photo bearable, a mediocre photo good, and a great photo fantastic!
But it'll never make a bad photo good. Or a mediocre photo fantastic.

You can't build a sturdy house on shaky foundations.

That is so true its scary...

First and foremost... in the world of photography you must KNOW photography... if you cant take a picture worth a darn all the processing in the world wont help. Being a "pro" doesnt automatically mean you are good at it...