[Tsuken]

I'm still using Corel Paintshop Photo Pro XIII. My PP usually just consits of levels/curves to get the contrast back, a crop and/or horizon straighten if needed, and then converting it to B/W if wanted. choosing a virtual "filter" in PPing is interesting, whereas with film you were stuck with what was on the lens. If I really think the image can benefit from it, I'll do some dodging/burning, but really only with B/W. Resize/unsharp mask. Most only take 1-2 minutes.

I use Darktable. Most times I can get away with applying the "style" I created which applies sharpening, shadows/highlights (with default setting), a smidge of global contrast, and local contrast (again at default setting); the app applies a pentax-like base curve when I open an image from a pentax camera. If it's underexposed I have a little more work to do, but most often I'm done in seconds per image.

Highly-recommended app (though is only Linux and Mac), so doesn't help monochrome :-/

[mtux]

W00t!! I'm in! - with the plastic fantastic (which indeed it seems so far to be).

Congrats. and happy birthday.

PP is a soul-sucking chore to me. Takes all the joy out of the hobby.

When I PP the photos, I feel like I'm the one who decides about things in the photo, not a machine. so I like the PP process. it's just sometimes time consuming.

[severalsnakes]

When I PP the photos, I feel like I'm the one who decides about things in the photo, not a machine. so I like the PP process. it's just sometimes time consuming.

I agree with this. Getting out and shooting feels good, like I'm accomplishing something, but firing the shutter is only half of it. I feel like the shots really gain a voice and an intent when they're processed, and that's why I LOVE developing the image on the computer (I use Lightroom).

HOWEVER, @mtux is exactly right, it is super time-consuming. I'm giving up on making a shot for the 4th and I should probably get real about October in general... -_-

[mtux]

HOWEVER, @mtux is exactly right, it is super time-consuming. I'm giving up on making a shot for the 4th and I should probably get real about October in general... -_-

For me it's time consuming when I'm not sure what I wanna do with a photo or when I want to try new stuff which am unfamiliar or work with an unfamiliar software. Otherwise after some time and experience, you can get the photo processed (normal processing in Basic and Detail tabs) in less than a minute.

[mholford]

W00t!! I'm in! - with the plastic fantastic (which indeed it seems so far to be).

Happy birthday to me 8)

indeed - happy birthday...
Mine was 3 days ago... after receiving checks from my parents and parents in law I showed them what they had bought me... (my new to me DA*50-135)

lol... love buying my own presents in advance....

[ripper2860]

Dammit!! LBA has struck again. Gotta stop selling lenses -- for every one I sell, I buy two or three at more $$ than I made selling the freakin lens!!

Pulled the trigger on a nice Kiron 28/2 lens. A K28/2 it ain't, but folks seem to speak pretty highly of it and I think it was a good buy.

[W412ren]

For me it's time consuming when I'm not sure what I wanna do with a photo or when I want to try new stuff which am unfamiliar or work with an unfamiliar software. Otherwise after some time and experience, you can get the photo processed (normal processing in Basic and Detail tabs) in less than a minute.

This is why I loved Aperture and am now learning to like Lightroom. It's rare that I ever wish for something only available in Photoshop and the main reason I like the two aforementioned programs is the organisation plus the editing abilities if required.
Also, since being involved in these SICs I am learning to see stuff I would never have bothered with and take photographs of objects I wouldn't have given a second glance to.
For example, the rusting old bracket recently posted. I took that withe the sole purpose of converting to B&W and then Lightroom makes it so easy to mix other effects in. My final result is saved as a user preset to use as a start point for some future occasion.
Conversely, with in-camera HDR on the K3, all I had to do for the sunrise was lighten the foreground, chuck in a few keywords and export.

Essentially it's your choice and that's what I like about the modern software, regardless of make or platform, if you've got an hour to waste, no problem. If all you've got is ten minutes that should be enough for quick pp.

[Tsuken]

Plastic Fantastic is so far surpassing my (actually relatively high) expectations.

I also pulled the trigger on a copy of Tonality by Macphun (apparently by ex-Nik people). I rather love what it does/allows with B&W. It does mean I can take significantly longer than in Darktable, but the results are worth the time.

[noelpolar]

I agree with this. Getting out and shooting feels good, like I'm accomplishing something, but firing the shutter is only half of it. I feel like the shots really gain a voice and an intent when they're processed, and that's why I LOVE developing the image on the computer (I use Lightroom).

HOWEVER, @mtux is exactly right, it is super time-consuming. I'm giving up on making a shot for the 4th and I should probably get real about October in general... -_-

Wedding or the like shoots are the most annoying for me as far as pp goes..... even If I allow 3 minutes per shot on average for loading, selecting and pp'ing...... 250 shots equals 12 hours on the mac.....

[dakight]

Plastic Fantastic is so far surpassing my (actually relatively high) expectations.

I also pulled the trigger on a copy of Tonality by Macphun (apparently by ex-Nik people). I rather love what it does/allows with B&W. It does mean I can take significantly longer than in Darktable, but the results are worth the time.

I have both the DA 35 f2.4 and the DA 50 f1.8 and both are absolute bargains. They consistently give good results and at the price point you don't have to be afraid to use them. Yeah, they feel a little cheap with the all plastic construction but they will hold their own with lenses costing much more. I love that if I lose or damage one it's little more than the cost of dinner out to replace it.

---------- Post added 10-05-15 at 03:26 AM ----------

I agree with this. Getting out and shooting feels good, like I'm accomplishing something, but firing the shutter is only half of it. I feel like the shots really gain a voice and an intent when they're processed, and that's why I LOVE developing the image on the computer (I use Lightroom).

HOWEVER, @mtux is exactly right, it is super time-consuming. I'm giving up on making a shot for the 4th and I should probably get real about October in general... -_-

I can't speak for everyone, but for me I would rather see you a couple times a week enjoying yourself than stressing yourself trying to force something out everyday. Your participation is valued and appreciated but if you have to scale back some then that's what you have to do. It would be a loss to everyone if you just dropped out entirely.

---------- Post added 10-05-15 at 03:34 AM ----------

I'm still using Corel Paintshop Photo Pro XIII. My PP usually just consits of levels/curves to get the contrast back, a crop and/or horizon straighten if needed, and then converting it to B/W if wanted. choosing a virtual "filter" in PPing is interesting, whereas with film you were stuck with what was on the lens. If I really think the image can benefit from it, I'll do some dodging/burning, but really only with B/W. Resize/unsharp mask. Most only take 1-2 minutes.

I used Paintshop Pro for years; in fact I was using it way back when it was still shareware. It's really a quite capable program but for me the Adobe subscription at $10 a month works out really well. I used to use only Photoshop but a few months ago I started using Lightroom instead and now it's only rarely that I need to go into Photoshop.

[Tsuken]

I can't speak for everyone, but for me I would rather see you a couple times a week enjoying yourself than stressing yourself trying to force something out everyday. Your participation is valued and appreciated but if you have to scale back some then that's what you have to do. It would be a loss to everyone if you just dropped out entirely.

Certainly speaking for me.

[noelpolar]

Certainly speaking for me.

...me two or is it to or too or three maybe? (and there is always Sandy's belfie to keep you going.....)

[severalsnakes]

...me two or is it to or too or three maybe? (and there is always Sandy's belfie to keep you going....something to do with a Chimney this month I heard on the grapevine.....)

:-O

I can't speak for everyone, but for me I would rather see you a couple times a week enjoying yourself than stressing yourself trying to force something out everyday. Your participation is valued and appreciated but if you have to scale back some then that's what you have to do. It would be a loss to everyone if you just dropped out entirely.

Aww, that makes me feel good, thank you! ^_^

I'm pretty solid at getting the camera in my hands and making a shot (I did end up making something for the 4th!), I just don't know where all the time goes during the day... I get up early, I stay up late. It's not that I'm spending all my hours in Lightroom and just running out of time to post the shots... and I'm really not all that behind, I guess... It'll just have to be a "when I can" kind of participation, because I'm gonna work 'til 5 at the office, teach until probably 8:30 or 9, and just see what I have/can do. (Mr. Snakes will be watching football, so I'll have a bodily aversion to vegging out in front of the TV.) Tomorrow I've got a book that I pre-ordered via Amazon Kindle coming my way (David Wong's Futuristic Violence and Fancy Suits - anyone a JDATE fan??)... and Wednesday me and Mr. Snakes' geeky TV show (Supernatural) is starting a new season and I know we're going to be shrieking like girls and being fanatical... So as you can see, I've got a pretty full calendar! x-D

I will keep playing, but I'm going to stop adding my photos to the Single in Group on Flickr, 'cause it's not fair that I ask for participation with my photos when I don't have time to return the courtesy. I'll still be only Flickr and I'll comment on images that catch my eye. It's chillin' time.

HOWEVER I will ask you guys to check out my images from the Scott Kelby Worldwide Photo Walk and tell me which one I should submit for a chance to win a PRIZE!

https://www.flickr.com/photos/somedonkus/albums/72157659484492331

---------- Post added 10-05-15 at 07:12 AM ----------

indeed - happy birthday...
Mine was 3 days ago... after receiving checks from my parents and parents in law I showed them what they had bought me... (my new to me DA*50-135)

lol... love buying my own presents in advance....

Bwa hahaa! Yes "Buy now, worry later!" I've been known... ;-)

And happy birthday, to you and @Tsuken !!

[HockeyDad]

PP is a soul-sucking chore to me. Takes all the joy out of the hobby.

I know you're not looking for advice... and in spite of that, you got a fair amount. I guess that's because we're all friends here and just want to help. For what it's worth, 90% of the PP I do is with FastStone image viewer. I set it as my default viewer for .jpg images so that all I do is double-click on the image in Windows explorer to open it full screen in FastStone. Then I bump the left edge of the screen to reveal the menu and tweak levels and crop it. Occasionally I straighten and/or adjust contrast and saturation. Then SaveAs. That program also does browsing and folders and such... I ignore all of that and ONLY use the full screen viewer to edit. Actually, it also does clone/heal for when there's dust or something. It sharpens too, but the sharpening engine is crap YMMV.

For the other 10%, the ones that require more work or when I want to get extra creative in PP, well, then it's off to PhotoShop. But, like I said, 90% are covered in under a minute of quick tweaking in FastStone. I wouldn't call it intuitive though. It took a few images to realize how to work it.

[blackcloudbrew]

Dammit!! LBA has struck again. Gotta stop selling lenses -- for every one I sell, I buy two or three at more $$ than I made selling the freakin lens!!

Pulled the trigger on a nice Kiron 28/2 lens. A K28/2 it ain't, but folks seem to speak pretty highly of it and I think it was a good buy.

Interesting, see I haven't sold lenses and still buy them - although I tell myself that I will sell lenses to cover the ones I'm buying. That hasn't worked far by the way. Anyway, I'm in a no buy anymore photo equipment until the end of the year (unless something actually breaks and needs replacing). Five days in to my partial cure for LBA I can feel the drift starting again

OTOH - that Kiron 28 is a great lens and I'm sorry I sold mine sometime ago. Enjoy.