[jwiles]

Do you prefer to "get it right the first time" by honing your skills in the field and producing great photos from the start or rely heavily on software (i.e. Photoshop) to produce your desired product. For reference, take a look at the OP article on line at Max Out Your DSLR Sensor - Outdoor Photographer | OutdoorPhotographer.com

[liveincontrast]

Personally I PP everything, even if it is only to confirm exposure and color balance. I shoot everything in RAW and use software as a tool for fine-tuning the results. The camera doesn't allow the degree of finesse and control that the software does. On film, the developing process was at least as critical as capturing the image, and the same holds true for digital.

The better the starting image, the less time it takes me in PP, so I still prefer to get it as close as possible on-camera. I want to be able to capture those once-in-a-lifetime moments, and use software as an additional tool to have the best image possible.

[Digitalis]

in-camera...call me old school but I prefer to get everything right in camera. As audio engineers commonly say "crap in, crap out". I have seen people spend ages PP'ing an image only to make a bad image look average. but a good image can be bolstered significantly by the application of PP techniques.

[RioRico]

I try to shoot as well as possible, but I also PP everything, sometimes extensively. The darkroom or PP warez are just part of the process of making a picture. Prepare; take the shot; fix it so it looks like you want. The RAW file (or latent-image) that emerges from a camera is just a starting point.

[Marc Sabatella]

I prefer to get it *as right as possible* in camera given the camera's extremely rudimentary controls and the impossibility of fine tuning exposure curves, wb, nr and so forth on every shot before you've even taken it. And then I use PP to take it from that point to even better results - assuming the image is worth the trouble (I don't custom PP every image - not by a long shot).

The option that PP is only for correcting things one didn't right is completely fallacious.

[slinco]

I prefer to get it *as right as possible* in camera given the camera's extremely rudimentary controls and the impossibility of fine tuning exposure curves, wb, nr and so forth on every shot before you've even taken it. And then I use PP to take it from that point to even better results - assuming the image is worth the trouble (I don't custom PP every image - not by a long shot).

The option that PP is only for correcting things one didn't right is completely fallacious.

Exactly right Mark.

The original poster's way of putting it - "Do you prefer to "get it right the first time" by honing your skills in the field and producing great photos from the start or rely heavily on software (i.e. Photoshop) to produce your desired product" is incredibly uninformed and, frankly, insulting.

[SpecialK]

Exactly right Mark.

The original poster's way of putting it - "Do you prefer to "get it right the first time" by honing your skills in the field and producing great photos from the start or rely heavily on software (i.e. Photoshop) to produce your desired product" is incredibly uninformed and, frankly, insulting.

+1, although I'm sure we would all love to be photographic marvels for every shot.
The "get it right in the camera" is one of a few commonly posted comments, nonetheless, that make me sigh and roll my eyes :-)

[jwiles]

Thats funny - "insulting, uninformed, roll my eyes" I needed a good laugh.

Anyway, the reason I posted this was because I'm seeing a trend towards not caring so much in the field and trying to make up for the lack of craftsmanship during PP. I like Marc's response in as much as PP is replacing the darkroom but shouldn't be a crutch for poor craftsmanship in the field. I've seen too many times where someone picks up an DSLR as a hobby, not learning the very basics of how to take a good shot, then tries to make up for it in software. I too use Lightroom to adjust and crop but pay more attention to learning the skill of taking good photos. I guess my background in film made me that way. PP is our new darkroom. But remember that in the days of film, although much could be done to a photo in the darkroom, the average photographer had little control over that so they relyed on skill in the field. To me, its kind of disappointing not knowing if the picture I'm looking at is the true art of the camera and the photographer or if it is the result of a computer guru and PP software. Perhaps it doesn't matter - what's your opinion?

With that, I'm certain your comments weren't directed at me and that you are informed enough to see this happening as well. To me, it's insulting for someone to call themselves a photographer when they don't know which end of the camera is which.

[KxBlaze]

If I take a shot the is off on either WB, color, exposure, etc, I will correct it in camera to get the best results I can get but every single picture I take gets opened up in Photoshop. And since I shoot in RAW I will always add something here and there. Maybe some contrast, saturation, vibrance or need to remove some CA.

In any case, just like most others have said, the better picture you take with your camera the less you will have to PP. That holds true for me too. Some pictures I will spend a lot of time on tweaking the smallest things to get the picture just right and others will only be open in Photoshop for about 10 seconds.

[jwiles]

If I take a shot the is off on either WB, color, exposure, etc, I will correct it in camera to get the best results I can get but every single picture I take gets opened up in Photoshop. And since I shoot in RAW I will always add something here and there. Maybe some contrast, saturation, vibrance or need to remove some CA.

In any case, just like most others have said, the better picture you take with your camera the less you will have to PP. That holds true for me too. Some pictures I will spend a lot of time on tweaking the smallest things to get the picture just right and others will only be open in Photoshop for about 10 seconds.

Earth?

[LucyGoosey]

I don't have the patience to pp everything I shoot, and even when I do shoot in RAW, I'm lost when it comes to the software. That might be b/c I have an older laptop w/o dedicated graphics card and only a copy of PSPX2. I find when I shoot JPEG only mode, I'm more satisfied with results. I spend more time getting white balance right on first. I also can shoot more rapidly b/c I dont' have to wait for my camera to process every RAW+...good for sports, kids/pets, other moving objects.

I'd rather spend more $ on a fast lens than on a laptop plus software.

[Urkeldaedalus]

Usually I would say I use software, but in the last few weeks I have enjoyed used the K-7's developing tools to create images from my RAW files. I like the fact that you can still play with your images, but the number of options you can use is significantly reduced, so it still gives you the challenge of having to capture the image in camera.

[SpecialK]

Thats funny - "insulting, uninformed, roll my eyes" I needed a good laugh.

..

With that, I'm certain your comments weren't directed at me and that you are informed enough to see this happening as well. To me, it's insulting for someone to call themselves a photographer when they don't know which end of the camera is which.

Well, my +1 was mostly for Marc's comment, not the insulting and ill-informed part, which is a bit harsh :-)

But yes, I still roll my eyes at several common statements. And, I also sigh.

Oh, even bad art is art.

[FullertonImages]

Yay, this topic again...!

It's like asking, "What is your preferred way of making pancakes, mixing the batter or cooking them?" It's both. It's a two step process, and it's never meant to be all one or all the other. To get the best pancakes you have to make the batter as good as possible, then do the best job cooking them that you can. No chef would make pour all his knowledge and skill into crafting the most perfect pancake batter, then say "Nailed it!" and walk away; because it's not done yet. No matter how god one is at capture images in camera, they can all still benefit from PP; and no matter how good someone is at PP, they can always benefit from improving their captures. It's both. Always has been, always will be.

[KxBlaze]

Earth?

Correct!!