# How often do you utilize photoshop, or another editing program?



## VinnyG113 (Apr 10, 2014)

How much do you tweak an image in photoshop, or another editing program, provided you don't discover any major blemishes you feel the need to correct? This is primarily in regards to non-model work.


Do you typically make adjustments in hue, saturation, contrast, filtering, etc.? How often do you take a photograph with the intention of playing with adjustments in photoshop? Or are you one who prefers to get the best image taken with your camera, and maybe a tripod, and leave it at that?

Maybe for you, like me, it's all dependent on the mood you're in and how much you feel like experimenting to see what the image would look like with various adjustments, whether or not your keep those adjustments after application.


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## Nevermore1 (Apr 10, 2014)

For me it depends on what it is, I also shoot in RAW so I go in and make those adjustments.  Otherwise I like to take it as I see it.  If it comes out way too under or over exposed and it's something I am unable to re shoot then I will go im amd edit in PS or LR.

Sent from my SM-N900T


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## Msteelio91 (Apr 10, 2014)

I also shoot RAW so I use Lightroom for that. I don't use photoshop often, usually just when I'm messing around.


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## ronlane (Apr 10, 2014)

VinnyG113,

I was on KelbyOne watching videos the other day. Watching Scott do a travel series where he went from shooting to processing to final product. During the second half, he started with processing and organizing his photos. He uses LR for this process and picked his favorites or rejected ones he didn't like or were OOF. From there he flagged his favorites and then moved them to a collection. He unflagged that collection and flagged the ones he liked best as Picks to be processed. Then he used LR and CS6 to complete his images.

As I was playing with this idea in LR and PSE11, I realized how easy it was to send a file over to PSE to finish it. Prior to this, I was using Nik Collection Software from within LR4 to do most of my editing. Now, I believe that I will use what Scott has taught me and go from LR to PSE and back to do all of that work. It seemed easy and better for my mind.

Now to answer your questions, how many images do I tweak in photoshop or other editing software. Well for me it is ALL of them because I shoot RAW and have to convert them to at least DNG files first.

The quick answer would have been to say ALL the images that people see of my work have been edited.


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## SpikeyJohnson (Apr 10, 2014)

I at least use Lightroom every time.  However, with Camera Raw in Photoshop and having picked up a Wacom tablet I think I'll be using Photoshop a ton more.  I can do things much faster with a stylus than a mouse and be more precise. So now Photoshop adjustments are just as fast as me going through Lightroom and then I have more power to add a little flair to it.

Edit: Also I agree with the poster before me, I like Lightroom for organizing but I have Windows 8.1 so I have the capability to view my raw files without editing. So I may slowly move from Lightroom to a Windows Explorer / Photoshop workflow.


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## Scatterbrained (Apr 10, 2014)

Every image starts in Lr and is finished in Ps.


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## ronlane (Apr 10, 2014)

SpikeyJohnson said:


> I at least use Lightroom every time.  However, with Camera Raw in Photoshop and having picked up a Wacom tablet I think I'll be using Photoshop a ton more.  I can do things much faster with a stylus than a mouse and more precise. So now Photoshop adjustments are just as fast as me going through Lightroom and then I have more power to add a little flair to it.



I'm jealous of the wacom. I have got to get me one of those. But I need to get Windows 7 or 8 first and then get a subscription to LR5 & CS6.


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## Braineack (Apr 10, 2014)

Probably 95% of my shots on my Flickr are 100% LR edits and processing.  Once I'm happy with the processing, I'll maybe run it through Portraiture or some other plugin, then import it into PS for pixel manipulation where needed.

I had to dust of PS for my last set:








I used it to stack my bracketed shots, then I brought it back into LR to run my edits, then back in PS to remove the unwanted stuff:






I need to go back in and fix a few things in the above.


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## tirediron (Apr 10, 2014)

Scatterbrained said:


> Every image starts in Lr and is finished in Ps.



This.  Exactly.


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## SpikeyJohnson (Apr 10, 2014)

ronlane said:


> SpikeyJohnson said:
> 
> 
> > I at least use Lightroom every time.  However, with Camera Raw in Photoshop and having picked up a Wacom tablet I think I'll be using Photoshop a ton more.  I can do things much faster with a stylus than a mouse and more precise. So now Photoshop adjustments are just as fast as me going through Lightroom and then I have more power to add a little flair to it.
> ...



I was able to get mine cheap from work because they were getting rid of it, but you can get one of the cheaper non LCD ones and they are pretty powerful as well.  I kind of wish I had one of them as well so that I could use it on every monitor instead of just the Wacom LCD. They are also much cheaper than the LCD versions.


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## limr (Apr 10, 2014)

I use Corel. No reason except my brother-in-law bought it as a gift for me probably 10 years back and I finally upgraded maybe a year or two ago. I don't do much processing, so it's not worth it for me to spend more money on Lightroom or Photoshop. I will crop and straighten, clone out dust marks, maybe bump the colors or contrast or adjust white balance. I really don't like spending much time on the computer editing. If I have that much work to do to correct something in a photo, that just tells me that I need to spend more time behind the camera!


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## SCraig (Apr 10, 2014)

I don't use Photoshop or Lightroom (by choice since I do own them both) however every image I use does have some level of post processing in Capture NX2.


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## pjaye (Apr 10, 2014)

Never, although I have photoshop and light room. The learning curve is just too steep for me and I hate editing. I use picassa to straighten and crop and that's about it.


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## cookedpixel (Apr 10, 2014)

After I drum scan my film I catalog the frames in Lightroom. After spotting, my adjustments are limited to dodging, burning, a slight crop, straightening, and overall exposure (typically +/- half a stop or less). I use Photoshop and a print profile for getting the file ready to send to an out of state lab for archival fiber prints. While I'm waiting for delivery I fire up the mat cutter.

Sent from my SPH-L710 using Tapatalk


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## 480sparky (Apr 10, 2014)

I edit everything that I star-rate.

I have to.  I shoot raw.


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## DougGrigg (Apr 10, 2014)

I go through a whole process. I will go out for a shoot, typically shoot 2 rolls of film or 60 odd digital images, i will then cull through them via my eye before scanning them in, and/or uploading them to lightroom, i will then star rate the images again to eliminate them down to around 10 images, i will then tweak the chromatic aberation on lightroom before importing into photoshop where layers and curves usually plays a role. 

Other than that some subtle dodging and burning.

if im scanning in negatives i will then edit out dust and scratches in photoshop.

after photoshop i will them calibrate the colours to match the printer i am using before printing, experimenting various sizes/ placements on pages for books ect. Before finishing up and presenting my work as exhibition or book.


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## webestang64 (Apr 10, 2014)

For my job......I use PS everyday (photo retoucher),,,,personal, sometimes with my color film scans, never with my BW film....that's all done in the darkroom.


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## slackercruster (Apr 10, 2014)

OP...100% of the time.


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## Msteelio91 (Apr 10, 2014)

Scatterbrained said:


> Every image starts in Lr and is finished in Ps.



Care to elaborate on this? I see the advantages of both, but what would you say makes using both necessary?


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## runnah (Apr 10, 2014)

99% of the time, 1% is for Lightroom when I want batch a bunch if photos.


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## jenko (Apr 10, 2014)

I shoot Raw, so yeah ... PS is kinda a must. I don't use LR at all. Nothing against it, just used to PS and don't feel like learning another software program. Bridge can be cluttery, but I'm used to it. 




SpikeyJohnson said:


> [ ... ] and having picked up a Wacom tablet I think I'll be using Photoshop a ton more.  I can do things much faster with a stylus than a mouse and be more precise. So now Photoshop adjustments are just as fast as me going through Lightroom and then I have more power to add a little flair to it.



I love, love, love my wacom. It makes things so much easier, and fun! 

Did I mention I love my wacom?


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## sleist (Apr 10, 2014)

100%

Depending on camera:

NEF-> Capture NX2 -> TIFF -> CS6 -> TIFF/JPEG

DNG -> ACR -> CS6 -> TIFF/JPEG


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## CdTSnap (Apr 10, 2014)

I used to use Photoshop all the time, every day. And I know how to use it well. But ive noticed since Ive had Lightroom 5 I very rarely need to use it.


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## bribrius (Apr 10, 2014)

For me a lot of this question would depend on which camera i shoot with. The better camera the less need i have for editing. But with any camera most of my images stay sooc or near sooc. The ones that don't usually just have a bump in contrast or exposure (mostly because i didn't do it in camera beforehand) and are longer focal length and really light driven shots. Anything that would require a lot of editing i throw out. As a walk around shooter my needs are fairly limited and simple. The majority of my images don't get edited other than occasional cropping. But the majority of my images and my outlook isn't a pro or perfection status or concentrating on having the end resulting image the best and can possibly be. i don't even have a full processing program i have a free and very limited one

. I also don't have anyone to make happy (ive made very little money doing this im not a business) so i don't require coming up with a perfect end product free from blemish as many are. Artistically, i don't do a lot of artistic shots either, so my need for post processing isn't very abundant for artistic effects. im also more interested in taking the photos than the end resulted photo in most cases. just using the camera. Most of my control and concern with the finished photo is directly related to actually using the camera not post process.
percentage of my photos that see any editing 10%. percentage of my photos that see significant editing beyond a bump in contrast or exposure maybe 5 %. Percentage that goes unedited at all 90 %. hope this helps. keep in mind everyone's needs are different and most have higher finished product expectations than i and more complicated photography than what i do..

j mostly shoot jpeg as well


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## Ysarex (Apr 10, 2014)

VinnyG113 said:


> How much do you tweak an image in photoshop, or another editing program, provided you don't discover any major blemishes you feel the need to correct? This is primarily in regards to non-model work.
> 
> 
> Do you typically make adjustments in hue, saturation, contrast, filtering, etc.? How often do you take a photograph with the intention of playing with adjustments in photoshop? Or are you one who prefers to get the best image taken with your camera, and maybe a tripod, and leave it at that?
> ...



100% of the time just like you and everybody else. You can't create a digital photo without using an editing program.

Joe


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## bribrius (Apr 10, 2014)

Ysarex said:


> VinnyG113 said:
> 
> 
> > How much do you tweak an image in photoshop, or another editing program, provided you don't discover any major blemishes you feel the need to correct? This is primarily in regards to non-model work.
> ...



how so? i copy and paste some things right from my sd card


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## Scatterbrained (Apr 10, 2014)

Msteelio91 said:


> Scatterbrained said:
> 
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> > Every image starts in Lr and is finished in Ps.
> ...



My normal workflow would consist of culling initially in the Lr import dialog.  Then going through to pick the shot or shots that are going to be edited.  In Lr they'll get a camera profile, tone curve, import sharpening, white balance, possibly a few other global adjustments such as highlights and shadows, as well as some dodging and burning.   Then it will go into Ps for creative sharpening; clean up via healing brush/clone tool, color grading via gradient map, levels adjustment, more dodging and burning,  localized contrast adjustments, and then the color profile conversion before export to Lr.  Then in Lr it gets more specific keywording, cropping (unless is was done in Ps, which is where it would get done if a border is being added), and export sharpening.


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## Ysarex (Apr 10, 2014)

Msteelio91 said:


> Scatterbrained said:
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> 
> > Every image starts in Lr and is finished in Ps.
> ...



Pardon me if I jump in here: There's a lot that LR can't do for example cloning work. Another example would be making local tone/color adjustments. The adjustment brush and gradient tools in LR are crude by comparison with what's available in Photoshop and sometimes that degree of precision is needed. Often a photo can be completely and satisfactorily processed in LR, but there will always be photos where LR comes up short.

Joe


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## ronlane (Apr 10, 2014)

Ysarex said:


> Msteelio91 said:
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> > Scatterbrained said:
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Joe have you used LR5 for the brushes? It's my understanding that they are much improved.


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## Ysarex (Apr 10, 2014)

bribrius said:


> Ysarex said:
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> > VinnyG113 said:
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If you use a Nikon camera then you edit your photos using Nikon's Expeed software. If you have a Canon camera you use Canon DIGIC editing software. If you have a Sony camera then you're using Sony's Bionz editing software, and so on and so on. All digital cameras have editing software built in and can only produce a JPEG by using that editing software. You have control of that software. You can edit the white balance, the contrast, the saturation, etc., etc. *You can't create a digital photo without editing the sensor capture.* Just because you limit yourself to the editing software that's burned onto a chip in your camera doesn't mean your photos aren't edited.

I understand that some people want to draw a distinction between editing a photo on the computer maybe days later versus editing the photo at the time it's taken. But apart from having more time to think about it and superior tools on the computer what's the difference for example between editing the contrast when you take the photo as opposed to later? You can't for example get a JPEG from the camera without setting the white balance. The editing control on the camera is labeled WB and you can typically select a preset value or set a custom white balance or use auto white balance. You have to chose one and that's editing.

People use the term SOOC as if to suggest that the photo is as yet unmolested. By the time you have a camera JPEG a fraction of a second after clicking the shutter you have a heavily edited image and whether you used the adjustment controls in the camera or not that photo has been edited.

Joe


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## Scatterbrained (Apr 10, 2014)

ronlane said:


> Ysarex said:
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> > Msteelio91 said:
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  "much improved" and "comparable to Ps" are two totally different things.     Aside from the different way Lr and Ps work, making Lr a real resource hog when you start moving pixels,  it's still quite rudimentary.   I'm not saying it's not a great improvement, and for 99% if photographers Lr can now do everything they need,  but when you need more control Ps is still the software to beat.


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## Ysarex (Apr 10, 2014)

ronlane said:


> Ysarex said:
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> > Msteelio91 said:
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Yep, I teach college students how to use the LR5 brush and gradient tool. They're much improved but they're no match for a mask in Photoshop -- scalpel versus a plastic table knife.

Joe


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## KmH (Apr 10, 2014)

For me the major tool types LR doesn't have are the CS/CC/Elements Selection tools, Layers, and Layer masks.

As Joe mentions CS/CC and even Elements offers so much more precision than most LR tools have.

LR's major reason for being is image database management, which is why the Library module is the first module and LR was never intended to be a replacement/substitute for Photoshop.



bribrius said:


> how so? i copy and paste some things right from my sd card



For those that don't know it, even Raw files get edited in several ways before we get to see them. That's what a Raw converter is for. taking a grayscale, mosaiced, linear tone curve, strange looking image and interpolating color color, demosaicing, and applying a non-linear tone curve.

If you have the camera set to make JPEGs, even more editing is done in the camera.
Something else few seem to realize - the image sensor pixels in a digital camera are not digital - they are analog devices that cannot detect color.


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## JacaRanda (Apr 10, 2014)

LR5 cloning and healing are not bad at all compared to previous versions.   The radial filter works very well too.  http://m.youtube.com/watch?v=7IpXeV1rGto


Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk


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## Ysarex (Apr 10, 2014)

ronlane said:


> Ysarex said:
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Here's an example:




I took this photo earlier this week on my walk to the grocery store. I wanted to show my wife what they did to one of my favorite trees. In that light the foreground in the camera exposure is pretty dark and the sky was quite a bit lighter. I exposed as much as I dared without clipping the sky. This is heavily edited to both lighten the foreground and darken the sky. Look at all the tree branches. Not just the ones on the big tree but the ones behind the houses as well. Want to count the branches? I masked every single branch in PS in order to make that tone adjustment when I lightened the foreground and darkened the sky. The only thing LR can do in a case like this is make crude halos around everything.

Joe


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## nzmacro (Apr 11, 2014)

Every single shot  

I crop every single image I take and tweak it in LR and then into Photoimpact for final adjusting. I would never dream of doing anything else, all RAW to start with.

Danny.


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## illuminating_light (May 12, 2014)

Same as many members, i use editing 99% of the time. I had a subscription to Adobe's Photography Program of both PS & LR for just under the 30 days, i canceled it. I also have Corel Paintshop Pro X6.. I found i can easily do the same things with corel, as i could Adobe, as far as most of the edits i do have to do, and there was no sense being tied to a monthly payment for Adobe because of.


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## snerd (May 12, 2014)

100%, RAW files on CF card to Lightroom 5.04, initial adjustments and then the finer detail processing. It's been a steep learning curve for me, but I'm finally starting to see some progress.

ETA: like some have mentioned, I'm thinking of adding Elements to the arsenal. I have version 10 I think, but haven't used it in years.


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