May « 2018 « 360Photography

RSS

Archive for May, 2018

ON1 Photo RAW 2018 – A Beginner’s Guide

29 May

When people start photography, or even after they have been doing it for a while, they find a time when they want to start learning how to do some processing on their computer. Then they are faced with a heap of options. There are so many choices and trying to work out which one to choose can be hard. One option that is becoming very popular is ON1 Photo Raw 2018.

You can buy the software outright, so you don’t need to worry about any monthly subscription costs like others are offering. It is easy to learn and you will find that ON1 can likely do everything you need to do. One of the best aspects is the community of photographers around the program as well.

On1 Photo RAW 2018 - A Beginner’s Guide - textured image

Having fun with layers and the textures.

Here is a beginner’s guide to help you find your way through ON1 Photo RAW 2018 and give you the confidence to start working on your photos. You can download the program from their website.

There is a 30-day free trial available to see if you like it before buying, which of course you will. You can also just pay for it which isn’t very expensive either. Finally, if you do purchase it you will have the peace of mind knowing it is backed by a 30-day money back guarantee.

Browse Module

This is where you start when you open the program. Here you can find all your folders that contain your images. This is where you should start exploring what is possible inside ON1 Photo RAW. You can’t break anything and it is good to see what is available.

Hover over all the menu items along the top of the main window. You will see File, Edit, Album, etc., each of those has different options. While you may not use many of them at first, it is always good to know what is there. It will help you understand what is available and if you watch the many ON1 videos you will understand what they are saying and how easy it is to learn.

In the Browse module. Hover along the top to see what is in each of the menus.

On1 Photo RAW 2018 - A Beginner’s Guide - photo of a marina

An image with only basic adjustments made to it using ON1 Photo RAW 2018.

The most important thing to do is to find where your photos are located. Then click on Browse and look below. You may have to go searching, but just use the same process that you would if you were looking for them on your computer.

Again, it’s simple. Just point Browse to where your photos are located for them to appear. You don’t have to import photos to start working. You can add folders, subfolders, albums and smart albums (collections) so that they are easier to find in the future as well.

In Browse, you can see all your folders and subfolders.

Now it is time to pick a photo. Once you have one selected, double-click on it, press Enter, or you can just go to the side panel on the right, go to Develop, and your image will open there. Watch the short video below on the Browse module.

Develop

In this module, you can start to make changes to your images. This is where you can begin the process of creating the image that you had in your head when you took it. This is also where the first steps in raw processing will occur if you are shooting raw files.

Overall Settings

In Develop you can make many of the most common adjustments. Most images need something, whether that is changing the exposure, or perhaps bringing out the shadows, and you can do it all in the Develop module. If you’re just starting out with editing, the Tone and Color Mode is a good place to begin. From there you can make many adjustments to your image that will help make it look a lot better.

Overall Settings is where you can make most of the adjustments you will need to do.

You should play with all the sliders to see what they each can do. Don’t worry about going too far, nothing is fixed, and you can undo everything. In the photography industry, we call that non-destructive editing. You aren’t doing anything to your image that is permanent.

When using the sliders you don’t have to click on the actual pointer, just click anywhere you want and the pointer will catch up to you. You can slide along underneath it as well.

You will make the changes by using the sliders in the appropriate panels.

Go to the Extremes

Another reason for going too far is that it can help you work out where you need to be with your image. Take the slider to the max, and then you bring it back to where you think it should be. As you do this, you will start to understand what each slider is for and how you can use it. Don’t forget to try it in both directions.

Take the sliders to the extreme, see how far you can go. Don’t forget to bring them back.

Resetting or Undoing

If you want to go back to where you were at the start simply go to the top of the section (where the heading is) for example, Tone and Color. On the right, you will see a half-circle with an arrow. Click on that and everything will be reset.

Press the icon in the top right of the adjustments window to reset everything you have done.

For individual sliders, if you would like to reset just one, double-click on the name of the slider.

You can see in this section you can also change the white balance, vibrancy, and saturation. You can add structure to the image, though this should always be applied with caution. Many people think it will help sharpen their image, but if the image is not sharp already structure will not do that. What it does do, is give your sharp lines more definition.

This is the section where you can change the color aspects of your images, like White Balance.

There are a couple of other settings used for portraits. If you are doing photos with people you should try them out and see how they work with your images.

Lens Corrections

Most lenses affect your images and it is in the Lens Correction area of ON1 Photo RAW that you can correct that. Most of the time the software can detect your lens is, but if you use an unusual lens then you may have to add its profile or tell the program which lens was used. You don’t have to do this, but if you are using a wide-angle lens then it can be good to apply this setting.

Lens Correction is where you can fix the distortion that your lens can cause.

Details

The Details section is where you can reduce noise in your photos and do some sharpening. Both need to be used with caution. Overdoing it can cause unwanted halos and give your images a weird harsh texture.

As with the other sections, you should play around with all the sliders to see what they each do. Some will seem to make a difference, while others will look like they’ve done nothing. To really see what they do try enlarging the image to 100 or 200 percent. Some of them only work on individual pixels.

Details is the area where you can sharpen your image and reduce the noise in it.

Along the top of Details, you can see a default, low, high, and other options. These are like presets that you can use, or you can set your own and save it.

On1 Photo RAW 2018 - A Beginner’s Guide - pink flower

Using Detail to help reduce noise and sharpen the image.

Show More

Under Overall Settings, you will see a button that says Show More, click it. More adjustments will then be shown. If you select one a new window will appear under the others. Scroll down so you can make the necessary changes. Like many of the other settings try them all to see what you can do.

Under Overall Settings, you will see Show More. You will be given more options for adjustments to your image.

Local Adjustments

If you would like to make adjustments to particular areas of your image only, then this is the place for you to do so. Local Adjustments allows you to target parts of your images as opposed to global edits that apply to the entire image.

Local Adjustments is next to the Overall Settings tab.

If you decide that you want to make a certain part of the image darker or lighter (or add vibrance or detail) then choose Add Layer and a brush will come up. The brush has feathering which you can change to suit your image. The solid circle in the middle is how big the solid part will be and the dotted line around the outside is how far the feathering will go. To change that you can do it along the top, click on Feather, and move left or right to change the size.

The brush comes with feathering and it is good to know how to adjust it.

Along the top is where you change the brush settings.

Choose a setting that will make a big a difference for your image, like lighten or darken. Brush it over the area you want to change, this is how to make your selection. This is a good way to figure out and select the area that you want to edit or adjust.

In Local Adjustments, you can make the selection of the part of the image you want to work on.

Once you have the area you want to adjust selected, you can change the settings however you want. Undo the lighten or darken, go to the adjustments in that window and make the changes you really want. You can add as many layers as you want to make lots of changes to different parts of your image.

Experiment with this. Have a go at all of them to see how they work. It is a good way to learn what is possible. When you are done testing, you can delete any unwanted layers. Click the cross in the top right corner of each one.

Tools in the Develop Module

On the left side of the program, there are some tools. Some of them you can use straight away, other tools you can only use within the Local Adjustments tab.

Straightening Your Image

One of the questions that I get asked the most is “Why are all my images crooked?” It is such a common problem and something everyone does. Part of my answer is that it is so common, that most editing software has very easy ways to correct it. ON1 Photo Raw is no different.

The first tool in the left-side panel is the Crop Tool. Click on it and then look at the top panel across the image where you will see a small level. Click on that.

To make your image level you need to click on the crop tool first, and then look for the level icon along the top.

Pick a straight line to use in your image, like the horizon, or a tall building. Click on one end of your straight line, then hold and drag down to the other end. Keep the line along the straight edge and then click at the other end. You will see the image straighten, then just press enter to apply and crop it. The image should now be level.

Click along a straight line to make the image level.

Sometimes it can take a few times to do this, so if it doesn’t look level then just undo and repeat.

The image is now level or straightened.

Making an image straight and level.

Removing things from your image

It is in the section, that you will find the tools you need to remove unwanted items from your images. The Healing Brush, the Eraser, and the Clone Stamp are all here. Again, you should play around with them to see how they each work and the effect they will have.

The tools you will use to remove unwanted things in your images.

Use Ctrl/Cmd+Z to undo what you have done.

The first two options, Erase and Heal are like brushes so you can apply them to the items you want to remove.

The third one is called Fix, but you need to take a sample of the image to copy over the unwanted thing. You can do this by looking for an area that can be copied and then apply Fix to that area. Once you have selected the area press Alt or Option and a circle with a cross will appear, click on that area. Now you can release the Alt or Option key and then click on what you want to get rid of.

Using those tools to remove a duck from this image.

It might take a few attempts, so don’t be discouraged. Just make sure that what you are replacing the area with something that will match.

Presets

There are a number of presets that you can apply to your image. These are great when you first start as they can really show you what is possible with the program. You can add a preset, but each time you add a new one it will cancel out the previous one. If you want to stack presets on top of each other, simply right-click on the preset thumbnail preview, and choose Insert Preset.

On the right-side, you will see a number of new windows appear with all the adjustments that were made to help get that effect. If you study them you will start to understand how ON1 Photo RAW works and what you can apply to your own images.

ON1 Photo RAW comes with a series of presets.

As all the adjustments are there from the preset, you can also make your own changes to fine-tune the preset to your liking You might find parts of it are not exactly how you would like them.

The preset Firenza was added to this image.

When you go to Develop you can see all the presets on the left. Click on the different folders and quite a few of them will come up. You can see them applied to your image in small preview versions.

There are many different presets that you can use. You can see a small version (thumbnail) of each as a preview of how it will look applied to your image.

However, if you would like to see them a lot bigger then all you need to do is click the square in the top right corner of the window with the presets. It has four small squares inside a larger one.

Click on the four dots in the upper left corner to get bigger previews of the presets.

This will give a grid view and you can see how each one will look applied to your image. This is a much easier way to plan and choose which one to use.

The larger previews.

If you would like to see even bigger versions then simply click Ctrl or Cmd and the plus key. You can really see how the preset will look on your image. To exit, press Escape or the arrow in the top left corner.

Applying the preset to your image.

Moving on to Effects

One of the first things you will notice in the Effects Module is that there are more tools available. There are brushes and gradients that have masks attached to them. The mask will make it easier to make changes and corrections later on if you decide you don’t like them. Masks are good to use, but you do need to get used to them. It takes a bit of practice.

When you go to the Effects Mode you get a lot more tools to start using. Many come with masks.

Presets and Filters

Over where the presets were in the Develop mode, you will now find a series of Filters that can be applied to your image. As you did with the previous module, you can click on one, then the four preview thumbnails of the filters for that set on your image.

In Effects, you also get to use special filters to apply to your images.

You can also select the filters on the right under Overall Settings. If you know which one you want to choose then you can just select it there. When you do make the selection you will see that a new window will open up. In there you can adjust the filter as you want it. You can change the opacity, along with other settings that are used to make the filter. You don’t have to accept everything the filter gives you, feel free to tweak the options to your liking.

Click on the four dots again to get larger previews.

Over on the right under Overall Settings and Local Adjustments, there is a button called Add Filter, click it to see a list of the ones available.

Once again, you should try them all and see how they work. Try adding several filters to the same image. If you don’t like it you can press Ctrl/Cmd+Z to remove it. Otherwise, click the cross in the top right corner.

For each filter there are windows where you can make adjustments to the filters you have applied.

Working with Layers

Layers can be scary, but once you know what they are and how to use them you will see a lot more opportunities open up for your image.

The Layers Module has a lot more tools and adjustments you can use. Plus it also gives you the added bonus of being able to apply other images and work with layers.

You can change the sky if you aren’t happy with what is there in your shot. ON1 makes this very easy with the masking brush. You can make it so that you only mask particular colors, for example, so you can remove just that one and show the image that is below.

To replace your sky or to add textures you have to be able to work with layers and learn about blending them. It can be very hard to grasp at the beginning, but if you keep experimenting you will figure it out.

Here you can see the effect of several textures added and blended to completely change the look of the image.

Resizing Images

This is where you can resize your images depending on what you are going to do with them. For most of us, that is probably going to mean doing images for Social Media. However, there are a lot of other options available so you can prepare your images for printing or whatever you need.

If you want big prints, Resize uses Genuine Fractals® technology to enlarge your images.

Resize is where you can get your image ready for social media or printing.

The ON1 RAW Community

If you really want to go to this level then consider watching the many videos available on their YouTube channel or on their website under product training. ON1 also has a great community (called ON1 Plus Pro, which is $ 149 annually, regular price) and always includes the latest edition of ON1 Photo RAW as a perpetual license. Or you can buy the lower priced standard membership, ON1 Plus, for just $ 49.99 per year without the upgrade to the next version of ON1 Photo RAW. ON1 Photo RAW 2018 is available for $ 119.99 for new customers and an upgrade price of $ 99.99 for previous owners.

The entire community is always happy to help you learn. The membership also includes different coaches, themes, and topics each month to teach to the Plus community. Some of the names coming to ON1 Plus this year include Matt Kloskowski, Tamara Lackey, Don Komarechka, Colin Smith, Hudson Henry, Colby Brown, James Brandon, Jim Welninski, and Dan Harlacher the Product Director.

You will find many videos that take you through the more complicated parts of the program step by step. Dan has a great voice and is a great instructor. They are all really good.

Editing Your Photos

Whether you are a beginner or more advanced user, ON1 Photo RAW will have what you need. It isn’t a hard program to learn, especially with all the added support that ON1 offers. If you are a very beginner then it is the perfect place to start and grow into.

Disclaimer: ON1 is a dPS advertising partner.

The post ON1 Photo RAW 2018 – A Beginner’s Guide appeared first on Digital Photography School.

Digital Photography School

Comments Off

Posted in Photography

Wildlife photography in Yellowstone with Jake Davis and the Panasonic Lumix G9

29 May

April in Yellowstone National Park is a unique time. The park, which covers 3500 sq mi / 5600 sq km in the western US, is still quiet before the busy tourist season, and the weather fluctuates wildly from day to day. Wildlife photographer Jake Davis showed us around Yellowstone during this unusual period, capturing the local residents in all kinds of conditions with the weather-sealed Panasonic Lumix G9.

This is sponsored content, created with the support of Amazon and Panasonic. What does this mean?

Articles: Digital Photography Review (dpreview.com)

Comments Off

Posted in Uncategorized

How to do Visual Storytelling with Photos

29 May

The old adage, “A picture is worth a thousand words”, essentially means that what you can see in one image would take many words to describe the contents, the action, the emotion, what it’s about, and so on. It’s visual storytelling. One powerful picture can evoke an instant response and connection. It allows people to shape what they see, tell its story to them in their words.

Think of some of the most iconic images in history – the sailor kissing the girl in a crowded street by Alfred Eisenstaedt, the Migrant Mother holding her children during the depression by Dorothea Lange, Clearing Winter Storm by Ansel Adams. They are all powerful images that tell a story with impact.

lady in an American flag outfit at a festival - How to do Visual Storytelling with Photos

Sometimes we want to tell more of a story of a place or an event, where we can take many images and tell much more of the story. This allows us to include extra detail elements, wider scene-setting shots, and have the action covered from different angles or points of view.

Doing this provides new challenges. The overall story needs to make sense, have a beginning/middle/end sequence, as well as have some action or conflict and possibly resolution. So the challenge is not just to take enough images to cover what is happening, but to then blend them into a coherent story which makes sense to the viewer.

What does it take to do visual storytelling with photos?

Here are some tips to help you increase the visual storytelling elements of your images.

Example images below

A 90-minute drive from where I live is a small village called Akaroa. It was settled in the 1840s by French settlers and later other Europeans, who shared it with the local Maori tribes. The history of the area is very important and celebrated every year with a weekend festival, starting with a parade featuring descendants of original settlers. I went along with my camera a couple of years ago and spent the weekend wandering around.

This is a context statement (see #4 below) and comments have been added to some images to provide further context.

1. Answer the five key questions

What is happening?
Who is there?
Why is it happening?
Where is it happening?
When is it happening?

In relation to the festival. first I needed some scenery shots – this is the where.

How to do Visual Storytelling with Photos - Akaroa harbour in NZ with boats and a hill

Looking back up Akaroa Harbour to the Village, with Banks Peninsula hills in the background.

bridge over a stream - How to do Visual Storytelling with Photos

How to do Visual Storytelling with Photos - main wharf in Akaroa

Akaroa main wharf.

Include any well-known landmarks in the area – things that will easily visually identify it to anyone who has been there or seen them before. This helps give a sense of place and tells more of the where story.

2. Framing a sequence of events

Instead of trying to cram everything into one big image, where it can be confusing, shoot a series of more specific shots that relate to each other and tell the story that way.

Sequencing – is there a group of images you can put together that tell their own story?

3. Story structure

Your visual storytelling needs certain elements included to help it make sense, tell the story you want it to, and engage the viewer. This is called narrative. Essential elements of story structure include:

Introduction – Sets the scene, introduces important characters, sets the tone and theme.
Plot – What is happening, who is it happening to, what are the outcomes?

What about the event? where is all the color and excitement? This is the What and the Who and the Why – which are all part of the plot.

I liked the contrast of the Maori woman and child in their native dress, against the bold red of the brass band.

Children in native Maori dress followed up by the descendants of French and German settlers in period style clothing.

Everyone enjoying the beautiful day out.

Themes – Your images should be linked in obvious, but subtle ways, to each other and this can be done in different ways:
- Visual – Repeating elements (e.g. street signs), color (have a limited color palette or always show an element of a single color in each image).
- Style – Have a consistent style in the way the images are shot or are processed, using a specific focal length or lens.
- Consistency – Shooting the same subject but in different places or situations (e.g. interesting doorways, statues, manhole covers, all in different cities or countries) or shooting the same subject over time (a pregnancy story, or engagement to wedding day story).
- Relationships – Between people or elements in an environment.

And as is traditional in Akaroa, dinner at the end of the day is fish and chips from the local shop by the beach, and ever-present seagulls fighting over a chip.

Note this isn’t the story as I would necessarily tell it visually, but examples of different shots of a place and an event to give you an idea of the things to look out for.

One of the things I did do is provide some consistency with the way they are edited, so tonally they are all the same, other than the variations in color temperature of the sun at different times of the day.

4. Context

The relationship of all the images to each other provide the overall context for the story to be structured within and therefore viewed. So when you are building your visual story you need to have an idea of the context to frame it all within. Otherwise, it could appear to be a group of random images that may or may not be visually related in some way.

It may be that a short textual description or explanation sets the scene and provides the viewer with enough context to assimilate the images within. However, that option may not always be available so plan your story so that it can stand alone on its own visual merits.

Final examples

Are there any local characters you should include? This is part of the Who.

Is there any interesting architecture that helps tell the story – like in this instance, some historical buildings?

This older building has been modernised but the date gives testament to its origins. The decorative street lamps add extra flavor.

Akaroa embraces its French history with red/white/blue featuring strongly, and many places and streets are French names.

Detail shots are also nice to include, they can add flavor to the series, and interest with different points of view. Use them to tell parts of the story.

This guy was clearly important but I didn’t catch his name.

A confession

I have a confession to make. The reality is that these images are actually sourced from about three different trips. They were not all shot in one weekend for the purpose of illustrating my point, and to a certain extent, that shows in the coherence of them.

While a story could be cobbled together from these images (or other ones in my archive) they were not all shot with the idea of craft and doing visual storytelling. That shows the importance of thinking about this beforehand and shooting with intent. It means your final outcome should be the better for it.

Summary

Event or travel photography has its own challenges, and it may not always be possible for you to think about doing visual storytelling when you are in the midst of things. Maybe you don’t have to cover the whole event or trip – maybe, just a special portion of it catches your interest. Visual stories can be small and intimate too, they don’t have to be grand scale every time. A family birthday, the local school fair or market, a day out the beach, a walk in the park on a nice evening – three images, five more shots, and a few pairs of sequences.

Hopefully, this will give you enough of an idea to start thinking about telling a story with your images, it is not something I do enough myself, and if you have any tips, feel free to comment below.

The post How to do Visual Storytelling with Photos appeared first on Digital Photography School.

Digital Photography School

Comments Off

Posted in Photography

Tips for Choosing Between RAW Versus JPEG File Format

28 May

Perhaps one of the most commonly asked questions in digital photography is around which file type to use when shooting – JPEG or RAW file format. Don’t worry if you don’t know much about these two formats or whether your camera supports them. My goal, by the end of this article, is to help you understand what these two types are and help you pick the one that is right for you.

sunset image - RAW Versus JPEG File Format

RAW Versus JPEG File Format

At the very basic level, both JPEG and RAW are types of files that the camera produces as its output. Most of the newer cameras today have both these options along with a few others like M-RAW, S-RAW, Large format JPEG, Small format JPEG, etc. – all of which determines the size of the final output file.

The easiest way to see which file formats are supported by your camera is to review your camera user manual – look for a section on file formats. Or you can go through the menu options of your camera and select Quality (for Nikon) or Image Quality (Canon) to select the file format.

Each file format has its advantages and disadvantages so choose the right option that works best for you. JPEGs are, in reality, RAW files that are processed in camera and compressed into that format. Some of the decisions the camera makes in processing the image may be difficult to change later, but the JPEG file sizes tend to be much smaller.

Let’s look at the advantages and disadvantages of both these file formats in greater detail.

Advantages of shooting RAW files

It is easier to correct exposure mistakes with RAW files than with JPEGs and overexposed highlights can sometimes be rescued. For people like me who tend to always photograph at least 1/2 stop to 1 stop overexposed (based on my style of photography), this is really beneficial in saving many great images in post-production.
The higher dynamic range means better ability to preserve both highlights and shadow details in a high contrast scene when the image is being recorded.
White Balance corrections are easier to make.
Decisions about sharpening, contrast, and saturation can be deferred until the image is processed on the computer.
All the original image data is preserved. In fact, when RAW files are opened in post-production software like Lightroom, a virtual copy is made and used. Edits are made in a non-destructive format so the original RAW file is always available for changes at a later stage. This is very useful when you want to edit images in different ways at different times in your photographic career.

RAW Versus JPEG File Format - before and after with a raw file

Left is the RAW file straight out of the camera. On the right is the finished edited image from the same file.

The image on the left (above) was completely blown out because I was in the car and did not have any of my settings correct. But because I photographed in RAW I was able to salvage so much detail in the image. This would not have been possible with a JPG file.

RAW Versus JPEG File Format - underexposed image

An image that was not properly exposed but photographed in RAW.

RAW Versus JPEG File Format - corrected version of the dark file

The edited image that was corrected in post-processing for exposure issues.

Disadvantages of RAW files

RAW files tend to be much larger in size compared to JPEGs thereby requiring more storage, not just in camera but also on external storage devices or your computer hard drives.
RAW images take longer to write to your memory card which means shorter bursts of continuous shooting. For example, my Canon 5D MIII can write about 12 RAW files continuously and about 30+ JPEG files in the continuous (burst) shooting mode. Check your camera manual for specifics around your own camera’s burst mode (a.k.a continuous photography mode).
Not all programs can read RAW files. This used to be an issue, but now there are lots of great programs that can work directly with Raw files such as Adobe Lightroom, Canon’s Camera RAW, Luminar, On1 Raw, ACDSee Photo Studio Ultimate, and other such programs.

Advantages of shooting JPEGs

JPEG files are much smaller in size compared to RAW files and hence need less storage space – both in camera memory and on your computer hard drives.
JPEG images write to disk more quickly which means longer bursts of continuous shooting opportunities especially during wildlife photography, fast action sports, or even dealing with little kids that are always on the move.
These JPEG files can be instantly viewed with many programs including common web browsers, powerpoint, and other such common applications.

Disadvantages of JPEG files

It is harder to fix exposure mistakes in post-production with JPEG files.
JPEG files tend to have a smaller dynamic range of information that is stored and this often means less ability to preserve both highlights and shadow details in the image.
White Balance corrections are more difficult with JPEG files.
Decisions about sharpness, contrast, and saturation are set in the camera itself and in most cases, these are difficult to change later in post-production without destroying the image quality.
Since a JPEG image is essentially a RAW image compressed in-camera, the camera’s computer makes decisions on what data to retain and which to toss out when compressing the file.

RAW Versus JPEG File Format - jpg edited file

The same image when edited as a JPEG for exposure issues becomes a lot grainier than an underexposed RAW image. You cannot pull them as far as a RAW file.

Another old-school way to think about these two file types is as slides and negatives. JPEGs are like slides or transparencies and RAW files are like negatives. With JPEGs, most of the decisions about how the image will look are made before the shutter is pressed and there are fewer options for changes later. But RAW files almost always require further processing and adjustments – just like negatives.

Which format to choose?

Now that you understand the difference between RAW and JPEG images, deciding which one to use is dependent on a few different factors.

Do you want to spend time in post-processing your images to your taste and photography style?
Are there any issues with limited space on your camera’s memory card and/or computer hard drives?
Do you have software and/or editing programs that will read RAW files easily?
Do you intend to print your images or even share images online in a professional capacity?

Some photographers are intimidated by RAW images. I was as well when I had just gotten started in photography because I did not know the true power of a RAW image. However, once I started photographing in RAW there was no going back.

Even everyday snapshots are shot in RAW now because of the great flexibility I have in correcting any mistakes that I make. One of the most common mistakes that many photographers make is around image exposure and that is relatively easy to fix with RAW files.

RAW Versus JPEG File Format - overexposed sun or sky

I accidentally overexposed the setting sun and lost some of that golden warmth hitting the tree.

Karthika Gupta Photography - Memorable Jaunts DPS Article-Raw verses JPEG file formats -07

One of my favorite San Francisco cityscapes at sunset. I accidentally overexposed and lost the sun flare but was able to edit it and bring back that sunset warmth in post-production because it is a RAW file.

It’s getting easier to use RAW files

Traditionally the two main issues with RAW files seem to be fading every day:

The cost of memory to store or backup these RAW files is getting cheaper and cheaper by the day.
Software that can read RAW files is more readily available. In fact, there is even inexpensive and free software that can read these RAW files now.

There is still the issue of write speed for your camera. If you focus on fast-moving subjects like wildlife or sports photography then perhaps write speed is a key factor in deciding whether to photograph in RAW versus JPEG. So for fast moving objects and/or wildlife and birding photos, JPEG may be a better choice.

Another thing to note is that most of the newer cameras have the ability to capture both JPEG and RAW images at the same time. But this takes up even more storage space and might not be the best use of memory. You are better off just picking one option and sticking with that.

RAW Versus JPEG File Format - photo of a stream and moving water

Waterfall images using a slow shutter speed tend to blow out the background but editing a RAW image in Lightroom helps bring back some of the highlights.

Conclusion

I hope this was helpful in not only understanding the differences between RAW versus JPEG file formats but also in helping you decide which one to choose and why. So tell me, do you belong to the RAW or the JPEG camp?!

The post Tips for Choosing Between RAW Versus JPEG File Format appeared first on Digital Photography School.

Digital Photography School

Comments Off

Posted in Photography

Does sensor size still make a difference?

28 May

We’ve seen huge breakthroughs in the computational photography techniques in the latest smartphones, as well as the launch of some excellent small sensors in more traditional cameras. Does that mean that bigger is no longer necessarily better?

To answer that question, let’s look at why big sensors tend to produce better image quality and what smaller-sensored cameras and smartphones are doing to close the gap.

Benefits of larger sensors

The three main benefits that prompt people to move to larger sensors are the ability to blur the background with shallow depth-of-field, exhibit less noise in low light situations and the ability to capture a wider dynamic range between the brightest and darkest areas of the image. Since these all primarily stem from getting more light, it presupposes that you have a lens with a wide-enough aperture to let in enough light, but this is usually possible. Collectively, these three factors mean that large sensor cameras can usually produce better-looking images. They can’t make up for the photographer, of course, but if used by the same person, the bigger sensor usually ‘wins.’

Computational photography allows small sensors to imitate the effects of a larger sensor, while leaps forwards in sensor performance can help small sensors produce better-looking images. But do these advances mean you no longer need a larger sensor?

Computational photography

The most visible example of computational photography in widespread use are the portrait modes in the latest smartphones. These use a variety of techniques but fundamentally they make some attempt to assess the depth in the scene, then apply differing amounts of blur at different depths, to simulate shallow depth-of-field.

The results aren’t always totally convincing and won’t necessarily satisfy the kind of demanding photographer that looks for particular character to the out-of-focus rendering (bokeh) of their lenses. However, as processing power and machine learning continue to improve, the results will only get better. And for many applications, will quickly exceed the threshold of being considered ‘good enough’ for an increasing number of people.

This image was taken using Portrait mode on a modern smartphone. As well as simulated shallow depth-of-field, computational photography has added artificial lighting effects to the subject’s face.

Computational photography can also help with low light and high dynamic range scenes. Again, it’s increasingly common for smartphones to be able to shoot multiple shots, then combine them. The processing is getting sophisticated enough that this can even be done with moving subjects, without the user even necessarily realizing that this is what their phone is doing.

Because most noise in photography comes from the randomness of light, shooting the same scene again and again helps to average out this randomness, just as rolling a die repeatedly helps you get a clearer picture of whether it’s weighted.

The results will start to rival the output of
larger sensors

The same can be done in good light, sampling the scene several times (sometimes with different exposures), to extend the dynamic range beyond what could be achieved in a single exposure.

Unlike the shallow depth-of-field effect, which is simulated, these multi-shot techniques directly compete with larger sensors, since they allow the image to be constructed from more light. At which point, the results will start to rival the output of larger sensors, so long as the combination of images and movement cancellation is clever enough.

More advanced sensors

We’ve seen some very good small sensors in recent years, whose performance can narrow the gap with those above them. The adoption of technologies such as back-side illumination have allowed sensors to become more efficient (capturing more of the light that’s shone on them). Again, since most of the benefits of larger sensors come from them generally receiving more light during any given exposure, an increase in efficiency can help smaller sensors narrow this gap.


G1 X Mark III ISO 500 F3.2 (F5.2 equiv) 1/30th	G7 X Mark II ISO 160 F2 (F5.5 equiv) 1/30th

The Canon G1 X Mark III offers an APS-C sensor to the G7 X Mark II’s 1″ sensor, but the latter uses a more efficient BSI design.

This only goes so far. Partly because these technologies are also likely to have some benefit when they ‘trickle up’ to larger sensor sizes. This widens that gap back to the extent you’d expect, just based on the size difference. Also, the gaps between most popular sensor sizes are proportional to at least two-thirds of a stop, which is more of a difference than technology advances tend to compensate for.

Small sensor advantages

There are also areas in which small sensors offer an advantage over large ones, with readout speed being the most obvious one. In general it’s quicker to read out the data from small sensors, which brings a series of benefits. The most obvious is that it allows improved video quality, either through being able to read all the pixels, enabling more detailed capture, or simply through a reduction in rolling shutter.

The RX100 V’s stacked CMOS sensor with DRAM incorporated into the chip allows faster readout, which boosts video and autofocus performance.

The other advantage, of course, is that it makes it quicker and easier to offer many of the computational photography benefits discussed earlier in the article.

There are ways to improve the readout speed of large sensors too, such as the stacked CMOS sensor that ‘trickled up’ from Sony’s smartphone and 1″-type sensors to the full frame a9. This incorporates readout circuitry and RAM into the sensor to allow faster readout. But this comes at a considerable cost premium, as these chips are extremely complex and time-consuming to make, making it difficult for large sensors to match some of the capabilities of smaller chips.

Convenience of small sensors

The other potential advantage of small sensors is that they allow cameras to be smaller. This tends to means lenses with smaller physical apertures, which is one of the main things that hold the image quality of small sensors back, but the trade-off is cost and convenience. So, although you can buy mirrorless cameras with large sensors, it’ll be the ones with smaller sensors that will provide the smaller overall package, most of the time.

For all the bluster you sometimes encounter with people claiming to be committed enough that they always carry a full DSLR kit around with them, most people find it’s easier to carry a small camera with you. And you know what they say about the camera you’ve got with you…

Is bigger still better?

Overall then, for conventional, single-shot photography, there’s no substitute for making a photograph using more light, and it’s usually easier to give a large sensor more light since it has a larger area to capture light. In that sense, bigger sensors are still better. However, that’s not the same as saying ‘you need a bigger sensor.’

Even though a larger sensor may be able to produce a better result, smaller sensors are getting better and better all the time

Improvements in sensor tech, the availability of large sensor compacts with bright lenses (that help get more light to their sensors), and advances in computational photography allow better images than ever before from small sensors.

At which point, we come back to the question of what’s ‘good enough.’ Which isn’t so much about accepting limitations, but more about being able to attain a quality you’re happy with for what you’re trying to achieve. So even though a larger sensor may be able to produce a better result, smaller sensors are getting better and better all the time, exceeding ever higher ‘good enough’ thresholds such that you may reasonably conclude that you don’t need any further improvement.

Articles: Digital Photography Review (dpreview.com)

Comments Off

Posted in Uncategorized

Review of the Tiffen Variable Neutral Density Filter

28 May

In this review, I’d like to show you the Tiffen Variable Neutral Density Filter and give you my thoughts on it.

Review of the Tiffen Variable Neutral Density Filter - filter on a table

Review of the Tiffen Variable Neutral Density Filter - minimum setting

The markings on the edge indicate the strength being applied. Here it is set to MIN (minimum) or the lowest setting.

What is an ND or neutral density filter?

A neutral density filter is a piece of glass that goes in front of your lens in order to reduce the amount of light that enters the camera. One of its biggest purposes is to allow you to shoot at your desired aperture and shutter speed combination without worrying about it being too bright outside and your photos being overexposed.

This also grants you the capability to create beautiful motion blurs (using a long exposure) without worrying too heavily about lighting conditions. All of this being said, the main drawback of neutral density filters is needing to carry so many different ones of varying shades and densities.

Notice how the light from outside the window is overexposed, except for the part coming through the filter. The ND filter is blocking light and here you can clearly see the difference with the filter and without.

The Tiffen Variable Neutral Density Filter

The Tiffen Variable ND Filter aims to change that fact. By simply rotating the outer part of the filter, you can adjust it from an approximate range of two (ND 0.6) to eight (ND 2.4) stops. The profile of the ring is 9mm, so it’s rather thin and easy to maneuver.

The Tiffen Variable ND filter operates on the same principle as a circular polarizer, granting full manual capabilities to adjust your frame however you see fit. As such, the stops marked on the filter itself are intended to be used as reference points and do not actually signify official stops.

Like other Tiffen filters, the variable ND filter is made in the USA and sports high-quality optical glass using Tiffen’s ColorCore® technology. The kit includes a padded case and built-in lens-cloth to aid in the portability of this filter.

Review of the Tiffen Variable Neutral Density Filter - white dog in the sun

ISO: 100, shutter speed: 1/1600th, f/1.2 – the use of the filter here allowed me to shoot wide open even in bright sunlight.

How I use this filter with my photography

I will preface to say that although I should be using ND filters more in my work, I seldom do. I acquired this filter blind, having not used NDs often in my work. As someone who is consistently at the mercy of my client’s schedules, the Tiffen variable ND filter provided an apt solution to sessions booked around the infamous noon hour.

Motion blurs are not a common part of my photography – but I have now begun using the variable ND filter every single day to preserve my love of shallow-depths-of-field and wide apertures in unfavorable lighting conditions.

Review of the Tiffen Variable Neutral Density Filter - man in a field

ISO: 100, shutter speed: 1/8000th, f/1.2 – this exposure combination would result in overexposure in the bright sun without the use of the Tiffen Variable ND filter.

In real-life use of this filter, it was great to be able to visually see how the adjustments affected the image and maintain the integrity of the shot I wanted to take. Many of my clients enjoy my stylistic aesthetic of consistently using very low aperture numbers and a shallow depth of field in my work. This filter allows me to maintain this effect even on the brightest of days.

girl with a guitar portrait outdoors - Review of the Tiffen Variable Neutral Density Filter

ISO: 100, Shutter Speed: 1/8000, f/1.2

Using the filter

The test images here all featured my lively white dog, who previously was nearly impossible to properly expose with a wide aperture in the clear, bright noon sun. Each photograph features the same settings, with the ND ring being rotated to showcase how dark it can truly get.

These images were shot at high noon, in bright sun, with a 50mm f/1.2 lens wide open at 1.2. The ISO was set to 100, and the shutter speed to 1/1600th. The variable ND filter allowed me to darken the frame enough to ensure that the depth of field was kept intact.

It was very easy for me to figure out precisely what ND stop I needed due to being able to see the changes in real-time by rotating the cuff. The filter does have a slight blue cast and a severe blue tint when turned beyond the “maximum” markers on the filter.

Review of the Tiffen Variable Neutral Density Filter

ISO: 100, Shutter speed: 1/1600th, f/1.2

First impressions

Right off the bat, what I was really fond of about this filter is the ease at which I could adjust the stops; the rotation is very smooth and fluid. The filter itself is lightweight and features pristine Tiffen glass. The actual filter rim is intended to expand past the parameter of the lens glass to avoid an unintentional vignette, a welcome addition.

My only complaint would be there is a bit of a learning curve on actually attaching the filter to my lens, it took longer time than I would have initially liked due to the chunky rotating mount being in the way. It initially felt a bit loose on the lens, only to find that it was strictly my misuse/improper attachment causing the minor mishap.

Once this was remedied with a bit of practice, all was well. Unfortunately, the filter scale is hidden under the lens, so it also took some finagling to realign the filter stops. These are all minor inconveniences in the grand scheme of things, however.

portrait with blurred background - Review of the Tiffen Variable Neutral Density Filter

ISO: 100, Shutter Speed: 1/8000, f/1.2

Bonus tip: I went and purchased a step-down and step-up ring to be able to attach the filter to several of my other lenses, and I found that the addition of the ring actually helped screw the variable ND filter to my lenses because there was an additional amount of space to grip while I spun.

Purchasing a filter: Buy the filter to fit your largest lens and add some step-down rings to attach it to smaller ones. Then you only need one filter, not one for each lens you own.

Review of the Tiffen Variable Neutral Density Filter - dog with a blue ball

Notes on negative reviews

Many of the negative commentaries I have heard from this filter are due largely to misuse. Though it is possible to twist beyond the scopes or the maximum and minimum stop markers on the rotator mount, it isn’t useful nor practical from a photographic standpoint due to the distortion you can experience.

You should only range within the marked stops in order to use this filter effectively. I did experience chromatic aberration while using this filter but much of that is affected by the lens itself. This can easily be remedied in post-processing.

Review of the Tiffen Variable Neutral Density Filter - happy border collie

Tiffen Variable ND Filter and moving water

As I mentioned before, I don’t shoot a lot of moving things or added motion in my images. So our dPS editor, Darlene, has kindly provided some of her images of a waterfall shot with a variable ND filter to demonstrate its effects on that type of subject.

ISO 100, f/22, 1/10th with ND filter set to minimum.

ISO 100, f/22, o.3 seconds with ND filter.

ISO 100, f/22, 1.3 seconds with ND filter.

ISO 100, f/22, 4 seconds with ND filter.

ISO 100, f/22, 30 seconds with ND filter.

Notice how as the filter strength was increased, she was able to slow the shutter speed to change the effect of the flowing water. Attempting this in bright sun without a variable ND filter would result in extremely overexposed images.

For reference, her exposure without the filter was ISO 100, f/22, 1/20th, so the last shot above would have been 9 stops too bright. So having such a filter in your toolkit gives you a lot more options than shooting without it.

Summary

Retailing between $ 78.00 to $ 113.00 depending on the filter size, the price is very reasonable for the amount of use you can get out of this nifty piece of glass. The Tiffen Variable Neutral Density Filter is available in 52mm, 58mm, 62mm, 67mm, 72mm, 77mm, 82mm – plenty of diameters for all of your lenses. This filter is well-worth adding to any photographic collection.

The post Review of the Tiffen Variable Neutral Density Filter appeared first on Digital Photography School.

Digital Photography School

Comments Off

Posted in Photography

8 Ways to Create More Dramatic Flower Photos

27 May

Do you think flower photography is boring? Or even too easy and obvious? I mean, of course, when you point your camera at a pretty flower you’re going to get a pretty photograph. Right?

But a subject that you feel is boring and easy is actually the perfect one to challenge yourself with. Can you make a flower image that is creative and dramatic somehow?

Here are a few ideas to get you started making more dramatic flower photos.

1. Dramatic light

Often flower photos are made under soft lighting conditions, either in the shade or on an overcast day. This is because of the soft and delicate nature of a flower which lends itself to that type of light.

But it doesn’t have to be that way. For a more dramatic image, try to find a flower that has direct light on it and shade behind it. High contrast scenes feel more dramatic and your flower will stand out against a darker background.

Flowers in the Light - 8 Ways to Create More Dramatic Flower Photos

2. Change your perspective

Most flower photos are made from a perspective looking right into the open flower. Try other perspectives for more interesting compositions. You can look at the flower from above, from the side, or from underneath.

To make the image below, my camera was on the ground looking directly up at the flower. Because the sky was so much brighter than the flower, it created a more high-key type of image with light shining through the petals making them appear to glow.

Looking Up flower - 8 Ways to Create More Dramatic Flower Photos

When I made the next image, I was interested in the lines created by the petals of a dahlia the size of a dinner plate. Most photos would include the whole flower, but I only included a small portion of the huge flower taken from a side angle.

Giant Dahlia - 8 Ways to Create More Dramatic Flower Photos

3. Focus through

In one of my favorite techniques for flower photography, I use a telephoto lens and focus on a flower that is around five feet away. Then I position the lens so that another flower is right in front of it. Because the close flower is extremely out of focus, it creates a soft area of color in front of the main subject.

This is especially effective if you can find two flowers that are complementary colors (opposite) on the color wheel.

Focus Through Poppy - 8 Ways to Create More Dramatic Flower Photos

4. Let the wind blow

One of the most frustrating things you encounter when photographing flowers is wind. A little bit of wind you can handle with a faster shutter speed, but sometimes the wind is just too much and your flower is blowing all over the place.

When this happens, just go with the flow! Instead of trying to get a sharp image, go with a slow shutter speed and capture the motion of the flower moving in front of your lens.

Flowers in the Wind- 8 Ways to Create More Dramatic Flower Photos

5. Environmental portrait

Most flower photos contain only the flower with no context. But you can also make an environmental portrait that shows the flower and its surrounding environment, like the one below.

Storm Flowers - 8 Ways to Create More Dramatic Flower Photos

6. Echo

Another of my favorite techniques I refer to as an echo. For your main subject, find a flower that has another virtually identical flower behind it. Use a shallow depth of field and focus on your main subject letting the flower behind fall out of focus. This creates a sort of echo of the main subject.

Yellow flowers - 8 Ways to Create More Dramatic Flower Photos

7. Less than perfect flowers

When photographing flowers, most photographers search for perfect specimens to be the main subject. But perhaps more interesting subjects are the less than perfect flowers. They can be dead flowers, ones with flaws, or even flowers that have fallen over.

In the image below, I was attracted to the raindrops that were on the side of this fallen tulip. Flowers with raindrops are not uncommon, but the tulip on its side is a bit more unusual.

Fallen Tulip - 8 Ways to Create More Dramatic Flower Photos

8. Emphasize edges in post-processing

You can also introduce effects in post-processing to make unique and dramatic flower photos. Try experimenting with textures or edge effects.

For the image below, I added an edge effect in post-processing to draw the viewer’s attention to the shape of the petals.

pink Dahlia - 8 Ways to Create More Dramatic Flower Photos

What else can you think of? Flower photography doesn’t have to be boring or predictable. In fact, any subject that you find boring and predictable is a challenge waiting for you to unleash your own unique perspective. How do you make more dramatic flower photos?

The post 8 Ways to Create More Dramatic Flower Photos appeared first on Digital Photography School.

Digital Photography School

Comments Off

Posted in Photography

DPReview TV: How to get correct exposure when shooting video

27 May

Have you experienced frustration when using your camera to shoot video? Confused about T-stops, ND filters and the right shutter speed to use? This week, Chris and Jordan take a break from gear reviews to discuss the things you should know to get proper exposure when shooting video. Get some practical tips and learn about Chris and Jordan’s exposure square… or is that an exposure trapezoid? Tune in to find out.

You may also want to read our article, A photographer’s intro to the world of video, for more useful tips.

A photographer’s intro to the world of video

Finally, make sure to subscribe to our YouTube channel to get new episodes of DPReview TV every week.

Subscribe to our YouTube channel

Articles: Digital Photography Review (dpreview.com)

Comments Off

Posted in Uncategorized

7 Great Reasons to do Early Morning Photography

27 May

An age-old question is whether you’re an early bird or a night owl. Well even if you fall into the latter category there are compelling reasons why you should get up earlier than the crack of dawn! Those reasons are of course photographic! Early morning photography can result in stunning images. Is there any other reason for getting up at 5 am?

Whether you’re in your local area or somewhere on a trip, there is always a morning photography opportunity that will benefit from you waking up early. Those can be sunrises, or perhaps the chance to see local life at the market. So let’s see why you should be up at the crack of dawn.

temples of Bagan Myanmar at dawn - 7 Great Reasons to do Early Morning Photography

This is an iconic photo of the temples in Bagan in Myanmar. It is only possible to see the mist like this at dawn.

1 – The morning atmosphere

Why wake up early in the morning when you can get just the same light in the evening? There will still be a blue hour, a golden hour, and you can sleep in!

While it’s true there will be similar light at dusk, the atmosphere in the morning is very different. Waking up in the morning gives you the chance to photograph the morning mist, this can add a lot to your photo. This morning mist can really transform a scene, moving it on from good to great.

2 – Golden light

Venice at dawn - 7 Great Reasons to do Early Morning Photography

The golden light shines on these buildings in Venice, this is only possible to see and photograph in the morning.

There are of course two golden hours per day, if you’re an early bird you’ll have enjoyed the morning one before. Of course, a lot of people will want to photograph the sunrise sky directly. Turn around though and you’ll get all those warm colors flooding over the landscape in front of you.

This opens up a new variety of photos that you could take. Perhaps instead of photographing a landscape at sunset, you could get all those golden colors on it from sunrise.

3 – You’ll have the place to yourself

tai chi at sunrise - 7 Great Reasons to do Early Morning Photography

Getting up early in the morning means you get the place more or less to yourself. These tai chi practitioners add an element of storytelling to the scene.

As discussed in a previous article, there are benefits to photographing alone. When you wake up early in the morning this is much more likely to be the case. Now photographing a popular landmark without having to deal with hordes of other people in front of you will be easier.

The early bird catches the worm as they say, and the early morning photographer has the uncrowded streets to themselves.

4 – Morning photography is more unique

dawn view of a valley - 7 Great Reasons to do Early Morning Photography

Waking early in the morning for this scene was absolutely worth it.

The most dedicated of photographers will, of course, wake up for their morning photography. That means there will be photographs showcasing the best of the early conditions.

The chance that your photograph hasn’t been taken a million times before will be much higher, it will only have been taken thousands of times before. Okay, so to get a truly unique photo may require the use of some more creative photography techniques, but you increase your odds by getting up early.

5 – The angle for specific photos only works at sunrise

sunrise in Penang - 7 Great Reasons to do Early Morning Photography

The dove jetty on Penang island in Malaysia is a great example of a photo that works better at sunrise.

Whether you’re photographing at sunrise or for the golden light, certain photos need the angle of sun which is only found early in the morning. You can figure out what angle the sun will have at various times of the year by using suncalc or an app like PhotoPills.

As with all photography, plan ahead of time. Often planning months ahead of time is what it takes to get great photos. Getting the right light for your morning photography takes effort, but it’s almost always worth it.

6 – In hot countries the morning temperature is nice

Thaipusam festival - 7 Great Reasons to do Early Morning Photography

This photo was taken during the Thaipusam festival, which started well before sunrise.

You may not live in a hot country, but if you do you’ll know that the best time of the day is morning. It’s hard work walking around much past ten o’clock. Carrying around a camera bag, and putting in the legwork you need for your photos is far easier when the temperature is kinder.

Add in some humidity as well, and you may quickly give up on doing any photography in favor of that air-conditioned coffee shop. This heat will also affect your clarity of thought, especially when you get dehydrated, and you need to think clearly to get the best photos.

7 – You’ll catch more local life first thing

park in China with people exercising and moving around - 7 Great Reasons to do Early Morning Photography

The parks in China are alive with people first thing in the morning. If you arrive much after 9am you’ll have missed everything.

You may not see crowded streets first thing, but you will see more local life. That may take the form of a local market, or fishermen getting ready for work. There is a lot of activity that goes on at the crack of dawn, all waiting for you to capture with your camera.

It’s an amazing time to be a street photographer, but there will also be opportunities for landscape photographers. What can really bring a scene to life better than a farmer tending his field first thing in the morning?

Time to wake up early for your morning photography!

Inle lake Myanmar - 7 Great Reasons to do Early Morning Photography

The morning mist on Inle Lake, Myanmar, allowed for this photo with a minimal feel.

So whether this article is preaching to the converted, or you’re already a born-again early bird – there are good reasons to get up at dawn.

Have you photographed early in the morning before, what was your experience? Did you enjoy it, and get some great photos? We’d love to see your photography from early morning expeditions in the comments section. So go to bed early, wake up fresh as a daisy, and get some amazing morning photographs!

early morning in Venice - 7 Great Reasons to do Early Morning Photography

You get to see more of the local life in Venice if you get up before everyone else!

The post 7 Great Reasons to do Early Morning Photography appeared first on Digital Photography School.

Digital Photography School

Comments Off

Posted in Photography

6 Essential Steps in any Post-Processing Workflow

26 May

We live in a digital age, a time when a post-processing workflow is an increasingly essential aspect of our photography. Cameras produce images with the expectation that they will be altered later, will be corrected, sharpened, tinted, etc.

What this means is that post-processing isn’t something that can be easily bypassed, especially if you shoot in RAW, which I recommend.

That isn’t to say that every photographer today has to love post-processing. Some photographers, I consider myself to be among them, greatly prefer working in the field to working on the computer. But while it’s possible to shorten one’s post-processing workflow, a minimum amount of editing is necessary to keep up with today’s artistic and technological standards.

macro photography abstract winter ice - Post-Processing Workflow

In this article, I will discuss that minimum and explain the six essential steps in any post-processing workflow. My examples are done in Lightroom, but this applies to all photographers, no matter what software you use.

Once you’ve gone through these steps, you may declare your images complete, and that’s okay. Or you may choose to work on them further, which is okay, too. The point here is only to suggest the six core elements that all post-processing workflows should include—after that, the choice is yours.

1. Crop (and straighten)

The first thing that I do as soon as I have opened my images in Lightroom is to crop and straighten them.

While it’s best to compose properly in camera, sometimes you see a slightly better composition when your image comes up on the screen. However, it isn’t good to rely on this too heavily. Cropping heavily reduces image resolution while also magnifying image imperfections.

Furthermore, when hand-holding your camera, it’s easy to take a slightly crooked image. This isn’t a problem, as long as you remember to straighten it out later.

daisy abstract macro photography flower - Post-Processing Workflow

Notice the slight change from original (right) to cropped and straightened (left) – look at the stem.

This image required a slight amount of cropping and straightening in order to balance out the frame. This is especially important when images have clear lines, as this one does (i.e., the daisy stem).

A word of warning: especially if you are a wildlife or bird photographer, you will be tempted to use cropping to compensate for a distant subject. Resist this temptation and focus on your stalking skills instead. If you find yourself consistently cropping a significant amount, recognize that you should probably make some changes while you’re in the field (get closer or use a longer lens).

2. Check the White Balance

I shoot in RAW. Thus, when I’m in the field, I leave my camera’s White Balance on Auto. Because the RAW file format allows for you to change the image temperature without any image degradation, this is perfectly acceptable (though it does mean slightly more time behind the computer).

snowy intimate landscape photography - Post-Processing Workflow

The left (final) image is after some adjustment; the right is adjusted in the other (warmer) direction.

A cooler (bluer) color temperature was necessary to recreate a snowy, cold feeling for this image.

Use the Temp and Tint sliders to adjust the White Balance.

Sometimes the goal is to reproduce the color temperature that you saw in the field. Other times, you might be trying to achieve an artistic look. Higher temperatures (high degrees K) make for a warmer image and counteract colder light, whereas lower temperatures (low K) make for a cooler image and balance out a warmer color cast.

macro photography flower abstract sunset - Post-Processing Workflow

The left image is what I ultimately decided on; the one on right is an exaggeratedly cool version of the same image.

Taken at sunset, this image required a higher color temperature to match what I saw at the moment of capture.

3. Check the exposure

After adjusting the White Balance, I generally turn to the exposure. This is an aspect of a post-processing workflow that is often forgotten. Yet you should scrutinize your image carefully before moving on. Is it too bright? Too dark? Just right?

This is where the histogram is your friend. It’s to your benefit to learn to read it. Look for blown out highlights or crushed blacks as peaks pressing up against either end of the graph, as well as gaps that indicate a lack of darker or lighter tones in your image.

The histogram can tell you a lot about your image. This one says the image it represents is slightly overexposed. There are no blacks (it’s not touching the left-side of the graph). An Exposure adjustment and the Black slider will solve this issue.

macro photography flower abstract - Post-Processing Workflow

This situation was unique: While the right image isn’t underexposed, I was interested in a slightly brighter one with more contrast. So I altered the exposure in Lightroom and ultimately chose the left image.

A darker image can be corrected in post-processing (this is easier to do with RAW files).

While it is ideal to expose perfectly while in the field, post-processing allows for a bit of leeway here. For instance, you can use the general Exposure slider in Lightroom to correct small exposure mistakes. And if you want to take this further, you can also work with the more narrowly focused Highlights, Shadows, Whites and Blacks sliders.

4. Check the Vibrance and Saturation

Saturation allows you to increase the intensity of all colors in the image, and Vibrance allows you to increase the intensity of the less saturated colors only. In most photo-editing programs, these are easy to change.

macro photography flower yellow abstract - Post-Processing Workflow

Notice the slightly more intense yellows in the left (more saturated) image.

A bit of saturation gave this image more punch.

Saturation and Vibrance can provide a slight punch to your images when done subtly. These are also quite easy to overdo, so be careful. You don’t want to slam the viewer with so much saturation that they are forced to look away!

5. Check for noise

Next, be sure to check the noise levels in your image. This is especially important if you’re working with a long exposure or an image that was shot at a high ISO. Increasing the exposure in post-processing may also introduce unintended noise.

macro photography abstract yellow - Post-Processing Workflow

This image required a slight amount of noise reduction.

While the difference is subtle, a crop of the final image (with noise reduction applied in Lightroom) is on the left.

If you find unpleasant levels of noise, you can generally use noise reduction software to remove it. Removing noise does decrease the overall image sharpness (if removing luminance noise) and saturation (if removing color noise). So, once again, this is a correction that should be used minimally.

6. Check the sharpness

Finally, I like to end my basic post-processing workflow by considering the complement of noise – sharpness. If working with a program such as Lightroom, this often needs little adjustment. With a good lens and good camera technique, your images will be rendered sharp simply by the photo-conversion presets.

For example, I rarely alter Lightroom’s Amount: 25 Sharpening preset. If your image is slightly soft, you may want to work with overall sharpness. You might also consider a second round of carefully applied sharpening in order to enhance specific features like the faces of birds, the center of flowers, etc.

autumn intimate landscape photography - Post-Processing Workflow

It is imperative that an image like this have a pin sharp subject.

A crop of the final image (left) with sharpening applied in Lightroom.

However, even once you’ve sharpened for your original image, the sharpening work isn’t over. Before you export for printing or web viewing, you will likely need to sharpen again. Otherwise, you’ll find that your new image is slightly soft.

Lightroom has a neat little way of completing this post-processing step. Upon exporting files, you have the option to choose a level of sharpening. I generally choose Low or Standard.

macro photography abstract flower yellow - Post-Processing Workflow

Conclusion

These tips should give you an idea of what a very minimalist post-processing workflow looks like. If you follow this guide closely—even if you do nothing else to your images—you’ll find that your images reach a higher standard.

What is your post-processing workflow like? Please feel free to share in the comments area below.