Photography Photo processing and editing

[Rubber Bullets]

Just wondered what packages the Freddys photo enthusiasts use for processing.

I have used PS CS3 for quite a long time now, but a recent purchase of a Nikon D300s, with RAW files that are no longer supported by CS3, meant I had to rethink. There was a free option of using Adobe DNG converter, which is an apparently loss-less method of changing Nikon RAW into a format that is usable in older versions of PS, but it was a bit of a pain, so I looked around for alternatives.

I'd heard about Lightroom, but didn't know much about it, but what I read looked quite interesting, and so I downloaded the LR4 Beta and had a play. The workflow is very different to PS, and some things, such as large area cloning, are almost impossible, but as I got more used to it I liked it more, so I ended up buying a copy of LR3, as Amazon currently have a Student/Teacher version for under £40, and I have a daughter at school who I could exploit.

I was never great at PS, but I could do everything I needed to, but with LR I feel like I'm back at the bottom of the learning curve, but it's fun trying things out, and it is a surprisingly powerful package, and one I'll enjoy using.

Does anyone else here use it, or are you mostly PS users or do you use something else entirely.

The LR4 Beta is still going by the way, so it's not too late to try it out free for a while.

RB

 

[Wazzerphuk]

Clown uses LR, I use PS.

I looked at LR but the workflow didn't make much sense to me and since I only really do basic editing there's no point me shifting over from CS4. I also use PhotMatix (I think that's what it's called ) for HDRing.

 

[caLLous]

Lightroom is an entire workflow solution but don't feel that you can't dip back into PS to do things you are more familiar with there. DNG converter is a breeze to use, in fact if PS CS3 comes with Adobe Bridge (which I'm not entirely sure it does) then you can set up DNG conversion as an automatic part of the importing process when you stick the CF/SD card into your PC. Lightroom can also do the automatic conversion. There's no disadvantage to converting to DNG, it's Adobe's "open" RAW format. There is no loss of information when you convert to it from a camera manufacturer's proprietary RAW format.

I personally use Adobe Bridge for library-type stuff, Adobe Camera Raw for most post-processing and then PS CS5.5 if there is anything I couldn't achieve in ACR (and printing, exporting etc).

 

[Wazzerphuk]

Whenever I've got CS3/CS4 etc. it comes with Bridge.

 

[caLLous]

Yeah I thought it might but it's moot anyway if RB has just bought Lightroom, which supports the same automatic conversion.

 

[Fweddy]

I use Photoshop. I know it pretty well from using it at work but I tend to keep editing to an absolute minimum. The only thing I know about Lightroom is that a friend of mine who runs a photography studio uses it for all his images.

A computer/photography semi related question: Can anyone recommend a decent card reader? They seem to break on me all the time and I want something trustworthy for getting my photos onto PC.

 

[caLLous]

I use an older version of this, hasn't let me down (there's a more versatile one here if you don't have CF or SD).

 

[old.user4556]

Adobe Bridge, Camera Raw and CS 5.5.

I generally don't scratch the surface of CS 5.5 truth be told, I could probably get away with Lightroom.

 

[milou]

I convert CR2 RAW files to .DNG so that I can use my haxored version of RawShooters (I love the mono conversion), then TIFF (via Bridge) and CS5.

 

[Jimmy]

I use PS but i also portrait Professional too but does depend on what i am doing played around with a program call oloneo which was a good HDR program

 

[Clown]

When do we get a photography forum?

 

[Moriath]

i like using LR after clown told me about it .. found it easier to pick up than ps from the beginning and dont have to search for ages for functions you need like ps as G said ps cs you nly use a tiny bit of its functions normally

still i am only scratching the surface of LR as well i guess

 

[caLLous]

I love the tethered capture in LR, I would buy it just for that tbh when I'm doing more portrait work. I know the Canon software does it, but it's just so slick in LR.

 

[Clown]

What's tethered capture?

 

[Wazzerphuk]

What's buying software?

 

[caLLous]

What's tethered capture?

In a studio environment (or anywhere where you're going to be standing in the same sort of spot for most of the shooting), you use the USB cable that came with your Canon and plug it into your laptop. Then you can either shoot with the camera and it will send the images to the laptop and bring them up on the screen for better previewing and automatic effects and stuff. Or you can actually control the shutter release (and some other bits too, depending what mode the camera is in, with the Canon software) on the camera from the laptop.

I'm all for downloading the hell out of software but when it comes to using it for "commercial gain" I feel a twinge of guilt and usually invest if it's justified by the use I get out of it.

 

[Wazzerphuk]

Don't think you'd need that unless you were shooting porn or something....

 

[TdC]

I use GIMP. It's free.

 

[Wazzerphuk]

We're talking photo stuff here Andy, not your Friday nights

 

[caLLous]

Gah, that's a better gimp related gag than I could come up with.

 

[Wazzerphuk]

...and mine was pretty awful. For shame.

 

[Rubber Bullets]

Interesting stuff guys, thanks.

I think I do have Bridge, just never looked at it, I guess I should have. The problem with DNG Converter for me was that I used Nikon Transfer and View to download pics from my cards onto my PC and then catalogue them, I'd then drag them straight from there into PS. Running them all through the DNG converter was no problem, but then Nikon View didn't show them, that's why I was looking for an alternative.

Like you said G I don't think I ever more than scratched the surface of PS, but then it is designed to do so much more than photo post processing, LR is designed to pretty much just do that and has some really cool ways to do it. Sharpening for example is really clever. I used a PS action that I created from this page on Thom Hogan's site. It gave me great control over the sharpening process. LR does something very similar, but with just a few sliders.

I do use GIMP too, as it just about runs on my netbook for when I'm far away from my PC. I hate it though.

BTW Waz, I thought you loathed HDR?

RB

 

[TdC]

your efforts are both poor Wazz and Cal, I expected better. and my fridays are dull as fuck these days. were a surprise gimp to pop out of my closet, chase me round the flat and bum rape me I'd prolly be glad something new finally happened

 

[Wazzerphuk]

BTW Waz, I thought you loathed HDR?

When done right you don't notice it's HDR at all. I like to use it, but I find myself disliking most HDR shots as they're normally overly done, or just used to compensate for a bad shot/bad composure.

 

[TdC]

I do use GIMP too, as it just about runs on my netbook for when I'm far away from my PC. I hate it though.

out of curiosity, did you use GIMP before or after you first used a PS?
frankly I either can't afford or refuse to pay the silly money they want for their products, and I also refuse to acquire a testing version. Adobe mailed me and offered me a 50% discount on LR and since some people seem to think that dollars == euros it amounts to 150e or thereabouts. fuck no in other words.

 

[caLLous]

I think I do have Bridge, just never looked at it, I guess I should have. The problem with DNG Converter for me was that I used Nikon Transfer and View to download pics from my cards onto my PC and then catalogue them, I'd then drag them straight from there into PS. Running them all through the DNG converter was no problem, but then Nikon View didn't show them, that's why I was looking for an alternative.

With Bridge (and Lightroom) you can drop Nikon's software from the workflow entirely. You put your CF/SD card in, you use Bridge to copy the pics across to your photo folder (with properly dated subfolders natch) then go from there re: post processing. I've played with Canon's software but Bridge just does it all so much better. And Lightroom probably does it better still, if you want everything under one roof.

 

[Rubber Bullets]

I know what you mean Waz, but also think that HDR is the only way to get some shots. I played around with it a while back with some church interiors, there was no way to get those shots any other way.

Teedles, you're right I was pretty used to PS before I started with GIMP, and was probably just spoiled. Everything I wanted to do just seemed so much more difficult, but it does the job, and once I was used to it I was OK. Basically I use it when away just to quickly resize and pep up some photos for blogs or e-mail, and it does that fine.

CaLL, I probably could have got away with using Bridge, I just didn't realise, but I am happier using more kosher software, which to be fair my copy of PS wasn't entirely . Even if my daughter officially has the license for Lightroom, not that she knows

RB

 

[caLLous]

If you have a child you can take advantage off for discounted student software licenses then go for it.

 

[Embattle]

LR4 has had a 50% price drop as well.

 

[old.user4556]

Here's one of my HDR shots.