Before And After

[Evolving]

I think it's kind of a shame that with such a nice community here that more people aren't willing to share before/after images AND the way they got there.

I would but I suck at editing my photos.

[Kirislin]

After going to the Digital Life expo on Sunday it makes me wonder if a photo straight out of camera would ever have a chance in a competition there. All the photos I saw had gone through alot of post processing, they looked amazing but I'd loved to have seen the befores and afters just to gain an understanding of how much they'd been processed. The link on POTN is very basic, they're just the raw conversions with a tiny bit of tweaking, nothing like what I think was done for those expo pics. Of course I might be wrong, it was just the impression I got.

I dont mean to criticise the photos at the expo either. With all the editing software in the world, I still dont have the talent, skill or imagination to take photos like them, there was some truly jaw dropping photos there.

Edited June 8, 2010 by Kirislin

[Bellatrix]

Here is something I did in just a few seconds. Very basic editing.

I used lightroom for this.

The 'Before' photo is a little dull looking.

The 'After' photo has had some tonal adjustments, slightly raised the warmer tones in the 'temp', increased the 'blacks' to give it more definition and contrast and reduced the lens adjustment amount so that the edges of the photo would darken and decreased the exposure slightly.

ETA

Edited June 8, 2010 by Bellatrix

[Bellatrix]

Here is another.

This time, I selected the 'aged photo' preset, reduced the exposure, decreased the lens adjustment vignette and post crop, increased recovery, increased blacks slightly and reduced clarity slightly.

[Kirislin]

Here is another.

This time, I selected the 'aged photo' preset, reduced the exposure, decreased the lens adjustment vignette and post crop, increased recovery, increased blacks slightly and reduced clarity slightly.

Good on you for explaining.

How did you learn this stuff, was it just experimenting, thinking I wonder what that means, I wonder what that does, or did you do a course.

I followed an online tutorial for the program that comes with my camera, which is fairly basic, and even that didn't explain much, it skimmed over lots of stuff that left me wondering.

About the only thing I've figured out is how to clone stuff out, I'm not even very good at that. hahaha although I did manage to get rid of an ugly wine barrel. Maybe I should put that in here as a before and after. I'll have to find it.

Edited June 8, 2010 by Kirislin

[Evolving]

I just play around with all of the options until it does something I like. I have no idea what I am doing and have no plan in mind when I start.

[Bellatrix]

Kirislin, I learn from my own playing around. Im not good with books and tutorials (although sometimes if they are explained well, its fine).

I still dont think my editing is very high tech, I still think its very basic. I dont use photoshop as much as its too technical for me. Light room is so user friendly in my opinion. It does what I want it to so im not complaning :D

[Kirislin]

Here's mine. I took out the wine barrel and looks like I've sharpened and increased the saturation a bit. That's about the extent of my editing skills. I still dont understand what unsharp mask means or how it works though.

[becandcharch]

Kirislin, LR is super easy to use.

Im going to quote Anniek from the weekend here and say 'Even you could do it!' :D

Seriously though I was surprised that I didnt need to read a manual. I just played around with the settings.

There are also a heap of great youtube tutorials that show lots of cool tricks/tips.

[Guest Tess32]

I think the best way to learn is not just to play around randomly, but realise what you DO want to change, and then figure out HOW to change it.

For eg in the Whippet image above, the first thing I'd want to do is lighten up the face and so I'd try and learn how to do that.

I think people learn quicker when they have an actual goal, otherwise the programs just seem too scary.

[Bellatrix]

Looks great, Kirislin.

[Bellatrix]

deleted double post

Edited June 8, 2010 by Bellatrix

[Bellatrix]

argh! deleted triple post :D

Edited June 8, 2010 by Bellatrix

[Kirislin]

I think the best way to learn is not just to play around randomly, but realise what you DO want to change, and then figure out HOW to change it.

For eg in the Whippet image above, the first thing I'd want to do is lighten up the face and so I'd try and learn how to do that.

I think people learn quicker when they have an actual goal, otherwise the programs just seem too scary.

You are most welcome to edit it to show what you mean, I wont have a hissy fit. :D I think I have difficulty even understanding what is possible. I dont know if you mean you can just lighten the face only. If so, I didn't know that was possible. One thing I can see is that I have over sharpened it. I'd probably only just discovered what that little slider did and ramped it up full bore, which I tend to do at first. I am of the school if a little is good alot is better hahahaha even though I know that's not really the case.

Edited June 8, 2010 by Kirislin

[Guest Tess32]

I'm at work so don't have time, but yeah that's what I'd mean - I'd lighten the face as there is too much shadow on it. I'd lighten the whole dog really, but I mostly meant, if I saw what needed doing, the best way to learn is think 'hmm, that bit could look better" and work out how to do just that, instead of trying to learn alllllllll of photoshop!

In PS you could select just the face, feather it, and lighten it in a few different ways.

[Pawprints]

I certainly didn't mean that particular programs or effects are the sole domain of individual photographers. I think there's a difference though between deciding to use the Lomo effect, HDR, monochrome etc.. and being given the specifics of how someone with a very definite style (such as Rocco, Ruthless, Tess, becandcharch etc) gets from the in camera version to their final edited version. I very much got the impression that this thread was designed to have people share details of how their editing process and how they achieved their final result, although purely for learning purposes and not to rip off people's ideas. I don't mind sharing some of my stuff as I don't think I have developed a signature style yet but I understand why photographers who have would be reluctant to do so, especially if they're earning an income off of their style.

I dont think so, well, I didn't take it that way, the OP only asked for before and afters, not blow by blow how to's. Although even if she did ask that, she wouldn't be the first. ;)

I think its great when people share. Just because I ask doesnt mean I'm going to sit and copy that style every time I take a shot. I recently asked a DOL straight out on a thread how they did something. I never for one moment thought I was breaking a rule or that it was rude. I never meant to be rude and the DOL member was awesome about it and gave me the general gist of how she edits. Simple. :D

[Evolving]

Ok here is one of mine from the other day.

I darkened them up a little (or maybe way to much) but I like it like that.

[Primedogs]

here are 2 of my before and afters done on lightroom neither very good but the flower was done quickly just trying to darken it up a bit, and the dog is just me exploring options on lightroom

[anniek]

ok here's one from me (not that I know what I'm doing Bec)

I used lightroom, and apart from cropping and taking out the lead clip, I fiddled with the curves - mostly the lights and highlights to give him a "sunny" look and bring out his beautful eyes.

Then lens correction for a (hopefully) soft halo :D

Bear in mind I've uploaded through photobucket so they do actually look better than what you will see here!

Annie

[Bellatrix]

Ok here is one of mine from the other day.

I darkened them up a little (or maybe way to much) but I like it like that.

Love this. Iam however interested to know how the photo would look if you brought up the temp a bit and saturated it a bit more.