So tonight we're going to cover a touchy topic with some "professional-type" shooters...
It's a topic that I think can really separate good pictures from GREAT pictures...
...attention to detail and Photoshop.
I shoot in the digital realm of life. I don't know how to process an image on film. I have no clue. The extent of my film processing knowledge comes from Hollywood movies (Seven, Red Dragon, ManHunter, etc...)
Yeah... deep right?
So is using Photoshop "cheating"? It's sort of like asking if using Microsoft Word is cheating... you should be using a pencil and paper!!!! Yeah - tell your boss, teacher, family, the psychiatrist that one... "I don't know why yellow makes me so sad"...
So no... Photoshop is not cheating. It's all perspective and art anyway right? Sure, sure... there are circles of people that get to "judge" your work... and let's be frank - the world is full of people that can't tell the difference between a JoeyL shot and one you took at the bar... But still... unless you are photojournalist... don't be afraid of your computer... well, okay... fear the machine, it's probably going to take your soul anyway... but don't be afraid of Adobe Photoshop.
It's not even a real shop...
So this is Cal. I shot Cal (with a camera, duh!) recently. Cal was looking for modeling type shots. I love this one! The intense stare, the crossed arms, the simple white shirt... a very commanding look. I'd hire him... if not just out of fear of him hitting me... Great shot (my opinion)... right?
Let's see where this bad boy started out at...
Oops... Seriously, take a minute and look at both of them... A little creative Photoshop and one of them I'd hang on my own wall... the other one... yeah... well... yeah...
Photoshop my friend... Photoshop!
This leads me to one final point... BUY AN IRON! Or better yet, pay attention to the details in your shot. I knew I was going to crop the top off and play with the colors and saturation. What I blindly did not take into account... the amount of wrinkles that would show up in my thrown together backdrop. Hours... HOURS spent fixing that... sheesh... I could have been done with the pictures in a day or two... but instead I spend hours fixing my severe oversight!
Buy an iron... pay attention to details... use Photoshop... and HAVE FUN!!!!
- jermz
1 comment:
I love photoshop! But I do think that some ppl get a little TOO carried away and can "shop" a photo to death. So really it comes down to practice and balance.
I notice the more I learn and the more pictures I take, I am getting better about having a pretty raw photo, then just minor touches here and there. photoshop is our friend when played with nicely.
Oh and the iron, that's good advice.
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