Comments on: 5 Steps For First Time DSLR Owners

By: BlueRose

BlueRose — Wed, 16 Dec 2009 08:14:52 +0000

I am a beginner to DSLR and I found this interesting. I agree with all your points, in fact I did all the things you said (Im still doing it as I found this site while researching LOL)

I will also agree with the comment about people going to DSLR might have a *small* idea about basics and need advice on other things – like RAW and software options. But then thats what sites like this are for!

By: Samuel Burns Landscape Photography

Samuel Burns Landscape Photography — Sat, 11 Jul 2009 10:11:41 +0000

Defiitely agree with shooting RAW from the very beginning, it really doesn’t provide a steep learning curve and file sizes aren’t out of hand. Besides, if you are spending the money on a DSLR I assume majority of people want to get the most out of it quality and editability wise.

By: Brian

Brian — Mon, 06 Jul 2009 19:02:10 +0000

IMHO: I think Picasa is a great introduction into photo editing. I’ve been using Photoshop for over a decade and have been using Lightroom on larger projects for almost a year but for quick edits and personal pix I find I can fly through Picasa faster. This may change when I get more used to Lightroom. I love that Picasa also supports RAW files. It’s got to be one of the best free software packages available on the web.

By: stacy

stacy — Sat, 27 Jun 2009 01:06:42 +0000

Rob – well said!

By: Rob

Rob — Sat, 27 Jun 2009 00:38:38 +0000

Also, you’ve got to consider that since the dawn of photography there has always been a certain amount of control over the final image, what you would refer to as post processing. With film, when you print you have full control over the contrast, exposure, crop and tonality of the image. Using the enlarger which exposes the negative onto the larger surface you can even darken and lighten certain spots, and some photographers developed incredible talent for creating completely surreal images using nothing but an enlarger, even to the extent you see photoshop used today. The use of photoshop and other image editing tools today simply mirror the tools of yesteryear. I can choose to limit myself to the basic things, like correcting exposure, white balance, cropping, or I can go just as far as the earliest photographers were able to and create a completely new image from what I’ve captured.

The short end of it is that post-processing is part of the photographic process, and how involved that process is is determined by the image you wish to create.

By: stacy

stacy — Fri, 26 Jun 2009 21:02:09 +0000

Margaret- Photoshop offers so many opportunities to help people get the final images they want…whether it is just a slight sharpening or contrast boost, or a dramatic, commercialized look. Depending on what type of photographer you are will determine how much you need a program like Photoshop.

By: Margaret

Margaret — Fri, 26 Jun 2009 13:16:21 +0000

why the need to manipulate photos so much, its crazy all the work that people do on photos in photoshop

By: Stacy

Stacy — Wed, 24 Jun 2009 11:59:23 +0000

Rob – good point about shooting in RAW. That’s definitely something to keep in mind, because you never know what you can make of those old photos you thought were worthless! I appreciate your feedback!

By: Rob

Rob — Mon, 22 Jun 2009 23:34:41 +0000

Makes sense. I suppose I’m looking at it with the assumption that most people aren’t going to spend the money on an SLR if they don’t generally know how to do the basics of photo editing and management.
Also, I always tell folks new to RAW to use it immediately, because those mistakes that you learn how to fix later down the line via post processing are much easier to fix with the flexibility of RAW rather than jpeg. We learn new tricks every single day, and since I’ve shot in RAW since day 1, I’ve been able to look back in my archive and resurrect photos that may have been a lost cause had I shot in Jpeg.

By: Stacy

Stacy — Mon, 22 Jun 2009 19:14:06 +0000

Rob – Thanks for your reply. My main focus in the article was to show the importance of getting to know the camera. Too many people are overlooking the importance of getting the right shot in camera, before any editing programs come in to play. As for shooting in RAW, don’t you think that would be a little overwhelming for a beginner to be dealing with such large files? Yes, I understand that the post-processing is different in RAW, but like I said, I wanted to focus more on the in-camera image they are trying to achieve. Once they can learn how to properly expose and get a good image, then they can start moving on to shooting in RAW, manual mode, and do other things that are considered taking the next step up.

The reasons why I recommended GIMP and Picasa are because they are FREE and easy to use. These are only first steps. Lightroom and Aperture definitely have more to offer, but that’s also more money out of their pocket (that they just emptied for their new camera).

By: Rob

Rob — Mon, 22 Jun 2009 03:58:16 +0000

No mention of Aperture, Lightroom or shooting in RAW? I think that would be some crucial information for first time DSLR users. Photoshop, GIMP and Picasa are hardly anything I’d recommend to a burgeoning photographer when such great file management and post processing tools can combine the workflow into one swoop while putting just the right tools at your fingertips.

By: Fuel Your Photography - Programming Blog

Fuel Your Photography - Programming Blog — Sat, 20 Jun 2009 00:11:14 +0000

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Fuel Your Photography | Fuel Your Creativity — Fri, 19 Jun 2009 03:14:43 +0000

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