How did you learn to do post processing?

Hi all,

I've been happily using Picasa2 but recognize it does have its limits -- like no ability to clone out things or to make frames, sign photos, etc.

I tried the trial version of PS Element 4 and nearly went crazy -- it's so hard to figure out all those icons. Also, it became the default viewer if I just wanted to look at something in my Windows Explorer (instead of opening photos in MS photo editor). I couldn't make it not be the default for the whole month and was really glad when the trial ran out.

I see such wonderful things done by Sharon and Lucy and Theresa and Judyjo and others -- did you guys take a course to learn to use Photo Shop or just trial and error on your own?

Thanks for taking a minute to let me know,
Susan

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http://www.pbase.com/susan_1016

Also found that any email attachments were opening automatically in PS instead of MS photo editor and couldn't make it stop.
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http://www.pbase.com/susan_1016

First....by gentle coaching by folks on this forum and the retouching forum.

Also by books...with Photoshop Elements, I bought 50 Fash Digital Photo Techniques by Gregory George. It was easy to understand and I learned a lot from that book.

When you see a technique you like, ask the poster how it was done...most everyone is willing to guide you.

Also, there are numerous tutorials for particular techniques on the web, sites like: http://www.myjanee.com and http://www.luminouslandscape.com and another way was to take an online class at http://www.eclecticacademy.com You can look at their list of classes and decide which one you qualify for...and very reasonable costs too. It was $20 when I took the class....you learn techniques and then apply them to one of your own photos and turn it in as a homework assignment. Excellent courses there.

You can Google to specific tutorials for the editing program that you have. Just learn one thing at a time and it won't be overwhelming.

I'll be happy to help whenever I can...

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Lucy
U ZI owner!
Olympus C30-20Z
http://www.pbase.com/lucy
FCAS Member #98, Oly Division
'Photography is the art of seeing what others do not.'

Hi,

I have been using PSE2 since it came out. I now have all the "bells and whistles" that make this el-cheapo photo editor do most of the things that it's big brothers in Adobe can do, just very much more complicated.

Even some actions will work, providing PSE2 has that capability.

I also use another free photo editor called "Gimp" This probably is not for a person just starting out.

The big help in learning photo editing,( I am certainly no expert and still learning) was finding all the Tutorials on the internet. The site that I used the most was Jay Arraich's Photoshop Elements Tips. Another excellent one is "Jaynee". Do a Google search for their web sites. Great stuff.

As far as the email attachments opening. You have your defaults set wrong for what is the default program for each type file extension. You have to tell just about every program that you use what the default viewer or application is. ( like a file extension .doc will open in MS Word)

I use the free "FastStone" image viewer and all my images open in FastStone. Other viewers have the same option if you want, but you have to tell the viewer program that when it "sees" a .jpg, .tiff, .bmp etc. to run that program.

I am sure others on this forum will walk you thru the settings. It is usualy in the view menu pick and varies with your operating system. Hope this was a help.

But do look at some of the Tutorials. A lot are free but most are specific for what you are using for a editor.

Have fun.

Paul

one step at a time, learn one thing then when you have that learn another and keep adding to them untill you have a regular process you follow. magazines and books are good. cheers..paul

Pretty much by trial and error, tutorials and asking for help...

The easiest way to change file associations is to right click on an icon (be it a jpg, gif, doc, or whatever), select 'open with', then 'choose program' and pick the desired program from the resulting menu --- make sure the checkbox for 'always use this program to open these files' is checked.... The other choice is to open windows explorer and navigate through to folder options and do some arcane things that, more often than not, will leave the file associations really screwed up....

Thank you for the compliment. I don't use Photoshop, for the same reason you found, it drove me crazy. I've been using Corel products for years and I use PSPX, (Corel Paint Shot Pro - X) now. I find it quite intuitive. Pretty much I've just learned by trial and error. Please bear in mind, I shoot all the E-500 shots in RAW so I use RawShooter - premium for starters, and its dead easy to use, then I finish up in PSPX. But , of course, with my 765 shots, that's just PSPX. There's a trial version of it out there -

http://www.corel.com/servlet/Satellite?pagename=Corel3/Products/Display&pid=1047025487586

This program has a tutorial along with it which you can hide or leave on the side of the screen.
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Sharon

http://www.pbase.com/slengst/galleries

E-500; C-5060; two C-765's

I was a photographic technician from 1967 until 1973, doing large size transparencies and even bigger prints. The terminology used in digital photography post-processing is still recognisable to me, so there was not too much relearning.

About five years ago, Sandra did a bit of modeling for me (quite a bit). She does not want to be reminded of it now, but she used to specify how she wanted the prints to look, which forced me to do things like reducing contrast, 'retouching', masking and composites. We did have an exhibition in 2002. Her photos represented about a quater of the total exhibited, so I was not totally pre-ocupied.

Henry

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Henry Falkner - C-750UZ, Stylus 800 http://www.pbase.com/hfalkner

and a little help from my friends! I am in the learning stages with Photoshop, which can be pretty overwhelming. I don't know what I would do without the help I have gotten here.

For frame of reference, I have been doing this for four years and it's been baby steps the whole way.
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Theresa K
http://theresak.smugmug.com/

I started with GIMP (because it was free).....it was so confusing that I finally went with PSE2 that I upgraded to PSE3 (which got so messed up on my computer that it was not salvagable). So now I am working on PSE4. Seems like a long and tortuous road to post prosessing for me.

However, generous folks on this forum suggested some books. After an evening at the bookstore, looking at all the available books, I left with "PSE4 The Missing Manual" by Barbara Brundage and "The PSE4 Book for Digital Photographers" by Scott Kelley. I am about half way through the first and a quarter through the second one.

I find that I do best with software books if I read in front of the computer with the program open and try everything out as I go. For these books I also decided to create a computer file with notes organized in categories (and color coded) that include which book and page it came from so I will end up with a nice quick reference someday. I also am putting together a written workflow that is built on information from the books and some things I learned here on the forum.

I sure will be glad if I ever get this all done. LOL

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Emm
http://www.pbase.com/emmrys
lurking (mostly) and learning

This is great information. Thank you so much for taking time to write such an extensive reply. I will copy it out and keep it for future reference.
very nice of your, indeed!

Enjoy your day,
Susan
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http://www.pbase.com/susan_1016

Lucy, this is just the kind of thing I was hoping to get -- great, many thanks!
Hope you're doing well,
Best,
Susan
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http://www.pbase.com/susan_1016

Sharon, it's kind of reassuring to hear someone who takes such beautiful pictures as you say you find PS troublesome, too. I'll look into the Corel -- they seem consistently over the years to have developed fine programs on all fronts (expensive but good!).

Thanks for taking the time to reply. Your iris pictures have just lingered in my mind for days they are so beautiful!!

Hope you're doing well these days,
Best,
Susan
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http://www.pbase.com/susan_1016

Thank you for the name of the books and also for sharing your "torturous" experiences -- this doesn't sound like the piece of cake that the results make it look like --

nice galleries, too, thanks for your help,
Susan
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http://www.pbase.com/susan_1016

Hi Henry,

Lucky you for having a head start on all this. How great that you guys had an exhibition -- I can only dream of that day!!

thanks for your encouraging words,
Best,
Susan
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http://www.pbase.com/susan_1016

When I read that I could only wonder how much time in front of the computer all this translates into -- imagine, collectively, how much time everyone in this forum spends each day!!

Trial and error -- you've done a great job.
thanks for the helpful reply, Theresa.
BTW I really like your new "home page" with the fancy heading and photos.

Best,
Susan
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http://www.pbase.com/susan_1016

I think the "learn one thing at a time" suggestion is good -- otherwise it gets overwhelming and depressing.
Thanks for writing,
susan
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http://www.pbase.com/susan_1016

Good info -- that's what I'd neglected to do I guess when I installed that trial version of PSE4. Thanks for the help.
Best,
Susan
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http://www.pbase.com/susan_1016

....I never bother reading instructions manuals or diving into the Help menu - until I have clicked so many times, I have no idea what I have done! ;-)) (come on guys - back me up here!!)

Picasa2 is very much underrrated for what it is - free downloadble software that helps you organise your photo albums. Its also useful for minor PP - especially its straightening and cropping tools - which are light-years ahead of more sophiticated software in terms of user-friendliness.

At the moment, I have PaintShop Pro 10 - whch I find remarkably easy to use since all its functions follow the same set of rules - in other words it takes you to a side-window and as you fiddle around with the slide toggles, you can see what its doing to the picture. After a bit of time, you get a very good feel for what is "just right" - especially after you print off one or two examples.

I find the perspective distorsion correction tool and selective highlight/shadow correction to be the most useful tools in PS-10. I also use the noise removal function from time to time.

I do RAW development in RawShooter (the full version - which wasn't that expensive). Picasa2 doesn't recognise ORF files at the moment, but bizarrely, its perfectly happy with TIFF!

Anyway, don't give up - persevere and you'll soon get the hang of it - like evryone else! ;-))

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AH

Optimum tempus garantitum omnibus

Hi there,

Well, I'm going to try to download the Corel Paint Shop 10 trial version and see what happens.

Like you, I've been quite content with Picasa and it does most things I want except this business of cloning out wires and making frames which look like fun.

Thanks for your encouraging words -- there may be a limit to what this poor ole brain can absorb -- I hate reading user manuals, too, and seem to use that method you describe (not purely male, I'm afraid ;-)))

If I'd read the camera user manual, I'd probably do better, too. I wound up getting out my old Pentax MX slr the other day to use the light meter and fuss with different settings to try to get the hang of what the digital shutter settings were telling me. I don't know why one (the old one) is more intuitive for me than the digital.

But like you say, perseverence and patience and maybe I'll get there one day!

Thanks for your comments,
Susan
P.S. have your feet cooled off yet?
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http://www.pbase.com/susan_1016