Hey All,

If you don't photoshop - what do you do?

I'm thinking I may buy this:

http://www.supportingcomputers.net/Applica...zen/Artizen.htm

As it appears to have the basics (layers, masks, lasso, 32 bit editing, etc...) as well as some HDR ability - all for like $40. The HDR ability is secondary (although I'm interested in it) as I'll probably pickup Dynamic Photo HDR and likely FDR Tools when I see a coupon for it.

Any opinions? What else?

TIA! -Ed-

Photoshop elements? Paint Shop Pro? Picture Window Pro? The Gimp?

i would recommend gimp.

Really? I found the Gimp to be pretty painful to use. It being free, however, i would certainly try it.

heh, photoshop was a bigger pain to learn .

once you get used to it, you can get some good results..... i install it when i'm in public labs and or don't have funding for photoshop.

Hi,

I used Picture Window Pro before Photoshop. It's different but it is good. PL32 is also a good program, but somewhat peculiar.

Here are the links:

http://www.dl-c.com/

http://www.pl32.com/

Best regards
Erik

"So I don't have Photoshop...?" is a pretty open question. What would you do with it if you had it? Being here in the Luminous Landscape one can assume you're using it for photography. How about Lightroom, or Lightzone? How about the software that came with your camera?

Mike.

Hey All,

A fair question Wolf. I am going to use something for photography. Up until I realized how interesting photography had become again I had used an old freeware version of 20/20 to just "fix photos a bit. 20/20 is a good program but limited on pixel dimensions and no layer capability. It worked for basic cropping and a bit of adjustment and such. Why is photography interesting again? Well we have moved beyond film and the first HDRs I saw made me sit up and take note. I used to do lots of B&W and loved it and color was a turnoff since the photographer had so little "influence" in a "darkroom". Yes HDR has brought me back to photography - I like realistic to slightly overdone depending on subject. I think my compositional/light skills are ok (always need improvement) and so now I'm looking to buy a DSLR and the necessary software. I walk around looking for potential pictures - something I haven't done for years. I'd rather put my $ into equipment than PS or similar high priced software.

I have Gimp on a computer and have messed with it a bit but it is a pain. I also have Pixia loaded but trying to comprehend it is also a mystery since most support is in Japanese. I was looking for something that would capture 90+% of what one typically does with software that didn't cost an arm and a leg. Artizen may do that and so I was asking if anyone had looked at it's ability beyond the HDR stuff.

So what do I want to do with this software? Well look at the "stuff" done by Gale Rainwater and our own Fike and you'll pretty well capture where my interests lie. What software "gets me there"?

-Ed-

Thanks for pointing me to Gale Rainwater's site - some excellent work there. If she (?) is your model, I'd say that to duplicate that work you need a decent camera, a couple of lenses, a tripod, and a LOT of practice more than anything else. It's like the old question, "How do I get to Carnegie Hall? Practice, practice, practice!"

Much of photography is about vision, developing how to see, and with time and practice you'll learn to see like a photographer. Study images that you like, but take time to ask yourself WHY you like them. Ask yourself, over and over, "What is it about this image that appeals to me? Is it the lighting, the composition, the framing, the colours, the point of focus... or some combination? How do they work together in this image? If this was my image, how would I change it?" If you don't like an image, ask yourself the same sorts of questions. What don't you like? Why? How would you change it? Apply the same questions to your own work. Some of Gale's work looks like it might have some HDR work but if you're starting out I wouldn't jump into the deep end of the pool. I don't see anything on Gale's site that couldn't be handled by Lightroom or maybe Aperture if you're using a Mac. Lightroom's free for 30 days, why not download it and try it out?

Mike.

Hey All,

Gale is a he. That said I really like his compositions. Some of the color is overdone for my tastes but not any of the desert style scenes at which he simply excels. In all honesty my interest in HDRs isn't really so much for landscapes but for my other favorite subject material - equipment - particularly agricultural (especially tractors and combines), logging and airplanes. To me HDR and old iron were made for each other. A bit overdone for many of these subjects is simply awesome.

I am going to try lightroom and keep practicing. I should post a pic or twwo just for critiques this weekend.

-Ed-

Mike thanks for the link to your blog. I enjoyed looking through it. Robots....spotted a Queen's Science jacket. I'm a recent grad. '71
Glad you made it back from your Pathfinder exodus. That's a male thing, getting stuck. 4 wheel drive lets you get stuck worse. Further off road for instance. Usually we learn...


This is a great site. I've enjoyed photography for a long time. Have respect for pros. The computer end gives me fits. No computer smarts...and the photo post processing does too. I'm colour blind.

Thanks all for the thought that goes into your replies.

Regards,
Dave
Hazeltown Ontario

Dare I say download?

I'm new to photography as well, so please be kind. If I get it right, it'S better to choose Photoshop and put some time into it because it will deliver the better results in the end, right?

If you are new to photography look at Photoshop Elements. It will do more than get you started. Once you have run out of the features that elements provides like layer masks and more selective processes, then look at giving photoshop itself a run. Best thing is to download trial versions of both and playing with them.

Lightroom is a great choice too.

Save up your nickels...

I don't know about that. But nearly every tutorial and book deals with Photoshop. So it is easier to learn how to use photoshop even if it is more complex. Otherwise you spend a lot of time trying to figure out how to convert photoshop instructions into application X instructions.

Or just get lightroom and pretend you never heard of photoshop. It doesn't do nearly as much but it does it quickly and you can buy the LuLa Tutorial on it.

Gimp without a doubt. You will find most of the tools you normally use in PS and its free.

Luigi

This looks interesting...

http://www.pl32.com/