Comments on: Watching and Waiting http://blog.epicedits.com/2007/09/20/watching-and-waiting/ A Photography Resource for the Aspiring Hobbyist Thu, 20 Nov 2008 16:15:04 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.6 By: 28 Ways To Interpret A Photo | Epic Edits Weblog http://blog.epicedits.com/2007/09/20/watching-and-waiting/#comment-10198 28 Ways To Interpret A Photo | Epic Edits Weblog Tue, 16 Oct 2007 17:26:21 +0000 http://blog.epicedits.com/2007/09/20/watching-and-waiting/#comment-10198 [...] Read below the images for more discussion of results AND for part 2 of this experiment — everybody’s invited. [...] [...] Read below the images for more discussion of results AND for part 2 of this experiment — everybody’s invited. [...]

]]> By: Brian Auer http://blog.epicedits.com/2007/09/20/watching-and-waiting/#comment-8391 Brian Auer Fri, 21 Sep 2007 18:59:38 +0000 http://blog.epicedits.com/2007/09/20/watching-and-waiting/#comment-8391 About the sharpening, you're right that 5.4 is high, but I masked out much of it. Like I said, the bird had a halo and I had to mask it off. I went with 5.4 because it gave the look I wanted on the beach. SIDE NOTE: I can't get any email through to you for the project -- can you contact me with a different address? About the sharpening, you’re right that 5.4 is high, but I masked out much of it. Like I said, the bird had a halo and I had to mask it off. I went with 5.4 because it gave the look I wanted on the beach.

SIDE NOTE: I can’t get any email through to you for the project — can you contact me with a different address?

]]> By: libeco http://blog.epicedits.com/2007/09/20/watching-and-waiting/#comment-8390 libeco Fri, 21 Sep 2007 18:02:11 +0000 http://blog.epicedits.com/2007/09/20/watching-and-waiting/#comment-8390 I must say I always plan on really using bridge for sorting with keywords, color coding en star-ratings, but I never do much more than give the best photo's in a folder a 5 star rating... You say about the USM: ...at 120%, 5.4 pixels, and a threshold of 2... I must say I never go higher than 2,5, maybe 2,7 pixels at my 3888x2592 Canon 400D pictures or I'll get huge halo's. Using 5,4 seems kind of much to me, do you normally use such high numbers? Also I always leave the threshold at 0, I find it useless, I'd rather take the percentage down a bit... I must say I always plan on really using bridge for sorting with keywords, color coding en star-ratings, but I never do much more than give the best photo’s in a folder a 5 star rating…

You say about the USM: …at 120%, 5.4 pixels, and a threshold of 2…
I must say I never go higher than 2,5, maybe 2,7 pixels at my 3888×2592 Canon 400D pictures or I’ll get huge halo’s. Using 5,4 seems kind of much to me, do you normally use such high numbers? Also I always leave the threshold at 0, I find it useless, I’d rather take the percentage down a bit…

]]> By: Brian Auer http://blog.epicedits.com/2007/09/20/watching-and-waiting/#comment-8340 Brian Auer Fri, 21 Sep 2007 07:57:16 +0000 http://blog.epicedits.com/2007/09/20/watching-and-waiting/#comment-8340 I'm at the point now where I need to separate my personal and public stuff too. I'm in the process of setting up my new computer, so it's a perfect opportunity to go through my files. I'll definitely keep using Picasa for the family stuff, but I'm still unsure about my other stuff. The 30 day trial sounds like a good way to go, I'll have to do that once I get the computer in a stable configuration. I still need to install most of my software I had on my other computer, buy hey -- I've got Photoshop and Firefox! I’m at the point now where I need to separate my personal and public stuff too. I’m in the process of setting up my new computer, so it’s a perfect opportunity to go through my files. I’ll definitely keep using Picasa for the family stuff, but I’m still unsure about my other stuff.

The 30 day trial sounds like a good way to go, I’ll have to do that once I get the computer in a stable configuration. I still need to install most of my software I had on my other computer, buy hey — I’ve got Photoshop and Firefox!

]]> By: Rygood http://blog.epicedits.com/2007/09/20/watching-and-waiting/#comment-8338 Rygood Fri, 21 Sep 2007 07:42:06 +0000 http://blog.epicedits.com/2007/09/20/watching-and-waiting/#comment-8338 I use lightroom exclusively as my organizing tool in my workflow. It is folder based, so organizing photos into albums based on tagging or another method isn't going to work too well. If you do do a lot of family/personal type stuff I'd suggest using something different for those shots (picassa is great, as is iphoto) For me, I separate my family/friends stuff generally and use lightroom for my strictly photography obsession stuff. On the same topic, lightroom rocks for creating quick web slideshows/gallerys with flash or html based on specific selections from your library. Download the 30-day trial, try it, and feel free to hit me up with any questions. Its rare that I find a piece of software that i can stand behind so strongly, but lightroom has some kind of magic that not only speeds up my workflow dramatically, but also puts the tools i really need and use right in front of me, simplifying my entire process. Wow, i sound like such a fanboy, but the quality is there... For gods sake, most of my photo friends who are big mac people got into Aperture early but have switched at this point. I use lightroom exclusively as my organizing tool in my workflow. It is folder based, so organizing photos into albums based on tagging or another method isn’t going to work too well. If you do do a lot of family/personal type stuff I’d suggest using something different for those shots (picassa is great, as is iphoto) For me, I separate my family/friends stuff generally and use lightroom for my strictly photography obsession stuff.

On the same topic, lightroom rocks for creating quick web slideshows/gallerys with flash or html based on specific selections from your library.

Download the 30-day trial, try it, and feel free to hit me up with any questions. Its rare that I find a piece of software that i can stand behind so strongly, but lightroom has some kind of magic that not only speeds up my workflow dramatically, but also puts the tools i really need and use right in front of me, simplifying my entire process.

Wow, i sound like such a fanboy, but the quality is there… For gods sake, most of my photo friends who are big mac people got into Aperture early but have switched at this point.

]]> By: Brian Auer http://blog.epicedits.com/2007/09/20/watching-and-waiting/#comment-8336 Brian Auer Fri, 21 Sep 2007 07:33:51 +0000 http://blog.epicedits.com/2007/09/20/watching-and-waiting/#comment-8336 I use Bridge occasionally, but the key thing it's missing for me is the ability to group photos into sets or albums without actually moving the photos -- unless I'm missing something. I'll check into Bibble. I've been using Picasa, but it's just not quite there on some features. It's great with keywords and albums, but no multi-level star system or color coding. I use Bridge occasionally, but the key thing it’s missing for me is the ability to group photos into sets or albums without actually moving the photos — unless I’m missing something. I’ll check into Bibble. I’ve been using Picasa, but it’s just not quite there on some features. It’s great with keywords and albums, but no multi-level star system or color coding.

]]> By: susheel http://blog.epicedits.com/2007/09/20/watching-and-waiting/#comment-8333 susheel Fri, 21 Sep 2007 06:25:39 +0000 http://blog.epicedits.com/2007/09/20/watching-and-waiting/#comment-8333 Brian, Do try using lightroom, you'll never look back. It has pretty good databasing and sorting capability... If you've used Adobe Bridge, you'll understand the benefits of using star rankings and colour coding... Having said that, you may want to start off with cheaper (but not necessarily less powerful) RAW workflow software... try Bibble for starters. At a more advanced stage, I recommend Capture One Pro and Apple Aperture... Brian,

Do try using lightroom, you’ll never look back. It has pretty good databasing and sorting capability… If you’ve used Adobe Bridge, you’ll understand the benefits of using star rankings and colour coding… Having said that, you may want to start off with cheaper (but not necessarily less powerful) RAW workflow software… try Bibble for starters.

At a more advanced stage, I recommend Capture One Pro and Apple Aperture…

]]> By: Brian Auer http://blog.epicedits.com/2007/09/20/watching-and-waiting/#comment-8326 Brian Auer Fri, 21 Sep 2007 03:50:36 +0000 http://blog.epicedits.com/2007/09/20/watching-and-waiting/#comment-8326 Never tried it -- I've always been a Photoshop user. Does it have the ability to organize photos too? I feel like I need something a little more sophisticated for my non-family photos. Never tried it — I’ve always been a Photoshop user. Does it have the ability to organize photos too? I feel like I need something a little more sophisticated for my non-family photos.

]]> By: Rygood http://blog.epicedits.com/2007/09/20/watching-and-waiting/#comment-8323 Rygood Fri, 21 Sep 2007 03:17:29 +0000 http://blog.epicedits.com/2007/09/20/watching-and-waiting/#comment-8323 I'm tellin ya, its all about the Lightroom! Not only is it completely non-destructive, its integration with photoshop is pretty tight if you need to do layered adjustments. Being that I work in Photoshop for a good portion of every day at work, I'm a big fan, but when i started using lightroom, as soon as I got the hang of it I was hooked. I now use it almost exclusively for all of my retouching. Have you tried it? I’m tellin ya, its all about the Lightroom!

Not only is it completely non-destructive, its integration with photoshop is pretty tight if you need to do layered adjustments.

Being that I work in Photoshop for a good portion of every day at work, I’m a big fan, but when i started using lightroom, as soon as I got the hang of it I was hooked.

I now use it almost exclusively for all of my retouching. Have you tried it?

]]> By: Brian Auer http://blog.epicedits.com/2007/09/20/watching-and-waiting/#comment-8280 Brian Auer Thu, 20 Sep 2007 16:51:20 +0000 http://blog.epicedits.com/2007/09/20/watching-and-waiting/#comment-8280 I tend not to do a lot of editing in ACR because it prevents me from going back and adjusting. I might lay down a couple layers, go back to the first one, tweak it, go back to the third one, tweak it, touch up the mask on the first one again, etc. A lot of the 1.5 hours includes just "getting there" with the adjustments. Of course, if I knew exactly which settings I were applying and in what order, I could have this whipped out in 5 minutes. Also, I don't clone in ACR because 1) I might need to adjust it later (I use a non-destructive layer), and 2) my dust spots are constantly on the move since I blow out the chamber with each lens change. That's a good point though -- ACR has the capability to "remember" where your dust spots are. I tend not to do a lot of editing in ACR because it prevents me from going back and adjusting. I might lay down a couple layers, go back to the first one, tweak it, go back to the third one, tweak it, touch up the mask on the first one again, etc. A lot of the 1.5 hours includes just “getting there” with the adjustments. Of course, if I knew exactly which settings I were applying and in what order, I could have this whipped out in 5 minutes. Also, I don’t clone in ACR because 1) I might need to adjust it later (I use a non-destructive layer), and 2) my dust spots are constantly on the move since I blow out the chamber with each lens change. That’s a good point though — ACR has the capability to “remember” where your dust spots are.

]]>