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by Joel Weisbrod
Now that you have decided that your photos could use a little help and want to edit them, where do you begin. Here are some starting tips and a small glossary of terms that will help you get started.
Organize the Photos on Your Computer
Regardless of the editing software or editing process, the photos or “image files” need to be on your computer. You will need to copy them from the camera or memory card into a folder on the computer. As the number of images seems to grow quickly, I suggest creating a separate main folder and then a structure of sub-folders beneath it. For example, I call my master folder “PHOTOS” and below this I have one folder called “FAMILY”. Inside the FAMILY folder, I have folders for each event where I took photos of my family. Each of these folders is named for the date and event, so for example I have “20080105-Jessica in Newport” for photos we took in Newport on January 5, 2008. Finally, inside this folder is a folder called “EDITED” where I have the completely edited photos ready for printing. Another important point about this process is that you should rename your edited photos when you save them so there is no chance that you will overwrite the original image file. While this amount of detail seems tedious when you have 50 image files, when your “catalog” of images grows to a few thousand, you will be grateful that you took the time to create an organized system to arrange, sort, and categorize your files.
Getting Ready to Edit Photos
Camera Processing – Shoot in RAW mode and/or turn OFF all in-camera processing including tone control, sharpening, etc.
Camera Image File Format – Set your camera for the best quality and highest resolution. This creates larger image files but this is best for any editing you may do later. viagra online Some cameras allow you to choose to optimize file compression for quality or size – in this case, always choose quality.
Focus is a Camera Only Technique– No matter which software you choose, you cannot fix the focus on an out-of-focus image. Make this a priority when you are taking the photo!
Less is More – While it may seem that if a little sharpening is good then a lot of sharpening will be great, this is rarely true. Your goal should be to capture the best images you can and then enhance them slightly. When editing, the less you do to your images, the better the
final prints will look.
Noise Reduction and ISO – Along with higher sensitivity, higher ISO settings introduce “noise” into your photos in the form of blotchy colors and irregular brightness. It is best to turn off the automatic setting for ISO and use the lowest possible ISO in all cases. If there is not enough light, turn up the ISO but recognize that this will affect the quality of the image.
Summary
Photo editing is a way to take your photography to the next level, creating better photographs through a series of changes and enhancements to your images. In the next article in this series, we will begin discussing some frequently used editing terms including “Cropping”, “Saturation”, “Exposure”, and others.
Joel Weisbrod is a published author of a book on digital photography and the owner of jwArtWorks Photography in Rhinebeck. In addition to portrait, commercial, event, and other photography, Joel teaches Photography for Red Hook Central Schools Adult-Education as well as private one-on-one photography classes. He can be reached by email at mercantile@jwArtWorks.com.
Tags: Joel Weisbrod, jwArtWorks, photography, Red Hook, Rhinebeck
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by Joel Weisbrod
With the days of the darkroom rapidly disappearing, photographers have turned to a new tool to replace the many special developing techniques professional photo labs have provided for more than 100 years – computer software. These software tools come in all sizes and shapes but the all-time leader in photographic editing and manipulation is Adobe® Photoshop®.
This powerhouse of photo editing techniques offers photographers a complete editing service right on your personal computer (PC or MAC). In its “lite” form, Adobe® uses
the name “Photoshop Elements®” which has most of the basic features of the full version at a much more reasonable price. Another popular Adobe® product of interest to photographers is LightRoom®. In this column, we will explore the differences in these two products. In future columns, we will outline some basic techniques useful for editing your photos and making ordinary photos look extraordinary!
Adobe® Photoshop® and Photoshop® Elements®
This software is perfect for serious editing of any photograph. It is designed to allow editing of one image at a time but allows you to combine multiple images or parts of images into one another or into a completely new image. Want to add a picture of your dog to the family photo?
This software can do this efficiently and effectively. Need to remove that electric wire from the sky in your beautiful landscape photo? No problem! Adobe® has included so many features that most of us will never use them all. Photoshop® uses a destructive editing methodology that requires saving your changed image as a separate image file (different name or folder) so you do not lose your original image. This can be accomplished in many different ways that protect your original files from being changed. Photoshop® is the industry standard for photographic editing for good reason. If you plan to make significant changes to your images or want to combine multiple images into one, you will never be limited when using this software.
Adobe® LightRoom®
This software combines many features desired by serious photographers. In addition to being a superb editing tool (somewhat limited compared to Photoshop®), it is a total photography management system, automating some of the most arduous tasks facing digital photographers. From capturing the photos from your camera’s memory card through the process of printing, publishing on the web, or creating a slideshow, LightRoom® does it all. Create catalogs, group similar photos, compare photos to choose, edit and crop photos, create copies, and much more. Unlike Photoshop®, LightRoom® is designed to organize, manage, view, compare, and edit or manipulate tens, hundreds or even thousands of images in a simplified workflow tool. If you take lots of photographs and need to organize them as well as edit or manipulate them, consider LightRoom® as a solution.
Summary
Both Adobe® products are comprehensive tools for photographs. As a professional photographer, I use LightRoom® for most production work and rely on Photoshop® for the more difficult or serious editing jobs. I use Photoshop® for all photo restoration work, combining two or more images into one (e.g. panoramas), serious defect removal (glare in eyeglasses), and whenever I need to work on one single photo. When I return from a photo shoot with hundreds of photos, I use LightRoom® to copy the photos to my computer, view and rate the photos to select the “keepers”, compare similar shots to determine which is a better photograph, edit and crop as necessary, and then export selected and fully corrected images as proofs for my customers. Whichever software you choose, you will not be disappointed.
Joel Weisbrod is a published author of a book on digital photography and the owner of jwArtWorks Photography in Rhinebeck. In addition to portrait, commercial, event, and other photography, Joel teaches Photography for Red Hook Central Schools Adult-Education as well as private one-on-one photography classes. He can be reached by email at mercantile@jwArtWorks.com.
Tags: Adobe Photoshop, Joel Weisbrod, jwArtWorks, LightRoom, photographic editing, Photoshop Elements, Rhinebeck
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by Joel Weisbrod
Most of you already know that digital cameras capture images using RGB technology where the “G” stands for the color green. This month, we are going to focus (excuse the pun) on what it means to be environmentally “green” – rather than the colorfully green in pursuing photographs.
Low Impact Photography – Protect the Natural Environment
Many of you have heard the phrase “Take Only Memories – Leave Only Footprints” when applied to camping in the woods. This also can be applied to your photography – “Take Only Photos – Leave Only Footprints”. When you are out shooting, observe some simple rules to be eco-friendly to our natural environment.
Shoot flowers as they are – try not to bend or move obstacles but move your camera to achieve better shots. Stay on roads, paths, and trails. When you venture off the trail, you are stepping on and possibly killing small (even microscopic) plants and creatures that are essential to the health of the soil and surrounding plants and animals. It may seem incidental to you, but over time this causes erosion, loss of trees, and loss of wildlife habitat. Take everything you bring in back out when you leave. Garbage, cigarette and cigar butts, plastic, and food are bad for the natural environment and should be taken with you and disposed of properly.
Low Impact Printing – Print Only What You Need to Print
On my Safari to Tanzania, I took 18,000 photos. Of these, I made a 90 minute slide show from 1100 of the best photos and will print only about 50 of them. This is “Green Photography”. The rest of the images I will archive until I need them in the future. When you shoot a vacation, a family event, or just a walk in the park, do you print all the photos on the card in the camera? Why? Consider a slide show you can watch on the DVD player attached to your TV or on your computer. Consider a photo book with several images per page rather than loose prints that require an album, essentially doubling the paper, plastic, and ink usage. If you are going to print, look through all of your images first, and select the best subset of photos. Not only is this ecologically better, it will
save you money as well.
Batteries, Batteries, and more Batteries – Proper Disposal is the Key
Some cameras use rechargeable batteries-and this is great-but they do not last forever. If your camera (and/or flash) needs regular replaceable batteries, you are forever changing them. Neither one of these is foolproof as the rechargeable batteries seem less expensive to use, but when one goes bad at Disneyland, you are out of luck and will not likely find a replacement. With replaceable batteries you may spend a little more per photo, but the Disneyland scenario can never happen to you. Either way, the real issue is what you do with the batteries when you are done with them. Most of us just throw them in the trash and that is seriously bad for our environment. Most large home centers or hardware stores provide a drop box for old and used batteries. Try Lowes, Home Depot, Ace Hardware, True Value Hardware, or others and avoid throwing batteries in the trash. When dumped in the wet environment of a land fill or the ocean, batteries leak chemicals that eventually find their way into the water supply, the fish we eat, and other food sources.
Each Individual – One “Green” Behavioral Change
It does not take much to make a difference. If each of us makes one change to be “greener”, it will add up to a major change and improve our environment. Why not make one green change today?
Joel Weisbrod is a published author of a book on digital photography and the owner of jwArtWorks Photography in Rhinebeck. In addition to portrait, commercial, event, and other photography, Joel teaches private one-on-one photography classes and can be reached by email at mercantile@jwArtWorks.com.
Tags: eco-friendly, green, Joel Weisbrod, jwArtWorks, photography, Rhinebeck
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by Joel Weisbrod
When venturing out with your partner or family on vacation, most people bring along a camera to capture the spirit of the trip and memories of fun family times. How can you be certain that the photos you take will invoke the fond memories of your trip? Consider the suggestions and tips in this column to help you capture images that will stand the test of time and always bring back the warm and fuzzy feeling you had when you first took them. Remember, expect the unexpected and have your camera ready!
It’s Not the Mountains, Buildings, Monuments, or Other Landmarks
We have all come home from a trip with dozens of pictures of beautiful places around the world that were great but when you look at them a few years later, they seem to “shrink” in importance. Photos of Big Ben in London are a dime a dozen on the Internet, and many of them will likely be better than any of yours. On the other hand, a photo of your children on the bridge over the Thames throwing popcorn to the ducks with Big Ben in the background will forever be a treasured remembrance of the trip.
Do Not Forget Photos of the Photographer
As a professional photographer, I have always taken lots of great vacation photos of my wife and my children. Until my Mother-in-Law asked “Didn’t Joel go on this trip?” we never realized that there were no photos of me. This did not really come as a shock since I am always holding the camera but ever
since, we always make sure to take plenty of pictures of me while on our trips. When reviewing photos of past trips, it is important that everyone on the trip is represented in the photos, even if he or she is the photographer.
Use a Tripod, A Friend, or a Stranger and get Group Shots
When you travel as a group, there is a reason you are all together. Don’t forget to capture the “group concept” by taking whole group shots at special times during the trip. A group in front of the Grand Canyon is nice but a shot of the entire group hiking the rim trail or descending into the canyon is far better. A group shot in front of the “Colorado River Rafting Adventures” sign is nice but a photo of everyone in the raft with life jackets and paddles in hand is far better. If no one is around to help, mount your camera on a tripod (or prop it up somewhere) and use the camera’s “self-timer” so everyone including the photographer is in the picture.
Candid Images Tell the Real Story
Even if you follow all the suggestions above, you will miss some of the most memorable moments of your trip. It may seem like a spoiled photo when you take it, but when you look back at a child crying because they were afraid of Mickey in costume at Disney World you will realize the value of capturing these special moments in time. Have your camera ready and shoot pictures of events
as they happen! In this world of digital photography with seemingly limitless image memory, take those extra shots now – when you get home, you will be glad you did!
Joel Weisbrod is a published author of a book on digital photography and the owner of jwArtWorks Photography in Rhinebeck. In addition to portrait, commercial, event, and other photography, Joel teaches private one-on-one photography classes and can be reached by email at mercantile@jwArtWorks.com.
Tags: Joel Weisbrod, jwArtWorks, photographs, Rhinebeck, vacation
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by Joel Weisbrod
Last month we explored the best way to choose your wedding photographer. What if you can’t find the right photographer that also fits your budget? This happens more than you think and leaves many brides and grooms despondent and worried about recording this special moment in their lives. So, what do you do? Here are some suggestions to help you capture the spirit of your wedding within a limited budget.
Step 1: Taking the Wedding Photos
While everyone seems to have a digital camera that takes great photos, there really is a dramatic difference between consumer cameras and professional photography equipment. No matter how small your budget is, this is one place you should not cut corners. I am sure Uncle Ned takes great photos but unless he is a professional photographer, he is likely to miss a lot of important shots. This is the most important part of the overall job of photographing weddings because it happens only once. You can always choose different photos, recreate, add, or replace an album, and edit photos differently, but you can only shoot the wedding photos on the wedding day. This is where you should use your budget to hire a professional.
Step 2: Proofs and Digital Files
One way to save money is to save money for the photographer. Ask for digital proofs (Usually PDF files) rather than prints. If the photographer has to order prints, he has to pay for them and then so do you. Creating digital proofs is free except for the time involved and usually a lot less expensive than prints. As for digital files, make sure your agreement includes a CD or DVD of all unedited digital files from the wedding without copyright restriction. Of course, an additional CD or DVD with the edited photographs is a plus since usually these are color balanced and ready for printing. This gives you the ability to do whatever you may want later when your budget situation improves. It is worth negotiating these particular issues and getting the agreement
in writing as this will likely be the second most important thing you do.
Step 3: Prints & Albums
Depending on your budget, and as long as you have successfully negotiated Step 2 above, this is a good place to scrimp and save. You may want to delay any printing or album
creation completely, or until your budget situation improves. Ask the photographer for recommendations on printing, slip-in albums, professional albums, DVD slide shows, etc. before making any decisions. When you do decide to print, try to avoid the local pharmacy as these bulk printers rarely use the best papers or inks and do a fair job at best. I am sure the photographer will assist you in printing or in choosing a suitable lab that can create professional prints, canvas wall displays, or albums.
Step 4: Make a Decision
Now you have the information you need to make your decision. Do not wait too long as photographers schedule events every day and you want to be sure you get your first choice before they book another event on your special day. Have any questions or want me to shoot your wedding? Contact me at the email address below.
Joel Weisbrod is a published author of a book on digital photography and the owner of jwArtWorks Photography in Rhinebeck. In addition to portrait, commercial, event, and other photography, Joel teaches private one-on-one photography classes and can be reached by email at mercantile@jwArtWorks.com.
Tags: budget, Joel Weisbrod, jwArtWorks, Rhinebeck, wedding photographer
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by Joel Weisbrod, photo by Kristen Cronin
School is back in session and our children (and grandchildren) are full of fresh new looks, new ideas, and most of all, new activities. Everyone knows they grow up fast so now is the time to capture the freshness of youth by photographing your kids doing whatever they do best – or worst! Here are some simple suggestions showing how you can avoid those familiar looking school “mug shots” and instead create some great photographs of your children.
Are you recording their appearance or their spirit?
Ask any child to sit still in front of the camera, hold their head up, and smile
and you might as well torture them because you will need nerves of steel to make this work. And, when you do, you have captured a record of how the child looks at this stage of life and nothing more. Some children are really shy, some bubbly and exuberant, some can’t sit still, and some are simply mischievous. Why try to pigeon-hole them into a single space or mood to photograph them? Try these tips and I am sure you will be happier with the results:
[Don’t] Say “Cheese”
When you say this, everyone forces a grin that never looks good in the photograph. Avoid this by talking to your children about things they are familiar with and make them laugh. A funny incident you have shared, a cute or funny neighbor’s pet, your last vacation, etc. We all have events we can remember that have made us smile or laugh and once you start, you’re likely to get lots of images with genuine smiles.
[Don’t] Sit Like This, Face This Way, and Don’t Fidget
Whenever I give these instructions, no one can follow them. When you are a child, you are getting directions all day every day about what to do, how to do it, and the likely ramifications if you don’t. Our children have become immune to these instructions and it makes everyone uncomfortable. Instead, look for opportunities to shoot photos of your children when they are already engaged and doing something. Dancing, playing a game, showing off their new clothes, working on their homework all present precious moments and true expressions of your child’s emotions. Don’t avoid the times when friends are over – these are usually when your children are really expressing themselves – showing true emotions – images you will want to cherish forever.
[Don’t] Wait for the perfect shot
Can’t you smile for mommy? Pick your head up! Keep your hands still! I can’t take the picture until you cooperate! Perhaps this works for you but it has never worked for me. Instead, shoot a lot of pictures and shoot them quickly. Children’s moods and expressions change quickly and if you are waiting for the perfect shot, chances are they will run out of patience before you ever get it. Shoot lots of images and discard what isn’t good and you will usually have plenty of great shots to work with.
[Don’t] Scold them until they do it your way
Lots of compliments and praise are sure to win the hearts of even the most difficult subjects. Rather than scolding them when it isn’t going well, see if you can’t get them on your side by playing along with their shenanigans. Yes, there really is something to the saying “You get more flies with honey than with vinegar.”
In conclusion, try capturing your children as they are
and where they are. Try different backgrounds, different times of day, alone and with friends or siblings. Ultimately, you will have lots to choose from and only you can find the look you like best. After all, the person to please first is you. Have any questions? Send your questions to me at the email address below.
Joel Weisbrod is a published author of a book on digital photography and the owner of jwArtWorks Photography in Rhinebeck. In addition to portrait, commercial, event, and other photography, Joel teaches private one-on-one photography classes and can be reached by email at mercantile@jwArtWorks.com.
Tags: children, jwArtWorks, photography, Rhinebeck
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by Joel Weisbrod
“Give light, and the darkness will disappear of itself.” ~ Desiderius Erasmus
 Photo taken on the "auto" setting When it comes to photography, it really is all about the light! The advent of point-and-shoot digital cameras has almost eliminated the need to think about the light. If, however, you are trying to improve your photographs, consider these ideas to help change your pictures into photographs.
Digital Photographic Lighting – How Does it Work?
Light for your photos can come in all sizes, colors, and shapes. The camera sensor or film reacts to a broad range of light colors and intensities and interprets this into the image you see as the photo. While we all realize that the white of a wedding dress is different from the white of your photo paper or the white paint on your walls, we often ignore the fact that this changes the
camera’s ability to interpret colors accurately. In addition, most of us have seen the difference between flash and natural light photographs – namely the harshness of the flash lighting on our subjects. Here are some basic tips to help you use light better, resulting in better photographs.
 The "cloudy" setting adds warmth to outdoor sunny day pictures. Broad vs Narrow Light Sources
The broader or wider the light source, the softer the effect of the light on the subject. Wider light sources fill shadows and come from many angles avoiding the harsh textures and vivid contrast created by narrow lights. When using a flash, try to bounce it off a wall or ceiling to broaden the effect and soften the light. If you are unable to bounce the light, try diffusing it (spreading it out). Some flashes have a built-in diffuser that flips in front of the strobe. If yours does not, try a very thin white cotton sock over the strobe and this will
broaden and soften the light. And remember; don’t eliminate all shadows as these give depth to your photos. Without depth, your subjects will look like cardboard cutouts.
The “Color” of the Light
Light has color even when we describe it as
white. Photographers call this “color temperature” and while our eye/brain compensate quite nicely, the sensor or film in the camera will be affected by these differences and alter the colors in the image. Digital cameras use a setting called “white balance” to compensate for these varieties in color temperature. In most cases, the “Auto” setting for white balance will provide adequate detection and compensation for the camera to produce colors accurately. The real
 If you like warmer looking photos, try the "shade" setting for outdoor landscapes. challenge is in mixed lighting situations such as using flash indoors in rooms with windows letting in some daylight. Without a light meter and camera
that allows custom white balance settings, the camera can only guess. So, what do you do? Here are some tips on getting the most from your white balance settings:
• Outdoors in natural light, use the “Auto” setting. If you are shooting a landscape on a perfectly clear day, it might appear too cool (bluish) so change to “Cloudy” to warm up the scene. If you generally like “warmer” looking photos, try the “Shade” setting for all your outdoor landscapes.
• Shooting mixed light (flash and daylight or tungsten) indoors, use the “Flash” setting as this will be the predominant light. Want to warm up these shots, try the “Cloudy” setting.
• Shooting mixed light (flash and fluorescent bulbs) indoors, use the “Fluorescent” setting to avoid a greenish cast on reflective surfaces.
In conclusion, it really is “All About the Light”. Try different lighting and different white balance settings and find the look you like best. After all, the person to please first is you. Have any questions? Send your questions to me at mercantile@jwArtWorks.com.
About the Author: Joel Weisbrod is a published author of a book on digital photography and the owner of jwArtWorks Photography in Rhinebeck. In addition to portrait, commercial, event, and other photography, Joel teaches private one-on-one photography classes and can be reached by email at mercantile@jwArtWorks.com
Tags: digital cameras, jwArtWorks, light, photography, Rhinebeck
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