File :-(, x, )
Post Processing Anonymous
I'm just getting into photography and am trying to learn the ins and outs of everything.

I bought a G9 so I can manually handle all the settings and be able to take the camera anywhere with me.

My question here is about post processing. From everything I've read the general concensus seems to be that it's required for digital photography. Without the dark room and chemicals used for film, other mediums are used.

My question: What am I expected to do with post processing? What is expected before it's a 'finished' piece? Change the hue? Saturation? White temperature? I'm confused by the idea that you're -supposed- to edit a photograph in Photoshop instead of getting the exposure right when you took it.

tl;dr What's the point of post processing?
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Camera-Specific Properties:Equipment MakeCanonCamera ModelCanon PowerShot G9Camera Softwaref-spot version 0.4.0Maximum Lens Aperturef/2.8Sensing MethodOne-Chip Color AreaLens Size7.40 - 44.40 mmFirmware VersionFirmware Version 1.00Image-Specific Properties:Image OrientationTop, Left-HandHorizontal Resolution180 dpiVertical Resolution180 dpiImage Created2008:03:10 15:53:36Image Width960Image Height1280Exposure Time1/20 secF-Numberf/8.0ISO Speed Rating80Lens Aperturef/8.0Exposure Bias0 EVFlashNo Flash, CompulsoryFocal Length7.40 mmColor Space InformationsRGBImage Width4000Image Height3000RenderingNormalExposure ModeManualScene Capture TypeStandardExposure ModeManualFocus TypeAutoMetering ModeEvaluativeSharpnessNormalSaturationNormalContrastNormalShooting ModeManualImage SizeLargeFocus ModeSingleDrive ModeSingleFlash ModeOffCompression SettingSuperfineMacro ModeNormalSubject Distance11.870 mWhite BalanceCloudyExposure Compensation3Sensor ISO Speed149Image Number131-0339
>> Butterfly !xlgRMYva6s
to fix anything you got wrong in the exposure, also to help overcome the limitations of your camera.
>> Anonymous
>>138430
So if you used the right settings and had the right hardware, you'd never need post processing?

I'm trying to figure out the idea that you 'need' to do processing. And if you do meed to, what are the steps one should always take as opposed to just correcting mistakes?
>> Anonymous
Don't do anything if it look as you want it to look. Otherwise.. make it look as you want it to look.

Generally, crop maybe, noise reduction if necessary, fix WB if necessary, fix brightness/contrast if necessary, saturation maybe, resize, unsharp mask. Of course, there's a lot more you can do to make your photos look better, but that depends and this should get you started.
>> Butterfly !xlgRMYva6s
>>138433
I dont PP much, generally bump saturation to help bring life to my otherwise deathly landscapes (although not anymore!) sharpen to account for my crappy lense or fix the distortion on my super wide.

The perfect gear doesnt exist, people used to photoshop back in film days just in different ways.
>> Anonymous
Thanks for the advice. I'll start with the basic stuff and try and pick more up as I go.

On a related note, comments / recommendations for photo posted? I wish I'd used a higher aperture but didn't have a tripod with me to hold it steady...
>> Butterfly !xlgRMYva6s
>>138451
Lack of a clear subject, the waterfall is overpowered by the rockface on the right. Would have come left to centre the waterfall more (it looks slightly cut off) and cut down on the rockface to help even out the frame.

Also longer exposure would have been better to get the smooooooth water or a much shorter one to freeze it (probably not possible on a G9)
>> ac !!VPzQAxYPAMA
     File :-(, x)
Digital sensors give you a nice straight linear response. It gives you exactly the exposure you want all across the sensor's dynamic range. However, that often doesn't actually look very good. Colors tend to look a bit washed out. The processing software in cameras generally don't second-guess you, so if you want a nice exposure curve instead of just plain old linear, you have to do it yourself.

Camera-Specific Properties:Equipment MakeCanonCamera ModelCanon PowerShot G9Camera SoftwareGIMP 2.4.5Maximum Lens Aperturef/2.8Sensing MethodOne-Chip Color AreaLens Size7.40 - 44.40 mmFirmware VersionFirmware Version 1.00Image-Specific Properties:Image OrientationTop, Left-HandHorizontal Resolution72 dpiVertical Resolution72 dpiImage Created2008:03:10 20:53:05Exposure Time1/20 secF-Numberf/8.0ISO Speed Rating80Lens Aperturef/8.0Exposure Bias0 EVFlashNo Flash, CompulsoryFocal Length7.40 mmColor Space InformationsRGBImage Width960Image Height1280RenderingNormalExposure ModeManualScene Capture TypeStandardExposure ModeManualFocus TypeAutoMetering ModeEvaluativeSharpnessNormalSaturationNormalContrastNormalShooting ModeManualImage SizeLargeFocus ModeSingleDrive ModeSingleFlash ModeOffCompression SettingSuperfineMacro ModeNormalSubject Distance11.870 mWhite BalanceCloudyExposure Compensation3Sensor ISO Speed149Image Number131-0339
>> Anonymous
>>138458
I don't ever use the 'auto' settings. I'm still learning the right settings for aperture and shutter speed, though. Since the G9 only has F2.8-8.0 it's hard to test much...

As for shutter speed, I've essentially learned that for anything slower than 1/30th you really need a tripod.
>> Anonymous !SDPEsPMnww
>>138471
I rarely use apertures outside of f/2.8 or f/8.0. Most of the time I'm at f/5.6... I don't think that you are being limited very much.