Photographer's rant...when someone says, "nice pics, you must have a good camera!"

[fppf]

Yes, you could do a lot of things in the days of film.
However, you can not argue that you can do MUCH MUCH more editing now in digital.

 

[KhunNeal]

Its not the camera......its the strobe.

 

[The Kraken]

Amen, twhi . . . .

the K

 

[fisheater]

Just respond with "No. But you have excellent eyes."

 

[DiveMaven]

I agree, if it takes me longer than about 2 minutes to adjust a photo with Photoshop, I move on to the next photo and scrap the original one. All I really "fix" is the color anyway, I don't mess with backscatter and stuff like that.

When we upgraded my husband's camera it definitely made a difference in his photographs, but mostly because the new camera has spot focus and he can really get the subjects he wants instead of the coral around it. If asked, he'd probably say the biggest improvement in his photos came after he got a strobe.

 

[Doubler]

Taken with Olympus Stylus 710, DS 51 strobes Edited with Aperture 2. Don't need Photoshop. Pretty much just adjusted White Balance and Mid Tone Contrast. I was told by a professional photographer that all digital images need varying degrees of adjustment. He got way to geek for me when explaining the differences between film and digital medium. He is the one that recommended Aperture to me and I love it. Much easier to use than photoshop and it retains the original master untouched. Highly recommend.

 

[MauiScubaSteve]

I was told by a professional photographer that all digital images need varying degrees of adjustment. He got way to geek for me when explaining the differences between film and digital medium. He is the one that recommended Aperture to me and I love it. Much easier to use than photoshop and it retains the original master untouched. Highly recommend.

We are starting to stray from the op in my opinion, and this is not the forum for such discussions, but even here typing opinion in a manner that implies fact is as silly as typing fact that is meaningless.

I have used Photoshop Elements since '02 or '03 (Elements 2) and now still only use Elements 4. I tried Aperture and it is not easier for me. Since I shoot in raw and save in something else after adjustments, no original master of mine has ever been changed. I also have quite a large collection of images that I do not feel needed any adjustment, except perhaps changing size and format so they are a proper size and format for web display.

 

[under water]

"nice pics, you must have a good camera!"
I've heard that a few times. I just smile, say "yup, they don't make them anymore, but check out eBay. You can find them there."
It doesn't really matter, a complement is a complement.

 

[beautybelow]

When I taught photo courses with rental cameras (the student rented) I always took the camera for a shot or two on each dive if I could. It's definitely a reminder that a nice camera is a little easier to work with. I guess I am lucky though...I took my first underwater photograph with a nikonos V and went from that to a DSLR. But then again I guess I never had the excuse..."well, if I only had a better camera!" haha

 

[ktomlinson]

There is a big difference in fabricating a pic (putting your buddy in, making someone less chubby, etc) and correcting a pic. Using Photoshop to correct color or even backscatter is just that, a correction of an error (the one that happened when you took the pic and it didn't come out like your eyes saw). If you can get the pics without Photoshop, good for you, but having the attitude that Photoshop is cheating is pretty antiquated.