Roll Call - What do you use? want?

[PapaBob]

Again my thanks to Dee for her attempt to revive this subforum with the recent name change. The purpose of this thread is to determine what photomanipulation software you use and what you would like to get out of the Digital Darkroom. Do you want:

1. Tutorials? If so then try to be specific about the problem or subject and what software you use.

2. To post images for other members to work on?

3. To discuss a technique you are working on? If so, share your steps.

4. Something else?

Come forward and be counted.

---Bob
Photoshop CS user
run on PC with windows XP

[DoubleDip]

I have Photoshop Elements 3.0, I would like to get Photoshop CS. I dont think you can be a serious Digital Photographer and not have it. For my part I use the software to obtain a image of what I see not what the camera took, I am not very talented using the cameras manual features so I primarily use Programmed auto exposure modes. It would be interesting to see just what a expert could do for a run of the mill photo. On the same note I would like to see constructive criticism on photos in galleries, for example, this one should have this and that highlighted or this should have been better cropped like this and so on. All in all I am eager to participate in this thread.

[Dee]

Great thread idea!

I started with PS Elements 2 and upgraded to PS7. I can't justify the cost of CS, PS7 works just fine for me. Guess I'm just not a serious Digital Photographer!

1 .... I'd like to see tutorials, especially one's written for the PS beginner. Screen shots would be nice! So many are overwhelmed with Photoshop, and other programs, and get stuck using the Auto Fix settings. These programs can do so much more for better results.

2.... I enjoy seeing what someone else can do with the same photo. I tend to get stuck in a rut when processing photos, using the same steps. It would be nice to see others results.

I'd like to see a glossary of PS terms and what they can do for/to underwater photos. For instance, what is the magic wand and why/when would I use it? Layers....why do I need different layers and how do you do that? That sort of stuff.

Dee
PS7, PC with XP Pro, laptop with XP Home

[SeaYoda]

It's rare for me to be serious . I, like Dee, can't justify all the costs to upgrade to PS CS. I'd have to get a whole new computer with a new operating system and the upgrade for PS CS. This is a very addictive hobby and I've yet to buy a spotting light / tray / arms / strobe / W/A lens / macro lens and then throw all that out and go DSLR .... I think my wallet just fainted .

As for what I'd like to see here - I like DoubleDip's and Dee's ideas. I love to see the different versions people make out of the same pic. It is fun to see the "eye of the beholder" thing. I like tutorials and KIND critiques.

[PapaBob]

Thanks to all for the response. I balked at the price of PS for a long time and finally bought PS6 and the CS upgrade because I hit the limitations of PSE2 and PSLE which I had been using. Camera $$ have to come first. Otherwise there is nothing to play with in Photoshop! If you can afford it, I encourage the upgrade to PSCS.

I recently purchased PSE3. My daughter's mother in law and my wife want to learn Photoshop, and I note that a lot of Scubaboard members use PSE because it is a less costly entry level program. I am AMAZED at how well Adobe did with this new product and many of the capabilities it has. I will try to figure out some UW techniques and share them with you. Kevreid, if you are lurking, I could use your input and help.

I would love to see Digital Darkroom become a location where people would post photos for us to help, critique and work on. Playing with posted UW shots has been a great source of enjoyment and learning for me. I confess, I am not comfortable reworking another's photo and posting the results without permission or implied consent. Dee, in DDN they solve this problem with the "Critique It" subforum which does exactly what DoubleDip and SeaYoda are asking for here. Do you have any ideas as to how we can encourage people to come forward with their projects and not copy DDN or upset Tio? (I would like to stay on his good side). Digital Darkroom does not need a subforum yet, but maybe we can encourage members to post their projects here.

To lurkers out there, I would still like your ideas and a few more posts in this thread.

---Bob

[Scuba_Jenny]

Hey Dee (and everybody else that might be interested)
Feel free to move this if you think it can be better someplace else. I don't come back here into the photo forum much, cause my camera flooded. But, now I have my new cheapo point n shoot, I am sure I will be here more...
Anyways...

I have been using Photoshop since version 4, and while I have not done a lot of underwater photo manipulations, perhaps I can help answer some questions.

Digitally enhancing photos can be very cumbersome even with a good mouse. I would highly recommend getting a tablet with a pen stylus. I have a 6x8 Wacom tablet, and refuse to do any photo editing without it.

When I work on a project, I ALWAYS work from a copy. That way if you screw up, you still the original to import back into the copy and if you want to try variations, you have an original to work from.

First. Learning Photoshop. Highly recommend getting Adobe's Classroom in a Book. This is the same book that is required when taking a Photoshop class in some colleges. Even if you get an older version (try amazon.com or half.com for best prices), you will get a good overview in what PS has to offer, along with a CD with working files for each chapter.

Second. Layers. Layers are your friend. Think of layers as sheets of transparancies laying on top of each other. Each item then can be digitally changed, moved, resized, whatever without affecting the rest of your work. Referring to the original again, I make a copy of the original layer. Lock the original layer and hide it. Now you are working on the copy. You can drag or import additional pics into the working file, change each, and you end up having greater control of the final image. For instance, say the image you drag in to its own layer, you change the hue, it will only affect that layer.

Third Magic Wand. The magic wand selects only that color. You "tap it" on a particular region, and it select that color only. Works great if you want to select a large region say, a white backround, but is cumbersome if you are trying to select an area of a photo and end up with only a few pixels selected. If you want to select all pixels in the image (on that layer) of that color range, you have to Select> Grow, or Select > Similar. Then the selected areas are the only areas you can manipulate. A good example of using this feature would be selecting a dark area to try to lighten it without lightening the whole image. The marching ants (what the line is called of the selected area) can make your selected area hard to see when you make changes, so I hide the marching ants with CRTL + H. Just remember you have hidden the marching ants, otherwise you will get very frustrated when you try to change another area and nothing happens. To Deselect the area, use CTRL+D.

One thing the book will help you with is the masking feature. You actually "paint" the area you want selected. Works great for getting in intricate areas, but this is getting rather involved....

Hope this helps.

[Dee]

Thanks Jen. Having a description of one of the features and an explanation of when and how to use it will certainly help!

[PapaBob]

All good tips Jenny. Especially the Wacom tablet idea. I got tired of "painting" with a mouse, bit the bullet, and bot the tablet. That was over a year ago, and it was one of the best investments I have made. Post some stuff and let us see what you are doing.

---Bob

[Scuba_Jenny]

I'll see what I can dig up. My computer has been recently formatted and most of the stuff was backed up on CD's.

[kevreid]

Kevreid, if you are lurking, I could use your input and help.

---Bob

I'm lurking Bob :lurk_2: Not sure what help I am but I'm always good for some input.

I love the idea of having a critique/assistance area on Scubaboard. What's already going on with a couple images on the board is great. I think the two images are more advanced than where we might start. I've traded a few images with Dee and it's been very helpful having someone else work on the same image and give feedback on what each other has done.
Glad to hear you have PE3 now, get going on that step by step tutorial,