The last sunset I posted I had a comment relating to my use of Photoshop. I pay attention to what people are saying, and sometimes it’s fair comment that photos can be over-photoshopped. Especially female portraits, but that a story for another day.
I’ve been out this evening shooting the sunset. At one point the sunset had an incredibly vivid yellow. Could I capture on my iPhone ? No, the image taken was nothing like what I could see with my eye, a very poor representation. My point – I use Photoshop to bring out existing colours, not to trample over authenticity. My camera doesn’t always get the colours “right”, especially in low-light conditions. Since learning how to enhance photos I would now probably get 90-95% “usable” photos, whereas before I reckon on average probably only 20-30%.
I posted this tutorial a while back – https://doncharisma.org/2013/12/29/quickly-edit-a-photo-in-photoshop/
Basically the major enhancements I use are usually to do with adjusting lighting level with Shaddows/Highlights Tool, Levels and Brightness/Contrast. I also use Vibrance and a touch of Saturation to bring the colours out. I try to be subtle with it, but sometimes the results are so stunning that it’s actually quite a strong effect. Generally I’d like to keep the photo as authentic to real life as possible, or if it’s poor quality shot in the first place, then just bring out the best in it.
For the pedantic amongst you, there are “errors” on this photo. For instance even after a quick straighten, the horizon isn’t perfectly level, and has “curves”. The iPhone doesn’t like a straight horizon on the sea for some reason ! In the group of people on the left hand where the waves join, there’s a straight line, this is an “error” when the iPhone was stitching the images together in real time.
Anyway, it’s all good learning … TAKEN TODAY – ENJOY !
Photos taken in Thailand (c) Don Charisma 2014
Don Charisma 
I only use very basic corrections on my photos unless I am doing something artistic and then that just changes everything! 🙂
The colours in this are just beautiful my friend.
Thanks Suz, I could say that I’m an expert and use all the histograms etc, but that would be a lie … it’s more like monkey with a typewriter until I see something that pleases my eye 🙂 And yes simple is best, saves time and effort …
Hey, I’ve heard that a monkey could knock out shakespeare if given enough time. Surely you can knock out a Monet 😉
Knowing me I’d probably knock out a copy of penthouse or playboy, but that’s just me 🙂
😉
I just posted my first attempt at penthouse, it came out as messed up pano of bangkok airport … another 1000 years I guess and I’ll have it perfect 🙂
Maybe you should have aimed for Playboy 😀
Not so much my scene, I like ’em more girl next door, playboy is a bit elitist for my taste … Mind you I wouldn’t mind waking up as a much younger Hugh Hefner, now that would be something to tell the grandkids !
I think it must be time for you to sleep. You never know just what might happen when you wake up 😀
Really … yup off to dream about being Hugh Hefner … But dream only, I’d miss my girlfriend … GN …
Night my friend. 🙂
PS I think you may well be back on pole position on my commenters after this evening 🙂 (morning for you)
😀
I’m not into photography but I can appreciate art and I like that you enhance a moment that you captured. Very cool, don
Thanks dude … and I don’t think you have to be a geek to appreciate technological things, so the same with photos, in fact I think they are probably more for laymen than artists …
I use oils, you use photo shop. Your art is your art, man. I go to a special store to get turquoise paint made from crushed turquoise to get ” burn your eyeballs out” blue skies. Not for everybody, I know. Who cares?
Yup, hadn’t thought of it like that … generally I’m going for the authentic look, but sometimes I excentuate and art-ify … depends on the photo, and what looks best to me 🙂
It’s a beautiful photograph. As a photographer myself I use photoshop to watermark or change a color shot to black and white.
What many do not understand about digital editing is that it is simply the darkroom in a different format.
As far as iPhone shots if you don’t photoshop them and attempt to print them you have a grainy photo.
Keep shooting you have a gift continue to share it.
Thank you 🙂 yes that’s a very good explanation, and since I’ve never been in a darkroom as a photographer, then I’ll take your word …
The quality of my photos varies with lighting conditions and subject, generally my iPhone 4s gives very nice results in good daylight. I’m usually trying to keep the sunlight behind me. In night time it’s much harder to get nice shots, and night photos got me started using the pipette with levels/curves which seems to fix a lot of the issues.
I like taking photos that other people (and I) enjoy , so yes I will continue 🙂
Warm regards
DC
I find it an impressive thing that a bloke with 12,000-odd followers can actually and genuinely respond to individuals – especially grumpy old farts. 😀
It’s that my husband was a stillsman, and what he said went – still does. I respected him more than anyone in the world – not saying much in terms of the level of respect outgoing from me … :-\
But this is something I do respect, this genuine responding. It’s appreciated!
You are welcome, and grumpy old farts I often learn something so a useful addition to my day … what I don’t like is rude grumpy old farts, they usually get to see the inside of my trashcan !
Good to chat
DC
Wonderful!!!!! Thank you for sharing Don!! 🙂
You are welcome hun 🙂
A great shot Don. I love all those colors in your sunset.
Thanks for sharing.
Irene
You are welcome irene 🙂
Very pretty! And you know how I love sunsets! I use photoshop for my iphone photos too sometimes although I have quite a few apps that do nice things with in-phone processing. But hey, my philosophy is…photoshop is to the camera as what the camera was to charcoal or paints….it’s all art! 😀
Yup, and I love them too, so we’re too peas in a pod you and I …
Sometimes I go a more arty route and sometimes I look for authenticity in my photos, luckily photoshop does both …
I like to work with raw images so apps are out for me … plus I hate messing about on the phone too much … so it’s photoshop or not at all for me !
A shame you are such a shy man, hehe. Tell me how you REALLY feel, will ya? 😛
Laura, if you only knew …
Maybe you should blog about it. 😉
Maybe I will …
Well put! 🙂
Thanks 🙂
Nice photos & good tips re use of photoshop.
Thanks dude 🙂
😀
Yeah, I agree… I use levels, curves, hues and vibrance… that is it
I’m still learning levels and curves if I’m honest … and hues, well I’ll play with that … and thanks for confirming I’m getting it right … I’d like to do some portrait work sometime soon, hopefully my existing skill set will be transferable 🙂