From: "Tom C" <caka...@gmail.com>
It seems the almost instant gratification of digital capture and the speediness of results has been eclipsed by the, OMG factor, and 'what do I have to do to adjust this image?'. Time saved by instant results is erased by time spent post-capture processing. Does it seem that way to others as well?
Not to me. Even with digital, I still try to get the best photo in-camera to keep the post-capture processing down. When I started shooting digital, I read somewhere that more than 5 or 10 minutes or so on a standard picture should be enough post-processing. I try to follow this rule--obviously there are exceptions with playful renderings etc--but for the most part--for me--it's a good rule to follow. I've noticed that as my skills improve, I'm even getting a lot faster than 5 minutes.
But I actually think I'm getting faster because I'm trying to pay attention to the idiosyncrasies of my equipment--from monitor to camera and lens. Also, when I read the book Perfect Exposure, suggested by Bob W, that really helped--and Godfrey's suggestion: "keep the workflow simple" is at the center my photographic workflow. I have Lightroom and Photoshop Elements 5, which I only use for heavy duty cloning or when I want to add goofy graphics and text to a shot for some silly playful reason. For me, using Lightroom keeps me focused on trying to get the best photo in-camera.
My biggest insecurity is exposure, though I'm getting a lot better at that, but I confess to being a chronic histogram chimper just to be sure, but I'm finding that there too I'm needing to chimp less and less. Also, the construction project I'm working on has really helped to improve my skills--and I'm grateful for this experience. I have to get the best shots my skills will allow and do it without getting in anyone's way and without doing anything stupid that might put myself or someone else in danger--which means I have to act smart and think quickly and not waste time--and be in tune with my surroundings. I can't be chimping all the time on the construction site--just too much going on and a lot of it can be dangerous. I try to apply these skills to all shooting situations--though this excludes leisurely photowalks :-).
Lastly, I would just say that I try not to *over-shoot*. If I start to feel I'm just shooting to be shooting, then I stop shooting. I find this rule cuts down on post-processing as well :-).
Cheers, Christine -- PDML Pentax-Discuss Mail List PDML@pdml.net http://pdml.net/mailman/listinfo/pdml_pdml.net to UNSUBSCRIBE from the PDML, please visit the link directly above and follow the directions.
