Photography

[Top Cat]

Took these shots last week, on the first nice day of the year. I have touched them up a tiny bit in a really basic photo editing program.
My question is its only a point and shoot camera really is it worth investing in something like photshop to tidy up pictures from this type of camera, or is that type of program best suited to better quality photo's. 

[JPC]

you can download a 30 day trial of photoshop from adobe perfectly legitamately!

id say have a go, see how you get on with it.

i couldnt be without now to be honest

[NEWEY]

as JPC said i couldn’t be without photoshop now. great photos. even though its just a point and shoot camera there are still a few bits you could adjust to make the pictures even better. give it a try.

[Top Cat]

Any one got any ideas on the cost of photoshop. 

[NEWEY]

Any one got any ideas on the cost of photoshop. 

its not cheap. (around £400/£500) Adobe light room is alot cheaper and does the same sort of thing. or if you know anyone that has a "copy" of photoshop.

[Top Cat]

Cheer's Newey 

[Phil Mcavity]

if its £400-500 for photoshop, its cheaper to buy an SLR camera that will give you better shots for half the price?.

[NEWEY]

if its £400-500 for photoshop, its cheaper to buy an SLR camera that will give you better shots for half the price?.

an SLR might take a better picture, but if you havent got the right software to produce a "finished picture". you wouldnt notice much difference between an slr and a point and shoot camera. i would show you an example but im at work and all of my stuff is at home :(

[Phil Mcavity]

ive just bought a Panasonic Lumix slr 10.1 megapixel at £215, and the speed in which it takes pictures especially if your trying to capture a moving image  is second to none. Makes my old Powershot 8 mega pixel crap in comparision. It also came with software that if  you wish, use in conjuntion with the camera and photos.

Ive had no need to use that software because the pictures ive captured thus far are nothing short of amazing and recommend the camera to anyone.Make sure you purchase at minumum a 4 gig HDSD card to capture best images .

[NEWEY]

ive just bought a Panasonic Lumix slr 10.1 megapixel at £215, and the speed in which it takes pictures especially if your trying to capture a moving image  is second to none. Makes my old Powershot 8 mega pixel crap in comparision. It also came with software that if  you wish, use in conjuntion with the camera and photos.

Ive had no need to use that software because the pictures ive captured thus far are nothing short of amazing and recommend the camera to anyone.Make sure you purchase at minumum a 4 gig HDSD card to capture best images .

Totally agree with you some of the shots i have taken with my Nikon d40 are brilliant. But imo i always run them through photoshop to make them stand out that little bit more.

[08micsta]

Nice pics Uncle T

I dont feel its about the camera. I had a 2 mega pixel minolta dimage X for about 7 years and it was ancient yet I won competitions that many proffesionals were in who had SLR's. Its not all about the camera.

Some tips:

- Never have a car centred in a picture unless it looks good ie straight on, side on or rear on 

- Try place the car in the corners of the pictures. This gives a dramatic effect like your 3rd pic which I reckon is awesome.

- Focus. Cameras battle to focus on cars because of the different angles and bodywork. In this case the graffiti is sharp and your car seems a bit blurred out.... Using your camera you should point to the car and push the button (Shutter button) down half way so it focuses (usually also make a sound) but dont take the picture. Then move the camera to say the left of the car (like your 3rd pic) and then once you holding the camera still push the shutter down the rest of the way and let it take the picture. That way your car remains in focus and remains the focal point of the picture.

- Dont bother about mega pixels.... Its a marketing trick. Bother about iso, shutter speeds, aperture and what scenes a camera has before buying. Also refer to my post on "what camera to buy" as found on like page 6.

- Try a program called Irfan View. Its quick, free and easy to download (Run a google search) and it does everything that Photoshop can but just not as technical and precise.

Mike

[cossy]

Good pics.

I use a Nikon D90, shoot in a mode called raw instead of JPEG etc.

Use photoshop elements 7 £60, basically a lite version of the full blown CS4, but does what most of us require.

Also shooting in raw mode gives you the chance to change the light etc if you make a dogs dinner of it!

Also use a tripod & a low ISO number say 100 or 200, you can also play with depth of field or F Stop if you use a DSLR.

 

[cossy]

ive just bought a Panasonic Lumix slr 10.1 megapixel at £215, and the speed in which it takes pictures especially if your trying to capture a moving image  is second to none. Makes my old Powershot 8 mega pixel crap in comparision. It also came with software that if  you wish, use in conjuntion with the camera and photos.

Ive had no need to use that software because the pictures ive captured thus far are nothing short of amazing and recommend the camera to anyone.Make sure you purchase at minumum a 4 gig HDSD card to capture best images .

Brilliant camera used the lumix on many a trip. Used to get excellent results.

[Top Cat]

- Focus. Cameras battle to focus on cars because of the different angles and bodywork. In this case the graffiti is sharp and your car seems a bit blurred out.... Using your camera you should point to the car and push the button (Shutter button) down half way so it focuses (usually also make a sound) but dont take the picture. Then move the camera to say the left of the car (like your 3rd pic) and then once you holding the camera still push the shutter down the rest of the way and let it take the picture. That way your car remains in focus and remains the focal point of the picture.

Every day is a skool day Thanks Micsta i never new this, though i have often just pressed the button half way down by mistake and wondered what it did. 

[Top Cat]

Micsta i cant find the critique my picture thread so i have uploaded some more into here, for your perusal   
I have taken on board your hints and tips about framing and not having the car centralized.
What do you think,please be honest there is not point saying they are good if their crap. 























I tried different colours and depths of frames, i feel just a plain thin black one would be best after seeing them loaded on here, also i upped the green colour in all the photo's like you did to mine the other day probably added to much what do you think.

All comments welcome.