Creating 'moody' photos?

[bigdog]

they're some lovely shots StevenH72!

Always wanted to experiment with film...little hard to get out of the comfort zone of digital.

I tried film about 20 years ago. Had a nice Contax RTS. But I found that as a busy Airman in the military. Trying to keep the proper notes for each exposure was rather daunting for an amateur/Casual hobbyist. Working with B&W was nice. As it's easy to develop. Color, Not so easy. Color film was so touchy when it came to the temp during development. A .25 degree temp diff would cause a color shift.

 

[Mowflow]

I use Photoshop every day and have been using it for over 15 years now. It's a massive package now and probably not the easiest to learn on your own. There are several ways of doing nearly anything you want to do, none of which are really right or wrong. It's also worth noting that PS and indeed any photo editing software is destructive. It's much better to take a good picture in the first place than to rely on editing. However, you can take decent pics with something as basic as a phone and make them look much better if you know what you are doing. I always think less is more with editing or retouching.

 

[NeilP]

Mowflow, only destructive if you edit the original.

Yes getting the shot in camera is critical, but from personal experience, even with a perfect shot, there are always areas for little tweaks to really make an image 'pop'.

 

[Breaker]

It's also worth noting that PS and indeed any photo editing software is destructive. It's much better to take a good picture in the first place than to rely on editing.

Lightroom 4 is non-destructive. :wink:

Agreed, the subject matter/framing is the most important.

 

[DPG]

Just bought a Nikon D3200 so as a newbie to the world of digital photography I'm interested in this thread.

Love the pictures with the motion blur from increasing the exposure.

I've got Photoshop 7 so just started dabbling with it all.

 

[tomscott]

Photoshop is also non destructive if you use it properly. You use adjustment layers which can be found in the layers panel, not the tabs along the top( image-->adjustment-->) then you can make adjustments to previous adjustments as you add new ones if a newer one creates an effect too strong. But lightroom is much better as it just uses exif data and applies it to an image. But lightroom doesn't give you as much creative ability as PS and certain things are worse like touching up dust, removing distractions and sharpening.

Using both together is the best way.

The situation in which you find the photograph or that you plan is always more important, everything is a tool you are the one that produces the result by planning the image.

Usually in moody weather you need to use a secondary source of light to fill, if you want to keep the sky and the item of interest as an average exposure.


BMW Z4M Coupe CSL wheels by TomScottPhotographyCumbria, on Flickr


BMW Z4M Coupe by TomScottPhotographyCumbria, on Flickr


"Gateshead Millennium Bridge" Newcastle, Night, landscape, Sage, Baltic Mill by TomScottPhotographyCumbria, on Flickr


Conison Water Feb 2012 by TomScottPhotographyCumbria, on Flickr

Of corse you can re-create effects through software but anyone with any knowledge can spot it a mile away. All of my post processing is minimal.

It is correct tho, to really make an image shine post processing is essential. All settings need to be set at completely neutral in camera even camera stylisation will take effect of your raw images and if you are shooting jpeg which no one should at all! Turn all sharpening and pictures styles off in camera they ruin images,

 

[Stuart Truman]

Just buy Lightroom 4. :wink:

If you want to get creative with layers you will also need a version of PhotoShop as Lightroom doesn't use layers. Between the two packages you should be able to create any look you want.

Two versions of a sunset pic I took at the weekend with colours manipulated in Lightroom.

Nice shots

FYI you can get a layers plug-in for Lightroom now. It's called perfect layers and although I bought it (it was on offer and I had a shiny moment) I haven't used it yet. The reviews were good though.

 

[tomscott]

Also just read the first bit about my kit costing the earth, although it wasnt cheap its also what I do for a living so for me worth the investment.

But all those pictures I have taken above were taken with an average DSLR. The Newcaslte pic was taken with a 350D and a bog standard 18-55mm kit lens and a cheap tripod that didnt really support anything lol! So completely entry level! Ive taken some of my best pics with cheap gear!

Reason being you have to work harder to get the results so that concentration, time and planning creates the best images.

The other 3 were taken with 40Ds which can be picked up for less than £300. Its the lenses that I use that are more expensive but you dont need epic gear as the pics above demonstrate. If you pixel peep then even 6k+ gear will still not satisfy.

I started off at 15 with a film 300V which was awesome! Then I got a 350D and bought some nice lenses then 2 40Ds (which one is still going strong) then a bronica ETRSI medium format camera, then bought a 5DMKII which took a plunge in Ullswater while I was shooting some canoeists for Outward bound. So I bought a 7D to fill as I was shooting a fair amount of motor sport and sport generally, pretty good value, then just before Christmas bought a 5DMKIII.

Can you take images with one you cant with another? No.

But tech does move on and clients are more demanding, and so am I of my equipment, they are tools for me not museum pieces so get banged paint off general charactor

I print more these days so resolution and quality is paramount. In this game any advantage is worth having. Used to be MP, then it was noise performance now the trend is dynamic range.

Whats most important is having a camera using it, practising and experimenting

If you dont have a camera on you you cant take pics. Best camera you have is the one you have with you

 

[NeilP]

Best camera you have is the one you have with you

Chase Jarvis?

 

[tomscott]

Could possibly be!

 

[Shappers]

Tom; I'd love to be able to take photos like that!

I can frame a good shot, but they never come out looking anywhere as good as that!

 

[RubyBlueZ4MC]

Just buy Lightroom 4. :wink:

If you want to get creative with layers you will also need a version of PhotoShop as Lightroom doesn't use layers. Between the two packages you should be able to create any look you want.

Two versions of a sunset pic I took at the weekend with colours manipulated in Lightroom.

Always enjoy your pics Breaker in fact I shall be getting the one of swans blown up for a wall in the new house I have just bought.

 

[bigdog]

This should be interesting........

The regulars in this forum are a rather civil bunch.

But that's not to say that it couldn't go off the rails if the trolls come out and try to throw a spanner in the works.

And let me start by saying if you don't use the equipment that I use. Your a nincompoop!

:slappy:

Just my attempt at a little levity and maybe warding off any potential "mines bigger & better than yours" trolls that might find their way here from google.

 

[SynapticFire]

Lightroom 4 is a brilliant tool. I've mostly replaced Photoshop with that now - though that's with the massive caveat that I don't always know what I'm doing!!

I've dabbled in photography for a few years and bought myself some decent kit because I had money at the time, but I've seen much better shots than mine achieved with far less.
I use a Canon 50D, and my favourite lens is a 17-55mm f/2.8 (which admittedly was bloody expensive). I still have too much of a reliance on Lightroom presets, which is something I'm trying to get away from. They're useful though when you've taken a half-decent image and want it to 'pop' without putting much effort in - which was my scenario after spending four and a half hours cleaning the Zed, followed by three hours replacing a damn speaker in it!!

This one is fairly post-process free: (Yep, taken with a shadow)


This one was just greyscale and making the blacks a bit stronger:


This one quite clearly is massively altered



And seeing as Tom posted a Gateshead pic, here's one I did many years ago with a Canon S3 IS