BetterPhoto Q&A
Category: New Answers

Photo editing software summary

To love this question, log in above
December 09, 2011

Lightroom 3 and Aperture 3 are both very similar in that they are set up predominately for organizing but do have considerable power for editing as well. For that matter many people use either for their final output. Elements 10 does have a few more gadgets, such as "background awarness" that neither of those two have. It is a wonderful and great tool. Elements also has Adobe Camera RAW that is better than the other two RAW converters. You WANT to learn RAW as soon as you get a handle with JPEG. It is very simple and you will be able to salvage some under/over exposed photos that would be impossible to do with JPEG images. Also you are able to get better color and detail in both highlights and shadows. NO program will sharpen a poorly focused photo or one with with camera/subject movement.

I highly recommend that you take a basic course in Elements from BP. You will have an instructor that you can ask questions as well as how to do it better and perhaps easier. Also pick up a book on Elements 10 by Scott Kelby, after you have taken the course. Adobe also has a free video library that is helpful. Since you have a Mac, Apple may have courses also at their stores.

CS5 is everything that Elements is on steroids. The ACR has more controls, they have a decent HDR program, you can stack photos for the Orton effect (Google it), or for astronomy plus many other gadgets that do the impossible. For instance a photo of the ocean taken with a very wide angle lens will have a curve in it with the center of the horizon higher than on the edges. With their "Puppet" tool you are able to make it flat. There are also many other things you can do with it. The big down side of CS5 is the cost$$$. The good thing is that it uses the same tools as Elements and only have to learn how to use the new ones. This is where the video library comes in handy.
Learn elements first! If as time goes by and you need the extra power than purchase CS5.

More to come in next post.

Lynn

To love this comment, log in above
December 10, 2011

You should do some organizing with your photos. I only average about 5,000 photos a year(this year not 1,000) but they are definitely not all keepers. The terrible ones go to the trash, including the RAW image. Bad composition or not the best in the group also go in the trash. I do keep some for sentimental sake for myself as well as the ones I am proud of showing.
Some of these have even won Editors First Pick. On my walls I have three photos, two are 24"x28" that did not receive that honor.lol

Under "Photos" I have many folders and sub-folders. You do need a way to find your photos whithout having to search through all of your photos. My "Boats" folder has five sub-folders: Classic, Power, Sail, Ships, Workboats. It is this way on several folders. Carlton Ward uses a different and very simple and convienient system that he uses. For his purposes, he is a professional and takes probaly 20,000 photos or more a year, and he can find a specific photo in his collection within a minute. Different horses for different tracks.
But both of us have a form of organizing that works well for us as individuals.
I do not know how long you have been in photography so the following may not be applicable if you are an experienced photographer.
See all of those programs on your camera; Scenic, portrait, action, close up, etc? I had shot film for decades and thought I had to use these programs.
There is a better way but you have to think and understand photography which they do not require. Start using MAPS as soon as possible. In this way you will create the photo and not letting the camera do the thinking. A good basic Photo course will pay for itself in satisfication of the final output.
The A/Av is for Aperture where you set the aperture and the camera will set the time. S/Tv is the shutter speed and when set will select the aperture. M is for manual where you select both and P is for Program where the camera sets everything. For action or macro it is not the best setting. There is also a little green rectangle that is automatic exposure but it is not as efficient as the P.

When you learn DOF and how Aperture, ISO, shutter speed and lens focal length as well as distance to the subject you will know which one of MAPS to use, The P is what I use when I don't have time to figure things out or only taking some quick photos that are not meant to be masterpieces. I did have one situation that I had no idea what to do when using a film camera and the "P" came in and accomplished the desired effects like a champ. (I had to capture the cracks, caused by bullets, on an upstairs window with a dark background. I only knew what time of day to take it where the cracks would show up best.)

I wish you much luck.

Lynn

To love this comment, log in above
December 10, 2011

To love this comment, log in above
December 10, 2011