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Pompano
Elite Nomad
Posts: 8194
Registered: 11-14-2004
Location: Bay of Conception and Up North
Member Is Offline
Mood: Optimistic
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WHEN/HOW TO IMPROVE PHOTOS?
I recently bought a couple of very good digital cameras. The one I am using the most is a Nikon D40 with the standard lens..I guess? It's a 3.0x
AF-S DX Zoom-NIKKOR 18-55mm.
Anyway, I like this camera. It's user-friendly and fits my hand pretty well. I am slowly learning more about it's functions and multiple options, but
mostly use it in the 'auto' mode for fear of loosing the shot with some settings error I might make.
Anyway, so far so good on the camera part.
The question I have right now are the choices I have after I download the pics onto my computer. At this point, I have a few options that my
pc programs offer. Like: using Picassa to 'enhance' a particular shot..or leave it alone in it's original form.
There is one feature on Picassa that I am experimenting with lately. It's the 'I am feeling lucky' enhancement setting. It's kind
of a one-stop fix-it-all setting. Great for us neophytes...At least I think it is...maybe not?
Here's what it does:
.............................The left side is ENHANCED (feeling lucky) ....................................and the right side is the
ORIGINAL.
...................................................ENHANCED.........................................................................ORIGINAL ............................................
.
What do you think? Enhance it? ...or Leave it alone?
Your opinions please.
Muchas Gracias.
.
I do what the voices in my tackle box tell me.
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Ken Bondy
Ultra Nomad
Posts: 3326
Registered: 12-13-2002
Member Is Offline
Mood: Mellow
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In my opinion both images are very presentable. I would like either the unenhanced or the enhanced version if I saw either alone. The program is
just changing the color levels, adding more blue and some saturation. That's just an "in the eye of the beholder" thing. You are starting with a
good image and Picasa is merely changing it to another good image. It would be interesting to see what this Picasa function does with an image with a
good subject that is technically incorrect, like underexposed a few stops. If it can salvage that condition it would be very helpful.
carpe diem!
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Russ
Elite Nomad
Posts: 6742
Registered: 7-4-2004
Location: Punta Chivato
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Wow! I like the way you showed the before & after. Since I'm a Mac user I use their iPhoto program most of the time. You can play with the sliders
and see what changes you're making as you play.
Bahia Concepcion where life starts...given a chance!
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shari
Select Nomad
Posts: 13048
Registered: 3-10-2006
Location: bahia asuncion, baja sur
Member Is Offline
Mood: there is no reality except the one contained within us "Herman Hesse"
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I use picasa alot but rarely like the "feeling lucky" option as I usually prefer the original to it...I prefer to tweak photos with the other
options....as ken said, it usually comes out too blue for my liking.
I prefer Photoshop when I want to really get a photo nice...and use the sliders Russ mentions to get the photo how I want it on both ends of the
scale...light and dark....but picasa is easier, quicker and I like the upload features to size a batch of photos.
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k-rico
Super Nomad
Posts: 2079
Registered: 7-10-2008
Location: Playas de Tijuana
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I think software should be used to fix photos
and perhaps to produce effects that correspond with the
context of where the photos are being used, like in an
advertisement. An example of a "fix", sort of, is I had my
portrait used for professional purposes photoshopped to
whiten my teeth. 
Other than that, keep them untouched.
But I'm a newbie to photography also.
It would be interesting to know what the more experienced
photogs commonly do with software beyond cropping and
rotating (to fix an unwanted tilt).
BTW, I've been using this image editor for about 12 years.
Cheap and powerful. Paint Shop Pro
[Edited on 12-29-2009 by k-rico]
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mulegejim
Nomad
Posts: 470
Registered: 9-4-2006
Location: San Clemente, CA/Mulege, BCS
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Roger, I use Picasa a lot and for me it works very well. Email me if you have questions and I'll attempt to help. Jim
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Pompano
Elite Nomad
Posts: 8194
Registered: 11-14-2004
Location: Bay of Conception and Up North
Member Is Offline
Mood: Optimistic
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Aha! So how does one downsize a big batch of photos at the same time? Picassa-wise or otherwise.
I do what the voices in my tackle box tell me.
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David K
Honored Nomad
Posts: 64856
Registered: 8-30-2002
Location: San Diego County
Member Is Offline
Mood: Have Baja Fever
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In Photobucket, you choose the size before uploading them from your PC to Photobucket... Your photos are still slightly bugger than the standard 15"
monitor screen and requires some scrolling to the right to see and read the text.
Here is from Photobucket: If you don't exceed 800 X 600, the Nomad page is not stretched...
More Upload Options
Resize my images to: Tiny ( 100 x 75 ) 1280 x 960
Small ( 160 x 120 ) 1600 x 1200
Medium ( 320 x 240 ) 2048 x 1536
Large ( 640 x 480 ) 2592 x 1944
15" screen ( 800 x 600 ) 3648 x 2736
17" screen ( 1024 x 768 ) 4000 x 3000
1 megabyte file size 2 megabyte file size
[Edited on 12-29-2009 by David K]
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shari
Select Nomad
Posts: 13048
Registered: 3-10-2006
Location: bahia asuncion, baja sur
Member Is Offline
Mood: there is no reality except the one contained within us "Herman Hesse"
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just click on whatever photos you want to get em in your tray...then click on export and a screen comes up with size option and enter where you want
the file to go...i use between 400-480 which usually gives me photos around 50 kbt to post on the internet....all the photos get exported to a file at
a smaller size.
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David K
Honored Nomad
Posts: 64856
Registered: 8-30-2002
Location: San Diego County
Member Is Offline
Mood: Have Baja Fever
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When the photos are hosted on another web site (such as Photobucket.com/ VivaBaja.com/ BahiaAsuncion.com) there isn't a file size limit of 50 KB for
Nomad posting. That is only if Nomad saves the photo when you use 'Browse' to directly show photos that are on your PC.
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Mexicorn
Senior Nomad
Posts: 772
Registered: 9-15-2009
Member Is Offline
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I konw this may sound dumb but you guys please explain how to attach photographs to my posts.
Thank you in advance
The Mexicorn-
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David K
Honored Nomad
Posts: 64856
Registered: 8-30-2002
Location: San Diego County
Member Is Offline
Mood: Have Baja Fever
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| Quote: | Originally posted by Mexicorn
I konw this may sound dumb but you guys please explain how to attach photographs to my posts.
Thank you in advance
The Mexicorn- |
Here is a the post ...
A review of three methods from an older thread... for the new Nomads or the PC challenged Nomads... Note: there are many methods, and I suggest you go
to the older thread where 'everyone' provided their favorite... the following are MY prefered methods, and I want to keep it as easy as possible to
help folks who are photo posting challenged.
A) ADDING A PHOTO THAT IS IN YOUR PC PICTURES FOLDER:
A photo that is in your computer file can be displayed on Nomad pages in certain forums where it is allowed...
The photo's file size must be BELOW 50 kbs to post here. Open your photo file ('My Pictures' or ?) find the photo you want to share and move your
mouse arrow onto the photo thumbnail... a pop up will tell you how big it is in kbs or mbs (1000 kb=1 mb).
TO POST A PHOTO:
Simply click the button labled 'Browse' just below where you type a message, and your pc will pop up a window of your photo files... simply click on
the photo you wish to post (if it is under 50 kbs). The post must have a subject or some text with the photo to post.
IF your photo is over 50 kbs, then here is one method to reduce the size, and make it a duplicate (so the original full size photo is preserved). I
thank Neal Johns for showing me.
(If the photo you want to post is already on another web site, then you may 'hot link' it to Nomad, and the size doesn't matter... unless it isn't too
big and distorts the screen. Hot linking will be described below.)
PHOTOS IN YOUR PC OVER 50 KB, click on each step:
If 'paint' isn't on your deck top, do this (click on):
a) Start
b) All Programs
c) Accesories
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
1) Paint (start here if 'paint' is on your desk top)
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
2) File
3) Open...
3a) then click on the photo to get reduced (double click).
4) Image
5) Stretch/Skew... then change the % down from 100 in both boxes in sketch to a lesser number.... (if over 700 kb try 25%, if 400 kb try 35%, if 120
kb try 70%, if 60 kb try 90%)
Continue to Click on:
6) OK
7) File
8) Save As
8a) now type in a new name for the reduced photo or add -r to it to indicate it is the 'reduced' one... this is a copy so you don't mess with the
original.
9) Save
THAT'S IT!
Now, click on file and open again, move your mouse arrow over the reduced photo and see if it is between 25 and 50 kb.
When you move the mouse over the reduced photo in the files, the kb size will show and let you know if you didn't get it low enough, or too low! In
either case, repeat the steps above... working with the original, large photo.
After you do a couple it gets pretty easy.
=====================================================
B) HOT LINKING FROM ANOTHER WEBSITE:
If the photo you want to show on Nomad is already on another web site, and it is your photo or you have permission to use it, then get the url of the
photo... and click on
 which is right above where you type a message. A pop up will give you a place to paste the url of the photo.
To get the url (begins with http:// ), move your mouse over that photo and right click on it, then left click 'properties' in the new pop up. Copy the
address/ url with your mouse to paste on Nomad in
Here is a hot link from my web site:
If you have your photos on a photo album web site, there may be a direct link option that will have the html tags ([img]) already included... see
Photobucket.com instructions below...
======================================================
C) PHOTOBUCKET.COM
Photos can be copied onto your (free) photobucket.com album from your PC files... just pre select the size reduction setting as 15" screen or
smaller... not 17" and not 1 mg. so the Nomad board doesn't get streched wide requiring awkward right scrolling to read messages.
To show any photos on Nomad, put your mouse on your photobucket photo, and a drop down menu will appear with these four choices and a url or 'code'
next to each... for that photo:
Email & IM
Direct Link
HTML Code
IMG Code
Copy the last one (IMG Code), and paste that right on the Nomad page where you type a message... where ever you want the photo to appear in your
thread.
===================================================
MAY THE FORCE BE WITH YOU!
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longlegsinlapaz
Super Nomad
Posts: 1685
Registered: 11-18-2005
Location: La Paz
Member Is Offline
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Pompano, since you asked....I'm with Ken....original pics you've shown here have more warmth & color to them, the "enhanced", IMO, are washed out
& colder when you compare them side to side. Don't mess with success!
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Mexicorn
Senior Nomad
Posts: 772
Registered: 9-15-2009
Member Is Offline
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like this?
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mulegejim
Nomad
Posts: 470
Registered: 9-4-2006
Location: San Clemente, CA/Mulege, BCS
Member Is Offline
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I guess that's why they make chocolate and vinilla - I actually like the "feeling lucky" results better, however, they both are great shots. Jim
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ecomujeres
Nomad
Posts: 299
Registered: 9-10-2006
Location: Mulege, BCS & Oakland, CA
Member Is Offline
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Pompano, re your original question about the photo fix. I actually see the fixed photos as being brighter and more pleasing (the white balance of the
sky has been corrected so that it is blue rather than grayish).
With the photos you showed, I'd then go a step farther and darken them (reduce the brightness setting) just a tad so that they don't appear washed
out. This is a common fix I use in Photoshop, especially for photos taken in the shade, where colors become more grayish.
BTW, Great shots.
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DianaT
Select Nomad
Posts: 10020
Registered: 12-17-2004
Member Is Offline
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Roger,
It really is a matter of taste---with your lovely photos, some I like the original better and some I like the "lucky" fix better.
Since I shoot most of my pix in the RAW format, they all require at least some processing and most photography books I have read say that some color
adjustment is necessary for almost all digital photos. However, only once in a while does the auto work for me.
But photoshop is convenient because sometimes one may take a photo underexposed for a reason, or want to change to B & W or sometimes there is
pole that you could not avoid with shot, so it gets cloned out. Or there may be noise that needs to be worked on, and a little sharpening is
convenient.
But in learning to use photoshop, and I am just beginning as it overwhelming, it is easy to over-do the correction---real easy.
And sometimes it is just fun to turn this
Into this
I have not met a photographer who does not tweak his photos in some way or another. One professional landscape photographer I met recently has
returned to using film. He uses those huge monster cameras, takes at least 4 images of the same thing with different settings---each image costs
about $20.00 to process---then he puts them all together on the computer and adjusts everything.
So, it really is a matter of what pleases you----and no matter what you decide, everyone is enjoying your pix.
Have fun
BTW---that flower is a Baja flower.
[Edited on 12-29-2009 by DianaT]
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ELINVESTIG8R
Select Nomad
Posts: 15882
Registered: 11-20-2007
Location: Southern California
Member Is Offline
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Hey Pompano I liked the clarity of the one on the left but the one on the right adds the warmth. I like the right one better. I don't know how explain
it any better than that.
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Ken Bondy
Ultra Nomad
Posts: 3326
Registered: 12-13-2002
Member Is Offline
Mood: Mellow
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Just for kicks, and because I have no life, I took Roger's first (unmanipulated) image, brought it into Photoshop (CS3), and used the "Autolevels"
function. Here's what I got. I think it is very similar to the enhanced image produced by Picasa:
carpe diem!
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Packoderm
Super Nomad
Posts: 2116
Registered: 11-7-2002
Member Is Offline
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I like the original ones better. You might want to sample both for some printed images to see which works better.
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