I shot this yesterday and love it. But I would really like to know how to light it up without really altering the color or the butterfly. I was shooting fast and with them you don't have time to make a lot of decisions so I tend to shoot in P and go from there.
Any ideas for me out there of what I could do in post - which I know nothing much about. I have Lightroom coming this week on my son's student discount.
What software do you use. May want to edit the discussion to include that. I use Paint Shop so it may not help at all. I see you are getting lightroom next week. Did you shoot in raw
With Lightroom there are a couple of things that you can do to lighten up the shot. I'm guessing (if you shot this in Program mode) that you are shooting in JPEG format. So, with Lightroom you need to shoot in RAW (if your camera supports that) to give you maximum flexibility. With this shot there is quite a strong back light, which is nice, but it means the underside of the butterfly is fairly dark. In Lightroom you can use, for example, the Fill Light slider, to leave the shot as is but cast some light on his face and legs etc. (Wow, that's a long reply, hope you don't mind?)
Thanks guys. This is my first discussion topic so didn't know if I would even get a reply. I tried back lighting a bit and contrast but didn't want to lose the actual color of the butterfly.
Paula - I am now using Photoshop Elements and Lightroom 1. 4 is arriving on Tuesday. I am watching tutorials. I shoot in raw and jpeg depending on what I remember to do. Peter I think you are telling me to shoot in RAW all the time?? And yes my camera supports that. And please give me a long reply. I want to learn! I am using 365 as a journal but so want the experience to learn. I am getting the shot that I want now more than I ever did but am trying for the next step. I wanted the light coming through this guy's wings but needed more. Too bad you can't pose them. Is Photoshop worth the money or do I have enough to learn with Element and Lightroom? Thank you all for responding
Peter!!! I just went in and followed your suggestions and then used the black slider to get back some of his detail and I am thrilled. Thank you so much. I keep trying to not change the "integrity - wrong word but at 61 the right one escapes me - but I love what happened. You just changed how I will handle a shot. This is exactly what I wanted to hear when I opened this discussion. I learned something today.
Thank you!
@cdonohoue Cathy, I suspect after you have Lightroom you will want to get Photoshop. Lightroom is very powerful, but you can't do any kind of layering in it. I know people here will say that you can find everything you need to know on the internet and through youtube videos, but I took an entire 3-credit course on Lightroom, and it can do things that you'd never think of trying. The textbook for the class was http://www.amazon.com/Photoshop-Lightroom-Digital-Photographers-Voices/dp/0321700910/ref=pd_sim_b_1 It is for Lightroom 3, and I don't know if Kelby has one for LR4 yet, but it's a great book that I highly recommend getting and going through. You can probably find it at a used bookstore or on eBay for pretty cheap. I've held onto mine for reference. :) Great macro, by the way! It sounds like the fill-light slider trick worked well!
@peadar You folks are just the best. I will get the book. Can't be that much difference in 3 and 4. I am thinking of taking a class if I can find one in my area. That is what a did when I bought the slr.and learned so much - I wanted to shoot in M and have achieved that. I have no clue about layers......I have not felt save venturing there but will have to. @peadar So helpful. It is almost a different picture. Might have to post it again. I'm so happy that I asked and you all took the time to answer.
Oh boy I love these type discussions, everyone is so supportive on 365. Before I started back posting, I purchased LIGHTROOM 3 and ELEMENTS, now I am trying to learn how to use them. I would love a class, I have Kelbys book, whew, there is soooooo much to learn!!! I wish there were some classes near by, might be a better way to go. Good luck Cathy, I am in the same boat as you are, ENJOYING THE JOURNEY!! Also I love your butterfly!!
Here is the dramatically different, yet basically the same butterfly that was helped because of you kind folks. Thank you. I would like to have more teaching discussions.
@cdonohoue Cathy, I just commented on your post of this shot. It's much improved (in my opinion, which is not infallible!). I'm so glad to have been able to help, giving is always a blessing!
@crickle1969@brumbe@peadar@rmkgreene@pocketmouse@snipsnap
I want to thank every single one of you that jumped in on my topic.
I LEARNED quite a few things. I appreciate the generosity of this group of 365er's so much. You make it fun and give me the cherry on the top at the same time
CAthy
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Paula - I am now using Photoshop Elements and Lightroom 1. 4 is arriving on Tuesday. I am watching tutorials. I shoot in raw and jpeg depending on what I remember to do. Peter I think you are telling me to shoot in RAW all the time?? And yes my camera supports that. And please give me a long reply. I want to learn! I am using 365 as a journal but so want the experience to learn. I am getting the shot that I want now more than I ever did but am trying for the next step. I wanted the light coming through this guy's wings but needed more. Too bad you can't pose them. Is Photoshop worth the money or do I have enough to learn with Element and Lightroom? Thank you all for responding
Thank you!
@cdonohoue Cathy, I suspect after you have Lightroom you will want to get Photoshop. Lightroom is very powerful, but you can't do any kind of layering in it. I know people here will say that you can find everything you need to know on the internet and through youtube videos, but I took an entire 3-credit course on Lightroom, and it can do things that you'd never think of trying. The textbook for the class was http://www.amazon.com/Photoshop-Lightroom-Digital-Photographers-Voices/dp/0321700910/ref=pd_sim_b_1 It is for Lightroom 3, and I don't know if Kelby has one for LR4 yet, but it's a great book that I highly recommend getting and going through. You can probably find it at a used bookstore or on eBay for pretty cheap. I've held onto mine for reference. :) Great macro, by the way! It sounds like the fill-light slider trick worked well!
@cdonohoue Cathy, just so pleased that it was helpful.
@peadar So helpful. It is almost a different picture. Might have to post it again. I'm so happy that I asked and you all took the time to answer.
I think this is pretty dramatically different working with the sliders that Peter pointed out to me.
Here is the dramatically different, yet basically the same butterfly that was helped because of you kind folks. Thank you. I would like to have more teaching discussions.
I want to thank every single one of you that jumped in on my topic.
I LEARNED quite a few things. I appreciate the generosity of this group of 365er's so much. You make it fun and give me the cherry on the top at the same time
CAthy