Does anyone have good editing tips to make your photos really stand out? What I mean is editing techniques that will boost the color and quality of the pictures. If someone could tell me what to do or give me a short Photoshop tutorial that would be great.
I use Picnik.com to edit my pictures and I do so only because sometimes the color is washed out. I try to bring the picture to what I saw through my lense. Picnik is free or you can pay for additional features.
One of the simplest things you can do in Photoshop is a curves adjustment layer. On your layers pallette, at the bottom, are a series of buttons - just mouse-over them for the names, and choose "adjustment layer" and then select "curves from the list that pops up. What you'll see then is your histogram for the photo with a straight line graph through it from the bottom left to the top right. You can grab as many points as you like (up to 19 I think) on that line, but the simplest thing to do is make that line into an S-curve. Grab a point at about the 1/4 mark and drag it down a little, and another at the 3/4 mark and drag it up a bit, so your once straight line now looks like an S. Once you are happy with the look, just click ok and merge your layers. Almost every photo can use a bit of an S-curve. :)
@wndswptlady, I've tried Picnik and I can't seem to get the look I'm going for. Infact, I have Picnik Premium. If that's what you mean by additional features.
Don't take this the wrong way, but more as a challenge to yourself...Images shouldn't really stand out because of the editing you do, but rather they should stand out based on your own composition, etc.
Anyone can edit with enough money for software. If that's the case, save your money. Look within your own creativity and dig deep to find it. Wait for the right lighting situation, just don't snap images endlessly, and then delete 90% of them. Go somewhere, and imagine you only have 5 "shots of film" in your camera to get a great image, and not a 4gb card that you can shoot 500 to get one.
I hope this makes sense. What I'm trying to say is, you images will be better as you get better and work toward it. Don't look for the easy way out with the cyber method. Anyone can do that.
I recommend using Gimp. It's totally free and is basically the equivalent to Photoshop. It can be used on both Mac and PC computers, and their website features tutorials on all the things you need to know. It can do anything from the simplest of color enhancements, to complex editing. Give it a try!
@ryankeough Ryan, for darker areas, (if you use Photoshop), I suggest the Dodge feature to add a simulated fill flash. Or, learning how to use Levels. They both work well.
Keep doing what you're doing. Your images show you have great talent emerging.
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One of the simplest things you can do in Photoshop is a curves adjustment layer. On your layers pallette, at the bottom, are a series of buttons - just mouse-over them for the names, and choose "adjustment layer" and then select "curves from the list that pops up. What you'll see then is your histogram for the photo with a straight line graph through it from the bottom left to the top right. You can grab as many points as you like (up to 19 I think) on that line, but the simplest thing to do is make that line into an S-curve. Grab a point at about the 1/4 mark and drag it down a little, and another at the 3/4 mark and drag it up a bit, so your once straight line now looks like an S. Once you are happy with the look, just click ok and merge your layers. Almost every photo can use a bit of an S-curve. :)
Anyone can edit with enough money for software. If that's the case, save your money. Look within your own creativity and dig deep to find it. Wait for the right lighting situation, just don't snap images endlessly, and then delete 90% of them. Go somewhere, and imagine you only have 5 "shots of film" in your camera to get a great image, and not a 4gb card that you can shoot 500 to get one.
I hope this makes sense. What I'm trying to say is, you images will be better as you get better and work toward it. Don't look for the easy way out with the cyber method. Anyone can do that.
Best of luck.
www.gimp.org
Keep doing what you're doing. Your images show you have great talent emerging.