Samantha: the blog

The Power of Post-Processing


The image on the left is SOOC (straight out of camera). The image on the right is my final product.
It's a little depressing when I think about it. I have all this expensive camera equipment and this is the best image it can give me??
Granted, conditions were not ideal when I took this shot. I was sitting on my bedroom floor at 3 AM, using only available light which included my overhead light and two Walmart lamps. Normally, I would have used my external flash, but Aubrey had borrowed it. I didn't think it was nice to bother her during the middle of the night, so I made due.
In looking at my SOOC shot, there are several things I notice right away. Probably the most obvious is the white balance. Way too yellow. I had my camera set on Auto which usually does an adequate job shooting outdoors, but I was indoors. It should have been set on Tungsten light. However, I shoot in RAW so that is something easily fixed.
Next, I notice that the photo is a little bit underexposed. I was working in a low light situation, but there were several things I did to help my exposure.
I was using my 50mm 1.8 lens. I shot wide open, meaning the largest aperture. I wanted to keep a narrow depth of field, while allowing the most amount of light I could. But, I kept my ISO low at 200. I could have bumped it up to 400 or even 600, but I wanted to keep the noise or grain very low. I knew I could correct it later, so I just compensated by using a tripod and holding very still. (How much that helped, I have no idea. It just felt like the right thing to do.)
The image also has virtually no contrast. It makes for a very boring photo. However, when I was going through all my shots, this one jumped out at me because I knew it had potential.
I did most of my editing in Adobe Camera Raw. I adjusted the white balance, exposure, and contrast very easily. I then added a vignette and opened the image in Photoshop. There I was able to clone out some stray hairs and the wrinkles on my forehead. A quick dodge over my eyes and the image was done.
It's nice to know the difference a little Photoshop action can make. It sure would be nice if my shots came out of the camera looking like this, but in my world, post-processing is the fun part. None of my photos see the light of day without passing through my digital darkroom.
No matter how good your photo, it can always use a little help. That, in my opinion, makes the difference between an average shot and an amazing shot.