How much is enough (or too much?) (Digital Processing)

Hi all!

I have no digital enhancement software outside iPhoto and after my experiences learning with film over the last few months I have found myself pretty happy with the results of my film shots without any digital processing.

Now, I have generally avoided any post upload enhancement on my digital shots (K200d) apart from cleaning up some dust and maybe slight tweaks of the contrast and suchlike. I was wondering is t really worth going for the options of Photoshop Elements or Aparture 3 (I have a Mac that I use much more than my PC) when I only do fairly minor adjustments? Or when I do have access to a program like these will I suddenly find myself doing far more editing because I then have options that I currently don't even know exist?!

So, for people here, and I know this is going to be very subjective (!), what are the feelings about processing? Is iPhoto enough or is it going to be worth my while to invest in a more feature filled product? I don't have a lot of cash at the moment so "bang for the buck" is going to be pretty important.

Cheers!

I don't know iPhoto, but I do use Photoshop Elements, and I find it highly recommendable. Not only is it relatively cheap, it is also the "standard" editing tool. That means that most tutorials you find in magazines refer to the PSE.

Most software has trial versions you can use for a month or so (e.g. Photoshop, Lightroom, etc) - so you can try for yourself.

Personally, I'm finding Lightroom to be fantastic, but it isn't the cheapest option around.

I would recommend Photoshop Elements 8, it will do everything you want and a lot more besides. The Organiser is very good and as your back catalogue increases you will find it invaluable.

I believe Elements is a sort of cut down version of Photoshop. What I don't understand is where Lightroom fits in:

Elements is the way to go - extensive controls without unnecessary complication or cost. It will take a while to master though.

If iPhoto is good enough for you then that's it, stick with it!

The natural upgrade from iPhoto would be to Aperture 3, especially if you have been using Faces and Places as well. Not only that, you are now used to the way things work, menus etc so it would be a far easier switch.

As mentioned above you can download a 30 day trial for Aperture 3 direct from the Apple website, so give it a go, it won't cost you a penny. There is also a free trial for Lightroom I believe, as well as others.

Even though we have CS3 suite, I've found that I have never edited a photo in Photoshop in my life, as I find that Aperture does everything I need, should there be anything that Aperture cannot do, then I will ask the wife to show me how to use Photoshop!

To be honest, it sounds like you'll be fine with iPhoto, but if you would like to know some more of the ins and outs of Aperture then pop along to your nearest Apple store and have a word with one of their resident Aperture experts, and they will happily show you. Won't cost you a penny.

Another vote for Elements. Any of the recent versions will do if you can get your mits on an old unwanted copy. (Or p2p download).

The problem may well come if you are shooting RAW [ as yet I don't ]

iPhoto Help does have a list of cameras that it supports using RAW files BUT there are still plenty that it doesn't - the K-x is one , though I understand that it is supported in Aperture 3
link

I suggest Elements too, despite the fact I'm using a rather antique Photoshop7

Likewise I do very little editing but having the tools to go that little bit further is handy and it is fun to play around occasionally and sometimes get lucky and rescue an otherwise mediocre shot.

It will take some learning but there are plenty on here who can help.

Hi,

I've downloaded the trial of Aperture and it seems pretty good, though I can't see myself really using the Brush or touch up features very much as really I seem to find the application of these effects a bit too much and I sometimes think that little blemishes give added "feel" to an image......

I've found a copy of Aperture 2 for a very good price, and it still works out cheaper to get that and then the upgrade copy of Aperture 3! THough I'm not 100% on how much of a difference Aperture 2 is to iPhoto? Lightroom I think is just too much outlay all at once at the moment.

For some reason I can't seem to make the trial version of Elements from the Adobe website load or work at all...... Peculiar.....

Nothing wrong with Photoshop 7, it's fast and does most things needed of it.

I still use it alongside CS2. CS2 is useful as it has Photo Filters - just like the ones I used with film!

Lightroom is an absolute godsend - not only does it RAW process very well (I must confess that I cheat and use a set of presets from the Other Forum), it also combines this with a Picasa-like* album system which is much easier than remembering what you shot on which day. It's also a lot more responsive than I remember the Organizer in Photoshop Elements being - though that was a couple of versions ago.

*I won't say Picasa-beating, because it still will not apply keywords to a selection of images in one go

What - you mean other than with the Spray Can, or selecting them all then clicking the Keyword on the "Keyword Set" list in the Keyword Panel in Grid view...? And that's just two ways, there's probably a whole load more ways you could do it via Presets or Collections...

Lightroom 3 can (can't speak for other versions as I haven't owned them).

I loved using Picasa, but Lightroom beats its ass into next week.