camera or computer

[sumo67]

i am just starting to get into taking photos and not just clicking off pictures paying more attention to my position in relation to subject ect....

im wondering how much it is really the camera and photographer vs the newest photoshop program available???? is it worth it to get some high priced program or just worry about trying to take quality photos first?? im going for the later due to the cost of some of these programs.

or is it a learning curve of meshing both mediums to get the best possible photo??

[wattsbw2004]

To me I believe it using both of them. ACR is really helpful to get your white balance perfect which can't always be done in camera and it can help for those occasions in which your not centered or properly lined up. I believe alot of people take it over board including certain professionals but when done right, it can really improve the image and make it the best it can be.

[LoveDSLR]

As a photographer, I'll try first to take a photo as perfect as possible. PP for cropping, minor fixes and special effects. Of course, there are times one need software to savage one's mistakes.

Others may choose the route of PP and it is all up the you. But do not reply on software as a shortcut.

What you will encounter later on is that some PP techniques can be difficult to apply with a cheaper/lite version of the software.

[genielamb]

Originally Posted by LoveDSLR

Of course, there are times one need software to savage one's mistakes.

I am sure you meant to type salvage but I LOVE the typo. It is so true that many actually savage their mistakes by overprocessing a so called mistake. However I have to admit that it can turn out to be quite unique and great if done correctly.

Back on topic though, this subject has been hashed throroughly in various places on this forum and it really is a matter of taste and preference. No mistake can be properly salvaged in PP but they can be vastly improved. Post processing has been around since film days only then it was done in the darkroom. EVERY camera applies an algorithm to the RAW image thus doing PP work in camera to produce the final JPEG.

You do not need a fancy program like photoshop as there are many free ones out there that will do the job adequately for you. You will need a program to handle RAW files if you choose to use that mode on your camera. The RAW file gives you, the photographer, greater control over the outcome of the final image instead of letting the camera do it for you.

Nothing beats getting as much right in camera as you can. That is one of the marks of a good photographer. Having a high quality camera does not ensure you will be able to take great photographers although it will help tremendously. The quality of the photograph ultimately depends on the skill and eye of the photographer.

[dcclark]

It kind of depends on what you want to do. I've seen people do AMAZING photoshop work -- the results are obviously much more processed art than they are photographs, but they're still great. On the other hand, I just do not enjoy messing around with Gimp, so I try to get things perfect in the camera. To each his own. However, post-processing can't make a terrible photo good -- but you might be able to use it as part of some other, artificial creation.

[DannyF1966]

It's not the camera, or the computer. It's where your're standing at the moment you press the shutter. The angle you hold the camera, the precise moment you decide to click. You can take a fantastic picture with the best camera in the world, or just an average one. And if the moment isn't right, no amount of post-processing will make it right.

I guess what I'm saying is don't get hung up on the technical side of it. Photography is an art form, it's all about the eye and the brain.

[xxpinballxx]

You gotta use them bost most of the time but first off you have to be able to take good shots...if you start using the programs too soon you'll not worry about getting it perfect in camera cause you'll think you can just fix it in photoshop.

[jprime84]

In my opinion the computer part simply emphasizes what you capture with your camera. It cannot create any new data for your image. In other words, no matter how nice your computer/software is, it cant make a blurry picture not blurry.

[Jim Bryant]

Camera equipment is the most important thing. Then develop your eye, learn to crop and compose your images in a camera's viewfinder. Photoshop and all those other editing programs are great for fixing photos you screwed up somehow or the other.