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by **Trieu** on Thu May 25, 2006 8:15 pm

Hi everyone, I need to ask a question about Post Processing..

Can you tell if a picture has been through PP? Are there any tell tales signs?

I have not started PP'ing yet... but might be soon.

by **stubbsy** on Thu May 25, 2006 8:20 pm

Trieu

It depends how the PP was done. EVERY one of my images gets PP - can you tell? Probably only if you see the un PP shot. How's this for an extreme example:

Before

After

by **wendellt** on Thu May 25, 2006 8:20 pm

check suspect shadows

blue fringe around deep etched images

check file size if twice as big as it should be it has been sharpened

generally if it looks too vibrant it has been pp

nothing wrong with pp it's your vision use whatever tools and processes you you need to get your message across

by **NikonUser** on Thu May 25, 2006 8:21 pm

Trieu wrote:

Can you tell if a picture has been through PP? Are there any tell tales signs?

It's wet??

sorry

Seriously... Not exactly sure what you mean Trieu. Do you mean is there any way of telling if a picture has been PostProcessed as in things like EXIF data ...or just by looking at it?

I have some non-processed images that look as good or better than some that have been heavily processed.

NB: When I say non-processed I mean no colour adjustments etc... All my pics go through slight PP.... even if it's just sharpening and slight contrast/saturation adjustments... most get a good deal more.

Paul

by **Finch** on Thu May 25, 2006 8:22 pm

Trieu,

This all depends on the person who is doing the PP'ing and the amount that has been done.

Cheers

Michael

by **Geoff** on Thu May 25, 2006 8:30 pm

With respect, I've just moved this thread to the post processing forum.

by **avkomp** on Thu May 25, 2006 8:32 pm

I am with finch on this one.

steve

by **Trieu** on Thu May 25, 2006 8:32 pm

Thanks all,

Stubbsy, wow what a difference, yeah I wouldn't mind fixing some of my shots that I wish the lighting was more/less or details were softer/sharper.

Paul, yeap, I meant just by looking at it

cause really I cannot tell... or don't know what to look for.

At first I felt abit ify about PP but now I am tending towards it more and more..

by **mark** on Thu May 25, 2006 8:42 pm

Hi Trieu,

I'm pretty new to Photography but have been using Photoshop for years and in recent times have read An Ansel Adams Guide - Basic Techniques of Photography by John P. Schaefer. The book deals with film photography but gives excellent information on how a camera and light work, but that's a different issue.

Getting to the point, the book shows how the darkroom process can be used to enhance an image. For instance different colour filters can be used to create stronger tones of a colour in the print. On top of this in the dark room photographers would "dodge" (cover an area whilst the rest of the paper is exposed to light) and "burn" (longer exp to light).

You will find that all techniques of darkroom editing of negative to print changes are for the digital photographer done in pp.

So summing up, If you want to be a photographer who produces "fine prints" as Ansel Adams would say when he was finally happy with the developed image, then you will want to PP your images.

There is nothing wrong with a pp'd image, all you are doing is what a film photographer can do in the darkroom, including using multiple negatives to create one print.

Enjoy the ride
"El Zafar Safar Voyage is victory. May photoshop take your mind on a victorious artistic journey, beloved fellow artists. If you must be far away, bend time with a mere thought and so the end and the start are one. El Zafar Safar"
Was written in the front of a photoshop guide handed to me some years ago by a friend.

by **johnd** on Thu May 25, 2006 9:59 pm

Trieu wrote:I have not started PP'ing yet... but might be soon.

You will Trieu, you will. And when you do you'll realise it's almost as addictive as photography itself.
I'll just tweak these couple images a bit and see if I can make them look better. Woops where did the afternoon go?

by **NikonUser** on Thu May 25, 2006 10:15 pm

Is anyone else seeing the funny side of these quotes if they are taken out of context.... or am I just a little twisted?

:oops:

by **Matt. K** on Thu May 25, 2006 10:19 pm

Trieu

It depends on what PP has been done to the image. Very difficult to tell if mild global adjustments are done. If you cut and paste something in then it will be detectable by experts. If you carry out local (on just a part of your image) PP then it will be detectable by close examination by an expert.