If you are not into photography, you should still read this, everyone has a camera and this is basic information for everyone.
No matter if you love taking pictures or you just take pictures because you think you should, one way to get more out of your photos is through editing.
All photographers edit their photos. THE END.
While in San Francisco, we came across many flower stands that had the most vivid flowers I have ever seen. If we didn’t have a flight home, I’m certain I would have become a proud owner of some of the gerberas we came across. Instead, I took a photos of some of them.
Now, I’m always aware of who is watching me take photos and I was feeling guilty about taking photos of their flowers without buying anything, so I just wanted to snap a few because the lighting was perfect, but I wanted to be quick, so I didn’t have a chance to try to do anything “artistic.”
TIP: Do not take photos in the blaring sunlight. Shade or cloud cover is best. These flowers were underneath a canopy on a very, very sunny day.
This photo is SOOC (straight out of camera – absolutely no editing done on this photo.)
I really love this shot, those flowers are amazing. When Brian and I got married, we had light colored gerbers all over our cake. It was so lovely.
I realize that this shot really did not need editing, but I loved staring at it so much that I decided to play with it a little more.
I decided to see what else I could do with this photo, using Photoshop. One of the biggest changes I made was cropping. Looks like a different photo, doesn’t it?
And here is yet another version of the exact same photo using Photoshop:
I realize that Photoshop is very complicated and not cheap, but if you have it, I recommend just jumping in and doing whatever you want with your pictures, you can’t hurt the photo. Just try it.
But for those of us that do not have Photoshop, there’s Picasa.
Here’s something I did using Picasa using the same photo. Picasa is a completely free editing program and totally easy to use:
Now, I want to tell you what I did to create the different versions, but I’m not going to tell you exactly. Here are some of the steps done for these photos:
-CROPPING!
-sharpen (slightly)
-increase shadows
-blur the edges on the first photos
-DECREASE saturation in the second
I realize the original shot is pretty perfect. So how about a shot that isn’t? Whenever I go on walks with the kids, I bring my camera, but I also bring along our $80 point and shoot so they can take their own photos. I never, ever give them any direction, I just allow them to be as creative as they want with the camera.
Here’s a shot Ariel took of Racecar. I love this photo, I love that they staged it and worked together to create it.
And here is the same photo I did using some basic editing techniques using Picasa:
Better, right?
-cropping
-shadows
-slight saturation (okay, maybe I used too much saturation…but you get the idea.)
What do you think? What are your thoughts? Can you do this? YES! If you’re feeling saucy and you’d like to try it out on your own, feel free to post the results on your blog, leave me your post link in the comments and I’ll link to you at the end of this post. Feel free to share any Picasa tips you may have, as well.
GO FORTH AND EDIT!
Hint: an editing You Capture is forthcoming…be ready.
Thank you for turning me on to Picasa. I have played with it a lot since you recommended it as a good FREE tool.
i love that Picassa is free and I can get some decent results another fun photo editing ap that is free- poladroid but I am warning you, it’s ridiculously addictive. I like to crop out the “polaroid” border it adds because I just like what it does to the color saturation
http://www.poladroid.net/ that’s where you can find poladroid
here’s a set with some of my polas
http://www.flickr.com/photos/fidgetblogs/sets/72157615899447449/
I love Picnik too. I tried Photoshop but found it was way to hard to use!
Beth! We had gerberas all over our wedding cake, too. Also, my bridesmaids carried mostly gerbera bouquets. Love them!
These are Awesome.
Steph
I love Picasa! I am still learning all the things that I can do with it.
http://www.growingupmo.com/2009/05/picasa-play.html
Thanks Beth! I will be checking out the picasa site. I really want to improve my photography.
I use Picnik and just play around with it. It is fun to see the other side of my shots.
Beautiful flowers.
Also remember to ALWAYS make a copy of your photos first and do all the editing on the copy.
Thanks for the lesson. What are the chances you would put the cropped photo in your Etsy Shop? I’d buy it in a heartbeat!
Oh, I meant the first crop of the gerberas. Racecar is awful cute though.
I can’t see any of the photos…
nevermind, i refreshed a few times and finally got them.
I miss my dates when I edit. LOL
Amen to that!
Yeah — Great post! My sixteen yo homeschooled son recently took a college class on Photoshop, so we own the best version — but he hasn’t been too eager about teaching me to use it. (Which I understand, he’s busy doing 16 yo boy stuff!) I feel like a boob … I have this great tool, but haven’t even touched it. I think I’ll start with Picasa. Thanks for giving me hope. I have a great camera, and now I’ll be able to take breathtaking and not just great pictures! You rock and roll!
Great post! I have photoshop, but I end up using Picasa a LOT because it is soooo easy! I’ll comment again later with some pics. Can’t wait for the editing challenge!
Great post! I could sit and edit photos all day long, it’s almost as much fun to edit them as it is to take the photos to begin with.
I love Picnik, that is what I use the most. I do have Photoshop, but it’s so complicated, I rarely mess with it. Only because of time.
i use picnik all. the. time.
my favorite sentence(s) of all …
all photographers edit. the end.
i really need to join you on the you capture challenge … one of these days. i promise.
I love me some photoshop!
Your flowers are gorgeous. I especially love the desaturated looked. I don’t have Picasa because I’m a photoshop fan. I taught myself the program and you are right, it’s complicated but pretty awesome. I love photo editing, it’s such a creative process to me. I found photography last summer and haven’t stopped since!
http://lifesignatures.wordpress.com/2009/03/06/its-friday-contemplation/
Here’s a makeover I did on a barn that was featured on the gettotallyrad.com site. I was so excited!
http://lifesignatures.wordpress.com/2009/05/06/holy-crow-my-barn-my-barn/
Thank you for asking!
Hi – I LOVE this site. You’re wonderfully enthusiastic and inspiring!
I have a question. Right now I’m using Picasa and it’s allright BUT I can’t find my camera settings on each photo after I’ve loaded them onto my computer. I always had them before with my little photo processor but once I loaded Picasa, I can’t find them.
Can you help?
Thanks,
Wanda
Oh, I meant to click the notify me of followup comments button.
Awesome photos!
And by the way, I’m now hopelessly addicted to Picasa. Like I needed another time suck.
Must. Back. Away. From. Computer.
Once again, thank you so very much for the advice on Picasa & Picnik!!!
Another Picasa question. How come we can’t see the picture number when we are looking at a whole file of pictures? (Again, I always had that with my old program.)
We can only see the number when we enlarge it but when you’re trying to find a picture, say to upload onto your blog, I have to guess which picture I wanted to upload.
Anybody? Ummm…you could either answer here (I’ll check back later) or e-mail me.
Thanks,
Wanda
http://www.atlastmilanscominhome.blogspot.com
wandamalfara@ca.inter.net
Okay, so maybe I’ll go download Picasa because I’m the first to admit I am intimidated but this week’s You Capture!
Also, been trying to decide on a camera, but I’m way scared!
)
Thanks for the tips. I can add editing to my list of things to do with my photos after organizing and uploading them. No wonder I’m so far behind in scrapbooking
How do you blur the edges?
Hi Wanda, You should be able to access your files in the native file. If you go to Start and then maybe under Documents or Pictures, without double clicking on the photo, you should be able to obtain the information just by single clicking on the photo. Do you use Vista? I have Vista, all of the pictures information pops up at the bottom of the screen. OR…
right click on the photo, click properties, then click the details tab, scroll down and the information will be there.
Let me know if this helps…
Megan,
If using picasa…go under effects and then soft focus, you can adjust the size you want focused and also the intensity…
I have a very old version of Photoshop Elements, but I’ve almost completely abandoned it in favor of Picasa and Picnik! They are wonderful resources for any photographer. Thanks for the examples and inspiration.
i find that i am using photoshop cs3 to edit. then i put that edited version through picasa to sharpen and glow, or whatever else i want. them post them to blog and i’m good. thanks for the tutorial :O)
photo editing like what ?
when you go to a portrait studio and ask the retoucher that you need some hair
and he asks you hair ..! and you say yeah i need some hair on my head
do you belive in case you dont have enough hair up your head he or kinda boldy
he can put some hair on ur head..by photo editing..hey dont go ( you think its
the end ) this option is just a little thing the photo editing can do
also if you love an actor or a star and you would like to have a picture
with him its not a problem in photo editing now the photo editor can make you
have a picture .nice picture…with any of ur favourite stars .. yeah belive me
its the era of photo shop dont belive any thing else..