We live in a world of amazing technology, everything is at your fingertips. iPhones are so simple to use and take great shots right of the box.
Many are seduced by the quality of smartphone images, and capturing interesting images with them in classic photographic destinations. They are encouraged by family members that they have an ability not yet tapped and that they should move on to bigger fish, that being the digital SLR, or mirrorless camera.
In the beginning, the big purchase camera has the security of those green program auto DSLR settings and in-camera Jpeg camera processing of images. That will only suit them for a while as that’s not why they bought the more sophisticated capture device in the first place.
They’re soon going to want to shoot in RAW format to create those unprocessed images to harness the power of that new fancy camera. But now what do they do with the RAW images?
This leads me to a requirement that all photographers must accept. They need to learn to use post-processing software. I mean Lightroom or Photoshop. Those two words alone bring fear and confusion to the eyes of most newcomers and those of an older generation not versed in the technologies of our photographic world. They soon realize that the prepackaged software that came with the camera will not take them very far.
The black art of Photoshop is looming and they’re reluctant to step into the waters, but they must if they want to move forward in a creative way with the art of modern digital photography.
The Internet is awash with directions on how to operate these software systems. But frankly, these pre-recorded online tutorials
can only take you so far. If you have never done any photo editing, it takes some time to become familiar with the terminology and techniques required.
Interaction with the proper instructor live or directly online is the only way to go. Some don’t understand the full parameters of the software and how much you actually need to operate them efficiently to create great imagery.
This learning process between human beings has been going on for thousands of years and has been proven quite effective.
Don’t be left out in the cold in our photographic world. Find an instructor you enjoy. Learn the art of Lightroom or Photoshop and make your own great images shine!
All the best,
Mark Jansen
All the best,
Mark Janse
