So what do you all use for editing software?

[pinebox]

I'm quite curious what you all use for editing in your workflows.

Me?

I have changed mine around drastically.

Generally as a rule of thumb, I only shoot in RAW (jpeg sucks guys, if your camera shoots RAW, start using it)
I use CaptureOne for initial editing which is an amazing program.
I then go ahead and pull my images into Lightroom as 16 bit TIFFs exported out from CaptureOne and then findal finishing touches as 16 Bit TIFF in Photoshop.

Yes a lot of editing but I have found this works best.

What do you guys use?

[alfredo]

1. I use a Mac, so the software, except for GIMP is Mac Specific.

I use OSX Photos with the Tonality plugin. I export them to GIMP to resize and tweak, if needed. Tonality cost me $14 plus, the others are free. Tonality is for monochrome conversion, though Photos and GIMP do a good job, but lack the film emulation of Tonality.

[PoliticAverse]

2. "jpeg sucks guys" - Indeed, jpeg is _lossy_ compression. Only use it if storage space is an issue

when you are shooting.

[ManiacJoe]

12. It is not as bad as it sounds.

It takes many trips through the loop of { open, save, close } before the JPG lossy compression gets to the point where human eyes can see the difference.

The biggest problem with JPG is its 8-bit color format. 8-bit TIF files have the same problem even though their compression is lossless.

When shooting sports, I am shooting 12-bit lossy-compressed raw files. I get the benefit of 12-bit raw with the smaller file size for more storage.

[NV Whino]

3. I shoot RAW except for some occasions that don't warrant RAW

My camera has two card slots and I could actually shoot RAW and jpeg if I chose to.

I use One1 Software almost exclusively. I sometimes have to resort to PhotoShop for certain things, but I have never upgraded from CS4 because I refuse to send Adobe a monthly tithe for their overpriced software.

GIMP is good for special techniques such as a pencil rendering, which I some times use at the design end of my business. Other than that, I don't find it too user friendly.

By the way, most people who use One1, use it in conjunction with Lightroom.

[pinebox]

6. The cost of Adobe doesn't bother me

I have tried GIMP but I can't stand the layout menu so I keep with Adoobe although I have to say that Paintshop Pro is a good alternative.
As far as ApaturePne, ya a lot do use it that way although I have seen many who use PS next to it. Some of my shooting buddies are sponsored by Phase 1, I really need to ask what else they use

[Johnny Noshoes]

4. My camera doesn't have RAW mode.

I have to shoot .jpg I use PaintShop Pro 15 and Exposure 6. I love the film emulation choices in Exposure 6.
I also sometimes use Photoshop Elements 11 if a I want to use my Nik Software plugins to tweak a photo.

I can't wait until I can get a DSLR that shoots in RAW.

[pinebox]

7. Which camera do you have?

[Johnny Noshoes]

9. Canon SX10 IS

It is a very nice 10mp point and shoot. It actually has a viewfinder unlike so many cameras that only have the LCD screen.

[Adsos Letter]

11. I purchased a Canon SX200 IS before a trip to Switzerland a few years back.

It was small, and I got some very nice images. In fact, I took this one while out practicing with it on the Marin Headlands:

[url=https://flic.kr/p/AkQ46e][img][/img][/url]

I used the old Microsoft Digital Image Suite 10 (I think) for the processing.

My wife and I have had several of the Canon PowerShot line, and we loved them. The thing I didn't like about the SX200 IS was that the flash popped up in an inconvenient way. I just learned to hold it down with my finger.

And your b&w photos are always interesting.

[pinebox]

16. That's a nice exposure!

[pinebox]

15. I used to love viewfinders

And I still use mine for wildlife but for landscapes, I am all over the moon about Live View

[Adsos Letter]

5. Lightroom, and the NIK plug-ins.

I'm trying to learn Photoshop, but I'm also still trying to learn photography-off-of-P-or-Auto-mode, so take it for what's it's worth.

[pinebox]

8. NIK is fantastic

One of the best acquisitions Google ever made

[Curmudgeoness]

10. Thanks for starting this discussion.

My camera doesn't shoot in RAW, so I am limited. I had never heard of RAW before I joined this group, but I realize how important it can be now.

I use Picasa for editing, because it is easy to understand. I am working on learning Photoshop, but find it so complicated. I can see the advantage of all the flexibility, but it is overwhelming. I am, however, learning bits and pieces. One thing that I have found is that if I work in Picasa first, then go to PS, a lot of the adjustments done in Picasa were pretty close. Of course, I don't know how to do much in PS yet.

[pinebox]

17. Have you tried GIMP?

[Curmudgeoness]

21. No, I haven't tried GIMP.

To be honest, one of the posters in this group suggested Picasa as a simple tool, so I downloaded it and learned to use it...at least a little. I am not sure that I have it in me to learn another program, but I have joined a photo club in my town and they have a "tech night" once a month where we learn things in Photoshop. With someone to help me, and give a step by step tutorial, it doesn't seem impossible (but PS is certainly complicated).

Do you suggest trying GIMP? Is it complicated to use?

[ManiacJoe]

13. Mostly using Lightroom and Photoshop now.

99% of all the files are NEF (Nikon raw) files.
12-bit lossy compressed NEF for sports; 14-bit lossless compressed for everything else.

I do a lot of triage and folder sorting using ACDsee first. (Much faster than Lightroom.)
Only the grade-A photos get imported into Lightroom.
More triage gets done in LR.
I shoot a lot of repeated venues, so I have develop-presets to speed up the editing process based on locations.
If I need a plug-in, or more editing than LR can do, PSD files get created during the hand-off to Photoshop.

I also have Nikon's Capture NX2 and Corel's Paint Shop Pro 16, depending on the mood I am in.

Full-size JPGs are exported from LR and uploaded to my Smugmug account.
800-1000 pixel JPGs are given to folks wanting to upload to Facebook.
Any personal printing I need is done through Costco.

[pinebox]

18. Ahh Costco

I am guessing you're familiar with Dry Creek Photo then?

[ManiacJoe]

20. The ICC profiles? Yes.

[groundloop]

14. Mostly Lightroom and Photoshop, I also make use of Canon Digital Photo Pro

I don't mind shelling out $10 per month to use Lightroom and Photoshop, there have been some very good advances in both programs over the past year or two. Photography is one of my main hobbies, and I feel like $10 per month is pretty reasonable for all that I get out of it. If I played golf, for instance, I'd expect to pay many times that much in greens fees etc.

I used to use Gimp, but I feel that it is lacking compared to Photoshop. For instance, Gimp doesn't have non-destructive adjustment layers as does Photoshop, and Photoshop has much better selection tools.

[pinebox]

19. Honestly

I agree but there's other ways too, some of the alternatives are amazing. PSP is pretty sweet for instance

[Blue_In_AK]

22. I've used PaintShop Pro for years.

The latest version I bought is bundled with AfterShot Pro, a RAW processor. I think it's all comparable to Lightroom/Photoshop. Just what I'm used to and quite a bit less expensive.

[Dyedinthewoolliberal]

23. I'd like to ask you more experienced photogs and photo editors

to put something up that helps us less experienced folks when it comes to editing. I know the eye is more complicated than a lens and that is why some shots just don't look like what I saw when I snapped.
But when I get it home what are the steps I should take to edit my photos? I have a good idea of cropping and a sort of working knowledge of curves and such but really, I just kind of mess around because I don't really KNOW what to do.
Maybe pin to the top of the forum like the contest running guidelines?
Can you all help us neophytes?

[rdking647]

24. heres my usual edit workflow using lightroom

This is what i do after a weekend of shooting where i might have 5-600 images or more to go thru
after importing into lightroom i go thru the images and flag the ones i like .
these are the ones i will edit first.

first i crop
the i use the auto tone button to see what it gives me. about 50% of the time i like what it does and that means i dont have to do much else other than minor tweaks.
for teh other 50% i undo the auto tone and do it myself

first i adjust the exposure ,highlights and shadows.
i keep an eye in the histogram as im doing this to prevent clipping.
next i adjust the black and white points.
its only after this that i adjust contrast if i need it.

finally i use the clarity and vibrance sliders.

this is assuming im going thru 100's of shots. you'll notice i dont use the curves,noise reduction or sharpening sliders. If im only working on a few shots ill spend some time with sharpening,i find noise reduction i only need at higher ISO's and if i need it i tend to use a plug in (DFINE by google)

After that is done i tend to use MacPhun's intensify plug in a lot. I really like what it does.

I use photoshop occasionally but on no more than 5-10% of my shots unless its me doing something weird

[Dyedinthewoolliberal]

25. Thanks!

Gives me some ideas on what order I should use to proceed.