Using Adobe for editing?

[scuby]

I'm new to photography (just started today

I have adobe photoshop 6, but are there any additional add-ons that I need to use with photoshop for picture editing? What software is everyone using?

[mjs1973]

Welcome to the Forum Scuby. I think the majority of the folks around hear are using Photoshop for their editing. There are a lot of other programs out there, but PS seems to be the most popular. Are you as new to photoshop as you are to photography? There are tons of plug-ins that you can get for PS, but I wouldn't mess with any of them since you are just starting with photography. The photoshop learning curve is pretty big, and I would focus on the basics before venturing into new add ons and things like that. The best add on you can get is a good photoshop book. Steve, aka Another View, has refferanced some very good photoshop books in other threads, but I don't remember what they were. Perhaps he will post them again for us.

[scuby]

thanks for the reply. I am actually very familiar with Photoshop. (I work in the technology field) do you have any suggestions for plugins?

Thanks!!

Mike

I'm new to photography (just started today

I have adobe photoshop 6, but are there any additional add-ons that I need to use with photoshop for picture editing? What software is everyone using?

[another view]

Steve, aka Another View, has refferanced some very good photoshop books in other threads, but I don't remember what they were. Perhaps he will post them again for us.

Anything by Scott Kelby. He has different series of books, but Adobe Photoshop xxx for Digital Photographers would be the one to start with. It's kind of a recipe book but you start picking up ideas for the how & why while working with it.

Welcome to the site - but please check out the forums here as well. Questions like this probably would be better in Digital Imaging.

[scuby]

What plugins are you guys using for Photoshop?

thanks,

Mike

Anything by Scott Kelby. He has different series of books, but Adobe Photoshop xxx for Digital Photographers would be the one to start with. It's kind of a recipe book but you start picking up ideas for the how & why while working with it.

Welcome to the site - but please check out the forums here as well. Questions like this probably would be better in Digital Imaging.

[another view]

Oh yeah, that question! I recently downloaded Noise Ninja but don't have a lot of experience with it yet. It's really impressive for getting rid of digital noise caused by using high ISO settings. NIK Multimedia has some really nice stuff, especially Color Efex Pro 2. Fred Miranda has some plug-ins too that are very inexpensive but I've never tried them.

[Sebastian]

You don't need any plug-ins for Photoshop to do image editing. The software alone does much more than any darkroom is capable of.

Specialized stuff like Noise Ninja is nice, but not necessary.

[mjs1973]

I use Noise Ninja once in a while and it works great for what I use it for. I have the stand alone version, not the plug in tho. I try to keep my ISO at 100 or 200 if I can so I don't have to mess with it tho. It's easy to use, I just don't like adding an extra step and an extra program to my post processing if I don't have to. The plug in version would save me from opening that extra program tho. I have a couple of the Fred Miranda plugins, but I don't use them much. The one I use the most is Velvia Vision. The results are ok but it's easy to go way over the top with it. Less is deffinetly more with this one. Here is the link to some free plugins that I have played around a little bit with, but nothing serious.

http://www.optikvervelabs.com/default.asp

A photog friend from work uses them and loves them.

A good color conversion pluin for making b&w images would be nice to have. I imagine there is one in that link I posted, but I haven't played with it enuf to know for sure.

Seb is right tho. Just about everything any of these plugins will do, can be done manually, so there is no real need for them. But they are fun to play with.

[JSPhoto]

Well thats debatable!

If you have a Nikon camera, you must have noise reduction software because the Adobe filter doesn't do enough to reduce the noise. It works OK for Canon cameras, unless you use anything over 1250 ISO which I do at times shooting in dark gyms.

As for noise reduction programs the best I have found is NeatImage, available seperately or as a PS plugin.

JS

[hesaias]

I have a ton of plug ins, but only because I like playing with them. I really only use Extensis Intellihance for photo work. The rest are for graphic work and just foolin around. Alien Skin, Flaming Pear and Extensis make some really good ones.