How about a Post Processing Forum?

[GB1]

This could cover all aspects of post processing, anything from basic sharpening and contrast adjustments to hardcore digital manipulation. This would not be a Photoshop forum because that's too specific - it would cover the ideas and theories and could then have separate threads on how to do it in PS, Elements, Corel, etc.

Given how people spend so much time and effort in PP these days, I think it would be popular.

Gb

[ChowChi-Ching]

I saw on a different photography forum, a "how I took it" forum and it was not a critique or a photoshop specific, but more how people manipulated their originals to create their final product. I enjoyed it, it was very informative...... there was alot of tips that I learned from there.

[Photo-John]

This is a forum that I think might work. We do already have the Photography Software, etc forum. But I do think it may not be quite focused enough. The trick with adding new forums is thhat they really need to be active. If they're not, it just makes the site look bad and dilutes the forums we already have. My usual strategy is to suggest the person who wants to forum volunteer to moderate and be head cheerleader for it. So what do you say, GB1?

[SmartWombat]

I would support the idea if it has a good backup in numbers of how-to and tutorials on the site - or in the forum.
Otherwise it's likely to end up referring people off-site to specialist photoshop/corel/gimp/Lightroom/Aperture forums.

[GB1]

This is a forum that I think might work. We do already have the Photography Software, etc forum. But I do think it may not be quite focused enough. The trick with adding new forums is thhat they really need to be active. If they're not, it just makes the site look bad and dilutes the forums we already have. My usual strategy is to suggest the person who wants to forum volunteer to moderate and be head cheerleader for it. So what do you say, GB1?

I'm willing, PJ, though I am not really a post-processing wiz by any stretch of the imagination.. but I don't believe that's required. PP fundamentals are independent of software, even though Photoshop is such a dominant force that people tend to immediately say "Do step A, B, C.. in PS" to achieve this or that.

As far as head cheerleader, I can yell and scream if need be.

Let me know - I think it would be visited, but you never know till we try,

Gb

[danic]

I'll add my $0.02 to the arguement.


I think it would be a great idea. There are some things I would love to be able to do, such as learn how to PP using photomatix, and get results!

Post process can also relate to film, but I think the film forum covers that aspect quite well.

[Photo-John]

But do you think it would be more effective than the current "Photography Software, Printing, & Computers" forum? I'm inclined to agree. But I'm still sitting on this one. Adding a new forum isn't something to just do on a whim.

[susaan]

I'm willing, PJ,

As far as head cheerleader, I can yell and scream if need be.

Let me know - I think it would be visited, but you never know till we try,

Gb

The man is willing,and for sure I would visit !

PP is a huge subject,very intimidating for some of us,maybe categories from
beginners' stuff to cutting edge could be included ?

[Asylum Steve]

But do you think it would be more effective than the current "Photography Software, Printing, & Computers" forum? I'm inclined to agree.

Moi aussi. I think the current forum is too broad. IMO, a computer "hardware & software" forum doesn't really address the creative aspects of post-processing any more than an "equipment" forum would cover the artistic aspects of photography.

I'm for a seperate forum. Can't say I'd want to mod it, but I'll help out if you need me to...

[OldClicker]

But do you think it would be more effective than the current "Photography Software, Printing, & Computers" forum? I'm inclined to agree. But I'm still sitting on this one. Adding a new forum isn't something to just do on a whim.

How about just a name change plus a moderator/promoter to keep it moving? - TF

[drg]

On first blush it seems to be a good idea to focus on post processing . . .

Yet,

There are a lot of posts throughout the forums, from sharpening, to HDR, to specific issues with specific cameras or film, that are already catagorized and the information hasn't changed.

I feel there is a difference between a forum that can be searched such as those at photographyreview and a billboard/chat room where it is a stream of quick, short, and throwaway answers that may get repeated.

A software forum that has a lot of posts about the same thing and half of them are specific to one photo or issue may not be as helpful as you might think. When the wide spread digital photography phenomena kick off a tremendous amount of information, both good and not so good, was made available. A tremendous amount of the info just gets repeated in book after book, expert web site after expert web site, and yes, the "How-to-take-great-digital-photographs" year end special publication or 'feature' on some tech web site. If it is wrong or incomplete, and you want an answer, how do you know??

I've seen how to improve your photos by cropping so many times it isn't funny. Or, correcting white balance, sharpening, straightening and on and on. The info is probably already posted, perhaps not for the exact editor or circumstance of your today, but there are easily applied generalities.

The issue with much of the current range, and I've been using several different products this year, is that much of the software is just not well designed, engineered, documented, and implemented.

Even bad documentation, which a forum would aid with a lot, can render an otherwise workable and valuable tool almost worthless.

Most everybody drives a car that I know. But it is not intuitive. So, yes, you need information and instruction, but is a separate forum better or more valuable than a generic HELP or Specific area like FILM or a CAMERA BRAND XX, or SOFTWARE AND HARDWARE when the basics are the same and fall within a limit of variation??

As a final example for now: Say there is a hot new camera that comes with a pretty cool editing/processing tool that is vendor unique. The software never gets updated because one of the 'big boys' (ADOBE or APPLE) makes available everything you need to edit those files down the road. In fact version 2 of the camera no longer includes that piece of software and instead you use a third party product. How long do you support (either a company or the virtual realm of forums) the quickly expiring program in question?

O.K. one more! (then I'll stop for awhile) Questions regarding old versions of the various flavors of ADOBE Photoshop come up and I wonder where they haven't looked or if they even searched for an answer first? One or two versions past is one thing. But three or four versions past that haven't been even sold by ADOBE for 'years' and don't support some newer cameras or 'special' techniques is another issue.

I'll stop ranting for now, but will finish by saying that just putting up a forum labeled Software or Post-processing alone doesn't seem to eliminate or add to tutorials, help guides, or existent information.

I would contribute certainly as much of my life of late has been spent doing way more of this than shooting (*&$^@ and DRAT!).

ALOHA

[Greg McCary]

I think that a processing forum would work. It is one area that most photographers are weak in. Including me. I have learned a lot here in critiques and the help forum but PhotoShop is such a complex software it can be very intimidating. I think most are scared off from the processing phase of the work flow due to the intimidation factor and time restraints of learning how. Not to mention the cost of software.
But I have also learned that shooting digital requires processing, period. I know that the same questions will probably be ask over and over again but posting a question gets almost instant and understandable answers from the vast knowledge of the members here at PR. Sometimes within minutes. It's what makes Photography Review such a cool place to hang out....
Go getem GB1, you have my support if it happens.......

[Pink Dragonfly]

Can't really add anything that hasn't been said already...I'm with Gary all the way

Mette

[Xia_Ke]

drg does bring up some good points. A lot of post processing questions have been answered ad nauseum in countless books and "expert" sites around the web. The question I pose is how many of those have been answered here? How many tutorials do we have? A lot of how to questions may have been answered here in the past but, there will always be new questions and people who don't search. I think it definitely has the possibility of being a very active forum here. Why wait for people to go elsewhere for their tutorials or questions? How about doing a split of the old forum and making that just for hardware questions and then have a new one for software and "how-to's"? It has the makings of being a great addition to the site and GB1 would make for a great mod for it.

[susaan]

Good points,all-

The info is out there,but from my own experience,its takes a very long time to track down the specific info a person seeks,-all these "quick fix" forums spouting up like weeds are often not interactive,unless you join,get to know people,etc-few of us have time for more than 1 forum in our our lives and would prefer to get what we need from the one we call home.
Photography review has one of the most amazing pools of talent,both in photography and PP, willing to teach what they know-often being aware of the level a questioner is at,from critiques-that is what makes this place special,the relationships forged while learning.
Think you would see members branching out into areas they have not previously ventured into,and growth as a photographer is what its all about,right ?

[A.M.D.A.]

Think you would see members branching out into areas they have not previously ventured into,and growth as a photographer is what its all about,right ?

Good points everyone! I have seen (more than once) regular members at N&W post stuff that would almost certainly be better in VF, help files, etc..

I think adding a PP forum may be an good idea, but not just yet. Take a look at how much traffic the digital imaging and computers forum is currently getting – almost none at all. So, if the forum were "split" into a new sub-category, then there will be even less traffic! I'd suggest waiting perhaps a few months until the current forum demonstrates more interest and there are also more registered PR members.

My $0.02.

[Photo-John]

There are a lot of posts throughout the forums, from sharpening, to HDR, to specific issues with specific cameras or film, that are already catagorized and the information hasn't changed.

One benefit of a new forum would be I would move all those old threads into it. So the information that's already been posted would be even beter organized and easier to find.

[GB1]

I'm still able and willing to be a moderator for the new forum (a second moderator would be nice, too .. any volunteers ?).

I see the theme of this forum would be general approaches and techniques to post processing. This would be from an artistic, technical, ... and could include effects, colors, filters, density changes, sharpening, cloning, technical limitations and trade-offs (RAW vs compressed, bit depths, histograms, noise, etc) and their solutions, and so on. It wouldn't cover hardware but could include how to solve this or that using specific software like Photoshop, Corel, etc.

That's a lot! Moving the threads into this forum would make sense btw.

G

[Photo-John]

I've already made up my mind - I'm gonna give it a shot. I think it can work. I will move current, related threads to the new forum so that it's already populated. That will help get the ball rolling. I don't know if it will really hurt the other forum. I will probably change the name of that one. In this case, two more focused forums with more targeted titles will likely do better. At least I hope they will.

Next week we'll get this started. And GB1 - you will be the fearless leader. It's your baby

[A.M.D.A.]

I've already made up my mind - I'm gonna give it a shot. I think it can work. I will move current, related threads to the new forum so that it's already populated. That will help get the ball rolling. I don't know if it will really hurt the other forum. I will probably change the name of that one. In this case, two more focused forums with more targeted titles will likely do better. At least I hope they will.

Next week we'll get this started. And GB1 - you will be the fearless leader. It's your baby

Wow, congrats GB1 (and John)! :thumbsup:

Interesting to see how the new forum will fare, think it will do very well indeed. I regularly use several major image editing programs – including GIMP, and am really looking forward to the PP forum and sharing/learning there.

[GB1]

I've already made up my mind - I'm gonna give it a shot. I think it can work. I will move current, related threads to the new forum so that it's already populated. That will help get the ball rolling. I don't know if it will really hurt the other forum. I will probably change the name of that one. In this case, two more focused forums with more targeted titles will likely do better. At least I hope they will.

Next week we'll get this started. And GB1 - you will be the fearless leader. It's your baby

Sounds good. Just shoot me a PM on how it all works etc.

Accepting applications for a second moderator - always nice to share the load, just in case one person's in Antarctica or something.

We'll see how it goes !

G

[Photo-John]

Thanks, guys!

Photography Software & Post Processing Forum