Maybe i was a bit slows on learning and getting to know photography. There were a time i was struggle to understand.. if it was my Camera ? my skills that the photographs i taken are kind of blur blur, dull in color, lack of contrast and saturation in comparison to the photographs i saw on forums, website and magazines. It took me a while to understand the reason behind this.
So, here I am hoping to shares this little super basic few steps that can make a different on the picture coming out from your camera. All other photographer guru and experts.. hopes you don’t shoot me on my simple process… there are a lot of ways to do this but this is just one of the way i used.
This example is done on a RAW format file from my Canon. The similar adjustment can be done on any JPG if you knew what to edit / enhance on post processing or as simple as what to set correctly before you take a photo. My main purpose on this simple sharing is just to let those that ever questions themselves “Why the pictures i taken not nice one ?”
The software I am using is the Canon’s Digital Photo Professional (DPP) that came with my camera… i didn’t take any screen shots on what i was doing.. but only the end results of the same photo after that particular item is corrected. ( I should have done the screen shots to shows what i am doing but … again, i am lazy
This is how my original photograph that came out from my Camera. As you can see, the picture is a bit blur blur, dark like having a layer of grey on it.. and it is just dull looking.
The first thing i will do is adjust the White Balance of the Photo. ( For JPG shooter, it is advisable to first set to correct White Balance before taking the photographs ) I am using a Product called WhiBal for my White Balance reference / setting. You can see now on the top… that the picture has already shown some big differences compared to the original.
Next, this is easy for my Camera’s pictures because it support something call Picture Styles. It is basically a file given by Canon on their certain cameras that can remap the colors. So, without that features, similar thing can be still done in programs like Photoshops. I pretty like the color remapping of the “Landscape” mode especially for sceneries photographs. Picture on the left is after I select to use this Landscape mode on my photographs in the DPP. You can visit http://web.canon.jp/imaging/picturestyle/index.html for more information on what this Picture Style is.
Lastly, i did some of the other adjustment like contrast, sharpening, resizing.
So, as you can see, for those that keep having doubts on their cameras or their own picture taking skills. Stop looking, there are nothing wrong with your camera nor yourself. It was just how things are and you will needs some basic understanding on how you want to handle your equipment before taking a picture… or what you needs to do with your picture after you got home. There are only to certain percentage of truth that expensive camera delivers better photographs. BUT, if you knew what you are doing and how to set your camera or to post process the pictures, you can still able to achieve something better then your camera’s default output. Below is again the same picture side by side of their Before and After …. you judge for yourself.. how much it can change the photographs by just correcting the White Balance, Color Enhancement, some basic Contrast, Saturation and Sharpening adjustment. ( I didn’t removes the dust spot )
(Forgot to mentioned that, it only took me less then 10 seconds from start to end for all these adjustment on 1 picture)
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