Photo editing advice

[Cy-Fy]

Hi I'm new to photography (Nikon Z5) and have recently been shooting raw for everything, then downloading and editing all photos in Capture One (the free version). However, sometimes I notice like the photos are a little bit 'overedited' but it's not like I'm maxing out the sliders or anything but it is just a feeling you get when you look at the picture compared to the jpeg straight out of camera.

 

It's hard to explain but it's almost like new colours are appearing. Like for example the whites still look white but sometimes you see hints of other colours in the white appearing, also in bright areas like light reflections etc. I'm really not doing much to the photos like probably +20 shadows and +20 saturation because I feel like the jpegs straight from the camera are not vibrant enough.

 

So far I haven't been able to get the look or 'feel' I want, like honestly I would just be happy with the camera jpegs with some more vibrancy (although vivid mode adds too much contrast in my opinion) so I'm looking for a one size fits all kind of setting at least to begin with. It looks to me like the camera jpegs are more pleasant to look at, like less harsh and not overly sharp.

 

Do you have any advice for beginners? Thank you.

[VectorTech]

Get a trial of adobe lightroom or photoshop and mess around in there. Additionally if you're taking pictures, editing them and seeing new colors in the highlights (pinks) or shadows (purples) it's likely because you're pushing the image too far. Ensure that you're actually shooting RAW as well as a RAW file will not be a jpeg, it'll be some other file format (.nef or .nrw for Nikon).

[Cy-Fy]

18 minutes ago, VectorTech said:

Get a trial of adobe lightroom or photoshop and mess around in there. Additionally if you're taking pictures, editing them and seeing new colors in the highlights (pinks) or shadows (purples) it's likely because you're pushing the image too far. Ensure that you're actually shooting RAW as well as a RAW file will not be a jpeg, it'll be some other file format (.nef or .nrw for Nikon).

Hi thanks, yeah it's nef files that I'm working with and tbh I'm not sure I'm pushing the files too much, I just feel like the camera applies some pretty good corrections when generating the jpegs which are then missing when I work with the raw. 

 

I actually tried using the proprietary nikon Studio NX software to edit the raws because the starting point is the same as the jpeg, but I feel like the edits don't come out looking as nice.

 

I haven't tried lightroom because you gotta pay for the ability to edit nef files, but do you think it is worth it over capture one?

[VectorTech]

32 minutes ago, Cy-Fy said:

Hi thanks, yeah it's nef files that I'm working with and tbh I'm not sure I'm pushing the files too much, I just feel like the camera applies some pretty good corrections when generating the jpegs which are then missing when I work with the raw. 

 

I actually tried using the proprietary nikon Studio NX software to edit the raws because the starting point is the same as the jpeg, but I feel like the edits don't come out looking as nice.

 

I haven't tried lightroom because you gotta pay for the ability to edit nef files, but do you think it is worth it over capture one?

I've been using adobe products for almost a decade now, they're simply the best for almost everything. If you're a student you can get the creative cloud heavily discounted, or you can just pay for the applications you want / need which is fairly inexpensive as well. Also upload one or two of your pictures (before & after) here so we can see what it looks like!

[Cy-Fy]

9 minutes ago, VectorTech said:

I've been using adobe products for almost a decade now, they're simply the best for almost everything. If you're a student you can get the creative cloud heavily discounted, or you can just pay for the applications you want / need which is fairly inexpensive as well. Also upload one or two of your pictures (before & after) here so we can see what it looks like!

I see, yeah I will consider Lightroom at least. The only thing I didn't like too much about lightroom when I tested it is that it makes you feel a bit confused on where your pictures actually are, are they just shown in LR but linked to a location in the pc, are they uploaded to the software, are they uploaded to a cloud? etc. I feel like the free version for mobile devices is pretty straight forward since you upload your photos, work on them, then download and post.

 

Yeah tbh I'm having difficulty choosing files because I feel like none of them are too obvious what I'm talking about but in any case here's some (I'll have to upload individually because file sizes are too big)

 

[Cy-Fy]

After

[Cy-Fy]

Before

[Cy-Fy]

After

[Cy-Fy]

Before

[Cy-Fy]

After

[Electronics Wizardy]

3 hours ago, Cy-Fy said:

see, yeah I will consider Lightroom at least. The only thing I didn't like too much about lightroom when I tested it is that it makes you feel a bit confused on where your pictures actually are, are they just shown in LR but linked to a location in the pc, are they uploaded to the software, are they uploaded to a cloud? etc. I feel like the free version for mobile devices is pretty straight forward since you upload your photos, work on them, then download and post.

 

You want to be using lightroom classic. That version doesn't store anything on the clould, and works on fully on your PC.

 

4 hours ago, Cy-Fy said:

m really not doing much to the photos like probably +20 shadows and +20 saturation because I feel like the jpegs straight from the camera are not vibrant enough.

That would get you that look. 

 

Id play around with the sliders a bit more. Capture one is pretty good software, I think your just making it a bit too saturated. 

[Cy-Fy]

2 minutes ago, Electronics Wizardy said:

You want to be using lightroom classic. That version doesn't store anything on the clould, and works on fully on your PC.

 

That would get you that look. 

 

Id play around with the sliders a bit more. Capture one is pretty good software, I think your just making it a bit too saturated. 

Hi thanks, it didn't seem too obvious to me how to get Lightroom classic because everywhere in Adobe's websites they promote Lightroom CC more than anything, but will take a look.

 

Yeah maybe you're right, I tend to increase saturation because the colours look a little bland to me but maybe this is too much. I've tried making adjustments to the picture profiles on camera so that I can get the look straight out in the jpeg without needing to edit but so far I haven't found something that works across the board.

[Electronics Wizardy]

3 minutes ago, Cy-Fy said:

Hi thanks, it didn't seem too obvious to me how to get Lightroom classic because everywhere in Adobe's websites they promote Lightroom CC more than anything, but will take a look.

 

Yeah maybe you're right, I tend to increase saturation because the colours look a little bland to me but maybe this is too much. I've tried making adjustments to the picture profiles on camera so that I can get the look straight out in the jpeg without needing to edit but so far I haven't found something that works across the board.

Im typically a fan of shoot raw, and do the editing in post, but really up to you for the workflow.

 

Id just keep playing with the sliders and get a better feel for what they do. It really depends on the look that you want, as there isn't really a correct answer, just what makes the image look the most what you like.

[Cy-Fy]

4 minutes ago, Electronics Wizardy said:

Im typically a fan of shoot raw, and do the editing in post, but really up to you for the workflow.

 

Id just keep playing with the sliders and get a better feel for what they do. It really depends on the look that you want, as there isn't really a correct answer, just what makes the image look the most what you like.

Yeah at least I have all the raw files I have shot since getting this new camera so can always go back to re-edit the ones that I now think don't look that good. Yea thanks for the advice, it's hard sometimes to choose whether to make the picture look realistic (i.e. exactly what you saw) or use presets etc. to make it look more 'moody' and different, if that makes sense.

[GDRRiley]

23 hours ago, VectorTech said:

Get a trial of adobe lightroom or photoshop and mess around in there.

23 hours ago, VectorTech said:

I've been using adobe products for almost a decade now, they're simply the best for almost everything. If you're a student you can get the creative cloud heavily discounted, or you can just pay for the applications you want / need which is fairly inexpensive as well. Also upload one or two of your pictures (before & after) here so we can see what it looks like!

Photoshop or Lightroom isn’t what I’d be using starting out. Capture One, or luminar, (one other one) would be what I’d use. 
They arent though. Way to buy into marketing BS. 
PP sucks as a color grading software for video.

PP is missing common codec support. 
Photoshop/lightroom do not handle Fuji’s colors right because they don’t follow a typical sensor pattern. 
The list goes on and on. The reason why you get it, is for the whole package not because they are the best 

as someone who had the choice to use them in 2013-now (forgot college gives me seats)  they were my last pick other than for layering images 

your pictures look like I’d expect for boosting shadows and saturation 

 

Edited September 5, 2021 by GDRRiley
Fixed years

[Cy-Fy]

16 hours ago, GDRRiley said:

Photoshop or Lightroom isn’t what I’d be using starting out. Capture One, or luminar, (one other one) would be what I’d use. 
They arent though. Way to buy into marketing BS. 
PP sucks as a color grading software for video.

PP is missing common codec support. 
Photoshop/lightroom do not handle Fuji’s colors right because they don’t follow a typical sensor pattern. 
The list goes on and on. The reason why you get it, is for the whole package not because they are the best 

as someone who had the choice to use them in 2013-2018 they were my last pick other than for layering images 

your pictures look like I’d expect for boosting shadows and saturation 

 

Hi thanks for your perspective. Although tbh looking at it objectively I can't for example knock Lightroom for not implementing Fuji colours properly if I don't even have a Fuji camera, you get what I mean? Like looking specifically at my usecase, it doesn't make sense to avoid adobe because PremierPro is suboptimal when I'm not even video editing.

 

In your opinion would you say that my edited images are over saturated? It's hard to look at my own pictures critically because once I boosted the saturation then everything else seems too dull. 

[GDRRiley]

1 hour ago, Cy-Fy said:

Hi thanks for your perspective.

 

In your opinion would you say that my edited images are over saturated? It's hard to look at my own pictures critically because once I boosted the saturation then everything else seems too dull. 

My point was mostly Adobe doesn’t make amazing software you can make great work with any of the other photo editing apps. 
 

they are a little over saturated (which isn’t always bad) bigger issue to me is raising the blacks. You lose dynamic range in some of these shots 

the question is always how stylized and what (if) trends you are trying to follow 

[Cy-Fy]

6 minutes ago, GDRRiley said:

My point was mostly Adobe doesn’t make amazing software you can make great work with any of the other photo editing apps. 
 

they are a little over saturated (which isn’t always bad) bigger issue to me is raising the blacks. You lose dynamic range in some of these shots 

the question is always how stylized and what (if) trends you are trying to follow 

Hi thanks again. Yea that makes sense. I think for the mean time I'll continue to use Capture One, especially since it's free and it's more important to learn instead of paying for all the extra features.

 

I see thanks. Do you have any advice on how to avoid overediting your photos? I feel like I get carried away pumping all the colours, shadows and killing the highlights to try and capture as much detail but it sometimes ends up looking like a bad HDR effect from a phone.

[GDRRiley]

3 minutes ago, Cy-Fy said:

I see thanks. Do you have any advice on how to avoid overediting your photos? I feel like I get carried away pumping all the colours, shadows and killing the highlights to try and capture as much detail but it sometimes ends up looking like a bad HDR effect from a phone.

Just edit till your happy. Your taste and style will come in after hundreds if not thousands of edits and every type and feeling your trying to convey will be a little bit different 

 

if you feel likes it’s too much back it off some. 
 

Spoiler

I’m sure some people would say these are over saturated but I was trying to show lively hood and happiness 

[Cy-Fy]

3 hours ago, GDRRiley said:

Just edit till your happy. Your taste and style will come in after hundreds if not thousands of edits and every type and feeling your trying to convey will be a little bit different 

 

if you feel likes it’s too much back it off some. 
 

  Reveal hidden contents

I’m sure some people would say these are over saturated but I was trying to show lively hood and happiness 

Yep that seems like a reasonable approach. Great shots btw, yea I see what you mean but in my opinion the saturation makes your images pop without looking unnatural 

[D13H4RD]

On 9/4/2021 at 8:20 PM, VectorTech said:

I've been using adobe products for almost a decade now, they're simply the best for almost everything. If you're a student you can get the creative cloud heavily discounted, or you can just pay for the applications you want / need which is fairly inexpensive as well. Also upload one or two of your pictures (before & after) here so we can see what it looks like!

I'm a photographer who uses a lot of Adobe products as part of my workflow, and I have to disagree with your assertion that they are "the best".

 

Yes, they are the industry standard, but a lot of that isn't because they are the best in the market, but simply because that's what the industry at large is using. Many videographers, editors and cinematographers will know just how behind Premiere and especially After Effects is versus other solutions such as Final Cut and Resolve Studio. And while I personally don't have huge issues utilizing Lightroom Classic and Photoshop together, there are still longstanding issues that linger with them, such as performance chugging when your catalog gets bigger and bigger, and your edits get more and more elaborate. Lightroom/Camera RAW's processing engine also historically has had issues demosaicing Fujifilm X-Trans files unless you utilize the processing-heavy "RAW details" feature.

 

I used to be a very regular user of Capture One due to its superior processing engine and vastly superior color grading tools, but once Adobe finally overhauled Lightroom's masking engine (with almost fool-proof auto-masking) and gave us the color grading tools that were oh-so-needed eons ago, combined with my photographic needs shifting more towards landscape and architectural photography (which also meant I was more Photoshop-heavy), and Capture One's HDR and panorama merging tools being very unimpressive, finally just led me to go more towards Adobe, and put up with some of its glaring flaws like performance chugging, even on an M1 Max MacBook Pro.

 

I will still likely get Capture One again in the future because of the aforementioned processing engine, but I'd also just wanna toss in my 2 cents. I don't like Adobe and I think they are far from the best in the industry, but they also just happen to be what works for me the best overall at the moment, although it still has glaring flaws which is making me continue my search for alternatives to use alongside it, preferably with a perpetual option.

 

I also just realized I replied on a dead thread.....ok.

[YellowJersey]

The photos you posted look fine to me. Makes me wonder if maybe there's a colour management issue.

[Awpiii]

The photos do look a bit too saturated, but over time you learn how to best work with the sliders and you'll be able to make your own style and be comfortable with it. If you think Lightroom is too complex and confusing, you could use NX Studio (Free from Nikon) to start learning. There's also many great tutorials on youtube to use NX Studio (and Lightroom, ofcourse) and will give you an idea of what each slider and setting does and how to work with them.