In photography, the expression “simply Photoshop it” is often discussed. Photoshop may be seen as a panacea for photographers’ ills by some and as a curse by others. Image editing programmes may help with a wide variety of issues, including adjusting the exposure, removing unwanted elements, and even adding a sunny sky to an otherwise overcast scene. Still, I would add that the quality of the final output will be much higher if more of the picture’s elements are correct at the time of production. Except for extreme focus stacking in macro photography and imaginative compositions like collages that need post-processing, this holds true for almost all types of photography.
When you endeavour to get your photographs correct in-camera at the time they are taken, you will enjoy several rewards that you may not be aware of.
When it comes to repairing picture flaws, the phrase “just Photoshop it” has become a frequent subject in photography. Depending on who you ask, Photoshop may seem to be a magic pill that can fix all kinds of photography difficulties. While image-editing software may assist with a range of difficulties, such as fixing exposure, eliminating objects, and replacing a gloomy sky with a bright one, there’s a lot to be said for the concept of using as little editing as possible.
This is a difficult question to address since there is so much wiggle room in defining what the phrase “in camera” really entails. Some interpret this as permitting no post-production at all, including basic cropping. Others describe it as getting everything largely right when you hit the shutter button, despite the fact that some fundamental changes, such as straightening or exposure correction, may be required later.
Some photographers believe that getting it perfect in-camera involves keeping an eye out for backdrop impediments, stray hairs, or stray arms and legs that may otherwise mar a nice shot.
I don’t enjoy getting bogged down in the details of what in-camera implies. But I can add that if you can aim to have more components of a picture accurate at the time of creation, the ultimate product will be much superior.
This is true for most forms of photography, with the exception of severe focus stacking in macro photography and creative compositions like collages that need post-processing.
You’ve probably heard the ancient adage, “An ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure.”
It applies to many aspects of life, and it also applies to photography. If you can spend a few seconds correcting troublesome areas when taking a photo, you will save yourself many minutes or even hours later on your computer. When I first started out with portrait photography, this took me a long time to figure out. However, the more I follow this mindset, the more efficient my workflow gets.
Years ago, the only things I knew to look for while photographing clients were things like smiles and decent posture. As a result of unwanted distractions in my images, I often found myself pounding my head against my computer when scrolling through my Lightroom catalogue afterwards.
Autos, people, trash cans, trash, animals, street lights, and a number of other mistakes can all be fixed in Photoshop, but it’s best to keep them out of your photos in the first place.
This also helps with stray hairs, dirt, and debris that may be blown about and fall on customers, and awkward shirts that like to untuck. These issues can all be managed to some extent using computer software, but it will never be as quick or straightforward as just dealing with them when they arise.
The key to doing this is to be on the lookout for such items throughout the picture session. That’s what took me so long to learn, and to be honest, I’m still learning! When capturing photographs, there are several factors to consider. Background flotsam or pieces of trash on the ground may be the last thing on your mind, but they may easily destroy a shot or, at the very least, lead you to spend much more time than you would want removing them later.
In this sense, my greatest suggestion is to just teach yourself to be alert. Look at yourself as well as your topics, and practise recognising background components and other distractions that could otherwise pass you by.
When you see anything, take remedial action and even inform your customers. Many picture shoots have been halted by my saying things like, “Oh no, there’s a street sign in the way behind you.” “Let’s all take a few steps this way,” and it has always been appreciated by those who pay me to perform a decent job. It communicates that you know what you’re doing and care enough to get the images just right.
A more extreme form of this, but one that is equally vital, is to make a note of problematic areas that cannot be changed in Photoshop and deal with them during the picture session.
Sign posts protruding out of heads, heads turned the wrong way, hands in uncomfortable locations, or individuals with complementing clothing in close proximity to one another may quickly spoil an otherwise excellent picture session and are almost impossible to alter in post-production. The more you seek out and correct these issues as they arise, the better your photography will be.
Lighting And Exposure
It was critical to get the exposure precisely correct when taking a shot with early digital cameras. However, today’s digital cameras have such a wide dynamic range that you can fix a lot of exposure errors in post-production. However, this should only be used as a last option and not as a usual rule, similar to a safety net underneath a trapeze performer.
When shooting in RAW, you may drop highlights, boost shadows, and tweak colour all day to get the desired effect. This is a major advantage if you work for clients. It’s even handy if you’re a casual photographer looking to get the most out of your photographs. When working with customers, this sort of exposure adjustment has saved my bacon more times than I can count.
Despite the versatility of the RAW format and the editing options provided by many photographic tools such as Lightroom, Photoshop, and Luminar, you will find that it is better to minimise any exposure and lighting concerns while taking the shot rather than on your computer. It’s not that you can’t address exposure problems later in post-production; it’s simply that if simple exposure tweaks can make them vanish before you ever snap a photo, why would you want to waste time fixing it afterwards?
Your Time Is Invaluable
The more time I spend as a photographer, the more I understand how important my time is. Even if you are a working professional who earns 100% of their money from photography, the less time you spend editing your photographs to address exposure problems, the more time you have to refine your skill or build your company. Or you may spend time with your family!
Even though you may correct a variety of photography flaws after the fact, there’s no alternative to doing all you can to get it right in-camera and avoid problems in the first place. You will not only save many hours of time tinkering with sliders and layers on your computer, but you will also improve your photography abilities.
It will take some experience to understand how to remove unwanted distractions and get proper exposure settings while pressing the shutter button. However, you will benefit in terms of knowledge, confidence, and sheer experience. In the end, you’ll have better images shot by a better photographer, which is something you can’t obtain by adjusting sliders in Lightroom.
