Beginner RAW images

Applemuncher

Applemuncher

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Name
Justine
Edit My Images
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I'm kind of new to photography but I try to take all the advice I'm given. I've been taking all my photos in RAW because that's what I read that I should be doing but the penny has only just dropped with me that if I take a RAW photo then I should do something with it afterwards before it's 'finished' - I don't know why it's taken me this long to realise. :(

I've taken a night time photo (below) but I'm not quite sure what to do with it now. I only have the software that came with my Canon Camera (and I'm not even sure what I should do with that). Any suggestions? In terms of lighting, this was all done under one exposure - I'm now just getting to grips that I could have perhaps lighted this with several exposures and combined them but that's a lesson learned for next time.

Any assistance greatly appreciated, as always. :)

[url=https://flic.kr/p/MZGdKH]FB_IMG_1475617832397 by Justine Edwards, on Flickr[/URL]
 
If you are on Mac then your best bet is to import the picture to the Photos app and then try to process the picture in there. There should be basic adjustments like exposure control or curves. From RAW you should be able to pull the shadows a bit. It is not Photoshop/Lightroom, but it has all the tools you need.

Your picture seems to be quite underexposed indeed. You need to increase exposure time. Combining several exposures won't help.
 
As a beginner you will need a basic editing suite and one for storing your files ,to simplify things one of the latest elements would do the job .either 11 or 12 I think they go up to 14 or so now ,make sure if you buy s/h that it's got the discs for your system I.e pc or Mac .
All the software does is shows you a picture on screen the same as you see on your camera screen ,but there a lot more latitude to play around with it than with a j.peg file .if you need practical help I,m only in Flint and I also travel around the Wirral a lot looking for wildlife .

The best way to do it is to get a subscription to Lightroom and photoshop costs around £8 a month but well worth it ,depends whether or not how seriously your going to take the hobby .

Also it might be worth your while knowing ,there's a major photography show " digital splash" taking place in Liverpool exhibition centre on the docks sat and Sunday this weekend ,entry is a fiver but well worth going to see the latest gear in one place and usually a few bargains around to

I,m also quite surprised that living where you do that you haven't been drawn into wildlife photography ,next mon and tues are two of the highest tides of the year pushing all the birds close to shore around midday ,I will most likely be at kings gap ,hoylake ( near your pirate boat pic) on the Monday
 
mpe said:
If you are on Mac then your best bet is to import the picture to the Photos app and then try to process the picture in there. There should be basic adjustments like exposure control or curves. From RAW you should be able to pull the shadows a bit. It is not Photoshop/Lightroom, but it has all the tools you need.

Your picture seems to be quite underexposed indeed. You need to increase exposure time. Combining several exposures won't help.
Click to expand...


My picture isn't underexposed, this is how I wanted it :) - when I took this picture it was the dead of night and the light you can see on it I created with a torch. When I spoke about multiple exposures it was in the sense that I would have more control over the light levels. As it's a pirate ship, I wanted it to look like it was emerging from the dark and barely visible so it was intentional. I don't have a Mac - I'm on Windows but I did download Lightroom on a free trial last night and I can see what you are saying, it's quite easy to adjust. Thank you for the advice, it's much appreciated.
 
the black fox said:
As a beginner you will need a basic editing suite and one for storing your files ,to simplify things one of the latest elements would do the job .either 11 or 12 I think they go up to 14 or so now ,make sure if you buy s/h that it's got the discs for your system I.e pc or Mac .
All the software does is shows you a picture on screen the same as you see on your camera screen ,but there a lot more latitude to play around with it than with a j.peg file .if you need practical help I,m only in Flint and I also travel around the Wirral a lot looking for wildlife .

The best way to do it is to get a subscription to Lightroom and photoshop costs around £8 a month but well worth it ,depends whether or not how seriously your going to take the hobby .

Also it might be worth your while knowing ,there's a major photography show " digital splash" taking place in Liverpool exhibition centre on the docks sat and Sunday this weekend ,entry is a fiver but well worth going to see the latest gear in one place and usually a few bargains around to

I,m also quite surprised that living where you do that you haven't been drawn into wildlife photography ,next mon and tues are two of the highest tides of the year pushing all the birds close to shore around midday ,I will most likely be at kings gap ,hoylake ( near your pirate boat pic) on the Monday
Click to expand...

Thanks for that, I'll try to get to Digital Splash - I didn't know about that. I really struggle with wildlife photography, there are some amazing things to see here but I always seem to miss it - I don't have much in the way of lenses, longest being 200mm and even that's not great. I have been thinking about the wildlife quite a bit but I'm just trying to ease myself in with the landscape until I feel a bit more confident. I actually live on the sea front so I have no excuse except that I find it very very difficult. :(
 
i would suggest a more powerful torch ,the cree type with zoom facility would have given better overall coverage ,or even using your pop up flash with a diffuser (about £2.50 on e.bay) would help .for way of interest i have just bought a rogue safari pop up flash zoom adapter seems to work quite well to there on e/bay for around £13 delivered and being 2 ounces in weight are no problem to lug around either.

as for wildlife it helps to have a long zoom but its not the be all and end all .learning how to approach stuff and get close i.e fieldcraft plays a large part in it .i will send you a message on here as i don't want to give locations away .
 
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the black fox said:
i would suggest a more powerful torch ,the cree type with zoom facility would have given better overall coverage ,or even using your pop up flash with a diffuser (about £2.50 on e.bay) would help .for way of interest i have just bought a rogue safari pop up flash zoom adapter seems to work quite well to there on e/bay for around £13 delivered and being 2 ounces in weight are no problem to lug around either.

as for wildlife it helps to have a long zoom but its not the be all and end all .learning how to approach stuff and get close i.e fieldcraft plays a large part in it .i will send you a message on here as i don't want to give locations away .
Click to expand...

I would really appreciate that Jeff, thank you. Thanks for the information about the torch too - I bought a new LED one which seemed very bright but it always looks brighter on the camera than it does on the computer after upload. I didn't even know about the pop up flash with the diffuser so thank you for letting me know.
 
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