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Photographs

My pleasure.

For years, I have been subscribed to the free weekly lessons of Colin Smith of Photoshop Cafe. I purchased his old version of Photoshop for Digital Photographers which has now been revised to Photoshop 2020 for Digital Photographers. It is over 80 lessons!!!! Colin Smith is probably the best Photoshop teacher I have ever had. I purchased his DVD years ago and stilll refer to it. Each lesson is brief and concise. He speaks extremely well and in simple, easy to understand terms. Most everything I know in Photoshop comes from Colin. He runs his own company, which he calls Photoshop Cafe. You can sign up for weekly free tutorials. He runs frequent sales on his products, most usually at holiday periods where he will offer an additional 10% or more discount on any of his products. Here is the web site and here is the course I recommend which is $99.00 USD. As I said, it is over 80 lessons long. www.photoshopcafe.com
Buy his "Photoshop for Digital Photographers." $99.00 for download. I believe it works in PC or MAC.

Dale
Miami
Dale Davis Photography
Done deal my friend. Much appreciated. I tried Lynda learning for awhile but the tutorials were hit and miss. Mostly miss.
 
I find the output of the MA2 generally pretty good for photos, while post processing I think can sharpen or optimize most any photo, I cannot complain about SOTD (straight out of the drone) shots... here are some recent examples from my area...

DJI_0128.JPG

Same place, different day, different Angle
DJI_0108.JPG

They could easily be sharpened, perhaps brightened a little, depends perhaps on how its viewed..
 
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I've been using Photoshop since v. 2.5 (1995?), but Lightroom is the standard for photo editing for like, 100 reasons. I only use photoshop for masking, merging to pano, etc. I learned everything about LR for photo editing from this guy. He's a tireless self-promoter, but you can learn all you'll ever need to know about LR/PS editing from his YT videos. Serge Ramelli Photography
 
I find the output of the MA2 generally pretty good for photos, while post processing I think can sharpen or optimize most any photo, I cannot complain about SOTD (straight out of the drone) shots... here are some recent examples from my area...

View attachment 113763

Same place, different day, different Angle
View attachment 113764

They could easily be sharpened, perhaps brightened a little, depends perhaps on how its viewed..

I took this image into Photoshop and did a few adjustments. I found the original image flat, dark, low contrast, dull colors, dull sky. I corrected the sky with a gradient filter, and then brought out some fall colors in the trees, increased the saturation and other sliders a bit here and there. Here are the two, side by side. Which one do you prefer???
 

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I've been using Photoshop since v. 2.5 (1995?), but Lightroom is the standard for photo editing for like, 100 reasons. I only use photoshop for masking, merging to pano, etc. I learned everything about LR for photo editing from this guy. He's a tireless self-promoter, but you can learn all you'll ever need to know about LR/PS editing from his YT videos. Serge Ramelli Photography
I learned on Photoshop with the first version, and therefore much more familiar with Photoshop as the updates came throughout the years.

Both Photoshop and Lightroom use the same engines, so to speak. Lightroom was always promoted as a cataloging software. I use Lightroom mainly for timelapse software (LRLightroom5). At one time, Lightroom was used only for GLOBAL adjustments, and Photoshop for local or focal adjustments. Now, Lightroom has acquired better local adjustment capabilities. It is all what you feel more comfortable with at this stage. Please my correction in the immediate above post of retouching of the above example.(done inPhotoshop CC2020).
 
I took this image into Photoshop and did a few adjustments. I found the original image flat, dark, low contrast, dull colors, dull sky. I corrected the sky with a gradient filter, and then brought out some fall colors in the trees, increased the saturation and other sliders a bit here and there. Here are the two, side by side. Which one do you prefer???
Thanks, there is no doubt that the image could be optimized and your re-touching shows that... did you touch several manual adjustments or did auto do most of the work?
 
Thanks, there is no doubt that the image could be optimized and your re-touching shows that... did you touch several manual adjustments or did auto do most of the work?
 
Those images were taken on auto, the only adjustments I made were sharpening and a bit of de noiseing in Topaz
 

In Adobe Photoshop CC2020, open Photoshop>top menu>FILTER>Camera RAW Filter>opens JPG image into Camera RAW>File sliders for Camera RAW. >Find Gradient filter- for sky and use as shown above. Then do other adjustgments>then open into Photosop (JPG). See images I hav attached for guidance.
 

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In Adobe Photoshop CC2020, open Photoshop>top menu>FILTER>Camera RAW Filter>opens JPG image into Camera RAW>File sliders for Camera RAW. >Find Gradient filter- for sky and use as shown above. Then do other adjustgments>then open into Photosop (JPG). See images I hav attached for guidance.
Interesting, I do not have that version of Photoshop, I have other editors, and while I was largely able to replicate most of how your edit looked, could never quite get the sky to look like it does in yours.. Not sure which setting you altered to optimize the sky.. Its possible that the SOTD photo could have been a little better if I had upped the exposure a little prior to the capture by manual settings or changing the EV a bit... Course, altering exposure could have washed the sky out a little more...
 
Interesting, I do not have that version of Photoshop, I have other editors, and while I was largely able to replicate most of how your edit looked, could never quite get the sky to look like it does in yours.. Not sure which setting you altered to optimize the sky.. Its possible that the SOTD photo could have been a little better if I had upped the exposure a little prior to the capture by manual settings or changing the EV a bit... Course, altering exposure could have washed the sky out a little more...

For the sky see this:

In earlier versions of Photoshop, the GRADIENT filter is in the top menu of ACR (ADOBE CAMERA RAW). Please see the attached, which I think is Photoshop 2019. At the top menu go to this icon (Gradient icon in red circle) and click on it. That will bring up this menu, which ONLY controls the gradient (not the whole image). Then place your mouse cursor at the beginning, left click it, and drag it to the end point (left click+drag). So this can either be the foreground, or for the sky start at the top center.. In this example, I am opening up the foreground, but if you want to adjust the sky, place your cursor at the center top and drag it down to the horizon and let go of the cursor. Now, you have selected that area of the image only. Make all of your adjustments on the sliders, and at the end of your edits, keep hitting the return key to eliminate the dotted lines. Gradient filter in Photoshop for dark foreground.jpg
 
I learned on Photoshop with the first version, and therefore much more familiar with Photoshop as the updates came throughout the years.

Both Photoshop and Lightroom use the same engines, so to speak. Lightroom was always promoted as a cataloging software. I use Lightroom mainly for timelapse software (LRLightroom5). At one time, Lightroom was used only for GLOBAL adjustments, and Photoshop for local or focal adjustments. Now, Lightroom has acquired better local adjustment capabilities. It is all what you feel more comfortable with at this stage. Please my correction in the immediate above post of retouching of the above example.(done inPhotoshop CC2020).
In my experience, Lightroom makes for a significantly better and faster workflow for photographers than Photoshop. The early versions of Adobe Camera RAW were primitive and only recently has adjustment controls similar to LR. However, it's a single image workflow, right? I can't imagine how much time it would take me to go through a series of 2,000 bracketed images in Photoshop (the low end in numbers I'd capture in a week's travel). I do use Photoshop to do pano merges, masking and finite editing (things that can't be done in LR), but I can apply a color grade along with graduated, radial and custom brushes, transform, noise, sharpness, vignette, lens correction, etc. to hundreds of images and export as JPG's with only a few clicks from LR. All of the adjustments are non-destructive, saved as sidecar XML files, so if I need to adjust a single control, I can apply it to a hundred images in one click and re-export the whole batch. How would that workflow look in Photoshop?
 
In my experience, Lightroom makes for a significantly better and faster workflow for photographers than Photoshop. The early versions of Adobe Camera RAW were primitive and only recently has adjustment controls similar to LR. However, it's a single image workflow, right? I can't imagine how much time it would take me to go through a series of 2,000 bracketed images in Photoshop (the low end in numbers I'd capture in a week's travel). I do use Photoshop to do pano merges, masking and finite editing (things that can't be done in LR), but I can apply a color grade along with graduated, radial and custom brushes, transform, noise, sharpness, vignette, lens correction, etc. to hundreds of images and export as JPG's with only a few clicks from LR. All of the adjustments are non-destructive, saved as sidecar XML files, so if I need to adjust a single control, I can apply it to a hundred images in one click and re-export the whole batch. How would that workflow look in Photoshop?
You are correct. If you do bulk processing, there is no question Lightroom is for you. We have all evolved to use the software that fulfills our individual needs. I suppose there is some sort of bulk processing in Photoshop but I have never needed or used it. As previously noted, my time lapse studies adjust hundreds of images simultaneously in Lightroom, which is my primary use of Lightroom. A typical timelapse for me is about 350 to 400 images. (so at 24 frames per second, about 14 second to 16 second show). I absolutely do process these images in Lightroom develop module as part of my LRTimelapse5 workflow. I do find the need to erase sensor spots flying birds, crop, and do overall (global) adjustments in Lightroom. I also use the gradient filter in Lightroom for sky or foreground adjustments.
 
You are correct. If you do bulk processing, there is no question Lightroom is for you. We have all evolved to use the software that fulfills our individual needs. I suppose there is some sort of bulk processing in Photoshop but I have never needed or used it. As previously noted, my time lapse studies adjust hundreds of images simultaneously in Lightroom, which is my primary use of Lightroom. A typical timelapse for me is about 350 to 400 images. (so at 24 frames per second, about 14 second to 16 second show). I absolutely do process these images in Lightroom develop module as part of my LRTimelapse5 workflow. I do find the need to erase sensor spots flying birds, crop, and do overall (global) adjustments in Lightroom. I also use the gradient filter in Lightroom for sky or foreground adjustments.
Cool Dale. I’d love to see them. I used LRT many times over the years and really dig it. Gunther!

Those darn sensor spots are the biggest pain in the butt for TL’s. So hard to fix in moving clouds. One of my biggest issues with Mirrorless.

Many folks use a combination of PS, LR and Bridge which do share the ACR controls, so I guess the difference is how they support a particular workflow. Lightroom is a super fast workflow for me. I’m not crazy about the cumbersome importing process, but smart previews and offline editing have distinct advantages.
 
Last edited:
For the sky see this:

In earlier versions of Photoshop, the GRADIENT filter is in the top menu of ACR (ADOBE CAMERA RAW). Please see the attached, which I think is Photoshop 2019. At the top menu go to this icon (Gradient icon in red circle) and click on it. That will bring up this menu, which ONLY controls the gradient (not the whole image). Then place your mouse cursor at the beginning, left click it, and drag it to the end point (left click+drag). So this can either be the foreground, or for the sky start at the top center.. In this example, I am opening up the foreground, but if you want to adjust the sky, place your cursor at the center top and drag it down to the horizon and let go of the cursor. Now, you have selected that area of the image only. Make all of your adjustments on the sliders, and at the end of your edits, keep hitting the return key to eliminate the dotted lines.

I do have Lightroom, though usually for whatever reason, I've reserved that for photos I take with my DSLR. When I did import the photo into LR, I was more closely able to replicate your edit, perhaps if I continued to futz with how the gradient tool worked, might have come even closer.. Its possible since its an older version, it does not have all the functionality of the new versions of their software, where the tools probably have been improved. Thanks for all the feedback... appreciate it..
 
Beginning of opinion.

Ok, So I was watching a thread a bit ago about poor picture quality and can't find it now for this post. I just want to share an opinion. This is nothing special as far as subject matter and I did not pursue an "art" approach to developing it, but I really think given the parameters of the camera involved this camera does an outstanding job. Shot in raw, manual exposure, 100 ISO. Lots of light so the shutter speeds were up there. In photoshop added a touch of brightness, contrast, sharpening, dehazing and pulled back a touch on vibrancy and saturation. I did get into color balancing and added a little blue for the sky, I guess you could say that was "artful" as the sky was a bit hazed. Even at 100% the photo does not fall apart. Of course it isn't the same image my D850 and Tamron G2 lens will produce but I still am amazed.

End of opinion.

View attachment 113704

I agree. I love the photos from the drone. That said, others might be looking for the perfect shooter and this doesn't fit their bill and I get it. It's kinda like how I opted for a Sony RX10 mark IV vs a DSLR because it suited my needs and produced great results. I liked what I saw with the MA2 before I bought it. After 16 hours and 113 flights I haven't been disappointed in the MA2 at all. Photography is definitely a big part of that. Sure you could spend more and get bigger and better but for everything I do this does it all and does it all in a way that makes me happy. That's all that counts in the end. Zero buyers remorse and I love what I'm able to get out of it in both photos and videos!
 
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Cool Dale. I’d love to see them. I used LRT many times over the years and really dig it. Gunther!

Those darn sensor spots are the biggest pain in the butt for TL’s. So hard to fix in moving clouds. One of my biggest issues with Mirrorless.

Many folks use a combination of PS, LR and Bridge which do share the ACR controls, so I guess the difference is how they support a particular workflow. Lightroom is a super fast workflow for me. I’m not crazy about the cumbersome importing process, but smart previews and offline editing have distinct advantages.
I don't want to hijack this thread by submitting my own video, but you are more than welcome to see my last several videos which incorporate a lot of timelapse (LRTimelapse-Lightroom) as well as drone footage (Premiere Pro) and still shots (DSLR-Photoshop). Please see the last two or three of my films here [/URL]. I particularly would like you to view the last there Montana videos and the Miami River 2020 Video.
 
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