Help with picture processing

N

niv2

Messages
431
Name
David
Edit My Images
Yes
I have recently taken up photographing horses show jumping....my timing is god and I can get a decent shot but I don't always get the exposure spot on so I have come to the conclusion that my photos need some form of processing.

I have tried using the software that came with my Canon 400D but I have found it quite difficult to get a pleasing result with it.

A friend recommended Google Picasa and I have found it quick and easy to use and I have managed to get good looking results with it....I gather that it is a fairly simple programme (although that suits me to some extent)

I do not want or need to do much more than adjust exposure and crop my photos.

Am I doing the right thing using Picasa or should I be using a more sophisticated programme?

PS I have downloaded a trial version of Photoshop Elements and I find it somewhat confusing at first glance.
 
Photoshop either Elements or the normal version is quite advanced and does a great deal which is why it appears confusing at first. You do get used to it but if you are happy with picassa then I would just stick with it as Photoshop is not exactly cheap !!
 
If you're getting results you're happy with, then sure your doing the right thing. I've not used Picasa myself, I use Photoshop CS5, but if all you need to do is exposure and crops, then the basic programs like Picasa and even the standard windows editing tools would do you okay.

There's a freeware program called Gimp, http://www.gimp.org/ It's free, I've never used it, but it gets great reviews, and I've seen some great work come out of it. Try that if you want something a little more advanced.
 
Thanks for replies.
Is there an easy to understand book for photo processing i can refer to to get a better understanding of what i can achive?
 
We strongly recommend Photoshop Elements to our students, It has a great organiser section and most of the editing tools of the full pro Photoshop. You can also shoot raw images an process them seamlessly with Elements.

Elements 7 is currently available from Morgan computers for £30.
 
Photoshop Elephants is a great little cheapie program. The lighten shadows/darken highlights feature is quite a quick and simple way for adjusting exposure, I find.
 
Trouble with gimp is you see very little in terms of trainign how to use it but can often apply photoshop techniques from online tutorials.
Have a look at Photoscape (google) which is a fairly simple programme ad free with some good features.
 
GrittyShaker said:
Photoshop Elephants is a great little cheapie program. The lighten shadows/darken highlights feature is quite a quick and simple way for adjusting exposure, I find.
Click to expand...

But the box is absolutely massive. ;)
 
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