I'm in Love with Lightroom

"OMG, don't tell me you have photoshopped this!" It's the sentence I have heard more than once. So I feel like I need to explain on how I see photos and why I consider post processing part of creating a photo very important. Oh might as well confess it - I am in love with Lightroom 4.

People often wish to see the so-called true picture. What you see is what you get? Not when it comes to releasing the shutter. There is a very easy explanation to it - a camera does not equal to an eye. It only captures a two-dimensional image of a real life situation. Camera is a technical creature with its many limitations. It cannot see the way you do. 

Of course you can master your camera, make the best of it and by doing so minimize the need for post-processing. Yay for that. Some daylight outdoor shots are perfect even when using auto-mode. However, most situations leave you with challenges, some of which your camera is not capable of solving, some of which you are not capable of solving (yet).

What I want to do with my photos is to pass on the feeling, the sensation, the mood I had when taking the shot. To present my truth, through my eyes and with the help of my camera. Not some kind of "objective camera truth" (that does not exist). 

Some pros of post processing (aka couple of simple easy things that can make a huge difference):

• bring back some highlights, get rid of some shadows (or then add some) 
• add some sharpness and color 
• hide some horrible color noise with going b&w 
• crop (why should all images be of the same size and shape)

In an ideal world you could plan ahead every shot you take. Change your camera settings for every frame if needed. For me it hasn't always been an option as my passion for photography really grew when traveling. Sometimes you just have no time or no right equipment with you, but the moments are there and you might never encounter them again. I don't want my camera to enslave me, but to be there for me to capture those moments of life. While saying that I don not mean that forget about the settings, go full auto-mode and create an image on your computer later on. I almost never shoot in full auto mode on my DSLR (that would somewhat defeat the purpose of owning a DSLR to begin with). I am saying that when you might miss something while in action you might be able to make some changes later on. 

Moreover, while using a photo editing software you learn so much about each photo you have taken, you get to see the "x-ray picture" of your photos. You learn more about images and photography, because you get extra quality time with single each shot.  

But sometime's it's all just for crazy fun like this photo below. 

A biker on a hot day in Valencia, Spain
Olympys E-420, 40-150mm

To sum it up, in these days I do in Lightroom what I would have done in a darkroom had I been born some good years before I did. I think no one questions the importance of photos being developed and "created" in the darkroom. So why should anyone oppose using photo editing software. If done right it can only better the outcome and help you create images you really had in mind when pressing the release button. 

xoxo

Ps. For the photos from my DSLR I use Lightroom 4. For iPhone pics I sometimes use iPhoto, sometimes different iPhone apps. More about all that in the future.