Post editing figuring out which direction to take

[mikemill]

When you all look at your photos after a dive how do you figure out which direction to take with your editing? As an example: I have the below shot of kelp. I really like the blue/green color version compared to the white balanced version. I feel the WB version loses "something".

I'm not really looking for critiques of this shot, just a general opinion of how you go about deciding how to edit a shot.

 

[ScubaSteve]

What program are you using to edit Mike? If you happen to be using CS3, the the process I start out by following is in this link http://www.scubaboard.com/forums/digital-darkroom/260172-purple-water.htmland is very simple, mostly effective (obviously not always) and rather quick.

A Before

An After

Just an example of the quick process with no other alterations.

 

[mikemill]

I use GIMP and UFRaw. I have no problem getting the white balance but sometimes it seems the better picture is not a color correct version.

 

[ScubaSteve]

I agree Mike that sometimes the "correct" version is not the better choice. I am limited in what I can do with photo editing, and limited in my knowledge of what makes a "technically correct" picture. But, there have been pictures that I have played with like that purple water picture that have ended up looking very neat. Maybe not the best "technically", but perhaps better than what the computer thinks is "correct". I believe that it is often a matter of getting the picto where the computer thinks it is right, and then tweaking it all over the place even more. Like taking your corrected picture from above and perhaps adding contrast or reducing either the exposure or brightness to step down the sunburst. I think in most cases, that additional tweaking is required to get what you like rather than what the computer produced.

I find now (on land) that with my new XSi shooting in RAW, I spend 10 times as much time platying with photos as I did before. Again, with each one I am tweaking it to see what I like versus what the computer likes.

 

[hammerhead man]

l have used Photoshop Elements for several years and find that it meets my needs. However, I am considering upgrading the Photoshop.

Regards,

Bill

 

[alcina]

I edit based on what I had in my mind when I took the shot and what I decide I want the end result to be, whether I make that decision before or during editing I'm pretty flexible about the whole thing - to me, photography is (pardon the pun) a fluid evolution.