At CatsPaw Digital Photography, every image that is taken, either for a client as custom photography or at a horse show, or on an expedition that ever sees the light of day is run through Photoshop or an equivalent program. In some cases this is simply to re-size the image and add the logo and image number to a catalog copy so that it can be viewed and ordered. In the case of the ODSS photography, the original image is is generally given a Photoshop 'curves', 'brightness/contrast' and/or 'hue/saturation'. This can be followed up with several third party filters and almost always a very faint dark vignette is added. This improves the aesthetic appearance if the image while, in most cases, leaving an image that looks natural.
A more dramatic example of Photoshopping can be found on the famous 'Link's Tombstone' image above. The left half is the unedited (other than being re-sized) image and on the right is the final result, complete with the CDP logo and catalog number for public display. The number is not found on copies that are purchased, of course.
As you can see, other than 'Link', all of the original text has been removed and replaced with Legend of Zelda-themed imagery. Actually, the majority of it comes from Wind Waker.
The image has also been converted from color into black and white, with a slight sepia tone. The vignette is also present, but as you can see subtle enough that you probably missed it if you weren't looking.
These two examples are at opposite ends of the spectrum; In the case of the typical show picture, the natural look is what was intended. Link's Tombstone, however, required significant image content to be replaced. which obviously could not be done digitally without image editing software.
A more dramatic example of Photoshopping can be found on the famous 'Link's Tombstone' image above. The left half is the unedited (other than being re-sized) image and on the right is the final result, complete with the CDP logo and catalog number for public display. The number is not found on copies that are purchased, of course.
As you can see, other than 'Link', all of the original text has been removed and replaced with Legend of Zelda-themed imagery. Actually, the majority of it comes from Wind Waker.
The image has also been converted from color into black and white, with a slight sepia tone. The vignette is also present, but as you can see subtle enough that you probably missed it if you weren't looking.
These two examples are at opposite ends of the spectrum; In the case of the typical show picture, the natural look is what was intended. Link's Tombstone, however, required significant image content to be replaced. which obviously could not be done digitally without image editing software.
The example to the left shows the far more subtle (and quicker) Photoshop effects used on an ODSS picture. Note how the colors on the right are more vivid and the upper and lower corners are slightly darker due to the vignette than the center of the image or their opposite corners.
The major difference between the two approaches is not in in fact one of one of extent, but of subtlety. The ODSS picture shows the intent to improve or tweak, but not to change. There can be in fact Photoshop work done that is far more extensive and time-consuming but even less noticeable, so the conflict with which this post is concerned is not one of a naturally appearing image versus a dramatically modified one but of time taken to modify an image from it's initial (natural) state. Link's Tombstone was the most heavily modified image from the Hollywood Cemetery Expedition. There were only a couple dozen images or so that were chosen out of about fifty (I forgot to empty my camera's memory card after the ODSS show) but my processing options were limited not by my imagination, skill or capabilities of my hardware and software but by time. Without a specific custom order (that is, without being paid) I simply did not have enough time to substantially modify every single image.
Nevertheless, this comparison hopefully provides a glimpse into the sort of editing services that CatsPaw Digital Photography is able to provide. Given the appropriate source material CatsPaw Digital Photography can perform significant image modification; there just isn't enough time to do it to every picture that does not require it. This is why we don't process pictures of horses with their ears back if there's one available with the ears up and point forward; It isn't that it's beyond CDP's capabilities, its simply that if it doesn't have to be done it isn't practical in terms of time or effort.
And speaking of time, there's a custom photography contract prototype that needs to be drawn up and an ODSS catalog to be put together for upload.
The major difference between the two approaches is not in in fact one of one of extent, but of subtlety. The ODSS picture shows the intent to improve or tweak, but not to change. There can be in fact Photoshop work done that is far more extensive and time-consuming but even less noticeable, so the conflict with which this post is concerned is not one of a naturally appearing image versus a dramatically modified one but of time taken to modify an image from it's initial (natural) state. Link's Tombstone was the most heavily modified image from the Hollywood Cemetery Expedition. There were only a couple dozen images or so that were chosen out of about fifty (I forgot to empty my camera's memory card after the ODSS show) but my processing options were limited not by my imagination, skill or capabilities of my hardware and software but by time. Without a specific custom order (that is, without being paid) I simply did not have enough time to substantially modify every single image.
Nevertheless, this comparison hopefully provides a glimpse into the sort of editing services that CatsPaw Digital Photography is able to provide. Given the appropriate source material CatsPaw Digital Photography can perform significant image modification; there just isn't enough time to do it to every picture that does not require it. This is why we don't process pictures of horses with their ears back if there's one available with the ears up and point forward; It isn't that it's beyond CDP's capabilities, its simply that if it doesn't have to be done it isn't practical in terms of time or effort.
And speaking of time, there's a custom photography contract prototype that needs to be drawn up and an ODSS catalog to be put together for upload.