sunday school: confessions of a photoshop flunkie

I will be the first to admit that I would rather eat a big box of prunes than try to figure out Photoshop.  For the first 5 years that I was taking photos digitally, I did all my editing in Microsoft Photo Editor, which came bundled with Office.  I finally broke down and bought Adobe Lightroom last August, but I have stubbornly resisted using Photoshop for anything.  Believe me, I've watched and drooled while everyone around me was adding supercool textures to their photos or doing other nifty powerful things possible for those willing to delve into the world of layers and lassos and burning and dodging, etc.

Recently, I came across this photo by Quixotic Pixels in which she uses pantyhose as a filter.  This gave me the idea to take the photo above using Cadence's pink tights stretched tightly over my lens.  I really like the softness  and very subtle grain that this technique adds to the photo.  I hope to find other ways of adding texture or other effects to my photos without having to resort to learning Photoshop.

How about you?  Do you have any shortcuts or tips on bypassing Photoshop?  Please do share, as this Shutter Sister can use all the help she can get.

Comments

[Mama DB]

I tend to get overwhelmed in Photoshop Elements, and then do too much, making the photo look like it was processed by monkeys. I'll get it eventually but I have to say, I do adore HippyHappyHay's (www.flickr.com/photos/hippyhappyhay/)photo treatments and have started dabbling on www.Picnik.com It is a lot of fun and very user friendly. (I have also been known to use a box of pop tarts as a light reflector.) Here's an example of what I was able to get (using Picnik, not the pop tarts):

http://mamadb.blogspot.com/2008/04/my-girl.html

[Chris]

Oh, I am so glad to hear that I am not alone! I use three other photo editors and don't own Photoshop. Just today my husband said he wanted to get it for me and I've heard many a story about how difficult it is to figure out. However, once you do, it's no problem. I even looked at my local adult school or local jr. college for Photoshop classes and can't find any classes offered. Sigh. I need all the help I can get, too.

[Hay]

Oh Sarah, I love you! I thought I was the only Photoshop flunkie! And how clever!! I have been coveting textures too....perhaps I need to think outside the square, thanks for the inspiration!!

And Mama DB, knock me down with a feather! Thanks!! I am constantly surprised by how many people tell me they like my style! I guess not using Photoshop was a good thing in that I was able to develop my own style. Thanls again, you made my night!!

[Carol]

I have absolutely NO idea how to use Photoshop. I'm afraid of it. I discovered this page a few days ago and I absolutely adore it.

[Elspeth]

Photoshop may seem daunting because there's so much to ir, but it's actually not difficult once you get into it. If you get someone to show you basics you can then explore and fiddle around and customize your own effects. It's very useful for many things. I looked at that Picnik that Mama D8 highlighted, It looks great - very easy! But I do agree that its fun looking for and using natural filters, Here are two images I did using the bottom of a broken green glass bottle which I found among the stones by a river.

A friend by the river: http://flickr.com/photos/59905750@N00/275727752/

Bamboo through the same filter: http://flickr.com/photos/59905750@N00/275719429/

[Anke]

I use paint shop pro for a couple of years now and it took me quite some time to get used to it, but it was definetly worth hanging in there.....it's fun to create some fun fotos by editing and using some effects. A lot of times I alter the fotos to use them in my other artworks. Smiles, Anke ;)

[Lauren]

I like bouncing the flash off of different colors. My office is blue, my dining room is red, and my bedroom is green. And the pictures look different in every room.

[Heather]

I am a natural light junkie...especially sunrise and sunset.

The key for me and Photoshop is free, downloadable actions. I haven't a CLUE how to do a layer, or dodge, or any of that. Picnik IS so much fun, and so, so easy.

I love editing. I can make a photo look like it does in my mind. Sometimes psychedelic, sometimes soft. Whatever the image in my mind, the feeling I'm trying to convey...I have the freedom to do it.

But. It does give me goosebumps when I take a photo, and it comes out EXACTLY HOW I WANTED.

[Jen]

I too am overwhelmed by Photoshop, although I recently discovered actions which does everything for you!

I haven't tried anything as interesting as using panythose yet but I think I will give that a try! I prefer to use natural light and I have a few filters such as a polarizer, haze and skylight.

[natala]

This is a trick my husband does... for natural vingettes:
Put the camera on manual.
Zoom all the way in (as far in as possible)
Focus as near as possible. So that it is blurry.
And then put your hand over the lens to create fake aperture. You can play with this in the way you place your hand over the lens and how much space you put in between your fingers.
It's something you have to play with - depends on what you are shooting as well.
*when you put your hand/fingers over the lens it actually focuses it more.

Hope this made some sense... Here is an example (it is my husbands photo)
http://flickr.com/photos/ofeverything/97409820/in/set-72157604235185396/

[vivienne]

wow. i love all these ideas for photoshop-free textures and alterations. i'm especially excited to try out the vingetting. thanks for sharing that one natala.

i do have photoshop and am loving it. i did as heathers comment suggested and got some actions. i bought some and found others that could be downloaded for free. that helped big time! now that i've used them for a while, i try doing the same thing without the action and it makes a lot more sense now!

but i've found that i crave to get pictures that i don't need to photoshop. there is so much that can be done before you even get the image onto the computer! i also find that a lot of the images that i have great success with are ones that i wouldn't have initially thought to much of but photoshop helps me look at them in a different light.

also, i'm a big fan of vintage and toy cameras. have ya'll tried 'ttv' a.k.a. 'through the viewfinder'? i adore it and although you can now do this in photoshop, i refuse to fake it, cause there is nothing like the feeling of shooting the original. here's an example:

http://www.flickr.com/photos/missvivienne/1573693934/in/set-72157602427227293/

and an explanation of TTV in case you haven't heard of it before:

http://www.russmorris.com/ttv/

[camerashymomma]

bless your heart!! about a month ago, i borrowed photoshop elements from a friend of mine cause i wanted to start shooting in the RAW format and trying new things.. and boy did i feel dumb. the learning curve was just too steep for me. my jaw clenched, my eyes blurred, my frustrations rose. it kinda took the fun out of it for me! while i really enjoy other people's photos that have been photoshopped in a surreal way, it just wasnt' meant to be for me.

so i use iPhoto and that does me just fine. the closest i came to texturizing was shooting some shadows against a woodgrain and when i turned it black and white and sharpened the image, the texture of the wood really came out.
http://www.flickr.com/photos/camerashymomma/2274863981/

i love your ingenuity! panty hose over the lens! that's so freaking creative! you, go sister!! i'm gonna have to give that a whirl. and i must say, it's refreshing to hear your posts (from one stubborn non-techie (?) to another) you make me feel less alone in my rebelllion against photoshop!

[kirida]

I can't live without photoshop. I have CS3 and the actions alone have made my life worth it.

[brittany]

since i've gotten my new camera, I've had a large desire to use photoshop. kinda ironic because before i was such a "purist" and would get annoyed at people who couldn't take a photo and make it look good with out editing. Yet, I've moved on and realized you can enhance a decent photo and make it look really good, or for another use.

if you're really up for learning photoshop, here's my advice.
1. Set a limit of time you're going to look at it a day, because once you get frustrated you can walk away. My goal is to try and learn something new, or build on something I already have learned a few nights a week.

2. If you're look for an effect, google it! There's so many tutorials out there, even on blogs like this that will appear and kinda walk you through. They all aren't dummy proof, but can be a good guide. And great place to find downloads!

3. Try to think of different ways to get the same effect... there's apparently some vignette setting on photoshop (still haven't found it!) but I taught myself how to do it using a gradient

http://www.flickr.com/photos/britspit/2392366077/in/photostream/

Try not to get discouraged. I was highly frustrated at first, and still can't do much, however am learning, slowly!

On another note, by accident I once had "fog" on my lens, quite cold outside, gives a nice soft focus, even though I haven't really played around or gotten the hang of it!

http://www.flickr.com/photos/britspit/2393198240/

[chronicler]

I too wrestled with Photoshop for a long time. I had just about given up and my daughter surprised me with a new program. Aperture. It's by apple and they recently upgraded it to have a lot of the same techniques for post production as Photoshop yet is much easier to use. I am now beginning to enjoy post production. The great part is the user groups that are so willing to share info and support.

[Maya]

Sarah I am totally trying this! I love the softness!!!

I'm slowly working my way through Photoshop...girl you don't need it! Your photos are amazing!

[amy]

amazingly creative use for stockings!

[Sarah - Ji]

Thanks for your comments and tips, everyone! Just for the record,the pantyhose was Amy of Quixotic Pixel's idea. She's also got some wonderfully inspiring self-portraits in her Flickr stream: http://www.flickr.com/photos/quixoticpixels/collections/72157603702560652/

[kacey]

I love the idea of using pantyhose as a texture! While I love messing with photoshop, I used the screen in my kitchen window to "texturize" this shot. After it turned out so cool, I started using my screens for more shots.

http://www.wineonthekeyboard.com/2008/03/19/the-first-survivor/

[melissa]

AAAHHH! I'm so glad you shared this!!! I am with you sister! I too loathe the slightest idea of becoming a photoshop junkie. Having picked up photography when film was still a strong contender I find digital world to be overwhelming to me. I just want to take really great photos that need minor adjustments. Maybe someday I will dive into the photoshop world and become a user but for now I get by with PICNIK, an online photo editor. Due to batch editing needs I hope to buy lightroom soon, but even that feels a bit daunting. One step at a time I guess. I loved hearing that I am not alone in my decision to avoid photoshop as long as possible. I want to master the reading of light and click away, not stare at a computer screen trying to tweek a photo while my butt gets sore from sitting.

[W. Lotus]

I have never thought about using something as simple as tights/pantyhose as a filter. I will have to experiment with that!

[Lawyer Mama]

So many cool ideas! I've used sheer curtains as a filter, but that's about it. I'm totally going to try TTV, my window screens AND my fingers no!

[Stephanie]

What a cool idea...can't wait to try it!

[Elizabeth]

Stockings, what a great idea for a filter. I love the soft effect. I'm going to try it out. I too am a photoshop dunce. I manage to get a few things done in Picasa however.

[Julie]

okay, so i have a question.....i know CS3 has actions....are they not available for element? and do people really pay that ridiculous price for cs3?
julie
www.homeschoolblogger.com/juliestew

[Stacy]

I am a photoshop junkie, but I started out slow in using it. It does have a pretty steep learning curve.

Julie, Elements doesn't allow actions, but there are some plugins that work a bit like actions. You just don't have as much control over them. As for the price of CS3, if you can get an educational discount then it is much cheaper. That is how I got my copy. There's no way I was going to pay the full price since I am a hobbyist.

[melody]

FUN idea! I'll have to give it a go.

[Mandy]

I loved the softness in this photo, so I decided to try something after chasing fairies with my daughters yesterday. We were playing with "fairy dust" and this is what I came up with.SOOC:
http://www.flickr.com/photos/mandaroo/2403614322/in/photostream?edited=1
this one was after an edit, I softened (in picnik-which is now totally free) and added a matte
http://www.flickr.com/photos/mandaroo/2402795763/in/photostream/

[Cara]

I'm the encourager. I love photoshop, but it did not happen overnight. It started by entering little contests online, and doing little things over and over.

Slowly, I got a little better at one thing, then would learn another.

Now, I have better skills.

I shop a photo for fun a couple of times a day, and even though it's fun (and usually inappropriate) it really does help my skills. My serious work has been improved dramatically because of it.

[Mel]

I prefer Nikon Capture NX. It's so much more user friendly than Photoshop.

[Jean]

Wow, never heard of such a technique before. Will have to try it. Thanks for sharing!