Young Swan

[Benjy]

[Nicks Pics]

Hi Benjy

This one has a lot of nice detail in the feathers in this swan close-up. What photo editor do you use? In lightroom I think there would be a few adjustments you could make to enhance this shot, maybe raise the exposure a little, and reduce color noise.

[Benjy]

Nick,I use Gimp very limited skillsgave your suggestion a try what are your thoughts...

[Nicks Pics]

Hi Benjy
It looks maybe a little darker to me now, but how you like it is really up to you of course. I use Gimp too. It is cheaper than photoshop, still has way more than I know how to use, and is free! But if you are wanting to make simple edits to your images, in my opinion you would really do better with a RAW converter-type program, which is what lightroom is, (even if you don't shoot RAW). The way I see them differently is that a RAW converter is simpler, and uses terminology related photographs, (as well as some others). For instance, if you thought your photo turned out too dark, you move the slider called "exposure" up and the program brightens the image in a way similar to how it would look if it had been taken at a brighter exposure. Gimp is a photoshop type program, more of a photo and general digital photo/graphic program,I think, and doesn't have a function that is supposed to directly equate to brightening the exposure of a photograph, so I think it is harder to do something simple like that with it. So for making simple photographic adjustments I find it easiest to use a RAW converter, and I use Gimp for more advanced editing, like combining images. Lightroom is not free, but there may be free programs like it, but very likely your camera came with an RAW editor on a disc when you bought it.

[Andrew1]

Also check your camera's manufacturer website for a free raw converter. Eg: Nikon ViewNX2, Canon RAW Codec. It won't have all the bells and whistles of a commercial package but it will give you a start until you get up to speed on GIMP.

[Shadowman]

Nice shot.

[Ziggy]

Hi Benjy

This one has a lot of nice detail in the feathers in this swan close-up. What photo editor do you use? In lightroom I think there would be a few adjustments you could make to enhance this shot, maybe raise the exposure a little, and reduce color noise.

I think it's a nice capture Benjy but I agree with Nick about the exposure. One problem you will have is as you increase the exposure the color noise will increase.

Sometimes I use this free product as a last step to smooth out the background. Easy to use and does a good job.

http://noiseware-community-edition.en.softonic.com/

Jim