Program puzzler
Thank you for the excellent articles on technique. I particularly valued the piece on focus stacking (AP, 26 May) and have used it with some success. I have read AP since the ’60’s – usually after my Dad had finished with it. It would often come to me with some articles torn out which he would keep in our loft darkroom for future reference. I am obliged to buy my own copy now and find myself doing the same, keeping a file of articles next to the computer, which thankfully is not in the loft! While the underlying principles of managing images in the darkroom and the computer are similar, I find the latter infinitely more powerful, complex and sometimes overwhelming. Having been nurtured on log tables, and at a time when calculators were an amazing innovation, the technology of today does not always come naturally. So, I’d appreciate more insights and ‘tricks of the trade’ when handling images electronically. For example, enhancing images, moving them between programs, and knowing what software to use and when. Also, does Lightroom do all that I’m likely to need or would Bridge, Spark, Behance, Portfolio, Photoshop, etc. be of value? I would hand on my APs to my own offspring, but they are of course, much more IT savvy than your correspondent. Bill Tamkin
Thanks for supporting AP for so long, Bill. To make a recommendation, we’d really need to know how you shoot. Do you shoot in raw, for example, in which case Lightroom or Photoshop will give you plenty of tools you are likely to need. If you prefer black & white, meanwhile, you might be able to get away with Silver Efex Pro, which you get for free from nikcollection.dxo. com. The Nik Collection also offers a brace of other free editing software. Do get back in touch with more details – Geoff Harris, deputy editor