How to be creative with your JPEG images

There are many arguments about whether you should shoot RAW or jpeg and why.

Providing that you understand your camera and its limitations when taking pictures under different shooting conditions, then shooting in JPEG can be just as advantagous and rewarding as shooting in RAW. The key thing to rememeber is that RAW files contain more data and are post-processed. Jpeg files contain less data and are processed at the time of shooting by your cameras processer along with any settings that you may have applied.

So, for me, we do not post-process JPEG files, we simply enhance them when using post-processing and photo editing software.

Here is a working example.

I took this shot in my local village, it’s an out of the camera JPEG. Shot on my Lumix GX8 and shot with an exposureof f8 and 1/100s, auto white balance,picture mode landscape and matrix metered.

Considering that this was a high contrast scene, I think the camera has gien me a well exposed image with no blown out sky and detail in the shadows.

However, If I am going to edit an image, RAW or JPEG I do like to run it through DxO Photolab 2.

I do this as DxO applies a number of default corrections that are based on their extensive tesking of camera and lens combinations, correcting any flaws and applying just the right amount of correction automatically to improve your files. (images).

Here is a  before and after of the JPEG with DxO’s default correctons applied. Note, DxO analysis each and every image and determines what corrections are necessary and how much correction to apply.

As you can see the corrections are subtle, once applied you can then make further adjustments to suite your on particluar stle of photography.

As I have done below, using DxO’s local adjustment tools.

The differences are subtle here and I have applied adjustments to the sky, grass and brick wall top left of the image.

I wanted to push this image even further, apply some effects and get the final image I saw in my mind.

To do this, I used DxO’s NIk Collection 2018.

I like the final look of this image, I used 3 filters combined

1. Film Efex: Faded
2.  Image borders
3.  Photo stylizer

Here is a before and after for comaprison.

The only limitation is in your mind!

Please follow and like us: