"Just Photoshop it"

Heard that one before?

I have.

Makes my skin crawl.

How is it that a commercial product like Photoshop became a verb?

And..... while we're at it, how in the heck is it so popular with, oh, everyone?  It's a $600 program!  Come on now, all these people can't possibly own a copy.

Anyway.....

I have a bit of proof that all these people DO NOT own Photoshop.  Wanna know what it is?

Here it is:  If they did, they'd know that you don't "Just Photoshop it"!  Using Photoshop is a skill, takes a loooong time to learn to do it well, and is very obviously used when done poorly.  Just look around, I see poorly edited images everywhere.

So, essentially, we have someone who has no idea what is involved spewing garbage about Photoshop when they obviously have no idea what they are talking about.  And..... for some reason people seem to think its fast, easy and cheap.

**insert sound of a record needle screeching across a record here***

Ok now, hold on just a second.  Fast?  Umm.... no.  Loading images into Photoshop is not fast.  Editing them correctly is anything but fast.  If someone claims they can fix anything in Photoshop in five minutes or less, send them to me, I want to hire them.  Some things can be done quickly, but, stains on clothing, bruises, facial blemishes, ehh, not so much all the time.

Easy.....  If Photoshop were so easy to use, why do lists of books like this exist?  (courtesy of Amazon.com)

So, if it's sooooo easy, why are there soooo many books out there to teach us all how to use it?

Cheap....  Well, we know it's a $600 program, anything but cheap in my eyes.  But, the really expensive part is the time needed.  I have used Photoshop for, hmm, almost twenty years?  Yet, when I need to do some serious editing on a photo, it takes me TIME to do it.  I can't "Just Photoshop it." and get good or even usable results.

Disclaimer:  When I say "good" or "usable" results, I mean Photoshop editing that is transparent, meaning:  you can't tell anything was done.  Anyone with five minutes and Photoshop can scribble or filter their way into something "edited", doesn't make it good or usable.

That brings me to an interesting point.  Transparency.  No, not the plastic sheets they put into projectors in high school.  I mean good Photoshop Editing.  The ability to make something appear that no editing was done under scrutiny.  Yep, I actually look for Photoshop editing.  Well, its sort of my job.  From time to time I judge print competitions for Professional Photographers through organizations like Florida Professional Photographers (FPP).  One thing we look for is evidence of Photoshop or image manipulation.  Sometimes its VERY easy to see.  That hurts the score for that image.

Ok so.... "Photoshopping" (I hate that term by the way) is not FAST, EASY, or CHEAP.  Then why do people keep saying "Just Photoshop it."?

In most cases its because they see the finished product and not the actual work done.  Also, the teenage kid next door or your cousin who uses Photoshop probably won't admit that they spend ten times as much time working on that image as they told you they did.

So.... what's the moral of the story?

Simple.... Good Photography skills.  Get it right in the camera, lots less editing in Photoshop later.

-B