LocalNavy433 Photography

Hello all thank you for stopping by and if this is your first time here how the hell are you?  This blog is going to be about computers for photography.  The one tool that is mostly overlooked when you first get started in photography.  Heck I even overlooked it and I have two degrees in IT.  You would think that I personally would not have overlooked this aspect in photography.  The main reason that I overlooked this was because when I started I was using my phone for all the editing that I was doing.  I have seen many newer photographers doing the same thing.  

Now I must stress that this is not a bad thing and you can totally do this  with a cellphone in today’s world.  I say that because of the modern cellphone is just a mini computer which can handle all the editing needs of a beginner in photography.  You see the issue comes into play when you realize that you can do so much more to a photo using Lightroom classic and photoshop.  The main issue with editing with a phone is the ability to use layers when editing.  The layers allow you to build up the image and see where and what you are doing to that image with much more ease.  

I found when I was I using Snapseed on my phone that I was able to use layers on a smaller level which was cool and it allowed my images to really look good.  There is nothing wrong with using this type of app for editing on a phone and you can create some great images using this software and it was free so that was cool.  When editing this way you will also learn that you need to see more of the image while editing so a bigger screen is needed to edit the images.  The power of the phones is great but it still lacks in the power that you will get from a laptop/desktop.  The next step in editing will be to get an iPad and start editing on that.  We solved the problem of not being able to see the full image but since the iPad is just a larger iPhone you run into the same issue of the lack of power for truly being able to edit an image to its fullest potential.  

The lack of real editing apps on the iPad and the iPhone is what will hold you back if you want to really get into editing on a laptop/desktop.  There is an app that you will be able to use and it is just as good as its laptop/desktop counter part.  Affinity photo is able to be used on the iPad and the laptop/desktop so you have all the same functions in both apps.  Then the issue becomes file management in the iPad is lacking compared to using a laptop/desktop.  You see you need to be able to get to your files really fast and that is just not going to be as smooth on an iPad vs a laptop/desktop.  

Now that we see the need for a laptop/desktop you then have to decide which system you want to use.  Do you stay with Apple or do you go with Windows.  That is a question that is personal to each end user and I cannot tell you which you need to use.  I personally have used both and I will be fine with using either system because I am a GEEK.  I love both of them for different aspects they offer me.  Right now I am using a MacBook Air that I love and will not replace it for a long time.  Before that I was a strong supporter of Windows. The one feature that kept me using the Windows computer was the snap feature that is in it and the file management system in my opinion is better for photo editing.  

Being able to find the files faster in a Windows machine is something that I miss all the time.  The only reason that I went with Apple is the pure power of the M1 chipset that it has now.  The fact is this laptop that I am using the fastest one that I have ever used.  The main reason that you need a laptop or desktop for editing the images is the power that you have to have when editing an image.  The computer is the most overlooked tool that you need as a photographer and it is also the second most important tool that you need besides the camera.  The camera makes the images happen but you need a good tool to edit that image after you take it.  

Let’s look at it from the point of view of tools and why you need them.  The main tool of a photographer is the camera without it you will not be able to get the image at all.  Now why is the computer so important if you have a cellphone you ask.  This is as simply of the quality of the images at the end of the day.  Yes you most certainly use a phone to edit your images and they will look just fine for the online community.  Nothing wrong with using that for your editing needs.  Once you get into editing your images you will soon see that you need more features than what Lightroom mobile will offer you.  

I know plenty of photographers who are pro that still only use an iPad for his or her workflow for editing their images.  Again nothing wrong with that because the apps that they use are the same as what you can get for a laptop or desktop.  The only downside to that is the learning curve that comes with using Affinity photo on the iPad to edit your images.  With all that being said the only thing that is going to hold you back from editing your images is that learning curve for all the apps that you are going to need for editing your images.  The laptop or desktop gives you access to the pro level editing tools that are out there for us photographers.  

I use Capture One 21, Luminar 4, and Affinity photo for all my editing needs.  Now there was and will always be a huge learning curve.  You see I was wanting to make the move to using those three apps for my editing for the last year.  I love using Lightroom but I always hated renting the software and if I could not afford rent for that month I was out of being able to edit my images.  I wanted to have the software that I wanted and have access to it all the time not only when I have the money.  So I went down the road of paying for my software one time and now I have access to it all the time.  

This is where using a computer is key to your photography.  The laptop/desktop is the one tool that you need just as much as your camera.  You need the tool to be able to edit the images the way that you want and have learned.  The laptops/desktops are something that is going to cost you just as much as your camera so do your research on which tool you are going to need and what fits your needs.  I choose to use a laptop because I love the mobility of them.  If I want to take my laptop with me I will have it to edit my videos and photos.  The phone is able to do this but it is actually harder for people like me that like using a laptop to edit them. You have people like my wife who can edit a video better than I can and she uses her phone for all that.  The tools you use for your craft are the ones that make you or break you.  

Remember that you are only as good as the tools that you use to create your art.  The main reason for using a computer vs a phone is the level of the end product.  If I was only posting on line then a phone is just fine but if you ever get a client that wants to blow that image up to 4ft by 12ft you are going to need that laptop/desktop to edit that image to be blown up.  Have fun and let me know in the comments which device you are using to edit your images and why.