I definitely still process every image - for me, it's a key element of the process. I shoot RAW files in my DSLR instead of JPG - RAW files look flat when you put them on the computer, but like a film negative was, now the RAW file contains much more information - it only requires processing to make it look good.
JPGs are the result of the camera (or phone) doing the processing for you, which is why they look more vibrant right away, but don't let you change much afterwards because they're compressed to reduce the filesize - they have less information stored in them, so you can't recover blown out highlights or turn up the exposure in the shadows.
Sorry for the technical digression...! I edit my photos in Adobe Lightroom (and sometimes Photoshop, but mostly Lightroom).
Don't worry about mastering anything - if you're lucky you'll never think you've gotten quite good enough, but will always be curious and trying to get better - that's part of the fun! ;)
Honestly I don't remember what I started on first, but if I were to suggest it, I would say lighting is a great thing to begin with!
Hehe, good! Well, I hope you enjoy it! That's really the most important part. :)
Ooooh I see! I guess better if you really start processing the RAW file. But I'm assuming you can't export photos taken with a phone as a RAW file?
And yeah, I've heard that Lightroom and Photoshop are both good editors. I'll also try practicing with them with some of my photos, just to get the hang of the software. :)
Thanks for always entertaining my questions! I just really want to be a better photographer, be it with my phone or a camera. :)
Yes, RAW is better, but not something to worry about yet (you're right, most phones won't save as a RAW) - I just wanted to explain why I would need to do more processing to mine.
There may be free alternatives to LR and PS that I'm not aware of - they do have 30-day trials if you want to try them, but there are editing apps for the iPhone that will be fine for now. Sorry I don't know which are the best ones!
Desire, curiosity and a willingness to learn will get you far! :)
Awesome, I'll definitely keep in mind everything you've told me! For now I'll do my own research and try do make do with what I have and what I can. :) Thanks a lot, really, and I'm definitely looking forward to seeing more of your photographs!
I hope I can also ask you for help or for your opinion on how I can improve my photos, when the time comes! :)
Hey, best of luck and have fun! I look forward to seeing what you come up with. :)
(but no pressure! haha)