DPChallenge: A Digital Photography Contest You are not logged in. (log in or register) 
 

DPChallenge Forums >> Tips, Tricks, and Q&A >> Commercial Filters n Advanced Editing?
Pages:  
Showing posts 1 - 14 of 14, (reverse)
AuthorThread
 05/28/2006 09:10:38 AM · #1
For my future reference (and others as well, if interested), are commercially available filters legal in advanced editing? Specifically, optikVerve Virtual Photographer & nik Color Efex.

I ask because its hard to tell if they do things legally. If you download actions, you can at least look at the step-by-step to see if all of the steps are legal, but the filters just seem to "do their thing".
 05/28/2006 10:04:02 AM · #2
Never seem a real answer to this one, but I figure if I can perform the same steps in post-p to reproduce the same results that a filter in VP does in 1/64th of the time, than I use it (in advanced challenges).

I have gone through and tried to reproduce most of the cool filters in VP and they can be reproduced with Levels and Curves, Color and Saturation and Gaussian Blur layers.
 05/28/2006 03:04:29 PM · #3
Thanks Andy.

Does anyone have the "real answer", as Andy said? Site Council?
 05/28/2006 04:59:01 PM · #4
Originally posted by Advanced Rules:

Filters: At your discretion, you may apply filters to your photo, in whole or part. (Be aware that extensively altering the "look" of your photograph with an "effects" filter is often not well received by voters.)


So, it seems that almost any filter is legal as long as it doesn't add a major element.
 05/28/2006 05:01:06 PM · #5
In general it's not the tool that is illegal but how it is applied that could make the adjustment illegal.
 05/28/2006 05:28:12 PM · #6
Sorry to hijack this one but is perspective cropping considered legal in basic or advanced? I have not submitted an entry because of the need to perspective crop but this thread reminded me to ask the question. :-)

Carl

PS what about commercial actions - are they permitted? The rules are very vague on this...
 05/28/2006 05:29:59 PM · #7
For perspective cropping, if I remember correctly, no for basic, yes for advanced.

As far as actions, it depends on what is included in the action. If the action does something that is illegal based on the rules then the action will be illegal.
 05/28/2006 05:30:32 PM · #8
Originally posted by obsidian:
Sorry to hijack this one but is perspective cropping considered legal in basic or advanced? I have not submitted an entry because of the need to perspective crop but this thread reminded me to ask the question. :-)


I understand that perspective is allowed in advanced editting if use for corrective purposes. In basic editing it's a no-no.
 05/28/2006 05:33:15 PM · #9
Originally posted by cpanaioti:
In general it's not the tool that is illegal but how it is applied that could make the adjustment illegal.


That is what one member of SC told me when I asked if Virtual Photographer filters were allowed. It still didn't answer my question!
 05/28/2006 05:39:10 PM · #10
Originally posted by KarenNfld:
Originally posted by cpanaioti:
In general it's not the tool that is illegal but how it is applied that could make the adjustment illegal.


That is what one member of SC told me when I asked if Virtual Photographer filters were allowed. It still didn't answer my question!


Sometimes there are no easy answers.

About perspective correction, fotomann is correct, it's legal in advanced if used for corrective purposes.
 05/28/2006 07:23:00 PM · #11
So basically, what we should do if we want to use a commercial filter is send the original and the filtered photo to site council and let them say "yea" or "nay"?

For example:

This is legal. Just some standard Photoshop adjustments:


Is this? I have applied the nik Color Efex Graduated 32h (Orange) filter and adjusted it's settings:


Message edited by author 2006-05-28 19:26:17.
 05/28/2006 07:36:30 PM · #12
Basically the way I look at it is does the filter add/remove/distort the amount of image data that I would feel comfortable adding/removing/distorting using tools like the clone stamp or healing brush? If the answer is no then I don't use the filter. I think filters should only be used in the challenges to enhance an effect already present in the original photograph not introduce something new. For example, it would be fine in my book if someone used a motion blur to enhance a motion blur that was already captured in-camera.
05/29/2006 04:07:21 AM · #13
Originally posted by fotomann_forever:
Originally posted by obsidian:
Sorry to hijack this one but is perspective cropping considered legal in basic or advanced? I have not submitted an entry because of the need to perspective crop but this thread reminded me to ask the question. :-)


I understand that perspective is allowed in advanced editing if use for corrective purposes. In basic editing it's a no-no.

Thanks for the clarification, folks. I am now sitting here a feeling a little stupid as I had a great shot for architecture that I thought was not legal.

Live and learn!
 05/29/2006 04:16:55 AM · #14
Originally posted by fotomann_forever:

I understand that perspective is allowed in advanced editing if use for corrective purposes. In basic editing it's a no-no.

Thanks for the clarification, folks. I am now sitting here a feeling a little stupid as I had a great shot for architecture that I thought was not legal.

Live and learn!
Pages:  
Current Server Time: 09/06/2025 09:19:56 AM

Please log in or register to post to the forums.


Home - Challenges - Community - League - Photos - Cameras - Lenses - Learn - Help - Terms of Use - Privacy - Top ^
DPChallenge, and website content and design, Copyright © 2001-2025 Challenging Technologies, LLC.
All digital photo copyrights belong to the photographers and may not be used without permission.
Current Server Time: 09/06/2025 09:19:56 AM EDT.