Correction of underexposure in desktop software does not seem to survive the upload process to iNat

[fiwfyfiw]

I am experimenting with flash and still getting some quite underexposed images. I have found a quick way to corrrect in OM Workspace using the histogram / tone curve but when I upload the improved image the it remains as the original i.e. quite dark.

Is this a feature to protect uploaded data from artificial enhancement or over editing?
Can anyone explain how I can salvage such images?
Are IDers happy to use the exposure adjustment function when reviewing images?

any tips gratefully recieved

thanks
Phil M
Nottingham UK

[barnabywalters]

I don’t have any experience with OM Workspace but it sounds like it’s doing non-destructive editing, where rather than saving the changed pixel data in the file itself, it saves a list of operations you’ve applied to the image in some metadata location.

Are you working with RAW files or JPEGs? Are you dragging the image out of the program into the iNat upload interface, or exporting it beforehand? I’d look around in the software for an option to make the changes permanent, or export the changed file.

[vbjanos]

It looks like you are uploading the original image and not the edited one. My only tip is to “Save as” instead of “Save” so you know where the updated photo is placed.

My hands are not that steady. In low light I use higher shutter speed for freehand to prevent blur. I can add light later.

I always review my photos before uploading. I often crop and when needed, adjust exposure, contrast and shadow.

[dhasdf]

To export, select one or more edited photos and press the export button:

(or File > Export)

[fiwfyfiw]

Thanks for this - I began to suspect you are right but wasn;t sure how to start thinking about this so thanks for giving me hints on where to look.

I’m using JPEG. I normally use “export” to move files once edited but sometime do drag files into hardrive folders so maybe thats an issue as dhasdf says. I then drag and drop into iNat from the hardrive location. Things like cropping are always saved but recently i’ve been using the tone curve to improve exposure as its quick and the result seem more controlled than other methods. That’s when I noticed that the original dark files only were apearing.

but its clear as you say that some editing actions are somehow stripped off in the upload process so I will look at the documentation for OM Workspace and start from there.

thanks all!

[fiwfyfiw]

I think I understand my mistakes - in OM Workspace you can make changes but then toggle them on and off with the relevant checkbox.

I assume that occasionally I have accidentaly unchecked or not ensured it was checked.

Thanks for your patience with the silly mistake!

(in my own defense I don;t think this is clear in the OMW help on this topic)

bw

Phil