Photoshop can work magic, you can turn Susan Boyle into Carmen Electra or make a Fiat Uno look like a the new Dodge Charger. (or you can turn Susan Boyle into a new Charger or a Fiat Uno into Carmen Electra  if you want)

(no, really, you can!)^{(don't though)}

 

It can also be used to improve your LCPDFR screenshots, you don't have to use Photoshop, but my tips concern my experiences in Photoshop, I'm sure GiMP, Paint.net and other image editors does a fine job too (photoshop is best though)

Pre-'shop, it's the new Pre-Crime!

I get my screenshot from videos. Every now and then I record some LCPDFR without adding commentary, it's just a plain old LCPDFR gameplay video, no camera mods used. They rarely make it to YouTube, but they produce some fine screenshots

Most recording software can take screenshots of your desktop or of VLC. Some editing software also takes screenshots of the video you're editing if you can't open the raw video in VLC (Action.exclamation-mark does this).

 

It's a lot easier for me to do it this way, I don't have to take screenshots while I'm in hot pursuit of a fleeing car or bullets are raining down around my poor cop in-game. The video captures it all and I can grab all the images I want later so I can get the right image at the right time. I'll have a look at the video once I'm done playing, take the screenshots I need and open them in photoshop.

 

At the 'shop

 

Crop and rotate

A simple crop and rotate can take this plain pursuit screenshot:

It looks like a couple of tame(but fuzzy-cute) domestic cats as they lazily waft though the kitchen in search of their bowl of food.

And make it this:

 

Far more striking and dramatic, the Chargers are leaping onto the fleeing Taxi like a hungry pack of lions on a gazelle, they're angry, growling and panting for air as they make that final, deadly leap onto the terrified animal that's soon to be dinner.

 

Image adjustments

Another valuable tool in Photoshop is the image adjustment tools, you can ask photoshop to automatically correct the colours, tones and contrast or you can do it yourself, I can't give you any "perfect" values for each setting because it varies by image, everything from ELS, textures and ENB's change the ways the game looks (thus changing how your raw screenshots look.

 

Keep the changes small, don't change the hues or adjust the colour saturation too much (it'll end up a franken-image if you do), keep it light and try and make it look as natural as you can, make changes that compliments the subject, don't alter the subject.

 

There's several different features, you can apply, photo filters(different than Photoshops other "filters") warms, cools or adds a gentle colour tone to the image, curves is a good way to brighten shadows, small saturation or vibrancy changes can help bring out the colours or make a darker, more serene image if turned down

 

It depends on how you want the image to be (using HDR is enough to revoke your photoshopping rights though, HDR kills every day.)

 

 

 

It's far from being all Photoshop can be, but it should be enough to give your screenshots the pizazz they deserve (and hopefully get you to scavenge photoshopping tutorials online).

 

Finally, don't add watermarks, I've done that on images in the past and those images are forever ruined.

Thanks Nicolai!

I just can't stop reading your topics in your voice. It makes all these jokes so much better. Thanks for sharing this, I'll have to try it. *Looks at own screenshots* Nope, can't be saved. 

thanks for helping people out with your tips and tricks and of course your jokes that makes live and funny place to be. 

Are there any good photo editing software programs for windows vista?

Great tips, Nicolai!

 

It's always disappointing when you click on a screenie and it still has the HUD and a picture of the car at a generic angle.

Ooh I'll have to give this a whirl sometime! As ineseri said, everything I read the you write, I say in your voice. lol. Even your most official things.