Viewfinder Image vs Post Image Editing?

[theantiquetiger]

This question is for all you well seasoned and professional photographers...

Other than adding effects to an image, how much software editing do you do to an image? Do you try and get the majority of what you want to capture in the intial shot or do you have plans in your head as what you are going to do in the editing stage?

Is it 90-10 viewfinder image vs post editing

Or 50-50

Or even more post editing vs initial image

I am guessing at my point of a beginner, I need to concentrate on the viewfinder (comp, DOF, etc)

[Iguanasan]

There are certain things that you just cannot fix in post. Focus, for instance, until the Lytro camera is reality, has to be nailed in camera. You can't really fix a focus problem later.

Other things are more fluid. You should strive to get as much right in camera as possible, however, I'm not above tweaking in post later. I shoot RAW so I have to do a bit of work on it but 90% of the time it's white balance, colour levels, a bit of dodge and burn and unsharp mask. I try to avoid anything more than that as I suck at post processing

[Mad Aussie]

Digital cameras have limitations, there's almost always a way to improve a photo in post if you want and have the skills.
Having said that I always chase the best the shot I can in camera because it's more professional to do so I feel, and it lessens post processing time and effort, and not everything can be fixed with post processing.
I can't really put a ratio on it as photos and conditions vary so much.