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Digital Photography—Optimize
Using Camera Raw Format and/or Filter Winter Quarter 2020,
Kalamazoo College Richard Koenig,
Professor Advanced Optimization Using Camera Raw Format Raw Files, Generally Speaking When one
shoots in the raw format, all of the
capture data is saved—no processing happens at the time of shooting, as happens
in the JPEG mode—where data is compressed and/or lost. The file,
in terms of pixels, is no larger, but it’s deeper. All color data is saved, for
example. The range found in the highlights and shadows is preserved. As a
result, one gets so much more control over optimization that you most likely
will never shoot in JPEG format ever again (if you have the choice). But there
are small drawbacks to using this mode—the files take more room to store,
workflow is more complicated, and one will not be able to open files as readily… Camera
manufacturers use proprietary formats that limit access—but for us, having the
latest Creative Cloud software, this is no problem. But due to this, one must
make edits to the file—so that it can be saved, viewed, and printed But even
if you shot JPG format, you can edit using the Camera Raw Filter Introduction to Camera Raw and Camera Raw Filter (even JPG shooters) The major dialog box described below is
necessary for those shooting in raw, and available to those shooting in JPG
format. It will open automatically when one opens a raw file in Photoshop; if
you shot in raw, find under… Menu Bar,
Filter, Camera Raw Filter After that things are mostly the same for
both, though raw shooters have a few more choices along the way. So, let’s go—open an image in Photoshop, then
go to menu bar, filter, camera raw filter… Palettes
(look to right-hand side, near the top of the dialog box) Basic White
Balance As
Shot—how you had your camera set Auto—will
adjust based on image information Custom—use
Temperature and Tint sliders Exposure/Contrast \ These three will be Highlights/Shadows => used
in conjunction Whites/Blacks / with one
another Clarity—similar
to contrast, but works only on mid-tones Vibrancy—similar
to saturation, but works on low-saturated colors Saturation—raises
or lowers color saturation across all three channels Lens Correction If possible, enable the two lens correction
check boxes—but Photoshop has to have your lens “on file” as it were (this
available for raw file shooters only) Vignette slider is also located on this
palette Toolbox (look to upper left) Zoom Tool—click or draw a box to enlarge Hand Tool—to move around while enlarged But one can simply use space bar
while using any tool Command Zero—to get back to full view White Balance Tool—can be used if you
know that you have a true neutral tone Color Sampler Tool—gives color information on any pixel Targeted Adjustment Tool—can lower or raise exposure in a
given area Areas of
dark or light have to be distinct, however Skip Crop for now—I do that in Photoshop Straighten Tool—one would use this in conjunction with
cropping, so wait on that too Adjustment Brush—the smarter way to dodge
and burn Lower exposure to - .3 to burn Click “new” again Raise exposure to + .3 to dodge Graduated Filter—a fantastic way to “burn”
in your sky File
Management After making these adjustments to a raw file, hit “OK”
(JPGs) or “Open” (Raw) I do a few things in Photoshop proper at
this stage… Crop Retouch (especially the dust on my sensor) Maybe vignette a bit (35) Size for end-use When done, use the “save as” command… Use the TIFF format when printing |