What is a Raw file? RAW is simply a file type, like a JPEG. But, where a JPEG photo is considered a photograph, a RAW is a digital negative, an image that hasn t been processed or adjusted by software in the slightest (at least not at first). When a JPEG photo is taken, the camera automatically makes a few adjustments, like applying sharpening and contrast to the image. As a digital negative, RAW files don t receive those automatic adjustments, leaving all the processing up to the photographer. Additionally, Raw files can be used to recover details in the shadows and highlights that would otherwise have been lost if captured as JPEG. Some manufacturers have different names for their RAW files. Nikon RAW files are.nef. Canon uses.crw or.cr2. Sony uses.arw,.srf or.sr2. While the extension name isn t really that important when it comes to image quality, it s worth noting not all image editors can handle every RAW file. If you have an older version of Photoshop and a newer camera, for example, chances are you can t open the RAW files without converting them first to DNG first, Adobe s own Raw file. We can do this through Bridge or through a free app called Adobe DNG Converter. RAW files are essentially the digital negative. They allow a photographer more control over the image even after it s been taken, much like working in a darkroom allows more control over the shot versus dropping a roll of film off at the store to be developed. For those shots that really matter, that will make it up on the wall or within a publication, shooting in RAW helps to get them just right. How a RAW file differs from a JPEG
What is Adobe Camera Raw? Adobe Camera Raw lets you import, enhance, and process Raw image files. It has been a must-have tool for professional photographers and avid enthusiasts since it was first released in 2003. Adobe Lightroom is built upon the same powerful raw image processing technology that powers Adobe Camera Raw and can be used as an alternative depending on personal preference. We Adobe Camera Raw to get the most out our images before taking them into Photoshop. The Adobe Camera RAW interface Starting by Adjusting White Balance White balance (WB) is the process of removing unrealistic colour casts, so that objects which appear white in person are rendered white in your photo. Proper camera white balance has to take into account the "colour temperature" of a light source, which refers to the relative warmth or coolness of white light. To adjust the white balance, identify which objects in the image you want to be neutral-colored (50% neutral gray), and then adjust the colors to make those objects neutral. A gray object in a scene takes on the color cast by the ambient light or flash used to shoot the picture. When you use the White Balance tool to specify an object that you want white or gray, Camera Raw can determine the color of the light in which the scene was shot and then adjust for scene lighting automatically. You can also use the drop down menu to select an automated adjustment.
Examine the Histogram Exposure adjustments are simple with a RAW file. Use the histogram on the top right to guide your choices - pay close attention to the extreme right and extreme left to ensure that your tones are not clipping. The Exposure slider will adjust the image s overall exposure. Contrast will boost overall image contrast in both the shadows and highlights at the same time. The Highlights slider will help recover some of the details lost in highlights. The Shadows slider will help lift some of the shadows. Whites looks specifically at the overall bright tones in the image, and as the name implies Blacks looks at the overall dark tones in the image. If you re are unsure, play with the sliders a bit and see how those changes affect the image. You can undo them simply by returning the slider to its original position or by double clicking on the slider. Other Basic Adjustments Clarity adds midtone contrast to your image, making it look sharper, even though it doesn t actually add sharpening. Adds visual dynamic to image. Vibrance changes the saturation of all lower-saturated colors with less effect on the highersaturated colors. Vibrance also prevents skin tones from becoming oversaturated. Saturation adjusts the saturation of all image colors equally. Using the Tone Curve After using the Basic tab, the next step is to make a more refined adjustment using the Tone Curve tab. This can be achieved very simply by moving the Parametric sliders that control the curve. Please see Lesson 4 toolkit notes for further information about types tonal curves and their appearance.
HSL / Greyscale You can use the controls in the HSL / Grayscale tab to adjust individual colour ranges. This is an easy way of immediately making an image more visually interesting. It can also be used to decrease the saturation of a distraction, colourful element in the background. Hue: Changes the color. For example, you can the colour of emerald green grass to a more yellow green. Saturation: Changes the intensity of a colour. Great if you want to make a sky appear to be more blue. Luminance: Changes the brightness of the color range. Grayscale Mix: Use controls in this tab to specify the contribution of each color range to the grayscale version of the image.