The Complete Raw Workflow Guide

The Complete Raw Workflow Guide

by Philip Andrews
Released November 2012
Publisher(s): Routledge
ISBN: 9781136101977

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Book description

One of the most important technologies a photographer can master is shooting and working with raw images. However, figuring out the best way to work with raw files can be confusing and overwhelming. What's the advantage to working in raw? How do you manage, organize, and store raw files? What's the best way to process your files to meet your photographic needs? How do Photoshop, Lightroom and Adobe Camera Raw work together? Is it possible to keep your photos in the raw format and still enhance them extensively? Philip Andrews answers these questions and more in his all-new essential raw workflow guide.

Whether you are a beginner just starting to explore the intricacies of shooting raw, or a seasoned pro looking for a better workflow, this book provides all of the information you need to know to create stunning images from your raw files. As well as covering the most popular raw software packages such as Adobe Camera Raw and Lightroom, it provides general information that you will find useful no matter which software you prefer. Clear, precise step-by-step instructions will help you get from start to finish with essential tips and tricks along the way. Packed with inspirational images and clearly marked screenshots pointing out the exact information you need, you'll be on your way to creating a better, faster, and more efficient raw workflow in no time.

Table of contents

  1. Cover
  2. Title
  3. Copyright
  4. Dedication
  5. Contents
  6. Preface
  7. Author’s acknowledgements
  8. Picture credits
  9. 1. Raw School 101
    1. What is raw?
    2. An extra processing step
    3. Behold the new negative
    4. Why bother with raw? Why not just stick to JPEG?
    5. When only the best will do!
    6. Making the switch
    7. Proprietary and open raw file formats
  10. 2. Establishing a Raw Workflow
    1. Establishing a workflow that works for you
      1. The ‘Convert then Edit’ approach
      2. Very nice thank you!
      3. Example photographer ‘A’ – the portrait photographer
      4. The downside of the ‘Convert then Edit’ approach
    2. Full raw workflow options
      1. Example ‘B’ – the wildlife photographer
    3. Hybrid approaches
      1. Example ‘C’ – the editorial photographer
    4. Building workflows upon a firm foundation
    5. Ensuring color consistency between devices
      1. Color management, image quality and workflows
      2. Setting up a color-managed workflow
      3. Power processing
  11. 3. Shooting in Raw Mode
    1. Getting set to shoot in the raw
      1. Changing your workflow to accommodate
      2. Implications for capture variables or camera parameters
    2. Shooting tethered
      1. Raw versus non-raw capture workflow
    3. Other considerations when capturing raw
  12. 4. Downloading Raw Files
    1. Camera to computer
    2. Card reader to computer
    3. Fast cards means fast downloads
    4. Operating system-based downloads
      1. The Microsoft Raw Image Thumbnailer and Viewer for Windows XP
      2. Raw-enabling Windows Vista
      3. Raw support in Macintosh
    5. Camera-specific download
      1. Nikon’s download manager
    6. Software-specific download
      1. The Adobe Photo Downloader (APD)
      2. Transfers with APD and Photoshop Elements
      3. Speed up your Elements workflow with these APD special options
      4. Transfers with APD and Bridge (Photoshop CS3)
      5. Customizing transfers in Bridge 2.0
    7. Earlier versions of Photoshop and Bridge
    8. Renaming options in APD
    9. Adobe Photoshop Lightroom
    10. Shooting tethered – capture and download in one step
  13. 5. Camera-based Converters
    1. Different levels of support – the Nikon system
      1. Basic features
      2. More sophisticated control
      3. A hybrid approach
  14. 6. Processing with Photoshop Elements
    1. The Organizer workspace (PhotoBrowser) – the starting point
    2. Anatomy of the Camera Raw dialog
    3. The preview space
    4. Image adjustment controls
      1. Histogram
      2. The Basic tab
      3. Image Settings menu
      4. White balance correction
    5. Making tonal adjustments
      1. Exposure
      2. Blacks (Shadows)
      3. Brightness and Contrast
      4. Recovery
      5. Fill Light
      6. Clarity
      7. Vibrance
      8. Saturation
      9. Auto tonal control
    6. Sharpening, Luminance Smoothing and Color Noise Reduction
      1. Sharpening
      2. Noise Reduction
    7. Raw file queue
      1. Synchronizing enhancements across multiple files
    8. Toolbar
    9. Output options
  15. 7. ACR, Photoshop and Bridge
    1. Photoshop-less Raw processing
    2. All roads lead to Adobe Camera Raw (ACR)
    3. Photoshop’s own version of Adobe Camera Raw
      1. The preview area
      2. Histogram
      3. Toolbar
      4. Tabbed control panes
      5. ACR output options
      6. Queueing files for processing
  16. 8. Photoshop Lightroom
    1. What is Photoshop Lightroom?
    2. Enough talk, let’s get to it!
    3. The workflow modules
      1. Library
      2. Develop
      3. Slideshow module
      4. Print module
      5. Web module
  17. 9. Beyond Acr Basics
    1. Curves provide advanced tonal control
    2. Color fine-tuning with the Calibrate feature
    3. Applying raw conversion settings without opening files
      1. One step further…
    4. Correcting color fringes and vignetting
  18. 10. Lossless Image Enhancement Comes of Age
    1. But how does it work?
    2. Smart workflows
    3. What happens when I want to print or create a slideshow?
    4. State of play
  19. 11. Editing Raw Files in Photoshop
    1. All roads lead to Photoshop
    2. Creating raw Smart Objects from inside Photoshop CS3
    3. Embedding raw files in Photoshop CS2
    4. Making changes to an embedded raw file
    5. But you can’t edit a Smart Object. Not true!
      1. Tonal and color changes via the raw file
      2. Convert to gray
      3. New grayscale conversion options in CS3
      4. Grayscale conversions whilst converting
      5. Adding texture
      6. Texture without Smart Filters
      7. Non-destructive dodging and burning
      8. Reintroducing some color
    6. When you have no choice but to rasterize
    7. Photoshop functions for multiple images
    8. Options for screen output
      1. Instant slideshows
      2. Portable slideshows
    9. Exporting to other file formats
      1. Automated conversions using the Image Processor
    10. Printing from raw files
    11. Producing a contact sheet
    12. Picture Package
    13. Printing individual photos without conversion
  20. 12. Creative Raw
    1. Lith printing
    2. Image restoration
      1. Web template heaven
      2. Extending Lightroom’s power
      3. The Lightroom and DxO Optics workflow
    3. Advanced noise reduction
  21. 13. Organizing Raw Assets
    1. It starts in-camera
    2. And continues when downloading
    3. Organizing and searching software
    4. Grouping and keyword strategies
    5. Now we can search
  22. 14. Protecting Raw Files
    1. Decide what to back up
    2. Making your first backup
    3. Back up regularly
    4. Store the duplicates securely
    5. Which format should I use for backups?
    6. Backup hardware options
    7. Versioning your edits – ‘on-the-fly’ backups
      1. Save me from myself
      2. Versions and Photoshop Elements
      3. Photoshop CS3/CS2 and versioning
    8. Lightroom and virtual copies
      1. Last appeal
  23. Index

Product information

  • Title: The Complete Raw Workflow Guide
  • Author(s): Philip Andrews
  • Release date: November 2012
  • Publisher(s): Routledge
  • ISBN: 9781136101977