RAW ROCKS! Re-edit

kidzmom

Okay...so for the last few shoots I made the leap into RAW. As you may remember, I had some issues getting the CR2 images from my Canon to open up with Photoshop. THANKS to all the good advice I have finally figured it out! It entailed a Codec plug-in for RAW images (PSE 7.0)--pretty easy and available for download on Adobe's site. I also installed the camera software and am now officially capable of working with my RAW files. Yea!

So since I didn't have everything working with RAW befire, I was shooting in JPEG+RAW. I was using the JPEG files to share with you, but as of last night I got everything working so I can now edit the RAW files. I must say, I have seen the ULTIMATE power of RAW. I am seriously blown away by the difference...especially in the WB control. You can do everything post shoot, so if you don't have the WB correct it essentially makes up for your mistake! I LOVE IT! Since I have the 2 files side by side I can REALLY see the difference!

I had uploaded this PP'd image yesterday of my dd (JPEG). It wasn't "just right" and I was not satisfied. I decided to use the RAW file to edit it over again. The blown out spots on the forehead and hands have toned down a bit without doing anything. AMAZING.

So what do you think, is this better? It might need some color adjustment but I think I'm moving in the right direction?

Thanks a lot everyone

#1 JPEG edit
I wasn't happy with the lack of focus on the eyes and also on the red under her eyes.


#2 Raw edit (slightly more golden--as seen by the eye in the cornfields at dusk. I think my fav.)


#3 B/W

Swartzy

RAW is where it's at....this edit needs serious color correction though. It's entirely too yellow unless that's what you want. Click on "Auto" WB once then you can bring the temperature slider up a bit if it's too cool. WB is one of the big benefits of shooting RAW so don't be afraid to use it.

catspaw

congrats on making the RAW leap!

kidzmom

Yes. I did do the WB adjustments and saw a variety of difference in hue! It was amazing. I'm fully impressed with what RAW can do!

Okay, as for the color.... It WAS actually very yellow in real life We were in the cornfields at sunset. Here is another shot..I think the yellow cast is an accurate representation....

Here's another from the night.

divamum

This whole series is very, very lovely.

You get an interesting and different look again if you crop down as far as you can, losing the greener ridge of trees in the bg (and losing some on the rh side to balance up the rule of 3rds for composition)

Swartzy

Working on a color calibrated monitor is a big plus. I realize you think you saw all that yellow. Just wanted to provide a different example showing just how much color cast exists in the photo. Look at the whites..that's a key in color correction.

kidzmom

Thanks Swartzy. I did get a new monitor which I calibrated.. I guess my main "problem" is that I just prefer the first, ! I like the richness of it. The 2nd shot's colors seem "empty" to me. Perhaps I'm way off base, but I just like #1's feel better. Is this a terribly bad thing to have a preference for?!!! Does #2 in original post just not work? I know you said it needed color correction. But could it work just as is? I think I actually like the colors (gulp!).
Thanks for your input!!!

Swartzy wrote:

Working on a color calibrated monitor is a big plus. I realize you think you saw all that yellow. Just wanted to provide a different example showing just how much color cast exists in the photo. Look at the whites..that's a key in color correction.

Swartzy

That's where the artists preferrences come into play. Honestly though, high end work is color balanced...pick up any magazine (well, not any but you get the drift). I will say more and more with the advent of digital, it seems many are throwing color out the window.

There's something to be said about volumes written on the subject. If color cast were not an isssue/problem then why spend years learning color correction techniques? We might as well set our cameras to Jpeg, choose "Landscape" mode and burn those skin tones nuclear. Red skin, yellow skin, green skin..what's the difference? So the bigger question remains: Are there some guidlines or standards in photography considered acceptable to the masses or is it simply up to the artist to shoot and process any old thing.

Yes, there are huge differences in artistic blends of coloring, textures and the like..but one thing you won't see in any high end work (even of this nature) is a color casted photo.

Here is a good read on the subject. http://www.luminous-landscape.com/columns/eye-camera.shtml