Getting started working with RAW

bigsnowdog · February 7, 2010

I have a 40D and am fortunate enough to have been able to get my employer to buy a 7D for industrial photography at work. I want to begin exploring RAW images and their benefits, but admit I know almost nothing about it. At home I have Photoshop CS v8.0 on a Mac G4, and at work on a PC I have Photoshop CS3. Am I in trouble already?

How can I best proceed to learn how to work with RAW images?

pathfinder · February 7, 2010

Learning to use RAW is not something that I can answer in a few short paragraphs -

This video is one of the best ways I know to truly become well versed in Raw Processing in CS3 It is entertaining too!

If you prefer a book, I rec "Real World Camera Raw with Adobe Photoshop CS4 by Bruce Fraser and Jeffe Schewe. Schewe is one of the fellows in the video I rec'd above.....

This question is about processing, not shooting, so I will move it to Finishing School.

BinaryFx · February 8, 2010

Photoshop CS4 ACR uses version 5.x.
More info on camera versions here:
http://www.adobe.com/products/photoshop/cameraraw.html

Photoshop CS3 ACR uses version 4.x. which may or may not support your model camera/s.

Of course, one does not have to use Adobe raw software and there are possible workarounds by converting to DNG if you do wish to use an Adobe raw workflow and your camera is not directly supported.

Regards,

Stephen Marsh

http://members.ozemail.com.au/~binaryfx/
http://prepression.blogspot.com/

eur0ed · February 8, 2010

Ahh, I just found a video for a friend of mine that's looking to get into raw too you're in luck!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tK0uqKJSFMY

It's only 20 minutes, but it isn't too bad..really hits the basics well.

For a more advanced look at raw check out this 33 minute clip from Natalia's Dvd set "Beauty & Hair Retouching High End Techniques" The clip covers all her time in ACR for the first image she uses on the dvd set. It's a very good look into the mind of an advanced retoucher.

http://www.digitalphotoshopretouching.com/video-samples/beautyretouch/beautyretouch.html

Richard · February 8, 2010

bigsnowdog wrote:

At home I have Photoshop CS v8.0 on a Mac G4, and at work on a PC I have Photoshop CS3. Am I in trouble already?

CS3 is fine for the 40D, but does not support the 7D. For the 7D your choices are: 1) use the free Adobe DNG converter to convert the CR2 files to DNG, then process in CS3; 2) use the Canon DPP raw converter that came with the camera to convert CR2 to 16 bit TIFF; 3) upgrade to CS4. Note that CS4 will not run on a G4 and DPP requires OS-X 10.4 or later.

BinaryFx · February 8, 2010

The following Mac software is not a powerhouse "workflow" tool such as ACR/ALR - however it does support many cameras, including the 7D:

http://www.raw-photo-processor.com/RPP/Overview.html

RPP is not about speed, it is more about quality and developing a single shot into a great image.

There are of course other raw developers available for the Mac, or one can go down the VM or Bootcamp path with MS Windows or Linux.

Regards,

Stephen Marsh

http://members.ozemail.com.au/~binaryfx/
http://prepression.blogspot.com/

arodney · February 8, 2010

bigsnowdog wrote:

I want to begin exploring RAW images and their benefits, but admit I know almost nothing about it.

Start by reading this excellent article:http://wwwimages.adobe.com/www.adobe.com/products/photoshop/family/prophotographer/pdfs/pscs3_renderprint.pdf

Sam · February 8, 2010

Here are a few thoughts. Where do you live? Maybe someone from the board is near you and would be willing to sit down with you for a couple of hours.

Maybe your employer would be willing to pay for a class.

Explain that a RAW work flow will produce superior images.

IF you want to use Photoshop you will need to upgrade to the latest version, and or learn about converting your RAW images to DNG.

Another fine choice would be Light Room.

Sam

Pupator · February 8, 2010

Sam wrote:

Another fine choice would be Light Room.

Sam

I'd second that. I think the best thing you could do would be to get Lightroom, start shooting RAW, and then take advantage of the zillions of online (free) tutorials about developing RAW in LR.

DeeCajun · February 9, 2010

I took my first few pictures in RAW... its a whole new world..

Can anyone tell me simply what happens in post processing with RAW images? I can see my photos need adjusting but what are the benefits of RAW?

I have Aperture on a Mac... do I need more software?

mercphoto · February 9, 2010

DeeCajun wrote:

I took my first few pictures in RAW... its a whole new world..

Can anyone tell me simply what happens in post processing with RAW images? I can see my photos need adjusting but what are the benefits of RAW?

I have Aperture on a Mac... do I need more software?

You do not need more software, Aperture is a great choice for this task (and what I use). However I still highly recommend reading a book already mentioned, "Real World Camera Raw...". Yes, it talks about Adobe's ACR software, but it easily applies to any raw converter. And the book does a great job of explaining what the various sliders do. For example, do you know when to use the brightness slider instead of the exposure slider?

What are the benefits of RAW? Perhaps the best place to start is with a revelation that very book made to me: that we are always shooting in RAW. Every single one of us. The difference lies in the raw converter we use. Those who shoot JPG are using the converter built into the camera. Then there are those of us who use a raw converter on our computer. So what is the benefit to using raw? You get to choose how its converted, and change those conversion parameters. If you do it in-camera then its converted and that's it.

DeeCajun · February 9, 2010

mercphoto wrote:

You do not need more software, Aperture is a great choice for this task (and what I use). However I still highly recommend reading a book already mentioned, "Real World Camera Raw...". Yes, it talks about Adobe's ACR software, but it easily applies to any raw converter. And the book does a great job of explaining what the various sliders do. For example, do you know when to use the brightness slider instead of the exposure slider?

What are the benefits of RAW? Perhaps the best place to start is with a revelation that very book made to me: that we are always shooting in RAW. Every single one of us. The difference lies in the raw converter we use. Those who shoot JPG are using the converter built into the camera. Then there are those of us who use a raw converter on our computer. So what is the benefit to using raw? You get to choose how its converted, and change those conversion parameters. If you do it in-camera then its converted and that's it.

Will order that book today because I definitely want more control over my pictures.. I feel overwhelmed at times thinking I need all of this processing software and a huge learning curve..

I like your revelation. Do you shoot in RAW & JPeg? or just RAW.. I am so scared to go just RAW !

pathfinder · February 9, 2010

I sometimes shoot snapshots in jpg, no crime in that.

But images that I am serious about, that I may want to display to other folks, I shoot RAW routinely.

If you choose to shoot RAW + jpg because you feel more secure that way, I think that is fine. Compact Flash ( or SD cards ) are cheap, and re-useable.

I, like to shoot RAW + jpg, when I am set up to shoot B&W - I have the RAW file in color, and the B&W jpg to view as I work. I do prefer the B&Ws I create in Photoshop, over those of the cameras processor, but it can be useful to be able to "see" in B&W at times.

DeeCajun · February 9, 2010

pathfinder wrote:

I sometimes shoot snapshots in jpg, no crime in that.

But images that I am serious about, that I may want to display to other folks, I shoot RAW routinely.

If you choose to shoot RAW + jpg because you feel more secure that way, I think that is fine. Compact Flash ( or SD cards ) are cheap, and re-useable.

I, like to shoot RAW + jpg, when I am set up to shoot B&W - I have the RAW file in color, and the B&W jpg to view as I work. I do prefer the B&Ws I create in Photoshop, over those of the cameras processor, but it can be useful to be able to "see" in B&W at times.

Now that idea I like.. I am colored blind and B & W seems so natural to me but afraid to shoot in it using JPEG... this gives me a new choice..

I want to learn about RAW so I have the choice to use it.

Thanks for the great idea!!

Getting started working with RAW

Comments