The art of raw conversion : how to produce art-quality photos with Adobe Photoshop CS2 and leading raw converters

Cover......Page 1 Preface......Page 9 1.1 Introduction to RAW files or digital negatives......Page 11 1.2 How to use this book, how this book is organized......Page 12 1.4 Computer configuration......Page 13 1.5 What are RAW files?......Page 14 What are the RAW file advantages?......Page 15 Color aliasing / moirés......Page 21 1.6 The digital negative/slide......Page 22 1.7 Some strategic reasoning......Page 23 Which RAW converter to use......Page 24 2 Basic Color Management......Page 27 2.1 Understanding the different color modes......Page 28 LAB color model......Page 29 CMYK color model......Page 30 Color spaces......Page 31 Why you need to understand color management......Page 32 ICC-profiles......Page 33 What is a color management system?......Page 34 Color working spaces......Page 36 Visualization of color spaces......Page 37 Color space mapping......Page 40 Creating device profiles......Page 41 Camera profiles......Page 42 2.3 Profiling your monitor......Page 43 Calibration settings......Page 44 Calibrating and profiling using Eye-One Display 2......Page 45 2.4 Photoshop color and monitor profile settings......Page 49 3 Basic RAW workflow......Page 51 Exposure, Exposure, Exposure......Page 52 Optimize exposure using your camera’s histogram......Page 53 “Expose to the right” rule......Page 54 Color channel clipping......Page 55 Correct white balance (WB) for optimal color quality......Page 57 Adjust your camera’s sensitivity: selecting the right ISO......Page 58 Computer transfer and organizing your photos......Page 59 Renaming......Page 61 3.3 Setting up your digital darkroom......Page 62 3.4 Browse and evaluate your RAW files......Page 63 White balance (WB)......Page 64 Tonality......Page 67 Exposure, Contrast & Brightness......Page 68 Adaptive tonality controls......Page 69 3.6 Advanced image corrections......Page 74 3.7 Extra workflow support......Page 75 4 Adobe Camera Raw......Page 77 4.1 Quick ACR real life workflow......Page 79 4.2 Browse and evaluate your RAW images with “Bridge”......Page 91 4.3 Adobe Camera Raw 3.x user interface overview......Page 94 Workflow options......Page 97 Camera Raw’s main image correction controls......Page 98 How to process the images finally......Page 110 Saving and reusing settings......Page 112 Batch conversion......Page 113 Advanced image corrections......Page 114 4.4 Extra workflow support......Page 115 Creating a Smart Object layer that contains a RAW file......Page 118 Exporting RAW files from a Smart Object......Page 122 5 Pixmantec RawShooter (RS)......Page 123 Browse your RAW files using the RS RAW file browser......Page 124 Tune tonality......Page 129 5.2 Getting started (setup RawShooter)......Page 136 5.3 Inspect and browse your files with RawShooter......Page 137 Deletion workflow......Page 141 5.4 Image corrections......Page 142 Setting white balance (WB)......Page 143 Exposure and tonality......Page 144 Sharpness and Detail......Page 149 Noise reduction......Page 151 Slide show......Page 152 5.6 Extra workflow support......Page 154 6 More RAW Converters......Page 157 6.1 Phase One’s Capture One DSLR (Capture One)......Page 158 Capture One Setup......Page 159 Capture One RAW file browser......Page 161 Image Processing......Page 162 Gray/White Balance (WB)......Page 163 Exposure......Page 164 Develop tab......Page 165 What’s More?......Page 166 6.2 Bibble version 4 (B4)......Page 167 Bibble Setup......Page 168 Main features of Bibble 4.x......Page 169 Picture Options......Page 171 Workflow with Bibble 4......Page 173 Setup......Page 175 DPP – main features......Page 177 Saving converted files......Page 182 6.4 Nikon Capture......Page 184 Setup......Page 185 Advanced RAW......Page 186 White Balance (WB)......Page 188 Save and load settings......Page 189 7.1 Do you really need to bother with this?......Page 191 7.2 The art of sharpening......Page 193 How Photoshop “Unsharp Mask” works......Page 194 Photoshop CS2: Smarter Sharpen......Page 198 7.3 Noise reduction......Page 199 Other Useful noise removal filters......Page 202 Heal chromatic aberration (CA)......Page 203 Heal purple fringing......Page 205 Profile based corrections......Page 209 Photoshop CS2: Lens Correction......Page 212 7.6 Vignetting......Page 213 Perspective corrections......Page 214 7.8 Removing dust spots......Page 216 Patch tool......Page 218 Using Selection with the Healing Brush......Page 219 8 Batch Processing techniques for RAW files......Page 221 8.1 Basic batch processing pattern......Page 222 8.2 Batch Processing with Adobe Camera Raw......Page 225 8.4 Batch Processing with Capture One Pro......Page 233 8.4 Batch Processing with RawShooter......Page 236 9.1 DNG – its potentials......Page 237 9.2 Usage of the Adobe DNG Converter......Page 241 9.3 Advantages and disadvantages of converting to DNG......Page 244 10.1 Metadata for Photographs......Page 245 10.2 Metadata usage in Adobe Camera Raw and Bridge......Page 249 10.3 Retrieving files by searching for metadata......Page 253 11.1 The problem with camera profiles......Page 255 11.2 Camera profiling using Eye-One Photo and ProfileMaker......Page 257 11.3 Camera profiling using InCamera.......Page 262 11.4 Shooting for a neutral gray......Page 264 11.5 Calibrating Adobe Camera Raw......Page 265 12.1 Turn color images into Black & White......Page 269 Color conversion techniques......Page 271 B & W with ACR......Page 272 B & W with Capture One DSLR......Page 275 Working in color and Black&White......Page 278 B & W with Raw Shooter......Page 280 Glossary/Abbreviations......Page 281 B.1 Recommended Books......Page 289 B.2 Useful resources in the Internet......Page 290 Index......Page 293

The RAW file format used by digital cameras is essentially the raw data that a camera captures when it takes a photo. RAW files allow the digital photographer to edit and manipulate their photos with less data loss than in other file formats (such as JPEG). There are many RAW conversion tools, and it's often a good idea to use more than one to get optimal results.

The Art of RAW Conversion shows digital photographers how to work with the RAW files generated by a digital camera to produce the best possible image quality in finished photos. The authors (both experts in digital photography, file processing, printing, and color management) describe the conversion tools used to enhance RAW files and maximize photo quality. All techniques covered are based on practical experience and explained with step-by-step instructions, so that readers will be able to apply what they learn and create their own fine art-quality photographs. Covers Adobe Photoshop CS and other leading RAW converters.

The authors (both experts in digital photography, file processing, printing, and color management) describe the conversion tools used to enhance RAW files and maximize photo quality. All techniques covered are based on practical experience and explained with step-by-step instructions.

The RAW file format used by digital cameras is essentially the raw data that a camera captures when it takes a photo. RAW files allow the digital photographer to edit and manipulate their photos with less data loss than in other file formats (such as JPEG). There are many RAW conversion tools, and it's often a good idea to use more than one to get optimal results. The Art of RAW Conversion shows digital photographers how to work with the RAW files generated by a digital camera to produce the best possible image quality in finished photos. The authors (both experts in digital photography, file processing, printing, and color management) describe the conversion tools used to enhance RAW files and maximize photo quality. All techniques covered are based on practical experience and explained with step-by-step instructions, so that readers will be able to apply what they learn and create their own fine art-quality photographs. Covers Adobe Photoshop CS and other leading RAW converters.-- Amazon.com Our goal in this book is to demonstrate a reliable workflow that will help you achieve optimal image quality from your digital camera using the RAW file format.