Technical Exercise 1: Camera Raw
Main Edit Panel Mode
My Note: The new version of Camera Raw 6.6 was downloadable at
adobe.com in January 2012.
Use Camera Raw to adjust 3 different images using the workflow outlined
below. Saved the completed images as .dng files.
1. Open the file in Camera Raw (opening the file in Photoshop will
automatically launch Camera Raw).
2. Click on the blue, underlined link at the bottom of the screen to open
the Workflow Options dialog box. Choose ProPhoto RGB and
16bits. Leave the default size and resolution. Click Ok.
3. Make tonal adjustments first.
a. In the Basic settings tab , set the white input by adjusting
the Exposure slider (hint: hold down option as you slide it to
see where the values clip)
b. Adjust Recovery to restore any details lost in the highlight
areas (may not be necessary).
c. Set the black input by adjusting the Blacks slider.
d. Use Fill Light to restore detail to shadow areas.
e. Use Brightness to adjust the mid-tones (gamma) of the image.
f. Adjust Contrast if needed. It's a bit heavy handed so use it
sparingly.
4. Make color adjustments next.
a. Under Basic settings, set the proper white balance from the
pull-down menu.
b. Adjust the temperature slider to tweak the color, making it
slightly warmer or cooler depending on your preference. You
can also use the white balance tool to set a sampled
area to a neutral (gray).
c. Adjust the tint if necessary.
d. Adjust vibrance and saturation (bottom of the menu). Vibrance
is a more subtle application of saturation; while saturation
applies the same increase in intensity to all colors equally,
Source: http://www.johndotta.com/ Teaching, Photo 151, Projects.
vibrance applies less to colors that are already saturated, and
more to colors that are grayer. An increase of only a few points
is usually all you need.
5. Adjust the clarity to subtly sharpen the image. There are more
powerful sharpening tools in Camera Raw which we will get to later.
However, As a general rule, if I plan to do a lot to the image in
Photoshop (adjustments, filters, layer blending modes, etc) I will skip
the sharpening step so that I don't loose data that I might need later
on. Instead, I will use Photoshop's sharpening tools when
appropriate.
6. Save the image as a .dng file; call it yourName_RawAdjust#_.dng
BRUSH TOOL Local Corrections:
Open the PDF “Camera Raw Localized Adjustments.”
1. Select three new images.
2. Using the techniques demonstrated in class and in the hand out
make appropriate local adjustments using the brush tool to each
of the three images.
3. Save the each image as a .dng file; call it
yourName_RawLocalAdjust#.dng.
GRADUATED FILTER Tool : Local Corrections
Refer to PDF “Camera RAW Localized Adjustments”
4. Select another three images.
5. Using the techniques demonstrated in class and in the hand out
make appropriate local adjustments using the Graduated Filter tool
to each of the three images.
6. Save each image as a .dng file; call it
yourName_RawGrauatedFilter#.dng.
Source: http://www.johndotta.com/ Teaching, Photo 151, Projects.
GRAND FINALE:
In Photoshop make 9 separate documents, 8.5” x 11” portrait orientation, at
your camera’s default resolution. Place the unaltered image in the upper
portion and the Camera Raw image in the lower portion. Convert to a PDF.
Using Acrobat Pro, merge all 9 documents into one PDF and drop in the
dropbox.
Requirements
One 8.5” x 11” PDF document, holding all nine sets of one image original
with each of the images adjusted, per page, x 9 pages total, [so you get that
each page holds one original CAMERA RAW image and one adjusted
CAMERA RAW IMAGE as a .dng]
First 3 pages: Workflow (above: Tonal, Color, Clarity to sharpen a little)
Next 3 pages: Brush Tool, CAMERA RAW localized adjustments
Next 3 pages: Graduated Filter Tool, CAMERA RAW localized adj.
My note: Requirement has been changed to one image each, verbally in
class.
Include your name and PHOT 151 in the header and
each image captioned.
Photoshop can make PDF files from PSD files.
Make a new image 8 1/2inches x 11 inches, white background and
Move the two .dng images (original RAW but now Smart Object.jpg) and
the adjusted image onto the new image. Add captions as necessary, and
covert to a PDF… Save the PDF and the PSD, then save one copy as a JPG
at 72 res for the blog. Don’t need to open Acrobat Pro, just work from
Photoshop.
My notes adapted from the source below, in the footer. (Cheryl Gribble,
student, Spring 2012.)
Source: http://www.johndotta.com/ Teaching, Photo 151, Projects.