The benefits of RAW

[S4toSTI]

So as time progresses and I use my d200 more and i edit more photos in raw i really see the benefits of it. I don't know how good i am in the actual adjustments i am sure there is a lot i can learn. So lets hear/see some tips and tricks to editting photos in raw. No need to give away your big secrets(if you have them) just share some helpful stuff i know this can help me and i am sure it could be useful to alot of others as well.

I may have not been clear before i am looking for help here, not showing off my pics.

Here are a few examples of how i see its benefits...

http://images21.fotki.com/v755/photos/7/737446/4501444/BJS_3108original-vi.jpg
http://images21.fotki.com/v725/photos/7/737446/4501444/BJS_3108copy-vi.jpg
http://images21.fotki.com/v755/photos/7/737446/4501444/BJS_2097original-vi.jpg
http://images21.fotki.com/v578/photos/7/737446/4501444/BJS_2097-vi.jpg

[jspek]

didnt george and i yell at you that night after the meet about shooting in raw?

[Buster]

I wish i could learnt cameras

[Vypurr]

Sooo....How are you pulling so much more color out of those pictures without making everything in the entire picture overbright and bad?

[whitezenki]

im assuming contrast and saturation

[i like rice]

sorry bro, oversaturated colors aren't my thing.

[S4toSTI]

sorry bro, oversaturated colors aren't my thing.

Sweet thanks for being helpful. :roll:

[mr_eh]

well that has nothing to do with raw or not, your using destructive editing in both of those pictures and hurting the overall image... it looks like you just brought bright/satur UP usually you have to lower one and raise the other... example;

http://pic60.picturetrail.com/VOL1678/7755188/14641951/240455158.jpg

http://pic60.picturetrail.com/VOL1678/7755188/14641951/237830319.jpg


also what program are you using to edit? photoshop? if so try saving as a jpg on the highest quality settings

this was shot with a 5.1 megapixel cybershot dsc-p93

[S4toSTI]

Original
http://images21.fotki.com/v755/photos/7/737446/4501444/BJS_3108original-vi.jpg
Over Saturated
http://images21.fotki.com/v725/photos/7/737446/4501444/BJS_3108copy-vi.jpg
New edit
http://images22.fotki.com/v753/photos/7/737446/4501444/BJS_3108copy2-vi.jpg
Maybe something alittle more like this?

[whitezenki]

put the one you edited next to it, it makes it easier to compare...

just an idea?

[Spocknasty]

http://www.mikespock.com/busters.jpg
...Example I edited last night.

RAW format helps me optimize my images by enabling me to create several copies of the same image catering to my highlights, shadows, and midtones.

If you try to add contrast, you will blow out highlights and oversaturate colors.

I'll usually create several images and combine them in one Photoshop file. I will literally edit the photo piece by piece...making sure every inch of the photo looks good.

[Vypurr]

So you will create one where the paint looks good, one where the background looks good, and a third (or more) where the headlights/trim look good? Then in Photoshop you chop them apart and put everything into one?

WOW!

[whitezenki]

yah man thats intense, i know im not ready for that, and wont be for a long time lol

this thread = me not studyin:(

[S4toSTI]

CRXed you should write a tutorial and do it with that photo thats awesome.

[Vypurr]

It seems very similar to HDR Photography then, except it all happens in post processing.

[i like rice]

Sweet thanks for being helpful. :roll:

what answer are you expecting? There aren't really any 'tricks' with post processing in RAW. Most of the post processing techniques will be done with CS2 once you're done tweaking your colors and other settings.

[Spocknasty]

http://www.mikespock.com/subs.jpg

What I mean is that I'll get one good all around image to edit with, and then create a second image where the highlights aren't blown out and combine where necessary. Once I have a good image like the one you see above, I will begin to edit from there. I edit the hell out of pics because I like the slightly oversaturated / surreal look.

[sisforsurfing]

Barry - I like the second edit you did to that picture MUCH more. Contrast is almost always a good thing in B&W, but in color too much contrast can be really ugly.

I have a 200+ page book all about editting in RAW, from the basics to some pretty advanced techniques. I can let you borrow it if you want since I don't have much to mess with digital photos at school, it'd be easier than typing what I've gotten from it.

[mr_eh]

the second edits better you didnt burn out the lines of the car, the other problem with that image is the reflection on the door is just ****ty to begin with and takes away from the car... but your getting the idea

look at what you did to the rim in the over-saturated image...

[Vypurr]

Hmm...Here's my awful attempt!

Raw
http://img157.imageshack.us/img157/7753/img021customjv6.jpg

Contrast/Brightness
http://img157.imageshack.us/img157/1641/img021ne9.jpg

Auto Color, Contrast/Brightness
http://img247.imageshack.us/img247/6088/img021zp0.jpg

[mr_eh]

^ try that image again with auto color first, and play with the brightness/contrast some more, too many reflections to really see what it does but it can be nicer then that

[YellowMSP]

barry i think the second edit u did looks alot better

heres my quick attempt of the before and after of mine of my friends car

before
http://i21.photobucket.com/albums/b284/YellowMSP/cars/100_2457.jpg
and after
http://i21.photobucket.com/albums/b284/YellowMSP/cars/100_2457copy.jpg

[Vypurr]

mr_eh - I edited my post with a third edit using your suggestion.

[whitezenki]

just messing around, went from this...
http://i151.photobucket.com/albums/s143/whitezenki/IMG_3674RAW.jpg
to this...
http://i151.photobucket.com/albums/s143/whitezenki/IMG_3674.jpg

[mr_eh]

mr_eh - I edited my post with a third edit using your suggestion.

yeah i see, try some different pictures, that one is blown out from the get go in some areas

[Vypurr]

I am going to play with my camera at work tomorrow to get some good base shots to work with.

[mr_eh]

also remember to make sure you guys are saving the images in the highest quality possible

[S4toSTI]

Will that picture is tough cause u used a flash.

[Vypurr]

Think you could post a good base to play with?

[S4toSTI]

Think you could post a good base to play with?

I think you would be better off practicing on something that is shot in raw and taken during the day.

[Gorilla Unit 33]

anyone play with levels instead of color and contrast? thats how i find myself editing pictures that i have not shot in raw. although at times its very easy to over saturate the picture with the level adjustment tool. maybe on my break today ill show some examples. I also like the idea of chopping different peices that look better all together in one shot, although its a long process it looks good in the end.

[markley02]

What cameras can shoot RAW?

[Vypurr]

What cameras can shoot RAW?

Pretty much any Digital SLR camera. Maybe a couple higher end point and shoots too?

[i like rice]

Pretty much any Digital SLR camera. Maybe a couple higher end point and shoots too?

yeah, some of the larger point & shoot cameras will offer the RAW option. If anyone needs RAW images to mess around with if they don't have any, I can upload a few.

[Chris_PA]

Before:
http://www.photodump.org/stored12/before.jpg

After:
http://www.haknslash.com/pictures/chrispino/park/park1.jpg

[Vypurr]

So chris, what was done to that in processing? Noise Ninja? Color levels? Contrast/brightness? I am just curious because the final picture is far better than the original.

[dt98gsr]

So chris, what was done to that in processing? Noise Ninja? Color levels? Contrast/brightness? I am just curious because the final picture is far better than the original.

I am kind of curious also Chris.

I know this is kind of a stupid question but I have just started shooting in RAW + Normal on my D80 which means the camera is saving a normal quality Jpeg image along with a NEF RAW file for every image I shoot. I have what I think is a full version of CS2 but I don't know how to open the NEF files in CS2 and use the RAW file editor.

Can anyone help me out? How do I know if I have the full version of CS2 which enables me to edit RAW images?

[whitezenki]

with my version i just click the file and it opens up the editor, or you can use browse from the file dropdown and select it there

and its full CS2

[Chris_PA]

So chris, what was done to that in processing? Noise Ninja? Color levels? Contrast/brightness? I am just curious because the final picture is far better than the original.

I am kind of curious also Chris.

I know this is kind of a stupid question but I have just started shooting in RAW + Normal on my D80 which means the camera is saving a normal quality Jpeg image along with a NEF RAW file for every image I shoot. I have what I think is a full version of CS2 but I don't know how to open the NEF files in CS2 and use the RAW file editor.

Can anyone help me out? How do I know if I have the full version of CS2 which enables me to edit RAW images?

No need to shoot a RAW and a JPEG
Just takes up more memory


I made an exposure for the sky and exposure for the ground and hand-merged them.
Then adjust the curves, and done

RAW is awesome for recovering blown out highlights and underexposed shadows
They say you can recover 1-1.5 stops of blown out highlights, which is awesome

You can really see the different in the tonal and dynamic range between my D200 and the FF sensor of my 5D

[Vypurr]

Ah, so thats really just using adjustments in RAW to create an HDR image! Nice.

[Chris_PA]

Ah, so thats really just using adjustments in RAW to create an HDR image! Nice.

A very subtle one at that
The idea was so that you couldn't really tell (bad attempt on my part)

[dt98gsr]

No need to shoot a RAW and a JPEG
Just takes up more memory



The main reason why I have been doing it is because I have never shot in RAW or used the RAW image editor in CS2 so instead of taking a bunch of RAW images (NEF files) I figured I would take both that way I can still play around with the jpegs until I learn how to edit NEF files properly.

But my main problem is this. I click on one of my NEF (RAW pics) to open them up and CS2 opens up and then prompts this message.

http://i157.photobucket.com/albums/t69/dt07Si/CS2ERROR.jpg

Why is this?

Do I not have a complete version of CS2, or am I doing something wrong?

If I am doing something wrong, what is it?
or
If I don't have a complete version of CS2 what can I do?

[whitezenki]

my camera came with a RAW editor, but I never used it b/c CS2 worked, im assuming its not top quality, but im sure its good enough to make the basic adjustments... You could see if that editor is any good, its better then JPEG im sure


that is if those nikons come with the CD... lol I kid, i kid my pictures arent anywhere near good enough to talk trash

[dt98gsr]

my camera came with a RAW editor, but I never used it b/c CS2 worked, im assuming its not top quality, but im sure its good enough to make the basic adjustments... You could see if that editor is any good, its better then JPEG im sure


that is if those nikons come with the CD... lol I kid, i kid my pictures arent anywhere near good enough to talk trash

Hmm thanks for the suggestion, I believe my D80 did come with some software that I kind of just ignored given that I have CS2, maybe I'll at least give it a shot if it does indeed include a RAW editor. But I really would like to find out why I am having trouble opening the NEF files in CS2 and how I can fix it.

[whitezenki]

*looks in both directions* is your CS2 authentic?

[i like rice]

Why is this?

Do I not have a complete version of CS2, or am I doing something wrong?

If I am doing something wrong, what is it?
or
If I don't have a complete version of CS2 what can I do?

have you run the update?

[dt98gsr]

*looks in both directions* is your CS2 authentic?

Haha, well if you mean did I pay the $500-600 for my copy then No. But I do have a key generator and license number that came with my copy, and whatever other numbers it took to install the program (sorry its a little early for me still).

SO to tell you the truth I am not sure if it is "authentic"

have you run the update?

Forgive my ignorance but to tell you the truth I don't really know how to, but I don't think I have.

Could you possibly clue me in on how I can do it?

Thanks for your help with this guys.

[grimm]

adobe update downloads (http://www.adobe.com/downloads/)

[dt98gsr]

have you run the update?

After I saw your response I decide I would open up CS2 and see if there was an update option, so I went to the Help menu and then Updates and sure enough I had a lot of things to update, woops.

My dad handed this computer down to me a few weeks ago, and he never really used CS2 for the few months he had the computer and it was installed on it, so I imagine that is why it was never updated. I now know to keep on top of it.

And sure enough I then clicked on one of my NEF files and the file opened in CS2 in the RAW editor with no problem, now I just have to figure out what to do.

Thanks a lot for your help guys!