Making the picture pop

[kewldude]

I've been a jpeg shooter ever since I got my dslr some months ago. Its only now that I've dealt with raw. I used Adobe Camera Raw to do raw editing, now I have this pic, a jpeg and a raw version. I would like to solicit your help in turning the raw image to be just like the jpeg version. I know for one that the raw version is quite pale and dull in color, i just wanted to know how you guys think in terms of what adjustments needs to be done whenever one sees a picture like this (I know you all have your different ways) so it can serve as a guide for future works.

[MrAlexajlex]

The easisest way to build a profile would be to load both the JPG and RAW file in ACR (needs to be PS CS3 with ACR 4.X)

To enable PS CS3 to load JPGs using ACR go to Edit Preferences - File Handling and click the box that says "Prefer Adobe Camera Raw for JPG files".

Load both files and you can begin to tweak the settings (clarity, vibrance, etc.) on the RAW file until it matches the JPG.

The advantage of doing this is that you can flip between the 2 files in ACR and see the changes you are making.

Once you get the settings dialed in you can save them as a new ACR preset that can be applied to future shots.

[kewldude]

Originally Posted by MrAlexajlex

The easisest way to build a profile would be to load both the JPG and RAW file in ACR (needs to be Photoshop CS3 with ACR 4.X)

To enable Photoshop CS3 to load JPGs using ACR go to Edit Preferences - File Handling and click the box that says "Prefer Adobe Camera Raw for JPG files".

Load both files and you can begin to tweak the settings (clarity, vibrance, etc.) on the RAW file until it matches the JPG.

The advantage of doing this is that you can flip between the 2 files in ACR and see the changes you are making.

Once you get the settings dialed in you can save them as a new ACR preset that can be applied to future shots.

Thanks for the tip MrAlex. I'm also interested to know how to make the raw file version (which is saved in jpeg) looked like the jpeg version.

[DCobb]

This may not be what you have in mind but the colors are more intense. And of course the color intensity can be reduced.

dc

[kewldude]

Originally Posted by DCobb

This may not be what you have in mind but the colors are more intense. And of course the color intensity can be reduced.

dc

Thanks for the try dc...Did you use Hue/Saturation to do this?

[Flora]

If the fix is to be used on whole shootings (this one or future ones, as long as the photos are taken under the same conditions (place, time of the day, lighting, exposure etc. ...) I would follow MrAlexajlex excellent tip!! (thanks for sharing!! )

If the fix is for this (or any) individual picture just look at the difference between the two: the biggest difference I see in the two versions is that the .JPG is more saturated than the RAW.jpg.

The easiest way to correct this would be creating a Hue/Saturation Adjustment Layer and increase the Saturation until you are happy with the result.

Other methods to improve colours would be:

• Selective Colors

• Color Balance

• Levels

• Curves etc.

**If you really like the .JPG version and want to get as close as possible to it with your RAW.jpg version you can do the following:

• Open both pictures and place them side by side in PS

• Click on and drag the JPG Background Layer on top of the RAW Background Layer

• Change the top layer's (JPG) blending to Color.

All of the above changes can be made on the whole picture or on selections!

But if what you really want is "make the picture pop", then it's a more complex procedure involving:

• correct/improve/emphasize the subject

• push back/fade the rest of the image...

As you already know, there are about a billion ways to get there in PS ... and the end result depend very much on personal taste or expressed wish of the client...

In the Attachment 'my taste' in making the image 'pop'

[MrAlexajlex]

Originally Posted by kewldude

Thanks for the tip MrAlex. I'm also interested to know how to make the raw file version (which is saved in jpeg) looked like the jpeg version.

That is what I described in the above post.

You open the JPG and the RAW file in ACR and then you start to tweak the RAW file while flipping back and forth and looking at the JPG until you get the same look.

You can create a new file and paste the RAW file and JPG on their own layer.
You could then start to adjust the RAW file until you get the same look.
In this case both files would be side by side so you could see the change without having to flip back and forth like in ACR. The disadvantage would be that unlike ACR where you can save the preset you would not have this advantage (I guess you can record and action of the steps).

By the way there is a syncronize option in ACR where you can pick a file and then (ctrl) select another file and it will apply the settings of the first file to the 2nd one. Unfortunately this only works if both files are the same (RAW-RAW) and will not work with a RAW and JPG.

The other thing that will not work is saving an ACR preset of the JPG and trying to apply it to the RAW. This will not work because the JPG already has had processing steps applied to it which will not be reflected in ACR.

[DCobb]

Hi Kewldude,

To answer your question, I used the LAB color space and Apply Image.

dc