I've been using Photoshop since version 3 back in the early '90's, and I'm used to the fact that I still am learning it. I enjoy finding a new technique or a new way of applying a change within Photoshop. I started using Camera Raw a few years ago, but used it initially just as a way of converting my raw files for use in Photoshop. I soon started using more of the basic features - adding fill light, using recovery to reduce over exposure in the highlights, adding contrast and reducing noise, adding sharpening and changing luminosity levels of colors within the image - but I still saw ACR as simply a quick stopover before opening the image in Photoshop for important changes.
Camera Raw has added features and I upgraded to Photoshop CS5, so I've been going through as many tutorials as I could find to learn the new features. What surprised me most of all is finding out how to use some of the features that I've simply ignored - in Camera Raw. I would sometimes do a crop in ACR instead of Photoshop, but I hadn't seen the dropdown menu for aspect ratios until today (Andrew Rodney wrote in a post here that it could be done, and I started looking for instructions on how to do it.) That will help a lot when I'm trying to prepare an image to print on a particular size paper. I can now see that using the graduated filter (like using a graduated neutral density filter on my camera - which I have yet to add to my camera bag) or the spot removal tool in ACR is a good idea. If I wait to do these things in Photoshop, I'm going to be actually pushing pixels around with my computer, and it's going to take time. Also I will have to make sure that I work on duplicates and protect my original image. With ACR, the computer can take it easy because all it's really doing is writing down a list of instructions for work that it's going to do later on the image.
If anyone else out there has ignored all those tools in ACR or if you're just getting started with Photoshop and ACR, here's a link to an excellent training video by Adobe's Digital Imaging Evangelist -- Julieanne Kost. Adobe offers it for free. I picked up good info at Lynda.com's training (Chris Orwig does the training for Camera Raw 6), but it costs to take their training UNLESS you buy a new Adobe upgrade and get 30 days training for free (big smile).
Just thought I'd share my ignorance so that I could also share my enlightenment - photography and post-processing continue to give me reasons to smile every day while I try to figure them out.
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Hi everyone,
I've been trying to figure out what auto processes are done to correct the image below. I am shooting raw and the files have been saved in both .jpeg and .dng format. I've spent like more than a month now trying to get the same result with the .dng to make it look like the...-
Channel: Image Help
04-17-2016, 11:03 AM -
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by ShakyI've got a question that has been nagging me for quite a while now. It's about the RAW format and how it is handled by Adobe Camera RAW and Photoshop CS4.
When you load a RAW file into Photoshop, does it retain the same extended editing capabilities like it would in ACR, or does it get...-
Channel: Photo Retouching
03-30-2009, 12:32 PM -
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by acroreefDear Folks,
When presented with a photo for restoration, are there any downsides to making adjustments first in Adobe Camera Raw (CS6) prior to opening the photo in Photoshop?
Thanks to all who respond.
Dave-
Channel: Photo Restoration
11-21-2013, 05:08 PM -
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by ysbrydHi,
I use a Canon 400D, with sRGB setting. I get the image as I want it in the camera, and it looks the same when I preview it on my laptop, but as soon as I open it in RAW (in CS4 - also set to sRGB 8 bit), or select 'develop' in Lightroom, the image changes hue and washes out. It's...-
Channel: Input/Output/Workflow
04-06-2011, 03:56 PM -
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by ChennaeHey, my name's Chennae and I'm new
This is my first post and I was wondering if y'all could help me out. I love retouching, but I have absolutely no idea about RAW files. What it is, how to use it... no idea. I downloaded a RAW file the other day and tried to open it in photoshop (cs4) but it wouldn't...
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Channel: Photoshop Help
06-17-2010, 09:54 PM -
Boneappetit, you call ACR user friendly - which is a very good thing, and that probably will be a big reason for people to want to work with it instead of having to learn all of Photoshop just to "develop" their photos.
Glad to see you diving into ACR Janet!
Chris