Raw processing in action: Lightroom
Discover how to unlock the potential of your Raw files
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orking directly on your Raw files means you’re working on image data straight from the camera and not processed
once already. At one time, the adjustments you could make were limited to brightness, colour and contrast, and in some programs that still is the case. The version of Adobe Camera Raw that comes with
Adobe Photoshop Elements, for example, is a rather basic package.
But the best Raw processing tools are now so powerful that you might not need a regular image-editing program like Photoshop at all. Our main annotation shows some of the enhancements you can apply in the latest version of Adobe Camera Raw which comes with Photoshop CC. You get the same tools in Adobe Lightroom, and the only difference is how they’re laid out on the screen.
01 Shadows and highlights
With JPEGS you can easily run out of dynamic range, but with this Raw file we’ve been able to recover detail in the bright sky. We can also reveal hidden details in the shadows to produce a picture much closer to the scene as it appeared to the naked eye.
02 white balance and colour
Our picture looked a little ‘cold’, so we’ve adjusted the white balance to add a warmer tone. We’ve also increased the colour saturation and shifted the hue of the grass to make it look greener and fresher – all still just using the original Raw data provided.
03 adjustments and masks
With Adobe Camera Raw and many other tools you can now apply local adjustments to your Raw file, so you can use a graduated filter to recover a bright sky, for example. The point is that you’re recovering Raw data, not repairing an already-processed photo.
04 correct lens and perspective distortion
Many Raw processing tools let you fix lens and perspective distortions. In this case, Adobe Camera Raw has applied an auto distortion correction profile for the lens and we’ve used its Transform options to straighten this building’s sides.
05 clarity and haze removal
These tools use a special kind of localized contrast adjustment to make details look clearer and equalize brightness in different parts of the picture. They’re really good for adding ‘punch’ to flat-looking images and work best on Raw files.
06 profiles and presets
Third party Raw converters like Adobe Camera Raw will ignore your Picture Controls, but come with presets and ‘looks’ you can apply. Adobe Camera Raw and Lightroom now support custom Profiles to mimic the camera’s own styles or create a distinctive ‘look’.