Adobe Photoshop CS2 On Demand [Electronic resources]

Importing Raw Data from a Digital Camera

Camera raw image file formats are created by most mid to high-end digital cameras and contain all the information about how the image was taken. The raw format turns off all camera adjustments, and simply saves the image information to the digital film. Using the raw format is as close to using traditional film as a digital camera can get. When you open a raw image file, Photoshop opens the Camera Raw Plug-in, which allows you to adjust the image details. For example, you decide where white point, shadows and highlights appear, not the camera. The adjustments available with the Camera Raw Plug-in provide flexibility to produce the best image possible from a camera raw image file. Raw images are larger; however, the increase in file size is actually more information that can be used by the Camera Raw Plug-in to adjust the image. In addition raw images can be converted into 16-bit. When a 16-bit image is opened, you have more control over adjustments, such as tonal and color correction. Once processed, raw images can be saved in the DNG, TIF, PSD, PSB, or JPG formats. You can create an action, or use the Batch, Image Processor or Create Droplet commands, to automate the processing of camera raw files. When a raw file is placed as a Smart Object, Photo-shop embeds the raw data within the document, making it possible to change the raw settings and automatically update the converted layer.

Import a Camera Raw File

Click the

File menu, and then click

Open .

To place a raw file as a Smart Object, click the File menu, and then click Place.

Click the

Format (Mac) or

Files Of Type (Win) list arrow, and then click

Camera Raw .

Select a single camera raw image file, or Ctrl (Win) or (Mac)+ click to select more than one file.

Click

Open .

Photoshop opens the image into the Camera Raw dialog box.

Click the

Settings list arrow, and then select from the following options to load a previously used setup, or to create and save the current setup.

Use the Zoom, Hand, Rotate, Crop, and Straighten tools to change the size, orientation, and position of the image in the view window, or use the White Balance tools to set the image white balance or the Color Sample tool to sample a color from the image.

Select from the available image view options:

• Image Preview. Displays the active image.

• Zoom Level. Changes the view of the active image.

• Histogram. Displays information on the colors and brightness levels in the active image.

Click the

Adjust, Detail, Lens, Curve , or

Calibrate tabs, and then drag desired adjustment sliders to modify the color and tonal values of the active image.

Select the list arrows to change the (color) Space, (bit) Depth, Size, and Resolution of the image.

Click

Save to specify a folder destination, file name, and format for the processed images.

Select the images you want to synchronize (apply settings) in the Filmstrip (if desired, click Select All), and then click

Synchronize .

Click the

Camera Raw Menu button to Load, Save, or Delete a specific set of Raw settings, or to modify the Camera Raw dialog box settings.

When you're finished, click

Done to process the file, but not open it, or click

Open to process and open it in Photoshop for further editing.

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