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Hi all...
I have just added to the thread "Photoshop Layers - interactive tutorial - new idea" and one of the things in it was this....
THEY all tell me to use RAW...well I have shot some in RAW and spent an entire evening downloading versions like elements/lightroom but could not work out how the hell to start so just ended up un-installing them all and ended up being more frustrated than ever.
Does anyone know how to get me started in RAW.
I have an Olympus and downloaded their Master2 software and that bamboozeled me as well.
I have only P/shop 7 and am very very very THICK. As I said in the tutorial thread I am unable to follow instructions like open in this or lassoo that because nothing tends to happen.
Cheers
Keith
Keith
You could do worse than getting hold of a copy of Understanding raw photography by Andy Rouse. Excellent book that taught me a lot
can be got hold of at Amazon and many other places.
Amazon here:
http://www.amazon.co.uk/s/ref=nb_sb_noss?url=search-alias%3Dstripbooks&field...
Ken
Very good advice from Ken but I would also add that if you get the capture correct in jpeg then there really isnt a need for Raw...I just see it as a bigger file size to be honest...when its converted you still have to pfaff about in photoshop.
Paul
Paul
Paul
There is hope I signed my name 3 times!!
Thanks Ken and Paul.......
I remember getting one of those P/shop for dummies when I got XP and it's still doing a great job propping up my bookshelf..lol
.............................................................
Yes from the little I managed to understand I thought why does it have to go back to p/shop to finish off.
BUT when I am having trouble with camera things like exposure,WB etc etc i keep getting the same reply...use RAW and do the adjustment while sitting down.
And also the number of times I end up going back to images I thought it looses quality each time in JPEG and not in RAW.
Thanks
Keith
First up Keith, Don't put yourself down by thinking your thick......
Everybody has to start somewhere, And everyone has thier own way of learning these things......
Time and patience are the main keys, Plenty of time practicing and not worrying if it turns out right first time, Patience to keep trying until it sticks in your mind.
One way of learning that helps some better than others, Is simply following a video tutorial, First up you can see whats being done, As well as the commentary......
Secondly, You can play it over and over again, Until it all comes together........
For Adobe stuff a good and free option is " Adobe TV " there is everything there from the basics of LR to the compexities of Photoshop ( and Elements too ).
Try and make a decision early on, To start with and stick to one program at a time, Its far less confusing.....
For RAW stuff, I can highly recommend " Lightroom 3 " or even Lightroom 2, for that matter......!!!
On the above link to Adobe TV you will find stuff on Lightroom 3, Because LR3 has not been out for very long, There is only a few basic lessons available, Worth looking at though.
There is lots more stuff on LR2 because its been around for a couple of years, That said most of the Lightroom 2 stuff, Is still relevant to Lightroom 3, So learning LR2 stuff will help if you eventually wind up with LR3.......
If You prefer you can start with Photoshop Elements ( 7 or 8 ) then slowly get to grips with the " Camera Raw " ( often reffered to as ACR Adobe Camera Raw ) that is contained in that program.
Or how about this for an idea...... " Start A Group " for Raw Beginers, Where members can upload pictures of the process and progress etc etc.
Whatever, Keep at it, I'm sure we can get you up and running in RAW........eventually.....
Quote: get the capture correct in jpeg then there really isnt a need for Raw
The whole point of working with RAW data files, Is completly lost on some people......
Each to his own though....... So long as your happy....... Thats all that matters, But the " OP " did ask for help understanding and or working with RAW.....!!!!
So thats what some of us are offering......
Hi Keith, if you continue to save the same jpeg file it does lose quality each time that you save it.
1. You could keep a master jpeg file and if you need to make changes you can copy it and use the copied version for further changes. The original will then remain the same.
2. Save your files as PSD (Photoshop files) these are much larger, about 17mb for a ten meg camera. You can change these as often as you like without any loss in quality.
3. Raw files are the digital equivalent of negatives. You can change these as often as you wish or just re-set the file to how it comes from your camera without any loss in quality .
It really is easy when you get into it.
If and when you are happy you can then open your files in the likes of photoshop (I use elements) and do a little more tweaking without effecting the raw files. You can then save the file as Jpeg, psd etc.
You will always have the raw file(assuming that you keep them) to go back to at any time.
hope this helps
Ken
@ cameracat.....I see that your last post of a Meadow Brown Butterfly was taken in Raw but the only work you done in the Raw Convertor or Photoshop was to downsize the image which begs the question why did you not use the Jpeg?
There seems to me to be a need from many togs to overly complicate photography just because they have a lot of processing options when getting it correct in camera would save a massive workflow that really isnt needed.
Yes I do shoot Raw and Jpeg combined and if the Jpeg holds all the info I need then I still dont see the need to pfaff about with Raw just because people say you should shoot in Raw....Each to thier own I guess but your gallery doesnt show a result that is typical of someone wholly conversant with the post processing options available to you.
I still think Ken has given the best advise by buying a book which Keith can sit down and read at his lesuire and digest the info that is relevant to his needs.
I use Adobe converter to change my NEF files to .dngs...but having said that, Picasa reads NEF files anyway.
The way I read it (and no doubt someone will tell me if I'm wrong )
If you do all your post shot processing on the raw file then only convert it to jpeg when you are ready. You will still need to sharpen the jpeg for upload, so leave that 'til last.
Thanks again everyone...Don't fall out on my account !!!!!!
Just had a look at Kens link to Lightroom...wow that blew my mind and is exactly what I would like to do.Those tutorials are both really informative AND confusing at the same time....
But I could not find a Getting Started section.
Keith
Quote: ...which begs the question why did you not use the Jpeg?
To answer this question specifically, when capturing a RAW image the camera just stores the recorded light values for each pixel on the media card - and nothing else.
If one shoots an image with the camera set to JPEG (.jpg) the camera will apply processing to that image according to the settings within the camera BEFORE saving the file to the media card.
HTH's...
I always shoot in RAW as I prefer to make the decisions rather than rely on the camera. If something needs some work after the event then I have my original image to work with. Yes I do agree that getting the image right in the first place is important and I will always strive to do so.
Keith, stick at it with RAW as it gives you much greater contol over the final outcome. Lightroom is an excellent programme or try first getting to grips with the editing suite that came with your camera. This may be the simplest way to get started before moving on to other things. I, too, am not the worlds biggest fan of PS, however, after much perseverance and not bothering with manuals or tutorials I now have a reasonable working knowledge of elements as my entry into PS. The full version will come later.
Guess what...I am more confused than ever.
I did try the Olympus Master 2 software that came with the camera when I 1st had it a few years back and loaded it up again last week...it has loess than the p/shop 7 I am using now.
I,ve looked at lightroom...elements...Gimp and another one I cannot remember and am non the wiser....
If I ask 100 people on many sites I get 50 different answers and I don't understand any of them...now you know wht this thread is called raw for thick people.
It takes me months to grasp even the simplest of things......and then one day it will become 2nd nature and I think "how the hell didn't I get that".
I think that book "Understanding raw photography by Andy Rouse." might be my best bet if it deals with the computer siude and starts at stage one.
Keith (confused).
Keith I have no idea of what version of Olympus Master your using, even the latest linked bellow is still pretty basic bur functional. Even if you move up from master, it is still best left on your system for those firmware updates.
Olympus Master
Lightroom seems far better than anything else I`ve tried.
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