Working with Raw Files

Opening Raw Files
(FYI - you will not be able to view or open Raw files outside of Photoshop)

1. Open Photoshop (From your Start Menu > Programs > Adobe CS5)
2. Open your image by going to the File menu and selecting Open.
3. Open the Folder “chapter02”, then open the Folder “02_01 hdrpro”.
Choose the file “freeway-80.CR2” and click Open
(Cannon RAW files have the extension .CR2,
each company has its own extension)


Adjusting Raw Files
4. The Raw File should open in the Camera Raw window, at the top it will tell you what type of camera took the photo.
5. Start with the Basic adjustments, going down the list from top to bottom.
6. You can try the Auto adjustments and if you don’t like it return to Default or make changes from there.
7. Adjust Curves.
8. Adjust Sharpening.
9. Color Balance using the sliders.
10. Adjust the lens vignette.
11. Click Open Image.

continue working on this image:
12. Make sure the Layers Palette is visible, if not go to Window > Layers
13. Copy your background using the keyboard shortcut CNTRL + J (Command J)
14. On Layer 1 (Background Copy) use the Quick Selection to select the sky.
15. Click on Refine Edge to adjust the selection: include the parts you want and leave out those you don’t.
16. Click on the Foreground Color to select a light blue for the sky. Click OK to confirm.
17.  Choose the Brush Tool (B) and set the Opacity to 20%. Paint over the sky.
18. Use the Quick Selection to select the water.
19. Click on Refine Edge to adjust the selection: include the parts you want and leave out those you don’t.
20. Click on the Foreground Color to select a darker blue for the water. Click OK to confirm.
21. Choose the Brush Tool (B) and set the Opacity to 20%. Paint over the water.
22. Use the Eraser Tool (E) with a very soft edge to blend the line between the water and the sky.
23. Use the Quick Selection to select the land areas.
24. Click on Refine Edge to adjust the selection: include the parts you want and leave out those you don’t.
25. Click on the Cookie and choose Levels.
26. Bring the White Slider to the edge of the histogram.  Bring the Gray Slider to 0.63. Leave the Black Slider alone. Click OK.
27. Use the Brush Tool (B) to add and subtract parts of the Levels adjustment. Painting White onto a Black area will add to the area that is included in the adjustment. Painting Black onto a white area will subtract from the area included in the adjustment.  Click the X key on the keyboard to switch Black and White in the Foreground Color.

SAVE
28.  File > Save As > Finished Freeway

Choose:
JPEG for Finished Images
PSD for Unfinished images.


Opening multiple RAW files at one time:

29. Open your images by going to the File menu and selecting Open.
30. Open the Folder “wedding”,
31. To select more than one file at the same time hold down the Shift key and Click.
32. Choose all of the files in the folder and click Open

Adjusting Raw Files
33. The Raw Files should open all together in the Camera Raw window.
34. You should see the first image in the center large, and the other images as thumbnails on the side.
35. Holding down the Shift key you can select more than one image at a time and make the Basic Adjustments, going down the list from top to bottom.  You should see in the thumbnails that the changes are happening on all of the images.
36. You can try the Auto adjustments and if you don’t like it return to Default or make changes from there.
37. Adjust Curves.
38. Adjust Sharpening.
39. Color Balance using the sliders.
40. Adjust the lens vignette.
41. Click Open Images  (If multiple images are selected at the same time when you click Open, all will Open).
continue working on this image:
42. Make sure the Layers Palette is visible, if not go to Window > Layers
43. Copy your background using the keyboard shortcut CNTRL + J (Command J)
44. On Layer 1 (Background Copy) use the Quick Selection to select the sky.
45. Click on Refine Edge to adjust the selection: include the parts you want and leave out those you don’t.
46. Click on the Foreground Color to select a light blue for the sky. Click OK to confirm.
47.  Choose the Brush Tool (B) and set the Opacity to 20%. Paint over the sky.
48. Use the Quick Selection to select everything but the sky.
49. Click on Refine Edge to adjust the selection: include the parts you want and leave out those you don’t.
50. Click on the Cookie and choose Levels.
51. Adjust the Gray Slider to brighten up the image. Click OK.
52. Use the Brush Tool (B) to add and subtract parts of the Levels adjustment. Painting White onto a Black area will add to the area that is included in the adjustment. Painting Black onto a white area will subtract from the area included in the adjustment.  Click the X key on the keyboard to switch Black and White in the Foreground Color.

SAVE
28.  File > Save As > Finished Freeway

Choose:
JPEG for Finished Images
PSD for Unfinished images.

continue working on the other 3 images in the same manner.

The End.