Processing Images

DavieW · 7 Oct 2013

Why does the magazine I subscribe to open images in Adobe Camera Raw, make some adjustments then open it in Photoshop? Why not go straight to Photoshop?

nickjohnwatson · 7 Oct 2013

You can't process a raw file in Photoshop. Therefore camera raw converts it to a tiff so Photoshop can read the file

Digifrog · 7 Oct 2013

In essence, with RAW you are editing a data file, in Ps you are editing an image file. The functions in ACR are designed to make use of the full info in the RAW file, predominantly exposure, white balance & lens correction. You can't do these steps in Ps, well you can but it will incur damage as the TIFF will not hold as much info as your RAW.

Hope that makes sense.

BBR · 10 Oct 2013

I always shoot raw. I only have PS Elements 8. Seems to work OK.??????

Einholt · 10 Oct 2013

So if I understand correctly when I import my raw files to LR or elements I am not actually processing them as raw but as the file type that that program has converted them to? ie I am doing it completely wrong and could get a lot more out of using ACR?

barratt1988 · 10 Oct 2013

90% of my pp work is in ACR and fimished in cs6. With the full acr you can do lots. Acr on elements is limited but LR has acr built into the program. Shoot raw and edit from that the program will open the raw accordingly

droj · 11 Oct 2013

Einholt said:
So if I understand correctly when I import my raw files to LR or elements I am not actually processing them as raw but as the file type that that program has converted them to? ie I am doing it completely wrong and could get a lot more out of using ACR?

No, you perform actions on the RAW file but the RAW file remains intact, and your actions may be recorded with it (alongside it, but not embedded). Only when you export it in a file format readable by other programmes (jpg, tiff, psd ...) do those adjustments get embedded and taken forward as part of a new entity ...

redhed17 · 11 Oct 2013

You can also open Jpegs in in ACR, and it is a very good and easy to use editor. It is easier and quicker to to edit in ACR for global changes, only going into Photoshop for pixel editing.

barratt1988 · 11 Oct 2013

droj said:
No, you perform actions on the RAW file but the RAW file remains intact, and your actions may be recorded with it (alongside it, but not embedded). Only when you export it in a file format readable by other programmes (jpg, tiff, psd ...) do those adjustments get embedded and taken forward as part of a new entity ...

It gets a lil more confusing if your shooting Dng raw as the file remains intact but the xmp file is saved within the raw.