Getting to know your Software” RAW FILES and HDR

This was in response to a number of member enquiries on the WEB Forum. A show of hands at the meeting indicated that were still many members present who were not shooting in RAW Format so an opportunity to convert them. I constructed the presentation in Powerpoint to enable the subsequent printing of Notes for members (available on request) and to include the visuals that give it more interest.

File types, such as the universal “ding” (.dng) were discussed but in particular the benefits that RAW files offered and the disadvantages of the “lossy” JPEG file. These not only compress data in camera before writing it to your Memory Card but also degrade the image slightly each time they are opened and closed in your computer, even at “ Maximum Quality”. Tiffs do not and will support transparency.

The market leader in the required RAW conversion software, “Adobe Camera Raw” is featured as a Plug-In for the major post-capture software programs . . . Photoshop, Photoshop Elements 9 upwards and Lightroom. The post-capture adjustment options for RAW and JPEG files were screened showing how much more the former provided, the most important being the option to adjust exposure by up to two stops plus or minus after capture.

This could be used to advantage when faced with making an image of a scene that encompasses a higher dynamic range that the six to seven stops that a digital camera’s sensor can handle before the photo receptors start to spill over and highlights are blown out. External Neutral Density Filters, such as the Lee range have been used for many years to condense the range but there are situations where even these cannot cope. Time, then, to enter the controversial world of High Dynamic Range Photography (HDR) where a number of images of different exposures are combined by computer software and then Tone Rendered.

The major software player here is Photomatix and the Pro v3 was used to demonstrate in basic form its applications and method of use. Like marmite you either love or hate HDR imaging mainly because if not rendered subtly it can produce garish results. However, there are many more subtle pre-sets and if you take time to master it the results can be interesting. I was commissioned to supply a series of property interiors last Summer and by using HDR the light streaming through the windows could be captured to show details of the gardens outside.

The evening ended with a most interesting DVD explaining the varying uses of directional light in photography which was well received.

Dick Loaring LRPS This was in response to a number of member enquiries on the WEB Forum. A show of hands at the meeting indicated that were still many members present who were not shooting in RAW Format so an opportunity to convert them. I constructed the presentation in Powerpoint to enable the subsequent printing of Notes for members (available on request) and to include the visuals that give it more interest.

File types, such as the universal “ding” (.dng) were discussed but in particular the benefits that RAW files offered and the disadvantages of the “lossy” JPEG file. These not only compress data in camera before writing it to your Memory Card but also degrade the image slightly each time they are opened and closed in your computer, even at “ Maximum Quality”. Tiffs do not and will support transparency.

The market leader in the required RAW conversion software, “Adobe Camera Raw” is featured as a Plug-In for the major post-capture software programs . . . Photoshop, Photoshop Elements 9 upwards and Lightroom. The post-capture adjustment options for RAW and JPEG files were screened showing how much more the former provided, the most important being the option to adjust exposure by up to two stops plus or minus after capture.

This could be used to advantage when faced with making an image of a scene that encompasses a higher dynamic range that the six to seven stops that a digital camera’s sensor can handle before the photo receptors start to spill over and highlights are blown out. External Neutral Density Filters, such as the Lee range have been used for many years to condense the range but there are situations where even these cannot cope. Time, then, to enter the controversial world of High Dynamic Range Photography (HDR) where a number of images of different exposures are combined by computer software and then Tone Rendered.

The major software player here is Photomatix and the Pro v3 was used to demonstrate in basic form its applications and method of use. Like marmite you either love or hate HDR imaging mainly because if not rendered subtly it can produce garish results. However, there are many more subtle pre-sets and if you take time to master it the results can be interesting. I was commissioned to supply a series of property interiors last Summer and by using HDR the light streaming through the windows could be captured to show details of the gardens outside.

The evening ended with a most interesting DVD explaining the varying uses of directional light in photography which was well received.

Dick Loaring LRPS Chairman