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- Sep 29, 2008
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Simple example of how to save a badly lit picture using the RAW dialog.
Before:
During:
After:
Now all of this is done using the RAW preloader that comes with Adobe Photoshop (CS4 is what I'm using). There are several free Mac and Windows programs that can handle and adjust RAW files.
Now if you don't have a RAW camera, or just have jpg images, don't worry. I'm working on a how-to for that.
The trick is to watch the histogram (during screen). You can make the image come out nearly perfect if you just watch this. The goal is to move all the blown out (here it's shown by lit triangles on either end of the window) portions into the middle. You are aiming for a nice gentle curve, tapering off at the ends.
Notice in the second during screen that I do not have a gentle curve. That's fine. This image has a lot of contrast, difference between light and dark. Some images will have a good curve, others won't. Making sure you aren't running off one end of the graph is key, don't worry too much about contrast.
Temperature adjusts most of the color correction.
Tint helps remove an odd photo tint.
Exposure will brighten or darken the image. If you're underexposing the image, you will want to turn the exposure up. If you're blowing bits out with an overactive flash, you will want to turn it down.
Recovery/Fill help adjust the amount of exposure by enhancing shadows (recovery) and highlights (fill).
Before:
During:
After:
Now all of this is done using the RAW preloader that comes with Adobe Photoshop (CS4 is what I'm using). There are several free Mac and Windows programs that can handle and adjust RAW files.
Now if you don't have a RAW camera, or just have jpg images, don't worry. I'm working on a how-to for that.
The trick is to watch the histogram (during screen). You can make the image come out nearly perfect if you just watch this. The goal is to move all the blown out (here it's shown by lit triangles on either end of the window) portions into the middle. You are aiming for a nice gentle curve, tapering off at the ends.
Notice in the second during screen that I do not have a gentle curve. That's fine. This image has a lot of contrast, difference between light and dark. Some images will have a good curve, others won't. Making sure you aren't running off one end of the graph is key, don't worry too much about contrast.
Temperature adjusts most of the color correction.
Tint helps remove an odd photo tint.
Exposure will brighten or darken the image. If you're underexposing the image, you will want to turn the exposure up. If you're blowing bits out with an overactive flash, you will want to turn it down.
Recovery/Fill help adjust the amount of exposure by enhancing shadows (recovery) and highlights (fill).
I am usually too impatient and just use the eyedropper tool and eyeball it until the colors match:
