11

Editing Raw Files in Photoshop

Until recently, raw files were viewed as a capture-only format with the first step in any workflow being the conversion of the picture to another file type so that editing, enhancing and output tasks could be performed. I say recently because with the release of products such as Lightroom from Adobe, it is no longer necessary to change file formats to your pictures further through the production workflow.

Even Photoshop and Bridge are now sufficiently raw aware to allow the user to edit, enhance, print and even produce contact sheets, PDF presentations, picture packages and web galleries all from raw originals. Yes, sometimes the files are converted as part of the production process for these outcomes, but I can live with this intermediary step if it means that my precious pictures stay in the raw format for more of the production workflow. With a little trickery associated with Photoshop’s Smart Object technology it is now even possible to edit individual pictures inside a standard Photoshop document without having to convert the file first.

So with this in mind let’s look at some editing, enhancing and output options that are available for the raw shooter who wants to use Photoshop, but also wants to maintain his, or her, picture’s raw status for longer.

All roads lead to Photoshop

It has long been possible to import and edit converted raw files into Photoshop. In fact, this is the basis of the traditional raw workflow where the captured photo is first converted to a standard picture format, such as PSD, TIFF or JPEG, before being opened in Photoshop. This is still the route you will have to take for most pathways that lead to Photoshop (see pathway diagram opposite), but the inclusion of Smart Object technology in Photoshop CS2 and CS3 provides an editing alternative that retains the original raw file (see green pathway in the illustration opposite).

This option provides a non-destructive raw workflow with editing possibilities that go way beyond the global options (changes applied to the whole picture) available with Adobe Camera Raw and Photoshop Lightroom. Non-destructive enhancement might not always be your goal or, with some complex techniques, might not even be possible, so to start with in the next few pages we will look at all the different ways to open your raw images in Photoshop.

There are many ways to get your raw files into Photoshop. Most require the picture to be converted from its raw state to a format more suitable for editing (TIFF, PSD, JPEG), but there is a Smart Object-based workflow that maintains the original raw file throughout.

What about Photoshop Elements? What editing options are available with this package? Elements users can apply global conversion settings to raw files via ACR without having to open them fully into the Full Edit workspace. To make changes to specific areas of the photo, or to access more sophisticated editing features, the raw file will need to be converted and then opened into the Edit workspace. Alternatively, Elements users can also transfer their photos to Photoshop from the Organizer workspace with the Edit > Edit with Photoshop option.

Creating raw Smart Objects from inside Photoshop CS3

As an alternative to using the Open Object route from Adobe Camera Raw, it is possible to open a raw file from inside Photoshop itself. The Open as Smart Object option is located under the File menu. After selecting the entry Photoshop presents you with a file browser so that you can locate the raw file. After selecting the photo click the OK button at the bottom of the dialog.

The raw file is then loaded into Adobe Camera Raw. Here you can make any changes or enhancements necessary before clicking the OK button to close the dialog and open the embedded file in a new Photoshop document.

Embedding raw files in Photoshop CS2

Smart Object technology was first released in Photoshop CS2 but the version of Adobe Camera Raw that came with that product didn’t contain the Open Object option. If you haven’t yet upgraded then don’t despair, the following technique provides a neat workaround for the problem. Smart Objects are a way of embedding the original file within a special layer in a Photoshop document.

Making changes to an embedded raw file

OK, so you have successfully managed to embed your raw file and you now have a new Photoshop document complete with a Smart Object layer. The original conversion settings that were applied to the photo at time of embedding look fine but you want to fine-tune the color and contrast of the file. Or maybe there are a couple of marks on the photo that need removing. How can we make these changes in Photoshop without having to first convert the raw file to a standard format such as PSD or TIFF?

Well, the following collection of techniques will provide you with an inkling of the type of workflow that is now possible without having to convert your raw file first.

But you can’t edit a Smart Object. Not true!

Using this approach, simple retouching tasks are also not out of the question and they don’t require that the Smart Object be rasterized first. Jobs like removing a pimple from the face of an otherwise glamorous model are possible by creating a new layer above the Smart Object layer and then selecting the Spot Healing Brush (set to Use All Layers). Proceed to make the retouching corrections on the new layer. This is a great way to maintain the original raw file and provide the retouching options that are sometimes needed. This is especially helpful if you are not using Lightroom or the latest version of Adobe Camera Raw, which both contain options for spot removal.

The technique also demonstrates how skillful use of Photoshop technologies such as Sample All Layers, Adjustment Layers and Layer Blend Modes can provide innovative workflows that maintain the raw file throughout.

To remove marks and blemishes from an embedded raw file, start by creating a new layer above the Smart Object layer.

After selecting the Spot Healing Brush make sure that the new layer is selected and that the Sample All Layers option is ticked before clicking on the blemish.

Pro’s tip: Keep in mind that any changes made directly to the color, contrast and brightness of the raw file Smart Object will not be reflected in the retouching image layer. If you want to make such changes to both layers, create a new adjustment layer above both the retouching and Smart Object layers and use this for your enhancements.

After retouching the Smart Object any changes (color, contrast, brightness) that you make to the embedded raw file will not match the details in the retouching layer. So rather than making these changes directly to the raw file, add an adjustment layer (1) above both the Smart Object and retouching layers and alter the image via this control.

Tonal and color changes via the raw file

For color and tonal enhancements that don’t involve an existing retouching layer use the editing abilities of the Smart Object to make these changes directly to the raw file. Double-clicking the Smart Object layer opens the file inside the program of origin. For placed Illustrator files this means that the file is opened inside Illustrator ready for editing, for our embedded raw file the picture is opened inside Adobe Camera Raw. Cool!

All the settings for the values used for the current conversion are set in the dialog and it is a simple matter to adjust contrast, brightness, white balance, sharpness or any of the other variables available in the dialog. Clicking the Done button then saves the changes back to the Smart Object layer and in the process updates the view of the document in the Photoshop workspace. This way of working might seem a little convoluted but it provides a radical lossless method of manipulating your raw files as Photoshop documents.

Double-click the Smart Object layer or choose Layer > Smart Objects > Edit Contents to open ACR and edit the conversion settings of the raw file.

Employing a two Hue/Saturation adjustment layer technique to change a color photo to black and white maintains the status of the raw file and still provides control over the convert to gray process.

Convert to gray

Let’s take this lossless enhancement approach a little further and look at a new twist on an old convert to gray technique. First proposed by the Adobe evangelist Russel Brown, this method uses two Hue/Saturation adjustment layers to create an editable convert to gray technique that leaves the original pixels untouched. In our situation this means producing a grayscale picture from the raw file in its virgin state. This technique is suitable for CS2 and CS3 users alike.

New grayscale conversion options in CS3

Photographers have had such a long and glorious history of producing fantastic black and white images that in making the transition to digital we expected this tradition to continue unabated. But despite the ease with which digital allows us to convert a color photo to black and white, the ability to create richly toned monochromes is still a black art filled with mysterious magic for many image makers.

Thankfully the Black and White feature is also available as an adjustment layer for non-destructive conversions for embedded raw files. Simply insert the adjustment layer above the raw Smart Object layer.

It is for this reason that Adobe has produced a range of pathways, tools and techniques to convert color images to black and white over the past few years, starting with simple change to grayscale mode and desaturate techniques, and then moving on to the more sophisticated, and most say more difficult to use, Channel Mixer feature. Well, Photoshop CS3 includes a new feature that promises to bring quality grayscale conversions to the masses.

Called the Black and White feature (Image > Adjustments > Black and White), the new tool provides all the power of the Channel Mixer without the drawbacks. Overall density of the conversion is handled automatically and so there is no need to watch the channel settings numbers to ensure that they add up to 100, as was the case with Channel Mixer. Add to this the ability to tint the final result and you will quickly find yourself falling in love with monochromes again.

The feature’s dialog contains six slider controls for each of the color channels. Moving a slider to the right increases the dominance of the color in the conversion result. By changing several sliders at once you can very quickly alter the look and feel of the resultant monochrome. Towards the bottom of the screen there is a separate section that controls the tinting of the picture. To add a color to the grayscale click on the Tint checkbox and then use the Hue slider to adjust the color and the Saturation slider to adjust the strength or vibrancy of this color.

The Black and White feature in Photoshop CS3 provides a powerful new way to convert color pictures to grayscale photos. The way that different colors are mapped to gray can be adjusted with the channel sliders in the feature and a color added to the result using the Tint options.

Favorite conversion values can be saved using the options in the settings menu next to the Presets area of the dialog. Here you can Save current settings, Load previously stored settings or Delete any settings displayed in the Presets list.

But best of all, this new feature can be just as easily applied to raw files as it can to standard images. Simply add the Black and White adjustment layer above the raw Smart Object layer to create a totally customized, non-destructive, convert to gray option.

The Black and White feature provides sophisticated conversions for embedded raw files quickly and easily. Here are some examples (see right) of the different results that are possible:

Grayscale conversions whilst converting

Of course, the Photoshop Lightroom as well as the latest versions of Adobe Camera Raw grayscale conversion options are capable of customizing how individual colors map to gray. Have a look at Chapters 6, 7 and 8 for more details. The techniques detailed above are not necessarily meant to replace these features, but rather they are designed to show you what is possible when you start to think and work in a nondestructive fashion.

Add texture to your raw images non-destructively by using the new Smart Filters available in Photoshop CS3 or by applying the characteristics of a textured layer with layer Blend Modes.

Adding texture

But why stop there? Many monochrome workers also love the atmospheric texture that old grainy film stocks added to their images. Simulating grain is not a particularly difficult task with Photoshop. Most users will have played with the Filter > Noise > Add Noise filter and in doing so would have instantly added digital grain to their otherwise smooth photos. The Smart Filters technology in CS3 means that we can now filter the contents of Smart Object layers just as easily as we would other image layers.

Trying to filter a Smart Object layer directly in Photoshop CS2 will result in this warning dialog being displayed. Selecting OK will convert the raw file to a standard picture format and in the process lose the file’s ability to edit raw conversion settings at a later date. If you want to maintain a non-destructive workflow then you will need to find a way around this rasterization process. In the case of adding texture it is a simple matter of applying the texture to another layer and then altering the layer Blend Mode to mix the contents of both the texture layer and Smart Object layer.

Texture without Smart Filters

Unfortunately CS2 doesn’t contain Smart Filters. Applying texture non-destructively to an embedded raw file with this version of Photoshop is another matter. To achieve the same outcome we need to think a little more laterally. Rather than trying to filter the Smart Object layer itself, which would require the layer to be rasterized, losing the embedded file in the process, we will introduce the texture with the aid of layer blend modes.

Darkening or lightening specific sections of the photo, generally called dodging and burning, can also be achieved without converting the embedded raw file by painting black or white onto a separate layer set to the Soft Light Blend Mode.

Non-destructive dodging and burning

Dodging and burning, or lightening and darkening specific parts of a photo for dramatic effect, has long been a part of photographic practice. Photoshop contains both Dodge and Burn tools but these features are often avoided by photographers as the changes they make are applied destructively to the original pixels. This, coupled with the fact that the tools don’t work with Smart Object layers, means that we need to find a workaround for localized darkening and lightening activities. The following technique uses a Dodge and Burn layer, set to the Soft Light Blend Mode, that sits above the image layer. Picture parts are darkened by painting on this layer with a black brush and lightened when painting with a white brush. The result is a technique that provides dodge and burn-like functionality but doesn’t change the original image.

Reintroducing some color

Taking the monochrome scenario one step further it is a simple task to add back some color in the form of a simple tint by adjusting the settings of the upper Hue/Saturation adjustment layer. Double-click on the Layer thumbnail (the left icon in the adjustment layer) to open the Hue/Saturation dialog. Now select the Colorize option and carefully adjust the Hue slider to choose the color to tone the photo. The Saturation slider in the same dialog can be used to control the strength of the toning effect.

To apply a sepia tone effect to the embedded raw file change the settings of the upper Hue/Saturation adjustment layer so that the Colorize option (1) is selected.

Split toning

For layer-based split toning effects, simply add two Color Balance adjustment layers above the Black and White adjustment layer. With one Color Balance layer target the Highlight range of tones, changing the tint of the image using the sliders. Use the second Color Balance adjustment layer to tint the shadow tones a different color.

Rather than rasterizing the embedded raw file apply pixel-based corrections to a merged copy of the nondestructive editing layers.

When you have no choice but to rasterize

Despite our best efforts there will be times when the particular Photoshop function that we need to use cannot be applied non-destructively to the embedded raw file. For example, features like filters just will not work on a Smart Object in CS2 unless the file is rasterized first. In these circumstances, there seems little option but to convert the Smart Object to a standard image layer (rasterize) before continuing the editing process. But even at this point it is worth looking for a technique that will still maintain the spirit of the non-destructive approach.

The way I work is to perform as much editing on the Smart Object as possible and when the need arises to rasterize I place all the non-destructed editing components (Smart Object layer, adjustment layers, retouching layers) into a Group (Layer Set) and create a single image layer that is the composite of all these editing effects. I can then apply the pixel-based editing techniques directly to the composite secure in the knowledge that if I need to go back to the original file later I can access the primary data via the Group. Here’s how it works:

Photoshop functions for multiple images

Until now we have concentrated on tips and techniques for editing individual raw files inside Photoshop, but what about the more automated features in the program. You know, the ones that use a group of images for the presentation or printing. Is it possible to include raw files when using these features? Well the short answer is yes!

Options for screen output

Instant slideshows

Slideshow is one of the view modes available in the Bridge workspace. Selecting this option creates an automatic self-running slideshow containing the images in the current workspace or those multi-selected before choosing the feature. Raw files displayed in the Content panel can be selected for inclusion alongside standard image file formats. Pressing the H key displays a list of commands that can be used to navigate, edit and adjust the slideshow.

Bridge contains an automated slideshow feature that can be accessed directly from the View menu or by pressing Ctrl/Command + L.

This feature provides a great way to quickly edit and label a bunch of images that you have just photographed. Multi-select the photos within the Bridge workspace and then click Ctrl/Command + L to switch to Slideshow view. As each of the photos is being displayed you can rate the pictures by clicking the number keys 1–5 or label them by pressing 6–9. Some photographers use this approach with their clients interactively rating the pictures based on the client’s feedback to the slideshow.

By clicking H you can display the list of shortcut keys used to control the slideshow or add labels to pictures during the presentation.

The PDF Presentation dialog contains settings that control the timing and transitions in the slideshow.

Portable slideshows

If you need to send a series of photos to a friend or client, rather than showing them directly from your desktop, you can create a special portable slideshow which Adobe calls a PDF Presentation. The end result is a self-running slideshow saved in the PDF or Adobe Acrobat format that can be emailed or saved to a CD and then forwarded.

As before, start the process by multi-selecting the photos to be included in the presentation from the thumbnails inside the Bridge workspace. Next, select the PDF Presentation option from those listed in the Tools > Photoshop menu. Photoshop opens and the PDF Presentation dialog is then displayed. Here you have the option of adding to the files selected or removing any that are already on the list. Next, select the Presentation option at the bottom of the dialog and adjust the Advance and Transition settings before clicking the Save button.

Select a name and folder for the presentation before clicking Save for a second time. Choose the Screen Res setting from the PDF Presets dialog that is displayed, before pressing the Save PDF button. Photoshop now does its magic opening, converting, sizing and saving the pictures in the presentation format. The final result can be viewed in Adobe’s free Acrobat Reader.

The completed slideshow is produced in the form of a self-running PDF presentation which can be viewed with Adobe’s free Acrobat Reader.

Exporting to other file formats

Automated conversions using the Image Processor

Back when CS was first released Adobe evangelist Russell Brown developed the Image Processor to demonstrate the power of the scripting engine within Photoshop and at the same time provide a very handy image conversion utility. Now the Image Processor is a permanent part of both Bridge and Photoshop’s feature lineup.

The Image Processor script generates up to three different file format versions of the original raw file automatically.

The utility is designed to quickly convert a range of raw files into JPEG, PSD and TIFF versions. There is an option to manually adjust the raw conversion settings for the first file and then apply these settings to the rest of the images. The utility can also rename, run a pre-saved action, add copyright details and size at the same time as converting between formats, providing a fast and efficient workflow for processing images that have been captured in a single session.

The copies created by the Image Processor are conveniently stored in separate folders labelled with their file type.

After processing, the files are stored in three separate folders on your hard drive. To use the utility, select your raw files from inside Bridge and then choose Tools > Photoshop > Image Processor. Set the location where processed files are to be saved, the file type and any associated settings (size, compression, color profile), add in copyright details and then choose any actions to apply to the files.

Printing from raw files

Producing a contact sheet

The familiar Contact Sheet option that has been present in Photoshop for the last few versions can be used from Bridge to print ‘proof’ sheets of raw files. Thumbnails are multi-selected from the Bridge workspace before accessing the utility via the Tools > Photoshop menu.

The options contained within the Contact Sheet dialog allow the user to select the number of columns of image thumbnails per page and the content of the text labels that are added. The page size and orientation can also be chosen via the Page Setup. Pressing the OK button instructs Photoshop to open each image in turn, resize the picture and then position it in a new document ready for printing.

The Contact Sheet option in Bridge can generate proof sheet versions of multiple files from raw files.

Picture Package

The multi-image printing idea is extended via the Picture Package utility which is also located under the Tools > Photoshop menu in Bridge. With this print utility you have the option of laying out several images of different sizes on a single page. Alternatively you can produce several copies of the same photo in a range of template designs. Use this utility to efficiently put together multi-print pages that are destined for cutting up and presenting separately.

The feature automatically lists the photos selected in Bridge in the Contact Sheet dialog. It is here that you can alter the sheet’s layout and design before producing the group of thumbnails as a new Photoshop document.

As well as producing contact sheets, raw files can be collated into other multi-print designs using the Picture Package feature also located in the Tools > Photoshop menu in Bridge.

Printing individual photos without conversion

Unfortunately Bridge doesn’t contain a straight print option that allows individual raw files to be printed directly from the Content panel. But don’t despair! Using the embedded raw file technique described earlier in this chapter, the raw photo becomes a Photoshop document, which in turn can be printed using the standard print options in the program.

Once you have completed the editing and enhancing of your embedded raw file it is possible to print the file just like any other Photoshop document.