Create Perfect RAW Digital Camera Files

Young, insecure cooks enjoy cooking pre-packaged meals, while experienced chefs prefer more control. They choose to cook from “scratch,” with the freshest ingredients, preferably grown in their own backyard. Photographers are much the same. Eventually, we turn off “auto” settings in deference to “manual” and make every effort to master our imaging tools.

However, after mastering the camera’s settings, we learn that there is still something interfering with our images. If it were our soup in jeopardy, we would slap a hand and kick someone out of the kitchen; however, the culprit in our digital kitchen is the camera itself. Each time we save as a TIFF or JPEG, the camera puts its spoon in the pot, setting white points, adjusting shadows, compressing, etc. It “cooks” the image. So, how do we take back complete control? The answer is, shooting in the “RAW.”

RAW format is an option (not available in low end cameras) that records the raw data -- the widest tonal range and color information the camera is capable of capturing. This is heaven for control happy photographers, but it can also lead to management purgatory.

Let’s look at some of the advantages of and management solutions for using RAW format:

Although, both TIFF and RAW files are uncompressed and lossless (nothing is lost), RAW files offer more information in less space. TIFF files are saved in three, 8 bit channels (red, green blue) that add up to 24 bits. Compare this, for example, to a one channel, RAW file weighing in at 12 bits. There are also “compressed RAW” files, which reduce the file size even further (but at the cost of slowing the opening time).

Managing and manipulating RAW files has to date, been problematic, largely due to the proprietary nature of competing brands. Hence, no two cameras describe a RAW file exactly the same way. Of course, this kind of incompatibility wreaks havoc on workflow and eventually a popular unifying standard rises from the crowd. Adobe is attempting to provide a solution with its introduction of DNG (digital negative), intended to be a unifying RAW format. With its free converter tool (www.adobe.com/dng), compatible with more than 65 cameras, Adobe hopes to make DNG the standard archival format for RAW files.

Archiving the RAW version of every image is a good practice. Treat it as you would an original negative -- working from copies only. It is also a good idea to store a small JEPG file of your image for easy organizing and proofing. Many cameras shoot RAW and JPEG versions simultaneously.

While it is true that cameras that have RAW capabilities come with software to manipulate them, the bundled software is not necessarily the best choice. Adobe Photoshop CS comes ready to enhance RAW files and is often a better choice. Check the features of each closely. For example, your camera’s software may allow you to make adjustments in three (RGB) separate channels. If that is important to you, you may choose it over a Photoshop CS workflow.

Once you’re comfortable with photo enhancing software, and have a workable file management system in place, you’ll never let the camera “cook” your images again. Like the professional chef, you’ll prefer to start with RAW material.