Board index Photography Technical Questions I have just started using raw what am i doing wrong

Technical Questions

I have just started using raw what am i doing wrong

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brianbrogan
 
Posts: 10

I have just started using raw what am i doing wrong

Post Thu Jul 21, 2011 2:32 pm


I have just started using shooting raw
just back fom Canada and Alaska I was told to shoot in raw.
i have used lightroom to convert them but i still dont like the end product
what am i doing wrong?
HELP PLEASE

THE LINK IS http://www.pbase.com/brianbrogan/root&view=recent
THANKS BRIAN

chestersgallery
 
Posts: 184

Re: I have just started using raw what am i doing wrong

Post Thu Jul 21, 2011 3:54 pm


I would pick up one of the many magazines which often run articals on RAW. Once you have it nailed you will never go back.

sthuman
 
Posts: 97

Re: I have just started using raw what am i doing wrong

Post Sun Jul 24, 2011 3:55 am


I looked at your Alaska gallery and don't see much wrong. Perhaps a bit brit, and maybe you could use a bit more sharpening. It doesn't say what camera you used. Nor do you say what you don't like about them. The later would sure help to know what to suggest.

thazooo
 
Posts: 51

Re: I have just started using raw what am i doing wrong

Post Mon Aug 01, 2011 9:48 pm


RAW format is just the camera data without any in camera adjustments that get applied to the Jpg image you're use to. When you process the RAW file you have to do these adjustments
yourself. With out adjustments RAW is kinda bland. Good side is that you can adjust the image to look whichever way you like. As previously mentioned get a book and play with the shots.
All this being mentioned.......there's nothing wrong with a Jpg straight from the camera if you like it. It has adjusting limits if you get the shot wrong, these can be manipulated with a RAW file. Getting it right in camera is best.

Just a thought...I noticed some images where you used f 9, f10.x and such. Here's an interesting article you might want to read
http://www.cambridgeincolour.com/tutori ... graphy.htm

Good Luck.

Dana

hphdk
 
Posts: 13

Re: I have just started using raw what am i doing wrong

Post Mon Aug 08, 2011 4:28 pm


As mentioned before the raw file is just raw data from the camera chip. When you are looking at your jpeg files they had been treated in camera with different settings, sharpening, contrast, colour balance.
I will suggest that you try to add one of your camera makers standard settings, as I consider as a very fine starting point. You find them in lightroom under develope (right side) camera settings. Profile and chose one appropriate. You can later make your own std.settings that you apply at import. BR

jkurkjia
 
Posts: 3

Re: I have just started using raw what am i doing wrong

Post Sun Sep 11, 2011 3:27 pm


brianbrogan wrote:i have used lightroom to convert them but i still dont like the end product
what am i doing wrong?


The only think you are doing wrong is not understanding the power at your disposal when shooting RAW as versus JPEG. So, what's all this stuff about power? Well, you start out with 16-bit data (as versus 8-bit for JPEGs) which gives you enormous flexibility when in comes to PP ... don't like what you see? ... then change it to suit yourself.

Please understand the "starting point" ... is THE most important part of developing a RAW file and is totally up to what "you" like to see in a picture.
I shoot Canon and see you are shooting Nikon so my verbiage may sound a bit strange but here goes. There are camera specific picture styles (starting points) you can choose depending on your personal taste; for example, Landscape (highly saturated, very vibrant colors and very high contrast tone curve), Standard (somewhat saturated, fairly vibrant colors, and fairly high contrast), Faithful (my personal favorite offers moderate saturation, reasonably vibrant, and reasonable contrast), Neutral (typically not saturated enough for landscapes, low vibrance, and a not much contrast), Portrait (beyond description other than IMO it looks like garbage for human portraits).

I suggest you go to a photography forum (e.g. DPreview) and post some Nikon specific questions in the appropriate Nikon sub-forum to get a better understand of the words used to describe "Nikon starting points."

Shooting RAW gives you some latitude ... a JPEG with blown highlights can often be saved if you start out with the RAW as versus JPEG; a lot of folks shoot RAW strictly because of that latitude but please don't think this is the be-all-end-all. Even when shooting RAW I strongly advise you to auto-bracket +/- 2/3 stops to ensure you have at least one shot of the scene that's close to proper exposure (IMO if you shoot JPEG it's downright foolish not to auto-bracket).

So, is this going to be a cake-walk for you now that you have RAW files? Short answer ... NO ... if you are lacking PP skills then it's entirely possible that shooting JPEGs will give you better results (after all, camera manufacturers do their best to give you a very good picture based on their expectations of THE TYPICAL SCENE and their personal judgment of what the "starting point" ROOTC should look like). Like Clint Eastwood said in the movie ... do you feel lucky? ... do you think the Nikon engineer that came up his/her best guess of what a good picture will match your personal taste ... if you don't feel lucky then shoot RAW and control you own destiny.

Regards,

Joe Kurkjian
http://www.pbase.com/jkurkjia

kaj_e
 
Posts: 181

Re: I have just started using raw what am i doing wrong

Post Sat Nov 26, 2011 4:51 pm


Specifically, what are you not happy with?

Kaj E
http://www.pbase.com/kaj_e


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