Learn How to Create a Better RAW Image with ACR Camera Profiles
Have you ever shot a RAW image, “chimped” the LCD on the back of the camera and thought “Nice One” only to be disappointed later when you download the image onto your computer? Well, let me show you how to create a better RAW file straight from the camera and thats before you even go near an adjustment slider. This screencast may just change your life? Ok I exaggerate! But it will make your RAW images look more like the preview on the back of your camera. Happy Days!
3 Ways to Cook an Image from RAW
© Stuart Little 2010
The image on the left is the fine quality jpeg image that I shot along side the RAW image with Canon G9 pro compact. This image has all the settings processed into it as soon as it was shot. That’s why Jpeg’s will look better straight from the camera because all the heavy lifting has been done by the camera’s image processor. But, when you shot a RAW image, unless you tell the Adobe Camera RAW processor which way you want your image cooked! Then its going to slap it in the microwave and put it on Adobe Standard for a minute or so… or if you have the older version of ACR? it will default to ACR 4.4.
Now, in the screencast, I show you how to use the built-in camera profiles, so that you can cook up a nice juicy “Camera Standard” or “Camera Vivid” image thats full of color goodness. Camera profiles may have generic names, but don’t be fooled, they are actually unique to your cameras make and model. (Ever wondered why the camera RAW plug-in gets updated each time a new camera comes out?). So whether you use Lightroom or Adobe Bridge, I am going to teach you a really simple technique that you can introduce into your workflow that makes the most of that RAW image format whether it be (.NEF) (.CR2) etc… It may just be so good, you won’t need to make any further adjustments! How good would that be? Remember, get it right in the camera and you will cut down your workload on the computer.
Camera Vivid
© Stuart Little 2010
I decided that “Camera Vivid” was the right camera profile for this particular image and no other adjustments have been applied. You will see it popping up again in a future article about “location shoots” and the importance of visiting the location before hand to do some test shots and make some decisions about lighting, lens choice, composition, exposure, and of course post processing in Lightroom, Bridge or Photoshop.
So pour yourself a drink or put on a brew. Sit back, relax and watch the screencast. Its another epic at 21 minutes… Enjoy! >
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I have taken on board recent comments that I am speaking too fast to be understood. So with this screencast I talk a little slower. Tell me what you think?
It seems my camera only has the ACR 4.1, 4.4 & Adobe Standard.
Which version of Photoshop are you using and which Camera plugin are you also using?
Amazing Tutorial Stu,
I find that I need to increase my colour saturation on virtually image so switching to Camera Vivid as my default would make things a whole lot easier!
Before I seen this tutorial I was thinking of adjusting the defaults for brightness, contrast, colour saturation etc in Bridge – do the camera profiles change all of the settings that are shown under the basic tab in Bridge or just some of them.
Cheers
Al.
Hi Alan,
Thanks and nope! sort of maybe
The camera profile tries to best interpret what was taken by the camera and then repeat that for viewing on screen. It will nudge the white balance but thats about it. This all happens before you adjust a slider. You can then go in and fine tune it with the basic panel and you have the exactly the same controls available to you as you would had you used the Adobe Standard (Camera Profile) processing engine.
Cheers
Stu
Hi Stu
I’m using LR 2.6 & CS4 and have camera raw 5.6 installed. Could be the fact I use a Fuji S5 Pro which isn’t really supported anymore?
Regards
Rob
You tick all the other boxes Rob. So I would say that has to be the answer as I checked the profile list and could not see your camera. If you want to look for yourself and check here are the paths.
On Windows 2000 / XP:
C:\Documents and Settings\All Users\Application Data\Adobe\CameraRaw\CameraProfiles
On Windows Vista:
C:\ProgramData\Adobe\CameraRaw\CameraProfiles
On Mac OS X:
/Library/Application Support/Adobe/CameraRaw/CameraProfiles
Cheers
Stu
An excellent tutorial highlighting the little used preset function in Bridge. I wonder if people know about the free WOW presets by OnOnesoftware?
I think in this tutorial you were a little hesitant in you speech flow. I preferred you normal presentation. Being a fellow Scot no problems for me in following you at normal speed.
Further comment re you speech speed. One of the attractions for me is the fact that you flow nice and evenly over the topics and do not labour to the point of boredom any specific point. If one has difficulty following, is that not why there is a pause/rewind button. I guess you can’t win em all.
LOL, to a scotsman I would sound slow. I have found the OnOne presets to be a little confusing but useful.
Very good tutorial Stu, I was able to follow your directions real time, to be honest though I had no problem with your normal speech flow.
Stu you may just be right, this could change my life..well at least my workflow! I’ll be a camera vivid fan. Such a simple technique that saves so much time. Thank you once again for sharing.
Lol, Thanks Kelvin. Some of our US viewers have been struggling a little of late so I thought I would slow it down a little.
@Sandy, try different settings depending on the shot. Don’t just stick with the one unless its Camera Standard as a sort of baseline.
Thanks Stu.
Apparently there is only 3 profiles for my camera without creating custom profiles. The issue seems to effect everybody who doesn’t use Canon or Nikon.
Thats interesting and it makes me glad I have always used one or the other. Now you have an excuse to go buy a nice shiny Nikon D90 or D300.
Hi Stu,
Another excellent and worth while tutorial, I have always found it disappointing that all my RAW images were so flat, but your explanation of the camera profiles could well solve that, and give me an excellent base line to start with.
As for the speed of your commentary, normal is not a problem, but I am not handicapped by being American
All the best
David….
Hi Stuart,
I was following your excellent “Learn How to Create a Better RAW Image with ACR Camera Profiles” when I realised that when I go to the camera profiles in Bridge, haven’t tried it in Lightroom yet, I only have the choice of Adobe Standard or ACR 4.6 for both my Nikon Cameras D2H and P6000. I have all the latest updates installed for CS4 inc Camera RAW,and I have checked the installed camera profiles as you suggested I use Windows 7, but the path is the same as Visa) and I have all the profiles installed for the D2H, P6000 is not listed, so I am lost. I am running Windows 7 64bit if that makes a difference, can you help please?
Many thanks and keep up the great work.
Best Regards,
Matt
@Matt – They differ slightly per camera so that the profiles are true to the make and model. You can download them from the Adobe website. Camera Profiles as well as the DNG editor.
Cheers
Stu
Hi Stuart,
(
Agggh! I’m such a dumb-ass! I just realised that the image I was looking at was taken on my P6000, not my D2H as I had thought. No wonder the profiles didn’t work. Sorry, just looked at a genuine D2H image and the profiles are all there and working. Sorry about that
No Worries Matt. At least you solved the mystery.
Stu any chance of a follow up article on using the DNG editor to create & modify profiles?
This is excellent Stu and will so well when sorting out my sports photos.
I have no problem with the speed you talk, I like the way you keep it going and how clear you always are unlike some who seem to enjoy making it so hard to understand.
Cheers
Ken
@Rob, At some point I will do that.
@Ken, thanks.
this has been something i have been trying to do all week and i have compared my camera to my acr pictures, i also shoot on a d700 so i would love to compare notes with you. currently i have the settings:
camera settings:
mode- standard
acr settings:
blacks: 5
brightness: +35
contrast: +25
curve: med contrast
camera profile: d2x mode 2
was wondering what yours were in acr
thanks sir
@JacenK – My D700′s on Shooting Mode Standard as well, blacks, brightness, contrast etc are unique to the shot. Camera Profile is as the post above. I would not use a D2x profile with a D700 as this may give a color shift.
Cheers
Stu
where can I get those profiles? I have updated camera raw for photoshop and lightroom, but I don’t have camera vivid or any of the other profiles, just standard, portrait, landscape and neutral.
What kind of camera do you have?
So you’ve spent a lot of money on a fast PC/Mac and software so you can turn a RAW file into something on the same level as an out of camera JPEG.
Maybe I’m missing the point here, but really – why?
Hi Matt,
You have missed the point. Its not about making a jpeg rather than getting yourself a good starting point for doing further refinements with the RAW image. A lot of people like what they see in the back of the camera and then wonder why its not like that when they get it on the computer. This takes you that little bit closer to a better RAW file and if you get it right in camera and choose the correct profile then your work in Lightroom or Bridge may be done! So in essence it makes the digital workflow faster.
Cheers
Stu