Adjusting the Exposure Control when opening RAW images in PS CS?

ZQ
Posted By
z_q-g.-u
Oct 4, 2004
Views
352
Replies
1
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Closed
I am floundering trying to edit RAW files in Photoshop CS. My current issue/question is the correct setting of the exposure control. Should I set the control so that the photo looks to be correctly exposed in the preview screen, or should I set it so that none of the color channels are being clipped (at least significantly clipped)? If I do the latter I can end up with some mighty dark images, which normally require more significant editing later in PS. If I do the former, then one or more colors can be clipped. The clipping is apparent if I open Layers later during editing, but not necessarily in viewing the image.

Adobe Photoshop CS HELP suggests that holding down the ALT key (Windows) or OPTION key (MAC), slide the EXPOSURE control until some clipping is evident, and then back off a bit. Do the same for the SHADOWS control at the other end.

Help/suggestions are requested and will be appreciated.
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David Dyer-Bennet
Oct 5, 2004
(john chapman) writes:

I am floundering trying to edit RAW files in Photoshop CS. My current issue/question is the correct setting of the exposure control. Should I set the control so that the photo looks to be correctly exposed in the preview screen, or should I set it so that none of the color channels are being clipped (at least significantly clipped)? If I do the latter I can end up with some mighty dark images, which normally require more significant editing later in PS. If I do the former, then one or more colors can be clipped. The clipping is apparent if I open Layers later during editing, but not necessarily in viewing the image.

Depends on the image :-). As is so often the case.

But here’s my general rule of thumb: At the raw processing level, you want to spread out the parts of the image you’re using as much as possible without losing stuff you’re going to use. So, if the highlights above a certain point are going to be clipped anyway, might as well clip them in raw processing when you can quite possible use the space freed up for more information in another part of the image. Ditto for the shadows.

Sometimes this involves going back to RAW and starting over, when you realize you’ll be clipping significantly more than you expected the first time around.
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