Tag Archives: #RAW file

photography

Improving an old Digital Photo

I thought about giving this the title, “Snapping Up an HST.”

In June 2010, I bought my first (and only) DSLR: a Canon EOS 7D.

It’s a great camera, and I’ve made thousands of photographs with it.

Canon is famous for its color palette. However, I’ve often felt that many of my early digital images were somewhat lackluster in terms of contrast and composition.

The other day, I imported a variety of my Canon CR2 RAW files into DxO PureRAW 5 for DeepPRIME XD3 correction and conversion to DNG files for subsequent adjustment in Lightroom.

Among the images I felt needed improvement was file 4875, which I exposed in December 2010 in the United Kingdom. It depicts a former East Midlands HST racing north near Harpenden on the old Midland Main Line.

Below are representations of the original CR2 file. Both have been scaled as JPGs for internet presentation. The top image is shown without adjustment or conversion; the bottom image reflects an improved PureRAW interpretation of the RAW data, along with a variety of nominal changes to color, contrast, and exposure.

This remains a work in progress, as I’m curious to see how Word Press file compression alters my adjusted files in their final presentation here.

Scaled from the camera CR-2 RAW file without alteration to appearance.
CR-2 RAW file following correction using DxO PureRAW 5 for DeepPRIME XD3 and conversion to DNG files for subsequent cosmetic adjustment in Lightroom.

Tracking the Light Looks Back!

photography

Sunrise on the New England Central—Working with RAW.

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A side-benefit for me of transatlantic jet lag is that I’m wide awake for sunrise.

The other day, I drove to Stafford Springs, Connecticut as the sun was rising.

Typically New England Central 608 passes the village between 7 and 730 am. On this day it appeared about 724 am.

Working with my FujiFilm XT1 with 12mm Zeiss Tuoit lens, I made a series of images of the freight passing.

I carefully exposed my RAW files to retain some sky detail, intending to adjust exposure, contrast and color in post processing.

It would be fallacious to suggest that the RAW file represents reality. It doesn’t.

It is important to understand that the camera RAW file is an equivalent of a ‘negative’ in film photography. The RAW file simply represents the raw data as captured by the camera sensor. This data requires interpretation to produce an image that resembled what the human brain perceives.

I made a series of small adjustments to highlights, shadows, color temperature, and color balance, while working with masks in the sky to control detail and color.

My only regret is that my graduated neutral density filters were still packed away in my luggage, as these would have been useful in this situation by allowing for improved sky detail by effectively selective expanding the dynamic capture of the sensor.

I’ve included both the RAW file (scaled for internet) and my interpreted post-processed JPG. To give hints as to what I’ve done, I’ve also included screen shots of the Lightroom work windows.

This the uninterpreted image. It is a JPG because this necessary for internet presentation. My RAW file was about 33MB which is far too large for presentation here. Significant to my interpretation is that there is greater detail stored in the RAW file than immediately evident in its presentation on the computer screen. Specifically, there is more color and detail in the sky than displayed here.

This is a screen shot of the Lightroom work window of my RAW file. The red blotch in the sky indicates a loss of data in that area owing to over exposure.

This is my finished image following post processing in Lightroom.

Screen shot showing the alterations on the sliders in the Lightroom work window. Notice the relative placement of data in the histogram (graph at upper right).

Tracking the Light posts every day.

photography, Tips and Technique

Dusk in the Gullet; Illustration of Digital Sunset in 5 variations.

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What? Not another of those InterCity Railcars?!

Yep.

I made these views from the St. John’s Road Roundabout bridge at Killmainham/Islandbridge in Dublin.

The light was fading, the train was shadowed and the situation routine: Irish Rail’s ICR pass this spot dozens of times daily. In fact, these trains rumble up and down all day long.

Unmodified Lumix camera RAW file (except for scaling). I’ve exposed for the sky.

What initially caught my interest was the sunset glow in the north-west sky.

I made these photos using my Lumix LX7, which exposes a RAW file.

After the fact, I made some heavy handed adjustments to exposure, contrast, colour balance and colour saturation to show what is possible with post processing.

Here’s my first adjusted file; working with the RAW I’ve made a variety of alterations.

In addition to enhancing the sky, I lightened the train and cutting while making a variety of localize adjustments, such as to the flowers at lower left.

I’m using the same essential approach that I used to apply to my black & white photography when making prints in the darkroom, except its now done digitally on the computer.

Unmodified camera RAW (scaled as a JPG for internet presentation).

My first modified RAW image (presented as scaled JPG).

The graffiti at lower right is bit of an annoyance. In my final version, I’ve darkened the area around the graffiti to minimize it.

My second modified RAW where I’ve tried to minimize the graffiti under the bridge.

My first modified RAW image (presented as scaled JPG).

Tracking the Light Posts Daily.