Getting Started with Camera Raw: How to make better pictures using Photoshop and Photoshop Elements [Paperback]

Ben Long (Author)

Book Description

ISBN-10: 0321384008 | ISBN-13: 978-0321384003 | Publication Date: November 17, 2005

Not long ago the Raw format was limited to high-end digital SLR cameras–which meant you pretty much had to be a professional (or at least quite serious) photographer to take advantage of it. Not so today. Now that Raw is included on even the simplest point-and-shoot cameras, shutterbugs of all stripes can start taking advantage of its greater editing flexibility to produce better final images. This guide is the place to start. In these pages, veteran author Ben Long begins at the beginning, explaining exactly what Raw is and why photographers should use it. He then describes the theory, shooting, and image editing practices needed to work with Raw files. Ben also provides an overview of software used to convert raw files and a thorough explanation of how to use Photoshop Elements to edit Raw images. Some cool Camera Raw tricks, tips for shooting for Raw format, and a glossary of important terms round out the offering.

Editorial Reviews

About the Author

Ben Long is a professional photographer and videographer who has written numerous magazine articles and books (including Complete Digital Photography). He also writes a regular photography column for CreativePro.com.

Product Details

• Paperback: 288 pages
• Publisher: Peachpit Press (November 17, 2005)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0321384008
• ISBN-13: 978-0321384003
• Product Dimensions: 9.2 x 7.4 x 0.5 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.2 pounds
• Average Customer Review: 4.4 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (10 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #508,412 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

More About the Author

Ben Long is a San Francisco-based photographer and writer. The author of over a dozen books on digital photography and digital video, he has been a longtime contributor or contributing editor to many magazines including MacWeek, MacUser, Macworld UK, and others. He currently writes for Photoshop Elements magazine, is a Senior Contributor at Macworld Magazine and, and a senior editor at CreativePro.com. His photography clients have included 20th Century Fox, Blue Note Records, Global Business Network, the San Francisco Jazz Festival, the Pickle Family Circus, and Grammy-nominated jazz musicians Don Byron and Dafnis Prieto. He has taught and lectured on photography around the world. A sometime dabbler in computer programming, he has written a Mac-based image editing utility that is used by the British Museum, the White House, and others. You can learn more about what he's up to at www.completedigitalphotography.com.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

19 of 20 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Great Book for Beginner/Intermediate Users, March 16, 2006

By 

P. Smith (Northeast) - See all my reviews
(VINE VOICE)    (REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Getting Started with Camera Raw: How to make better pictures using Photoshop and Photoshop Elements (Paperback)

If you're just starting out using Camera Raw in Photoshop or Elements I think this is a great book to start with. If you are, however, fairly experienced, it probably is going to help you only nominally. I think the layout of the book is very nice and there is very little "fluff". I think the problem some of the reviewers have with this book is that it wasn't matched with their experience level. I personally feel this is a well done book even for intermediate users.

13 of 13 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Excellent introduction, April 16, 2008

By 

M. Saxby (Fleet, England) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Getting Started with Camera Raw: How to make better pictures using Photoshop and Photoshop Elements (Paperback)

I bought this book because I had started shooting in RAW format and, whilst I could see a difference, I wasn't clear on all the advantages.

I picked up a copy of PS Elements, too (from Amazon, great price) and I'm already seeing a big improvement in my finished photos.

The book demystifies RAW and the benefits (and pitfalls) of using various tools within PSE (I have Paint Shop Pro too and most of the tools are available within that, too, although the book only shows you how to use PSE and the full Photoshop product).

For the price, I am very pleased with this book, as far as I'm concerned it paid for itself in terms of photo quality within days.

Before I got it I looked at a significant number of other RAW books (many costing two, three or more times the price of this one) in person, rather than online, but none were as clear as this book.

8 of 8 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Great Introduction to Raw, May 29, 2008

By 

BryceLouis (Washington, DC) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Getting Started with Camera Raw: How to make better pictures using Photoshop and Photoshop Elements (Paperback)

I have been shooting with my Canon 30D/40D for sometime in jpeg. The whole while I knew there was a RAW mode but I didn't know how or why one uses it (other than the generic "it offers more control").

This book is an outstanding intro to answer both questions. In really clear style it gave both the theory (which for RAW is really important) and the practical applications of raw using and processing images with Adobe Camera RAW. The improvement in the final image quality from developing a raw file yourself vs letting the camera create a jpeg for you with its standard settings is really staggering .

The only part of the book I didn't think was "outstanding" was the chapter on workflow. Here the book was was "good." Having shot my last vacation in RAW, I understand completely why a book on RAW should address workflow as it becomes a major part of the process. The problem is the subject of workflow is really tied to whatever programs you are using (photoshop, Bridge, lightroom, iView, etc). The author did about as well as possible given the book is written to users of photoshop and elements. In th end, I went out and bought a book on Adobe Lightroom which is what I am not using.