{"id":28309,"date":"2015-08-06T06:15:33","date_gmt":"2015-08-06T10:15:33","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.birdsasart-blog.com\/?p=28309"},"modified":"2015-08-08T06:17:33","modified_gmt":"2015-08-08T10:17:33","slug":"raw-conversion-101step-one-can-you-help","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.birdsasart-blog.com\/baa\/2015\/08\/06\/raw-conversion-101step-one-can-you-help\/","title":{"rendered":"RAW Conversion 101\/Step One & More Lightroom Insanity; Can You Help?"},"content":{"rendered":"

Stuff<\/h3>\n

Got lots done yesterday. My main task was to prepare a long e-mail asking for Canon Explorer of Light support for a big project. More of the same today for several other projects. Plus a great swim, my core exercises, and a chilly ice bath. This blog post took about 1 hour 15 minutes to prepare and was published from my home at Indian Lake Estates, FL at 6:15am on Thursday, August 6. <\/p>\n

Namibia IPT <\/h3>\n

If you missed the info on this great trip, please click here<\/a>. <\/p>\n

Please Help Support My Work on the BAA Blog<\/strong> <\/h3>\n

Thanks a Stack! July was a Great Month. <\/strong><\/h2>\n

Thanks a stack to the many who used our B&H links for purchases large and small. To show your appreciation for my efforts here, we ask, as always, that you use our the B&H and Amazon affiliate links on the right side of the blog for all of your purchases. B&H Is recommended for you major photography gear purchases, Amazon for your household, entertainment, and general purpose stuff. Please check the availability of all photographic accessories in the BIRDS AS ART Online Store<\/a>, especially Gitzo tripods, Mongooses and Wimberley stuff, and the like. We sell only what I have used, have tested, and can depend on. We will not sell you junk. We know what you need to make creating great images easy and fun. And we are always glad to answer your gear questions via e-mail<\/a>.<\/p>\n

I would of course appreciate your using our B&H affiliate links for all of your major gear, video, and electronic purchases. For the photographic stuff mentioned in the paragraph above we, meaning BAA,<\/strong><\/font> would of course greatly appreciate your business. Here is a huge thank you to the many who have been using our links on a regular basis and visiting the BAA Online<\/a> store as well. Lastly, overseas folks who do not patronize B&H via our links can consider thanking me for my efforts here by visiting the BAA Blog Thanks page here<\/a>. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
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This is how the image opened up in DPP 4. Note the RGB values: R=247, G=232, B=198 (upper right). The RED cast is caused by the early morning light. If using Click White Balance makes the image look too neutral it is best to work with the color temperature slider. The same is true if you are converting in ACR or in Lightroom. <\/p>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/table>\n

RAW Conversion 101 Step One<\/h3>\n

Well more than 90% of natural history images have at least some WHITEs or other fairly bright highlights. The first thing that you should be doing when converting the vast majority of your images is to place the cursor and what you judge to be the brightest highlights and note the RGB values. Move the cursor around slowly as you note the RGB values. The highest individual values are what you are looking for. My preference is that I have no individual RGB values much greater than 235. Denise Ippolito is fine with her brightest highlights having individual RGB values no higher than the low 240s. <\/p>\n

Color balance note: the closer your RGB values are to being exactly the same, the closer you are to having a pure WHITE. So for me, a perfect WHITE with no color cast would be R=235, G= 235, B = 235. With many RAW converters including and especially DPP 4 using click White Balance can get you at or close to perfect WHITEs with a single click. <\/p>\n

Do understand that RGB values of 254, 254, 254 are not<\/em><\/strong> technically overexposed and that in theory, such areas still have detail. But, and this is a very big BUT, if you consistently find yourself working with the brightest highlights coming in with RGB values in the greater-than-250 range, you will have a very hard time revealing, restoring, or maintaining detail in those areas. Well, you will either have a very hard time or be facing an impossible task. For me, no higher than the mid-230s is the way to go. <\/p>\n

How does one know about what the WHITE or highlight RGB values will be when photographing in the field? By studying their histograms carefully. With birds with bright WHITEs in full sun I do not want my histogram pushed right up against the right hand axis as that will likely yield WHITEs with RGB values in the 250s. If I get a few blinkies on the subject one click darker will get rid of the blinkies but two clicks darker will yield WHITEs with no RGB values greater than 235 or so. Just as I want. <\/p>\n

To reiterate, when you bring an image with bright highlights into your RAW converter–be it DPP 4, ACR, or Lightroom, the very first thing that you should be doing is putting the cursor on the brightest highlights and noting the RB values. If they are too high, the best way to best deal with them is to work at recovering detail during the RAW conversion process. Doing that in DPP 4 is covered in detail in the DPP 4 RAW Conversion Guide <\/a>and doing it in ACR is covered in detail in Digital Basics<\/a>. <\/p>\n

More Lightroom Insanity; Can You Help? <\/h3>\n

On the recent and fantastic Galapagos Photo-Cruise, we had lots of time for DPP 4 and Photoshop sessions. More than a few folks on the trip use Lightroom. At one point, all of the Lightroom folks were sitting around shooting the breeze and working on images. Curious I asked one of them to show me how to check the RGB values of the brightest highlights. All that I got was a blank stare so I asked another LR advocate. Another blank stare. Then I asked the LR folks collectively, how do you check the RGB values of the brightest highlights when you first bring an image into LR to be converted? One of the five actually knew how to get the cursor on the brightest WHITEs and check the RGB values. The problem was that the RGB values were expressed as worthless percentages. And none of the LR users knew how to convert the percentages to the actual RGB values. <\/p>\n

If you use LR and know how to check the RGB values as actual values rather than percentages, please feel free to write a short tutorial and post it as a comment. Do understand that writing good how to is a skill. Be sure to write clearly and to go over and over the steps to make sure that a 2nd grader can understand your tutorial before you post it. That is assuming that someone out there actually knows how to do this very basic first step…. If you do not know how to control and fine tune your WHITEs or bright highlights during RAW conversion then you are simply wasting your time. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
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All of the images on the bear boat card above were created in Katmai National Park during the month of September. <\/p>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/table>\n

Bear Boat\/Bears Catching Salmon IPT: September 1-8, 2015 from Kodiak, AK\/6 FULL & 2 HALF DAYS: $6699. Happy campers only! Maximum 8\/Openings: 2. Plus the leader: Arthur Morris. <\/strong><\/h3>\n

Call for late registration discount info: 863-692-0906 and ask for me.<\/strong><\/font><\/p>\n

Join me in Katmai National Park, AK for seven days of photographing Coastal Brown Bears (grizzlies) catching salmon, fattening up for the long winter. Other subjects will include Mew and Glaucous-winged Gulls in flight and dip-feeding on salmon roe. Did I mention that we live on a boat and that the food is great? Most of our photography will be done in a variety of famed locations: Geographic Harbor, Kinak Bay, and Kukak Bay. We once had 39 bears fishing the creek at Kukak…. <\/p>\n

It is mandatory that you be in Kodiak no later than the late afternoon of August 31, 2015 September to avoid missing the float planes to the boat on the morning of September 1. With air travel in AK being what it is, with the chance of fog or other bad weather–being on Kodiak on August 30 is an even better plan). I will be on Kodiak on August 30 to avoid any potential disaster. That said in my nearly a dozen bear boat trips I was delayed only once but since I was day early as noted above there was no harm, no foul. <\/p>\n

We will take one or more float planes to the boat mid-morning on September 1. We will photograph bears fishing that afternoon and every day for the next six days (weather permitting of course). We should have bears catching salmon every day. In addition, we will get some nice stuff on Mew Gull and Glaucous-winged Gulls dining on roe and the remains of predated salmon. We may–depending on where the concentrations of bears are–get to photograph Harbor seals and some hauled out Steller’s Sea Lions (an endangered species). Halibut fishing (license required) is optional. On September 8, our last morning on the boat, those who would like to enjoy one last photo session will do so. The group returns to Kodiak via float plane midday. Most folks will fly to Anchorage and then continue on red-eye flights to their home cities. <\/p>\n

The eight days will consist of six full days (Sept 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, & 7) of photography featuring lots of Coastal Brown Bears catching salmon as above plus a variety of other natural history subjects plus some nice scenic photography that I forgot to mention above. Plus the first afternoon and the last morning.<\/p>\n

What’s included? 8 DAYS\/7 NIGHTS on the boat as above. All meals on the boat. (The food is quite excellent.) National Park fees. One night’s double occupancy lodging on Kodiak; arrive: Sept 1\/depart: Sept 2. The thank-you-in-advance dinner on Sept 1. In-the-field photo tips, instruction, and guidance. An insight into the mind of a top professional; I will constantly let you know what I am thinking, what I am doing, and why I am doing it. Small group image review, image sharing, and Photoshop instruction on the boat. <\/p>\n

What’s not included: Your round trip airfare to and from Kodiak, AK (almost surely through Anchorage). All necessary lodging other than the cost of your double occupancy room on the night of August 31 should you opt to arrive early–we can arrange that in advance for you. We will let you know the cost of a single supplement for the one night if so desired. The cost of the round-trip float plane to the boat on September 2 and back to Kodiak on September 9. The cost of a round trip this year was $500. The suggested crew tip of $210. <\/p>\n

Is this an expensive trip? Yes, of course. But with 6 full and two half days, a wealth of great subjects, and the fact that you will be walking with the bears just yards away (or less….) it will be one of the great natural history experiences of your life. Most folks who take part in a Bear Boat IPT wind up coming back for more. <\/p>\n

A $2,000 per person non-refundable deposit by check only made out to “Arthur Morris” is required to hold your spot. Please click here<\/a> to read our cancellation policy. Then please print, read, and sign the necessary paperwork here<\/a> and send it to us. <\/p>\n

Your deposit is due immediately. That will leave a balance of $4699. The next payment of $2699 will be due on February 15, 2015. The final payment of $2000 is due on May 1, 2015. <\/p>\n

I hope that you can join us for this wondrously exciting trip. <\/p>\n

Facebook<\/h3>\n

Be sure to like and follow BAA on Facebook by clicking on the logo link upper right. Tanks a stack!<\/p>\n

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…..<\/strong><\/center><\/p>\n