Raw files editing, tips and tricks?

[Mark_A]

Hi, I just started working properly with raws although I have been shooting raw for some time.

Up until now, well for the last 25 odd years, I have really had a jpeg workflow.

Now I am editing the NEF raw files from my Nikon D800 in darktable.

I am new to darktable also so a double learning curve. but at least darktable seems quite straightforward

My first impression of my raw files (even when dartable has performed 10 auto steps) compared with my jpegs of old is that the raw files are a little dull and washed out.

Is that a common thought?

So a question to you all, whatever software you use, what steps do you usually take to get your raw files into a state you are comfortable with?

Mark_A

 

[dj_paige]

Hi, I just started working properly with raws although I have been shooting raw for some time.

Up until now, well for the last 25 odd years, I have really had a jpeg workflow.

Now I am editing the NEF raw files from my Nikon D800 in darktable.

I am new to darktable also so a double learning curve. but at least darktable seems quite straightforward

My first impression of my raw files (even when dartable has performed 10 auto steps) compared with my jpegs of old is that the raw files are a little dull and washed out.

Is that a common thought?

So a question to you all, whatever software you use, what steps do you usually take to get your raw files into a state you are comfortable with?

Mark_A

Honestly, I don't think RAWs deserve different workflow than JPG. If the photo looks washed out (which some/most RAWs will be), you already know what edits to apply, this is the same as if it was JPG. Yes, you can produce better quality images from RAW than if the original was JPG, but the steps/edits you need are not different between RAW vs JPG originals.

I use Lightroom Classic. There are probably a dozen software out there that do a very good job on editing. At the margins, you will find differences between the software, one might be slightly better and recovering highlights or reducing noise or whatever. The real difference for most users between these softwares is in the user interface.

--
Paige Miller

 

[Digital Nigel]

Hi, I just started working properly with raws although I have been shooting raw for some time.

Up until now, well for the last 25 odd years, I have really had a jpeg workflow.

Now I am editing the NEF raw files from my Nikon D800 in darktable.

I am new to darktable also so a double learning curve. but at least darktable seems quite straightforward

My first impression of my raw files (even when dartable has performed 10 auto steps) compared with my jpegs of old is that the raw files are a little dull and washed out.

Is that a common thought?

So a question to you all, whatever software you use, what steps do you usually take to get your raw files into a state you are comfortable with?

I think it’s too dependent on the product to give useful answers to users of other products. So you might be best off asking DT users in particular what they do.

 

[lacogada]

raw files are a little dull and washed out.

Is that a common thought?

Yes.

I usually start with auto in raw software, then tweak.

Original, auto, tweaked.

 

[Mark_A]

raw files are a little dull and washed out.

Is that a common thought?

Yes.

I usually start with auto in raw software, then tweak.

Original, auto, tweaked.

HI lacogada,

Thanks for that. To get to your final step, (lovely colour) was that increasing saturation and contrast and lifting mid tones in levels perhaps?

Just wondering what steps you took?

Mark_A

 

[Mark_A]

Honestly, I don't think RAWs deserve different workflow than JPG. If the photo looks washed out (which some/most RAWs will be), you already know what edits to apply, this is the same as if it was JPG. Yes, you can produce better quality images from RAW than if the original was JPG, but the steps/edits you need are not different between RAW vs JPG originals.

Hi dj_paige. honestly, my Fuji S2 Pro and lately my D800 produce really nice jpegs right away so I don't often do much more than perhaps rotate, crop, levels scale sharpen and border.

I do like to use levels to make the black and white points there on jpegs though it seems to increase the pop of the image.

I use Lightroom Classic. There are probably a dozen software out there that do a very good job on editing. At the margins, you will find differences between the software, one might be slightly better and recovering highlights or reducing noise or whatever. The real difference for most users between these softwares is in the user interface.

One thing, after years of shooting jpeg, I don't normally significantly under or over expose my shots. Most of my images are well exposed.

It is just the washed out look that the raws have,

I suppose I could play with levels, contrast, saturation and exposure. I have to see all the adjustments that are there in darktable.

Mark_A

 

[Mark_A]

I think it’s too dependent on the product to give useful answers to users of other products. So you might be best off asking DT users in particular what they do.

HI NIgel, I thought it would be an ok question because things like contrast, exposure, saturation, levels and suchlike are common to most programs no?

Mark_A

 

[dj_paige]

Most of my images are well exposed.

So you do have a few images that need adjustment. And I'm sure you already know how to fix this. So I will stick with my comments above that the workflow for RAWs and JPGs are the same: you identify what issues about the appearance of the photos you don't like and would like to change, you identify which tool(s) in the software is the correct tool(s) to use, and the you make the photos look better.

 

[Digital Nigel]

I think it’s too dependent on the product to give useful answers to users of other products. So you might be best off asking DT users in particular what they do.

HI NIgel, I thought it would be an ok question because things like contrast, exposure, saturation, levels and suchlike are common to most programs no?

Sort of, but the controls affecting them might well be different. As a PhotoLab user, I seldom touch the controls with those labels, apart from exposure. I might instead be using the Smart Lighting, ClearView Plus and luminosity mask controls. Quite a lot of my settings are applied automatically when I open an image, so I typically don’t touch those controls. For example, I seldom need to do anything with the sharpness, colour or noise reduction controls.

 

[Mark_A]

Most of my images are well exposed.

So you do have a few images that need adjustment.

I don't get so many and usually I just discard those in favour of others that were better taken..

And I'm sure you already know how to fix this. So I will stick with my comments above that the workflow for RAWs and JPGs are the same: you identify what issues about the appearance of the photos you don't like and would like to change, you identify which tool(s) in the software is the correct tool(s) to use, and the you make the photos look better.

Ok .. but there seems to be more to do with raws.

Recently I shot some images in an arboretum, (a garden with lots of trees) the jpegs (embedded with the raws) were very green from the grass and shrubbery and I didn't mind that, but now I look at a raw from that and they are just very washed out.

I wonder what controls to use to boost the colour back!!!

Mark_A

 

[dj_paige]

I wonder what controls to use to boost the colour back!!!

Depends on the software.

 

[Mark_A]

HI NIgel, I thought it would be an ok question because things like contrast, exposure, saturation, levels and suchlike are common to most programs no?

Sort of, but the controls affecting them might well be different. As a PhotoLab user, I seldom touch the controls with those labels, apart from exposure. I might instead be using the Smart Lighting, ClearView Plus and luminosity mask controls. Quite a lot of my settings are applied automatically when I open an image,

Oh, ok I might need to research darktable more then because it does some auto processing, something like 11 steps, I wonder if I can adjust them.

so I typically don’t touch those controls. For example, I seldom need to do anything with the sharpness, colour or noise reduction controls.

I think I willl have to adjust colour in my raws, need to have fine control over it somehow though because I don't want to overdo it.

In 25 years of photography I haven't once tried any noise reduction.

Aha, yes I remember, I have to borrow my camera club's calibration thingy, I have a new monitor and it isn't calibrated yet.

Mark_A

 

[Mark_A]

I wonder what controls to use to boost the colour back!!!

Depends on the software.

Are these things not universal?

Mark_A

 

[Digital Nigel]

Most of my images are well exposed.

So you do have a few images that need adjustment.

I don't get so many and usually I just discard those in favour of others that were better taken..

And I'm sure you already know how to fix this. So I will stick with my comments above that the workflow for RAWs and JPGs are the same: you identify what issues about the appearance of the photos you don't like and would like to change, you identify which tool(s) in the software is the correct tool(s) to use, and the you make the photos look better.

Ok .. but there seems to be more to do with raws.

Recently I shot some images in an arboretum, (a garden with lots of trees) the jpegs (embedded with the raws) were very green from the grass and shrubbery and I didn't mind that, but now I look at a raw from that and they are just very washed out.

I wonder what controls to use to boost the colour back!!!

Perhaps you could share the raw file, and people here can show what it looked like when they first opened it in their raw developer, and what they did to produce a finished image?

 

[dj_paige]

I wonder what controls to use to boost the colour back!!!

Depends on the software.

Are these things not universal?

They are not universal. I think all software can change the shade of green to something more pleasing to you. The names of the tools and the techniques you use depends on the software. Some software might require two or more tools to get it right, others might need one tool.

--
Paige Miller

 

[Mark_A]

Ok .. but there seems to be more to do with raws.

Recently I shot some images in an arboretum, (a garden with lots of trees) the jpegs (embedded with the raws) were very green from the grass and shrubbery and I didn't mind that, but now I look at a raw from that and they are just very washed out.

I wonder what controls to use to boost the colour back!!!

Perhaps you could share the raw file, and people here can show what it looked like when they first opened it in their raw developer, and what they did to produce a finished image?

lacogada already had a look at one of my quite green raws and edited it quite nicely.

I don't think I can post a raw on here, can I?

I guess I will have to keep playing about with darktable until I find the right mix of tweaks for me.

Mark_A

 

[Digital Nigel]

Ok .. but there seems to be more to do with raws.

Recently I shot some images in an arboretum, (a garden with lots of trees) the jpegs (embedded with the raws) were very green from the grass and shrubbery and I didn't mind that, but now I look at a raw from that and they are just very washed out.

I wonder what controls to use to boost the colour back!!!

Perhaps you could share the raw file, and people here can show what it looked like when they first opened it in their raw developer, and what they did to produce a finished image?

lacogada already had a look at one of my quite green raws and edited it quite nicely.

I don't think I can post a raw on here, can I?

You can share it using a cloud service such as Dropbox. People do it all the time.

Incidentally, I was quite surprised you’ve never used noise reduction—do you only shoot at low ISOs in good light? In contrast, I use it on every image.

 

[Mark_A]

I wonder what controls to use to boost the colour back!!!

Depends on the software.

Are these things not universal?

They are not universal. I think all software can change the shade of green to something more pleasing to you. The names of the tools and the techniques you use depends on the software. Some software might require two or more tools to get it right, others might need one tool.

Oh, ok. I guess it is back to working out what I can adjust in darktable then. I might go on their forums and watch some more of their videos.

Mark_A

 

[lacogada]

HI lacogada,

Thanks for that. To get to your final step, (lovely colour) was that increasing saturation and contrast and lifting mid tones in levels perhaps?

Just wondering what steps you took?

Mark_A

Ah ... should have made a preset to get back to it easily.

I did not change contrast or saturation settings. Looks like auto put contrast at -2.

Below settings are close to what gave my final image.

 

[Mark_A]

I don't think I can post a raw on here, can I?

You can share it using a cloud service such as Dropbox. People do it all the time.

Ok, perhaps if we go much further I might look at that.

Incidentally, I was quite surprised you’ve never used noise reduction—do you only shoot at low ISOs in good light? In contrast, I use it on every image.

Never really been bothered by noise, in fact I used often to shoot my Fuji at max ISO to get some grainyness in my images. I don't think I have been more than 32000 with my Nikon though but I usually keep it at 800 plus to keep shutter speeds up.

Lit by Nintendo gameboy

Mark_A