How to Use Camera Raw

A RAW image is a file that contains uncompressed and unprocessed data from your camera sensor. Knowing how to use Camera Raw will help you process the raw information of an image using photo-editing software to bring out the full potential of the raw data.

How to Use Camera Raw

Converting raw files into an image requires Adobe Camera Raw converter, an underlying software in Photoshop. This software enables you to process and convert the raw data into an image that you can open in Photoshop for further editing.

Adobe Camera Raw (ACR) allows you to set your desired color space, output file format, and resolution. Although ACR is designed for RAW files, it can open and adjust other image formats like JPEGs and TIFFs. Its layout and design make it easy to process large batches of RAW photos.

Since it's an underlying software that you can't install separately, many beginners don't know it exists, so they just shoot their photos in JPEGs for further editing in Photoshop. However, understanding the following uses of the ACR will help you use its features and get the full potential of the RAW data.

RAW File Opening

Launch Photoshop, navigate to File in the upper left corner of the interface and then click Open. Choose the File you want to work on and click the Open button. If the File you have chosen is not a RAW file, the image will open directly in Photoshop. If the File is RAW, it will automatically open in Camera Raw.

However, if you want to open another file format like JPEG, choose Filter and choose the CR Filter on the top side. Alternatively, use the keyboard shortcut key Shift + Cmd + A if using a Mac OS or hit Shift + Ctrl + A if you're using a Windows PC.

This opens ACR that edits images using the chosen image layer in Photoshop. Assuming you are done editing your image in CR, confirm and save the changes by clicking OK.

Color Adjustments

On the right-hand side of your image, you will find all the tools and controls required to edit your photo. Use the sliders for color correction such as tone, exposure, white balance, color temperature, and saturation.

Image Cropping

Working in CR is flexible and non-destructive, giving you the freedom to make aspect ratio adjustments such as cropping your images and getting rid of unwanted areas. Select the Crop Tool icon on the top left of the CR pop up.

Pick the Crop Tool and hold the mouse button for a second or two. This opens a menu showing different options for the crop tool, such as the aspect ratio. Choose the aspect ratio you want to apply to the photo. If you want to improve the composition of your image, use the show overlay option.

Again, click on the Crop Tool and hold down the mouse button and when the menu appears, select the show overlay option. When you are through with cropping, hit the Enter key or double-click the mouse pointer inside the crop area of your image.

Spot Removal

Dust accumulation on the lens when capturing real estate exterior photos can cause small imperfections and dust spots. The Spot Removal Tool comes in handy when removing these imperfections. Open the RAW file in ACR and remove the spots using the following steps.

1. Choose the spot removal tool from the toolbar. 
2. Navigate to the Type menu and choose Clone to apply the sampled area of the photo to the selected area or Heal to match the shading, lighting, and texture of the sampled area to the selected area.
3. Depending on the size of the regions you are working on, you can press [ or ] to resize the brush. Typically, the left bracket [ reduces the brush size while the right bracket ] increases the size of the brush. 
4. Hit the keyboard shortcuts keys Ctrl- drag if you are using a Windows PC or Command- drag if you are using a Mac to move your sampled area to the target area. 
5. After releasing the mouse, a green dashed circle surrounds the source area, and a red dashed circle surrounds the target region. Choose a source or target region by clicking its pin.
6. Depending on the complexity of the interior photo you are working on, you can consider changing the opacity using the Opacity slider to enhance the transitioning and blending.
7. When repositioning a target or source region, drag inside it.
8. If you want to change a circle to a source or target area or add an area to an existing target or source region, you can Shift-drag or Shift-click outside it.
9. In case you need to resize the source or target area, you only need to click and drag the dashed border.

How to Use ACR as a Smart Filter

Although you can directly open an image in CR from Photoshop, this method has some disadvantages. When you make any adjustments to a pixel layer, you directly apply the changes to that layer, changing it permanently.

For instance, you can increase the contrast to +30 in Camera Raw and make this adjustment to the layer. Upon opening the layer again in CR, the application won’t remember previous changes, and it will reset the contrast value back to 0 while retaining the actual changes you made. 

That means it can be challenging to track how much you have brightened or adjusted real estate interior photos as long as you don’t keep track of the changes before exiting the application. The best way to overcome this issue is to use the ACR as a Smart Filter using the following steps.

1. Create a new stamp layer: In order to use the smart object effectively, it is advisable to create a new stamp layer to use with the Camera RAW filter. Choose the top layer and then hit Shift + Ctrl + Alt + E if you are using a Windows PC or Shift + Option + Command + E if using a Mac to create a pixel layer on top of the highlighted layer.
2. Change the layer to apply Smart Filters: Navigate to the Photoshop menu, click on Filter, and choose Convert for Smart Filter. In most cases, Photoshop will pop up a dialog displaying some information you need to confirm to proceed. An icon will also appear at the thumbnail’s bottom right.
3. Apply the ACR filter to Smart Object: Keeping in mind that the layer can now use the Smart Filters, open the CR filter and make your adjustments normally. After clicking OK to confirm, you will see it categorized as a Smart Filter in the Layers Window.
4. Open the CR filter: You can reopen and see the adjustments you have made by double clicking the entry in the Layers Window.
5. Save the image as PSD: As long as you save the photo using the PSD file format, you can reopen the CR filter, view the previous changes, and make newer adjustments.

Frequently Asked Question

What Is the Difference Between CR and Lightroom?

The main difference between CR and Lightroom is that Camera Raw is used for image manipulation while Lightroom is both an organization and a photo manipulation software. Additionally, unlike Lightroom, CR cannot function independently.

What Is the Use of the Lens Correction Panel in ACR?

The lens correction panel is used to correct different defects that camera lenses exhibit at certain focal lengths and focal distances, especially the distortions that occur when shooting real estate exterior photos with a wide-angle lens.

Final Thoughts

Sometimes it can be challenging to control the exposure of interior photos, especially when shooting in low-light conditions. Learning how to use Camera Raw will help you open and edit the RAW data from your camera sensor, giving you better control over the exposure and clarity of your photos.