Photoshop Tutorial – Camera Raw Filter

Camera Raw Filter for Blown-Out Images

Let’s say we have an image that’s completely blown out. An overexposed image might be saved in Photoshop via Curves, but it can only do so much. Note, however, that normally, if an image is just a flat and pixel-based background layer, it’s difficult to actually make any alterations to the photo without having it suffer permanent damage.

Having a raw file of an image makes it easier to adjust using Camera Raw, but what if you simply have the JPEG as it is?
What you can do is go to Filter – Camera Raw Filter. This will open up the image as if it were a raw file. Once here, you now have the vast number of options and adjustments that Camera Raw has. Fixing a blown out photo becomes as easy as pulling down the Highlights slider. This will bring back the detail in the blown out areas and yet retain the brightness in the key areas. How amazing is that? The magic of Camera Raw’s adjustments can now be applied to images that don’t even have raw files.

 

Camera Raw Filter for White Balance

Another example would be when an image has a particularly yellow tint to it as shot by the camera. Frustratingly, Photoshop does not have a proper White Balance tool, so at best, you can try to adjust the image by tinkering with the Levels. Obviously, there’s a much better way of doing this. Again, Camera Raw Filter comes in. All you have to do is go to the third eyedropper icon in Camera Raw which is its White Balance tool, and voila! Of course, you can adjust more sliders if you want just to make the image look perfect.

The beauty of Camera Raw Filter is that you can make Camera Raw-specific changes to any regular pixel-based image that isn’t actually a raw file. Couple that with your knowledge on Smart Objects and Smart Filters, and you’ve got yourself the complete non-destructive workflow!

 

To learn more about our complete 2 Hour Photoshop Class that this video comes from, simply go to Portraits, Camera Raw, and Smart Objects. Change the way you work on your portraits. It’s Free. Enjoy.

This Adobe Photoshop Tutorial answers the question: How to use Camera Raw Filter in Photoshop? If you would like to learn more about Photo Enhancement from a Professional Retoucher, I offer Adobe Photoshop Classes. Please contact me today, and I will be able to add you to the schedule too. If you would just like to watch online videos, The Art of Retouching Studio offers many Photoshop Tutorials for Beginners and Advanced users.