Not a Raw Deal Afterall

Hmmm! Talk about Adobe Raw Camera -- this software could convert me into a raw shooter! Look at the control it gives you, all without modifying the "digital negative!" You have the EXIF data right under the histogram. And as advertised concerning raw files, you may alter the white balance as desired, even if you didn't get it right during the shoot. OK, no big deal, although the auto is pretty smart. The tools (sliders) give you big-time control. They are dynamic, so you can watch the effect of each on the histogram & the image. Play with the Exposure slider and watch the histogram; adjust the "dark side of the force" without affecting the white side (Blacks slider.) The Fill Light slider is great -- so much more efficient that Shadow/Highlights -- at a glance, anyways. Recovery slider lets you adjust the white side without clipping the dark side -- excella-mundo (-- is that a word?)

Below is the original JPEG shot out the window of my office:



Here's a quick and dirty raw file, converted from NEF to DNG using Adobe Raw Converter (batches a whole folder, thank you!), and then massaged in Adobe Camera Raw:

I took this shot from my office window of the parking lot during a mild, snow whiteout. Shot raw+normal jpeg. These aren't winners at the Club, BUT, I'm learning and having fun!