This document discusses using Adobe Bridge and Camera Raw to organize, develop, and enhance digital photographs. Key points covered include: - Using Bridge to import, organize, tag photos with metadata, and access Camera Raw. - Structuring metadata like keywords and sub-keywords to categorize photos. - Using the Mini Bridge panel in Photoshop as an alternative to Bridge. - Basic photo development techniques like adjusting exposure, recovery, blacks, fill light using sliders and the histogram. - Advanced development tools like tone curves, sharpening, noise reduction, and color adjustments. - Taking advantage of camera calibration, lens correction, and simulated film profiles when available.

1. Ch 12: Developing Photos
Photoshop CS6 Essentials
By Scott Onstott

2. Ch 12: Developing Photos
Using Adobe Bridge
• Bridge is a separate application that comes
with all Creative Suites and even stand
alone Photoshop
• Use Bridge to import, organize, and tag
your photos with keywords
• Bridge will display content from a variety of
Adobe applications
• You can access Camera Raw within Bridge
itself by right clicking any photo and
choosing Open in Camera Raw
• Camera Raw preferences are in Bridge

3. Ch 12: Developing Photos
Structuring Metadata
• Keywords are like categories: Places,
People, Events, etc
• Sub keywords are searchable terms like
Flowers, San Francisco, and so on
• After you create a structure of keywords
and sub keywords you can assign sub
keywords to any selection of photos
(one or more) with a single click
• Use the Filter panel to filter your library of
photos by keyword; for example click
San Francisco to see all the photos
you shot on your recent trip

4. Ch 12: Developing Photos
Using the Mini Bridge
• Bridge must be running to access pictures
using the Mini Bridge panel within
Photoshop
• Mini Bridge can be more convenient than
switching to Bridge to access photos
• You can control thumbnail size with the slider
at the bottom of the panel
• The limitation is you can’t tag photos with
metadata in Mini Bridge so it’s useful for a
later stage in the photo-importing process,
just as a means for locating images by
thumbnail

5. Ch 12: Developing Photos
Basic Development
• Use the sliders on the basic tab to start
developing your photo
• Start at the top and work your way
down; the controls were designed
with this workflow in mind
• Pay attention to the histogram as you
adjust the sliders; you don’t want the
graph to get pushed of either end
• Pull the graph back into the tonal range
by adjusting Recovery, Blacks and
Fill Light in particular

6. Ch 12: Developing Photos
Adjusting the Tone Curve
• The tone curve divides the entire tonal
range (from white to black) into four
sections called Highlights, Lights, Darks,
and Shadows in that order
• If you sense that an image needs increased
contrast in one part of the tonal range
simply adjust the corresponding slider
• Tone curve is similar to the Curves
adjustment but simplified with sliders
• You can adjust how much of the curve is
considered part of one of the 4
categories by dragging the horizontal
sliders

7. Ch 12: Developing Photos
Sharpening and Reducing Noise
• Always set zoom magnification to 100% in
the preview image when using the
Detail tab in Camera Raw
• Doing otherwise leads to false results
• Hold down Option/Alt and drag the
Sharpening sliders to see what’s really
being adjusted in a grayscale preview
• Prints always need more sharpening than
looks good on screen
• Don’t overdo sharpening however! Go to
the point where it looks too much and
then back off a bit for screen output;
push it up a notch for print

8. Ch 12: Developing Photos
Adjusting by Color
• Use the HSL / Grayscale tab to
adjust particular colors (8
channels)
• You can adjust hue, saturation and/or
luminance for each of these 8
channels
• Use the Targeted Adjustment tool if
you’re not sure which channel a
particular color belong to
• Targeted adjustments are made over
the Preview window not the
sliders

9. Ch 12: Developing Photos
Camera Calibration
• If you are shooting with a
professional level camera then
take advantage of the Camera
Calibration tab in Camera Raw
• Simulated manufacturer profiles
are accessible from drop down
menus on the Camera
Calibration tab
• Tweak the adjustments to your
liking by dragging the color
temperature and color channel
sliders

10. Ch 12: Developing Photos
Lens Corrections
• If you are using a professional level camera and lens
then select them from the drop downs in the Lens
Corrections tab
• These will be pre-selected in raw files but you’ll have
to select them yourself in JPEG or TIFF images
• The profiles are created in a lab and are very
accurate
• Adjust the correction amount if you want to go
beyond the correction for dramatic effect
• It’s better to use the Effects tab for artistic post crop
vignetting and/or introduction of film grain