z_q-g.-u@cox.net (john chapman) writes:

> I am floundering trying to edit RAW files in Photoshop CS.  My current
> issue/question is the correct setting of the exposure control.  Should
> I set the control so that the photo looks to be correctly exposed in
> the preview screen, or should I set it so that none of the color
> channels are being clipped (at least significantly clipped)?  If I do
> the latter I can end up with some mighty dark images, which normally
> require more significant editing later in PS. If I do the former, then
> one or more colors can be clipped.  The clipping is apparent if I open
> Layers later during editing, but not necessarily in viewing the image.

Depends on the image :-).  As is so often the case.

But here's my general rule of thumb:  At the raw processing level, you
want to spread out the parts of the image you're using as much as
possible without losing stuff you're going to use.  So, if the
highlights above a certain point are going to be clipped anyway, might
as well clip them in raw processing when you can quite possible use
the space freed up for more information in another part of the image.
Ditto for the shadows.

Sometimes this involves going back to RAW and starting over, when you
realize you'll be clipping significantly more than you expected the
first time around.
--
David Dyer-Bennet, <mailto:dd-b@dd-b.net>, <http://www.dd-b.net/dd-b/>
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