Elements ACR workflow even with non raw files.
Dec 9, 2016 8:13:55 GMT
Sepiana and pontiac1940 like this
Post by michelb on Dec 9, 2016 8:13:55 GMT
A common question is 'What are the pros and cons of shooting raw'.
A different one is 'What is the advantage of using the ACR module in Elements, even for jpegs?'
I hope you know how to do it, depending on your Elements and OS version. I'll comment for the present PSE15 in Windows. You use the 'open in ACR' option of the file menu of the editor. My main complaint is that you can't open jpegs in ACR directly (you could do it up to PSE8 with John R Ellis's OpenInAcr' program). We'll see later the workaround. So why do I nearly always use the ACR module also for jpegs?
1 - Non destructive editing.
(just like in Lightroom)
Once you open a jpeg and edit it in ACR, you simply edit via the various sliders.
Those slider settings are saved as text in the metadata header of the jpeg file as well as in the catalog. The original pixel values are intact. You click 'Done', and that's all. No duplication, the original data is still available. For more than 90% of my files, I don't need additional local edits or layer work. No need to save an 'output' version.
Next time you open the file, not only from the organizer, but also from the organizer, it opens automatically in ACR. If you want to 'export' or print a batch of files from the organizer, you can include both raws and jpegs, that makes no difference, the settings will be applied.
Non desctructive editing = original preserved, save space, keeps the record of your edits.
2 - Ease of use and editing speed
Same workflow for raws and jpegs. For me it's much quicker than using the usual sequence of global edits like levels/curves, tone and color, sharpening/denoising...
3 - Quality
Yes, it's still better to start from raws to keep the maximum flexibility of edits. But most of the ACR settings give better and quicker results than the traditional way. White balance, color casts notably. The 'clarity' slider is a bonus. For purists: even if you start with jpegs (8 bits by definition), the internal calculations are made in a wider 16-bits mode and in a wider color space. That explains why you get better results in critical cases.
4 - Wonderful batch editing.
It's surprising how many files you can open at the same time in the ACR window.
Just an example:
You open 50 or 100 files from a folder in the editor, or from selected files in the organizer if they have already been opened in ACR (see above)
In a single session you can apply a given slider effect to all, select some and customize that effect, apply another effect, then finally select all and save with 'Done'.
Practical example:
This batch has a common white balance to edit, it must be resized for printing on 4" x 6" paper even if some are 3/4 ratio, and you want to pring in black and white.
Once all photos opened, select all
- adjust the white balance. If a few require a different WB, only select them and adjust.
- Reselect all. Press the crop tools a few seconds to get the crop ratio menu. Select 2/3. Draw the crop rectangle in the currently shown image. The ratio will be applied corectly to all images, whether portrait or landscape. In some case, that would crop heads... as above, use the crop tool to move the crop rectangle for those files.
- you may use the tool to level the horizon for a few files
- move the saturation slider left
- add some clarity for black and white punch
- click 'Done'
- Export your batch for printing versions.
Open your batch again.
- Select all
- clear crop
- set clarity and satution back
- 'Done'
A different one is 'What is the advantage of using the ACR module in Elements, even for jpegs?'
I hope you know how to do it, depending on your Elements and OS version. I'll comment for the present PSE15 in Windows. You use the 'open in ACR' option of the file menu of the editor. My main complaint is that you can't open jpegs in ACR directly (you could do it up to PSE8 with John R Ellis's OpenInAcr' program). We'll see later the workaround. So why do I nearly always use the ACR module also for jpegs?
1 - Non destructive editing.
(just like in Lightroom)
Once you open a jpeg and edit it in ACR, you simply edit via the various sliders.
Those slider settings are saved as text in the metadata header of the jpeg file as well as in the catalog. The original pixel values are intact. You click 'Done', and that's all. No duplication, the original data is still available. For more than 90% of my files, I don't need additional local edits or layer work. No need to save an 'output' version.
Next time you open the file, not only from the organizer, but also from the organizer, it opens automatically in ACR. If you want to 'export' or print a batch of files from the organizer, you can include both raws and jpegs, that makes no difference, the settings will be applied.
Non desctructive editing = original preserved, save space, keeps the record of your edits.
2 - Ease of use and editing speed
Same workflow for raws and jpegs. For me it's much quicker than using the usual sequence of global edits like levels/curves, tone and color, sharpening/denoising...
3 - Quality
Yes, it's still better to start from raws to keep the maximum flexibility of edits. But most of the ACR settings give better and quicker results than the traditional way. White balance, color casts notably. The 'clarity' slider is a bonus. For purists: even if you start with jpegs (8 bits by definition), the internal calculations are made in a wider 16-bits mode and in a wider color space. That explains why you get better results in critical cases.
4 - Wonderful batch editing.
It's surprising how many files you can open at the same time in the ACR window.
Just an example:
You open 50 or 100 files from a folder in the editor, or from selected files in the organizer if they have already been opened in ACR (see above)
In a single session you can apply a given slider effect to all, select some and customize that effect, apply another effect, then finally select all and save with 'Done'.
Practical example:
This batch has a common white balance to edit, it must be resized for printing on 4" x 6" paper even if some are 3/4 ratio, and you want to pring in black and white.
Once all photos opened, select all
- adjust the white balance. If a few require a different WB, only select them and adjust.
- Reselect all. Press the crop tools a few seconds to get the crop ratio menu. Select 2/3. Draw the crop rectangle in the currently shown image. The ratio will be applied corectly to all images, whether portrait or landscape. In some case, that would crop heads... as above, use the crop tool to move the crop rectangle for those files.
- you may use the tool to level the horizon for a few files
- move the saturation slider left
- add some clarity for black and white punch
- click 'Done'
- Export your batch for printing versions.
Open your batch again.
- Select all
- clear crop
- set clarity and satution back
- 'Done'
