Opening JPG Files In RAW Mode

In an earlier post I discussed how I used an umbrella as a reflector to throw some additional light back onto my subject's face. The result was not perfect, but will certainly contribute to a better rendition when it comes time to print. Reflecting on the photo session, I am reminded that I could have easily negotiated for some additional time to make the photo, but in my excitement, I was content to forgo the flash and place the open shoot-through umbrella on  the ground just out of the right edge of the frame. The result was the left frame, which shows detail in Ray's face, but not bright enough for my taste. The right frame is much closer to what I had in mind, and is the result of some judicious exposure control involving the shadows, the mid tones, and the highlights. 

Open In Camera Raw: I started the salvage operation by opening the JPG file in Camera Raw. It is  easy to find, located just below the Open command in the dropdown File Menu. 

The most striking feature is the appearance of large swaths of red and blue in the opened file. Interpretation is simple: Red indicates areas of over exposure, and the blue areas underexposure. So far as Adobe Elements is concerned, the red zones represent the highlights, and the blue regions represent the shadows. Now the information contained in a JPG file is nowhere near that of a true RAW file, so consider this a way to improve an image, not a way to recover a completely botched exposure.  

I have enlarged the sidebar to show the sliders you will be using. 

• Mid Tones: Drag the Exposure slider to the left or right until you get the skin tones where you want them. Don't worry if portions of your subject's skin turn red. AT least not yet. (+0,85)
• Highlights: Next drag the Highlights slider to the left until the (almost) all of the red highlights return to their original color. If large swatches of red are still present, return to the Exposure slider and move it to the left. (-100)
• Shadows: Finally drag the Shadows slider and watch how the shadows start to brighten. Be careful, though. If you slide it too far to the right, you may see your highlights begin to turn red. (+23)

When you're done adjusting the sliders, you should take some to admire the overall effect. Warning: That red shape in the back of Ray's truck is an orange Home Depot bucket. You may also notice some tiny red-colored highlights on Ray's hand. Fortunately they are very small, and I'll let them stay since they are neither distracting nor unexpected.

This post processing is very intuitive once you start using it. It can also correct white balance, and improve the intensity of the blacks and whites. It is well suited to my low-volume workflow. And while it is a slight improvement over the simpler Levels command, it does offer access to a variety of other adjustments, all in one application.

Would That It Were True: Klara, my editor's daughter-in-law, put this together based on a cell phone image of me actually  photographing the hive seen in my earlier post. It shows that getting "up close and personal" is just a phrase. For me, it's all part of the job.

I Wasn't Thinking Ahead

My Long Story: My editor's daughter in law, "K", is an advocate for, and a student of, bee hive preservation, noticed that bees were entering and exiting the ventilation hole of a utility vault's cover. This activity suggested that there was a hive inside the vault.  Its proximity to a major thoroughfare made its safe removal imperative. My editor contacted me about photographing the removal. Give me the date and time, and I am so there.

This cell phone photo taken several days prior gives you an idea of the situation of the utility vault. Bees could be seen entering and exiting the tiny ventilation hole in the cover, a sure sign of a hive hiding within. Its safe removal and relocation was important from both an ecological and safety perspective, since the local flora needed the bees for pollination, and the utility workers needed safe access to the enclosed valve. Plans were made to include a professional bee specialist and the San Mateo Water Department representative in the hive's relocation on Wednesday at 11:30. On my docket.

That morning I arrived at 11:05, and spent more than ten minutes trying to find a convenient parking place, and finally found one two blocks away. I started my long walk to the hive. In the interest of mobility, I brought only a lightstand and a shoot-through umbrella which I keep in my trunk for times when portability is most important.

Taken 11:28 AM

I arrived at 11:20, just moments after "K" and her husband. When we arrived at the vault, we were told by Ray the beekeeper  that the queen bee had apparently left, leaving behind a partially constructed beehive hanging from the vault cover. With the vault cover hive-side-up on the grass, we could see small dark spots in a few of the cells, signs that some eggs were on their way to pupation. Looking at the hives still attached to the cover I started to make some photos, if only to add some value to a morning that had just fallen apart due to the impetuous actions of the queen bee.

His work done, Ray was preparing to leave, and was in the process of cutting out the little hives when I asked if he could stop for a few moments while I prepared to make some photos. While any images I made would not tell the complete story of bee hive relocation, they might serve as accents to a future article. I instructed Ray to kneel beside the little hives just to see if the 16mm setting on my zoom lens could accommodate him. As you can see, it couldn't.

Two things became apparent. First, the 16mm setting on my zoom lens was not wide enough, so I would have to move farther away from my subject/s. Second, I would need some additional light on Ray's face to give me some detail. The repositioning was easy. The additional light was not. In the interests of time, I pulled a Hail Mary and opened my shoot through umbrella and positioned it just out of frame, camera left, hoping it would reflect enough light back on Ray's face.

This shot was a definite improvement. The face, will benefit from so adjustment in post processing.

Next Time: If memory serves me, there is a quote from Joe McNally that I should make my mantra: "Whenever possible, negotiate for more time". I should have asked Ray how much time he could spare to help me make a better photograph. Had I asked, I could have easily extended the session by ten minutes or more, judging from the time spent in friendly conversation once everything was put away. 

• 

  "K" made this little sign.

  Next time, take a few minute to set up a proper lightstand with a flash and shoot-through umbrella or small softbox.
• Next time, position the light at a 45 degree angle (or less) when aligned on the subject's nose. 
• Next time, angle the flash up and to  camera right to reduce the texture ruining light on the ho9ney comb.
• Next time, I will select, from my current collection, a speedlight to store alongside the lightstand and umbrella in the handy carrying bag. No more buying new stuff.
• Next time, I'll determine some practical guide numbers for said speedlight and tape the information to the head of the flash. Pre shrunk, pre thunk, I'm fond of saying.

I'll do that tomorrow. Yeah, right.