Landscape scene

[Stagecoach]

Hi Carol,

If you are using Elements and wish to rotate an image this is the procedure based on Elements 7 and I'm sure later versions will be similar;

a) IMAGE / ROTATE / CUSTOM - You then type in degrees and direction.

OR

b) From the Tool bar select 'STRAIGHTEN' tool (two rectangles, one sloping) Place the cursor cross-hairs on the image and drag the line across. EG, if you have a sloping horizon place the cursor on it at the far left and draw across placing it on the horizon at the far right, hey presto, horizon is level.

For critical adjustment you can also place the 'GRID' on the image by selecting VIEW / GRID

Grahame

[csa mt]

Grahame, thank you! I've copied and saved your instructions!

[bnnrcn]

Sorry for being so late Carol, it is because of the time difference between countries I can see that everyone has tried to help you about ACR , so all I can say is that when you have difficulty finding a function in your software or applying it properly, you can always start a thread in the PP section and more people will help you there because it is a special section for such purposes. This is what I have done so far and I have always got solutions to my problems there

[Donald]

Donald, processing raw images is very overwhelming to me, since I've never done it. I tried a while back to open a raw image, and wow, I wouldn't even know where to begin! Definitely way out of my comfort zone.

Yep, that's the place where everyone starts. Remember, you're talking to guy here who, when he bought his first DSLR and took it home, couldn't use it because nobody told him you also had to buy a thing called a memory card!!

So, if I can learn it, you can.

I'm going to post up a RAW file and I'll send you a link (in a Private message) so you can download it and save it. Open Elements. The file should automatically open up in ACR. Just play about with it, safe in the knowledge that you can't do any harm to anything or anyone. Twiddle all the sliders and see what happens

Once you've done that, save it as TIFF file. Close ACR. Then open it up in Elements itself. Play around some more and then save it as a JPEG. Hey presto, you have created an image over which you have had total control. And once you feel okay with these few steps, you'll never want to change again.

[IzzieK]

Carol...I have this one for my tripods (yes, plural) that do not have a bubble level:

http://www.bhphotovideo.com/bnh/cont...G&Q=&A=details

[Mike Buckley]

Carol,

Though I shoot RAW files exclusively, I believe the merits of doing so are generally overstated. Even so, I'd like to convince you to shoot and process them for two reasons.

The most important one actually has nothing to do with the photography itself but to you getting over the hump of being stymied by them. I can relate to that because I've been stymied by many humps, not just in photography.

You seem to have a mental block against trying RAW files and understandably so. Regardless, whatever the real challenges are, they're far from insurmountable once you decide one day to sit down in front of your computer to master just the beginnings of using them. Using ACR, like any software, is best done using a fairly regimented workflow on all images and using that workflow eliminates almost all of the confusion caused by the new sliders and adjustments you'll be using.

The second reason I hope to convince you to shoot RAW files has to do with the post-processing itself. It's very likely that there will be at least one or two benefits of post-processing RAW files that will make the entire effort worthwhile, especially considering that you will be enjoying those benefits for the rest of your post-processing life. When you come upon them, they will truly be ah-ha moments for you.

If those two reasons aren't convincing enough, consider that almost everyone participating in photography threads post-processes RAW files. They are in a position to help you a lot more if you're doing the same than if you're post-processing JPEGs, which they aren't used to doing.

So, take the plunge. I'm confident that once you do, you'll be glad that you did.

[marlunn]

okay, head over the parapet, so tin hat on to be shot at for newbie suggestion , personally if you dont normally shoot raw i would suggest that initially if your camera supports it shoot raw and hi res jpg. Then you can view you photos in jpg from the camera - thats what the camera techie thinks they should look like, and from that you can move into raw slowly but still see your pictures without having to 'worry' about doing anything in raw to start with, then when you have confidence you can go back to the raw file and 'develop' the picture you really want.

[csa mt]

Donald, you definitely make me feel better, with your first DSLR!

I received the file, and will see if I can open it in Elements.

Thank you!

[csa mt]

Izzie, now that's a really cool accessory! I can mount this right on my camera!

Thanks so much, I'm ordering one!

[csa mt]

Mike, thanks for a very excellent post about RAW processing. I definitely am going to dive into it. However, as I mentioned, Elements does not support my camera, and the download for my camera did not work.

What I found out is that the FZ70 is not supported by Installed version of Camera RAW. However, my auto updates say "current".

My PSE is 11.1 RAW is 7.40.137

Someone had told me that PSE11 will take ACR 8.2 (which supports the FZ70), but it has to be "applied manually". This stopped me, as I'm not savy enough to start messing around with my computer.

[csa mt]

Mark, excellent suggestion, thanks!