Camera Raw Presets - product review

Here's a fun one for you.

I've recently spent a lot of time on the other side of cases from wedding photographers / videographers who decided to add forensic image and video analysis to their portfolio of services. While they tend to not do so well on the legal and technical aspects of the forensic side of our work, somehow they think that their knowledge of imaging and video will carry them through. It rarely works out OK for them and their clients.

With that in mind, and as they seem to be fishing in our pool, I thought it was about time some of us started fishing in theirs. Here's the set up ... we are all good with cameras and Photoshop, on the technical side. We can choose lenses and lights, and we can work the forensic workflow with the software. What tends to be missing for forensic folks is the artistic eye. Here's where the product review starts ...

Gavin Phillips has canned that artistic flavour into a ton of presets that can be loaded into Adobe Camera Raw (CS3/CS4/CS5 - MAC/PC). Now we can shoot weddings, birthdays, glamour shots, and the like ... in our spare time ... and save a ton vs. what a professional photographer would charge. (remember, they're fishing in our pool, it's time we fished in theirs)

Once loaded in the appropriate folder, the Presets can be applied from Bridge or ACR. Once applied, they can be tweaked in infinite ways in ACR.

Right-click on the image in Bridge, and scroll down to Develop Settings. 

You'll see the Presets fly out. You can make a quick choice here.

You can also choose a Preset from the Presets menu in ACR.

You can choose Apply Preset from the fly-out menu in the Presets panel 

to find your new Presets.

I think that you'll find these Presets to be a fun diversion. It'll also help you learn how ACR can be used to maximum effect. (the cost includes a complimentary set for Lightroom, but you didn't hear that from me) If you factor in the cost savings vs. having to hire a photographer for your next big event, these bad boys will pay for themselves on the first go.

Click here to find out more.

Enjoy.