So far I have just been post-processing my work as Jpegs in Photoshop.

I just started shooting in RAW and don't understand the file saving stuff. I open in Adobe photoshop Elements 3.0, then "standard edit", which opens the RAW editor. I can figure out how to do the processing in there, but what happens after I hit "save?" Should I be saving in a "good edits" folder along side the original folder?

Then I get confused, because if I want to crop, or process some more in Photoshop and open the file there, I have a choice of what file extension to save as (should I continue saving as jpegs, or psd. files?) Should I save them in the same place I save the RAW dng. files or in another folder?

Does this even make sense? This learning curve is HUGE!

If someone could share thier workflow - that would be awesome. Or a (free) on-line tutorial.

Thanks much.

Rebecca, I would love to be able to help, but I don't know how RAW processing works in Elements. Why are you not using the pro version of Photoshop (CS2 or CS3)? With these versions, many of us use Bridge and Adobe Camera Raw (ACR) which is very efficient. There is no "Save" function required. Instead, once the RAW files have been through processing in ACR, if we need to convert to another file format, like jpeg, we then use Image Processor. I don't even know if Elements has this feature available.

Sorry for my inability to help you, but hopefully someone else here knows.

I think it worth the investment to purchase Capture One. The LE version is only $100 bucks. It moves very quickly and does a nice job with colors and dynamic range. After specifying file type, ppi and color space the images are outputted to a sub directory in the original folder called "develops." From there you can edit further in Elements. You can download a trial here phase one
If I can do it, anyone can. Hope this helps.

Kris

Thank you!! I do need to get better computer software - but I'm currently working on a (very, very) limited budget. The more work I do, the more I realise I need to learn!

I did figure out I had software on my computer (I think it came with my camera) that allows me to batch edit!!

Heh, raws can be a bit of a learning curve. But think of it in terms of film. When you take a raw you've got a negetive. You then develop that negetive (process the raw) and if that's all you have to do to get the look you're after then voila you're done. If there's more you want to do then open it in elements, photoshop, gimp, paint.net, PaintShop Pro whatever you prefer and then do your editing. Alot of the times raws are powerful enough to get what you're looking for without having to go into photoshop to do so. Ok so here's my workflow for portraits.

Portraits
->Person
->-> Shoot Date
->->-> Raws
->->-> Processed Raws
->->-> BW Effects
->->->-> Large
->->->-> Small
->->-> Color Effects
->->->-> Large
->->->-> Small


I have my portriats folder. I have a sub-folder for each person. Then a folder for the date the shots were taken. In there have a folder for the raws from the shoot. Those get bulk processed (however you prefer, one at a time, bridge batch, etc.) and sent to Processed Raws. Then I go through the images and see which ones I'd like in black and white sepia some sort of toned image and put them into BW Effects, then I put the images I'd like in color in Color Effects. I gussie them all up and then I run a script i wrote that take the large ones makes a copy, shrinks them to web sizes and moves them to the small folder then moves the large copy to the large folder. I then do the same for the Color images and then I upload the ones to a private place for the client to look at them.

Ok so the simple break down

Process Raws
Gussie up Processed raws and put in a folder for large finished images.
Make copies size for web, put in another folder.
Upload web images for the client and let them see.

It's a tad cumbesome if you're not batch processing anything but it works, and the flexibility of raw is incredible.

that totally helps - thank you!

Awesome! Raw can be a bit of a bear if you're used to shooting jpegs and haven't shot (or forgotten about) shooting film. I was lucky. Dad used to let me shoot with his old minolta, that was always fun.