Elizabeth Halford Photography {the blog} » photography in plain English

ACR {Adobe Camera Raw} – What is it?

March 23, 2011 Posted inPhotoshop & Elements,RAW,Video Tutorials

You may see the initials ACR thrown around but not know exactly what that means or what it does. ACR is the mechanism by which you open raw files in Photoshop or Elements. When you want to open a raw file, ACR pops up first with a load of options for editing and adjusting your image before ever heading straight into Photoshop. I could spend all day writing it here, but I did a video instead! Enjoy!

{Further Viewing Pleasure}

Using Presets in ACR

How Lightroom users can ease into Photoshop using ACR

  • http://www.stephaniebrowndesign.com stef

    AHHHH! I wish you had posted this before Monday past…a friend suggested I try my next photo shoot in RAW and so I did but not looking into whether or not my editing software could support it..which it did not…so I had to convert them but knowing nothing about converting images and RAW there was a lot of tears before thankfully it was figured out!

    Your site is so informative and helpful-I am very grateful for the info you share!
    Thank you for this post, it was very clear; which is a great blessing to a non techy mind like mine :)

  • http://twinflowerphotography.com Christina

    Thanks for this! Even though I only shoot JPEG, I love using ACR! I actually have access to it in Photoshop Elements 8 (I was told it’s only available in PSE8 if you’re on a Mac, which I am). Anyway I just open the jpeg in PSE, open up Bridge, then click the little aperture icon and voila! ACR opens up. Pretty cool :0)

  • Kassi

    My problem is that the RAW files from my new Nikon D7000 aren’t supported by my version of ACR in CS4 or my version on LR….so I will have to upgrade one of them….

  • http://www.olivephotographics.com Margie Duerr

    I always shoot JPG. I had no idea that ACR was so much like Lightroom! And I really didn’t know about ACR presets. Nice video and thank you very much! :) You have a pretty voice too, makes me sad that mine sucks so bad. Ha!

  • Kathy B.

    I’m trying to start shooting JPEG & RAW. I’ve always shot JPEG but seems you have much more editing power in RAW. My problem has been opening up RAW images. And, in addition, I’m @ pre-school level….LOL! I have CS5 and Photoshop Elements 7. Is ACR included as a part of either program or is that something in addition to the programs?

    And, when you shoot JPEG and RAW…..is there one pic to open up and edit? Or are there supposed to be 2 different shots to choose from a JPEG and RAW?????

  • http://www.oscar-and-rose.co.uk Emma (Oscar and Rose)

    I initially shot in RAW and jpeg on my Canon 450D, just so I could compare.
    And then I mastered editing RAW in PSE7 on a PC with Windows XP.
    So then I thought “nah, don’t need jpeg anymore” and only shot in RAW.
    And then I found Windows XP does not show RAW files as thumbnails which meant I was faced with having to open each and every shot in PSE just to view it.
    So I did some research on the web, and downloaded this software (for free!)
    Faststone Image Viewer (http://www.faststone.org/)

    Just posting in case any of your readers go through the same process!
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