Digital Toolbox: RAW Recipes

Part Two: Set the Exposure

The first thing to do when you're working on a new image in Camera RAW is to set your black and white points. The white point slider is known in this program as "Exposure," and the black, "Shadows."

Step 1

White Point: The lightest petals of this flower are a little too bright in the original shot. Hold down the Alt (Option on a Mac) key and click on the Exposure slider. You'll see some blue dots where the highlights are blown out. Move the Exposure slider left until all you see is black. With an exposure value of -0.60, highlight detail will be preserved.