Opening and Arranging Files - From PHOTOS to ART with Photoshop - page 36

Opening Image Files
Photoshop allows you to open Image Files in several different ways. The first method will
be familiar to most people and is like opening files in most other software programs. The
procedure is shown in Figure 10 .
Like most other professional photographers, I always capture my images in the Raw
Format. This gives me the maximum amount of image data and total control over process-
ing the image. One of the few drawbacks to Raw Files is that they cannot be viewed without
the use of special software. They also cannot be edited and then saved — Raw Files are
always original, unedited images. They must be converted to a different format to edit and
save the edited version.
Cameras that are capable of saving images in the Raw format usually come with special
software that allows you to view, convert and edit your Raw images. Photoshop has a built
in program called Abobe Camera Raw that negates the need for that type of software. Pho-
toshop also includes a program called Bridge that allows you to preview Raw images before
opening them in Photoshop. This can be a great time saver when you are searching for an
image that was captured in the Raw format.
If you select Browse in Bridge ( Figure 11 ), Photoshop will open the Bridge Program and
allow you to search for the desired images. Bridge is also an image file organizer, but that