Adobe bridge.

[afdlips]

I hope this is the forum to ask this. So I shoot a lot of HDR photographs and manage the RAW files in adobe bridge. I find it highly frustrating that it has an automated exposure correction, and it really gets in the way of finding the specific bracketed exposures that I need. Does anyone know how to turn this feature off?

[mjs1973]

You area actually using Adobe Camera RAW (ACR) to process your RAW files. When you open an image in ACR, set all of your sliders to were you want them, then click on the little arrow to the right of the Settings box right below the histogram. Select Save New Camera RAW Defaults and you're done..

[Photo-John]

I'm not sure about turning it off. I created a setting called "no adjust" so I could view them all as shot. It should be an included setting. And it may be. But I wasn't able to find it.

By the way, I think there are much better programs than Adobe Bridge for managing and viewing photos. I use it sometimes because it's right there, in Photoshop. But I prefer using BreezeBrowser for pure image management and viewing. I also have Extensis Portfolio but haven't updated the libraries since I built a new computer. I actually think almost anything is better than Bridge.

[drg]

I'd look at Adobe LIGHTROOM.

It takes some adjustment to use effectively. Lightroom is worth it.
- The ability to see all the pictures laid out together
- The universal, but 'relative' adjustments to a series of pictures
- Adjustments are applied at the time of export(saving)
- Easy switching to Photoshop (or most other editors)
- "AUTO" adjustment has options but is NOT a default

There are far more setting and parameterizations available that are more adaptabile than Bridge/ACR Raw.

I've started using Lightroom for shoots of 500+ photos and am very satisfied. There are a few issues, but its a new concept!!

Lightroom is built for dealing with RAW imagery. But do get a manual such as Martin Evening's book from ADOBE Press.

Let us know what you use and how it is working!

[Medley]

By the way, I think there are much better programs than Adobe Bridge for managing and viewing photos. I use it sometimes because it's right there, in Photoshop. But I prefer using BreezeBrowser for pure image management and viewing. I also have Extensis Portfolio but haven't updated the libraries since I built a new computer. I actually think almost anything is better than Bridge.

I disagree, mainly because I've spent the last few years compiling and writing scripts that give me the ability to do things in Bridge that I can't accomplish anywhere else. By far the one I utilize most allows me to select up to 100 files, and with a single mouse click open a photoshop document that contains each file on it's own layer. Further, clicking on any layer (re)opens the A.C.R. plug-in for that individual layer. I can do this as many times on one layer, and on as many layers as neccessary, allowing me to maximize my lossless editing capabilities. Add that to Photoshop's power to utilize layer masks, channel masks, and selections, and you have the ability to create 16-bit montages with minimal effort.

Now, I realize that prefering Bridge most likely puts me in the minority, and I'm not saying that the things I've accomplished with Bridge scripts couldn't be done in Lightroom or elsewhere. They probably can be, but from my point of view the question would be "why take the time to redo everything for another application?" I guess I'm just saying that Bridge works for me.

Now, to answer your specific question afdlips, open an image in Adobe Camera Raw. In the dialog box, you can choose between auto adjustments and default (these are highlighted in red on the screenshot). Click 'default' and place the settings where you'd like them to be each time you open an image.

Now, on the right side of the dialog box, just below the histogram, is a line that says "settings" and has a drop-down menu. Just to the right of that menu is an arrow. Click that arrow to open the settings options menu. Click the option that says "Save New Camera Raw Defaults" (highlighted in blue on the screenshot)

You're done. Each new image will now open with these same settings.


- Joe U.

[Photo-John]

Joe-
Thanks for the thoughtful and detailed response. Obviously your experience has been different than mine. But it looks like your's is more applicable than mine in this case. And that's great. I'm happy you're here to share. And I'm going to go through your post and see what I can glean from it to improve my Bridge experience.

[Medley]

John,

I'd suggest starting here: http://www.russellbrown.com/tips_tech.html

Russell Brown, for those who haven't heard of him, is one of the worlds foremost experts on Photoshop. On his site, you'll find a gaggle of tutorials. Scroll down past the CS3 tutorials to the scripts. The script you're looking for is called Dr. Brown's Services (hey, I can't make this stuff up). There's even a beta version for CS3. Dr. Brown's services will add several useful scripts to the tools menu of Bridge.

- Joe U.