I am glad to present a new article about High Dynamic Range file creation using Smart Objects in Photoshop. The article could be easily called “Shoot once, Use it twice”, because this article explains how to use a single RAW file to get most data out of it. Usually the dynamic range of the camera (or JPG file) doesn't allow capturing all the details in highlights or in shadows. But the RAW files have this information and a few steps would allow us to retrieve and use this information. And these steps are explained in this article.

Many people know and do certain steps in digital photography, which get them closer to the ultimate photograph. Some of those steps are more like misteps or jumps. I am no different from any of you and I read about or "invent" (like anothe bycicle) some of such techniques. So I decided to look into this subject a bit deeper and here are several articles that could help us out in search of the utlimate photograph:

• The Ideal Digital Photographer's Workflow (Parts 1, 2, 3, 4, 5)
• Interviews about Digital Photography Workflow
• Digital Workflow by Chris Gamel (Parts 1, 2, 3)
• Sports Illustrated's digital workflow
• Nikon Digital Workflow and Asset Management

As a response to one of the questions about a technique to reveal (restore?) color in a black and white photograph, I just finished an article called "Color in Black and White". The article goes slightly beyond the limits of revealing color in a bw image. I describe a new direction for you to explore - coloring a bw image using Softlight blending mode.

Just want to share a few links to photoshop related resources:

• Adobe Evangelists
• Tutorials by Shan Canfield
• Photoshop Cafe
• Photoshop for Photographers
• PhotoFoolery

Well many of you know about the unending battle between RAW and JPEG camps. There is a good article "Cost Analysis: RAW vs. JPEG" at ShootSmarter.com (you have to register there to see the article - free and easy). Jim Tweedie who wrote the article gives us good facts about how much it takes to take, process and keep the RAW files (time is money). Though I may not agree with all of his points, they are very valid ones.

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