Online raw file editor? Or other options to brainstorm?

[JustJazzie]

Okay. I had my shoot today for the baby and I am quite frazzled. Baby wasn't cooperating and I screwed up the lighting. I used my light meter but she ended up closer to the light than she should have and her dress got blown out. It didn't look so bad on my LCD back, but on my laptop screen the Jpegs look TERRIBLE. Her mom is antsy to get them and I would like to find some inner peace and see if I can even save them.

I have a laptop I can still use, but its too full and quite likely too old, to install and run nikons program that came with the camera. Are there any online programs I can upload the files online to work on them? Or am I just outta luck until we get my computer back up and running?

 

[Derrel]

Pics.io - In-Browser RAW Image Processing I have not used this, but the source is one I trust. If you've blown the highlights in JPEGs, I'm hoping there is some recovery potential in the raw files; most likely, there will be an ability to "pull back" the overexposed highlights, and apply a more gentle tone curve that will rescue the exposures.

And here is an on-line web browser/download/smartphone app that I have actually used to do soft focus overlays, color effects, vintage looks, and borders...

Vintage and Retro Photo Effects Pixlr-o-matic Autodesk Pixlr

 

[JustJazzie]

Pics.io - In-Browser RAW Image Processing I have not used this, but the source is one I trust. If you've blown the highlights in JPEGs, I'm hoping there is some recovery potential in the raw files; most likely, there will be an ability to "pull back" the overexposed highlights, and apply a more gentle tone curve that will rescue the exposures.

And here is an on-line web browser/download/smartphone app that I have actually used to do soft focus overlays, color effects, vintage looks, and borders...

Vintage and Retro Photo Effects Pixlr-o-matic Autodesk Pixlr

Thanks Derrel! I'm gonna give it a shot! Wish me luck. I'm hoping some of it is moniter related as well. It doesn't look nearly as bad in the camera as it does on my screen, which I know is terrible.

 

[JustJazzie]

Part of it was her dress too. In one shot it looks fine and in the very next she would kick her legs and the angle of light on her shiny dress blew out.

 

[Derrel]

Keep in mind that regular people judge photos of their loved ones based mostly on expression,expresssion, and expression, as well as a little bit on love for the person...the mommy goggles factor will work for you to a huge degree; photographers look at stuff like lighting ratios and highlight density...I can totally see Ysarex saying to himself, "Oh myyyyy goodness!!! She's hit 255 here! Ack!", meanwhile the parent is thinking, "Oh...my sweet,darling baby girl is sooooo cute!"

 

[JustJazzie]

:,-( it says my browser is too old. Bummer!

Any other ideas?

 

[JustJazzie]

Keep in mind that regular people judge photos of their loved ones based mostly on expression,expresssion, and expression, as well as a little bit on love for the person...the mommy goggles factor will work for you to a huge degree; photographers look at stuff like lighting ratios and highlight density...I can totally see Ysarex saying to himself, "Oh myyyyy goodness!!! She's hit 255 here! Ack!", meanwhile the parent is thinking, "Oh...my sweet,darling baby girl is sooooo cute!"

Thats exactly why I told her I thought I would be able to do a simple crop and hand over the jpegs. (Really, babies don't need much more!) On my laptop screen, these are actually EMBARRASSINGLY overblown.

 

[Derrel]

Well...can you update your browser? Those are free... Otherwise, can you edit on the JPEG files??? I dunno... WAIT a second....a lot of laptops look awful, especially on bright tones--are the files truly way over-exposed? I mean--how bad is the laptop's screen?

Maybe it's time to start managing expectations and describing these lovingly as delicate, high-key portraits.

 

[JustJazzie]

Here, you tell me! On my nikon lcd, I see quite a bit of detail and only a bit blown out. On my laptop I see almost NO lower dress on the bottom left.... What do you see?

 

[JustJazzie]

Oh also, I can't update anythjng on the laptop. It's that old. it's a 2007 MacBook.

 

[Derrel]

The exposure is hot in the lower left area, but the raw file ought to be recoverable....for giggles, I took the JPEG and did an on-line "for fun" using Pixlr o matic's Hagrid filter, plus the Sand overlay, then some border at random...

 

[tirediron]

View attachment 97234 The exposure is hot in the lower left area, but the raw file ought to be recoverable....for giggles, I took the JPEG and did an on-line "for fun" using Pixlr o matic's Hagrid filter, plus the Sand overlay, then some border at random...

 

[JustJazzie]

View attachment 97234 The exposure is hot in the lower left area, but the raw file ought to be recoverable....for giggles, I took the JPEG and did an on-line "for fun" using Pixlr o matic's Hagrid filter, plus the Sand overlay, then some border at random...

Thanks Derrel. I thought it would be recoverable when I checked the LCD back and decided to move on to a new pose. I suppose I am just going to tell the mom she is going to have to be patient and wait until I get my computer up and running in a few weeks. :-( At least there is still a bit of hope!

 

[tirediron]

Looks like lots of detail there to me; not optimal maybe, but plenty to work with.

 

[JustJazzie]

Looks like lots of detail there to me; not optimal maybe, but plenty to work with.

Awesome! Thanks TiredIron. I never realized how absolutely terrible this monitor is. Now, any ideas on how to convince DH that fixing my computer is a higher priority than finishing the bathroom remodel??