Idaho Airships, Inc.

Adobe’s recently introduced Photoshop CS4 and Adobe Camera RAW 5.1 applications can team up for what may be the ultimate nondestructive workflow.

After you’ve prepared your ACR 5.1 manipulations, click the “Open Object” button (you’ll need to select the “Open in Photoshop as Smart Object” checkbox in your Workflow Options-the blue text at the bottom of the ACR window, to be provided the “Open Object” button instead of the “Open Image” button):

Your image will open as a Smart Object in Photoshop.

If you wish to return to ACR 5.1, simply Right-Click on the Layer (which is conveniently named with the .CR2 and associated .xmp filename) and from the drop-down Context Menu select Edit Content. The .CR2 will open in ACR 5.1, where you can edit is as you wish…then once again, click the Open Object button.

In Photoshop, do your thing…

…and when you’re done, simply save the file.

Viola! A completely prepared image with no destructive editing all the way from the .CR2.

Of course, nothing is free-your hard drive space requirements will reflect your affinity for Smart Objects and uncompressed archives.

Intriguing, isn’t it?

L