Many serious amateur photographers have trouble getting that "wow" shot from their digital cameras. And they’re discovering that working in RAW (the digital equivalent of a film negative) takes their photographs to the next level, giving them the control they need to get the highest image quality possible. The problem is, while most photographers know how to shoot RAW, they might not understand how to best deal with "RAW captures" to achieve the ultimate goal: producing the best images.

In Camera RAW 101, digital photography and software expert Jon Canfield explains everything you need to know to make the most of RAW captures using the newest versions of Photoshop, Elements, and Lightroom. You’ll find out how to get the most detail from your RAW files–whether it’s correcting shadows and highlights, fixing white balance, or getting rid of noise. You’ll learn how to convert RAW images using both basic and advanced techniques, as well as how to download and organize the images, and put the finishing touches on them after conversion.

Packed with beautiful images, solid instruction, and working examples–including screen grabs and before-and-after contrasts that show each step–this is a must-have for any serious amateur photographer who wants to take better, more creative photographs.