Picture controls, picture styles, and picture profiles are a few of the names they go by, depending on your camera brand. But what are they, and how can they help you create images and make editing easier?
What Are They and Where Do You Find Them?
Picture styles or picture profiles are in-camera presets that affect how your camera processes sharpness, color, contrast, saturation, and more. These styles are great for photographers and videographers looking to create images that are consistent across the board. For me, they are great starting points for final images. I mentioned that these go by different names depending on your camera brand. You must remember that these affect the JPEG images and will work with raw images, but we will discuss that. Below are a few popular manufacturers and their respective names:
- Nikon: Picture Controls
- e.g., Standard, Portrait, Landscape, Neutral, and Monochrome
- Canon: Picture Styles
- e.g., Standard, Portrait, Landscape, Neutral, and Monochrome
- Sony: Creative Styles
- e.g., Standard, Vivid, and Neutral
- Fuji: Film Simulations
- e.g., Velvia, ACROS, Provia, and Classic
You should find these under your camera's shooting menu. I have customized the "i" menu on my Nikon cameras for quick and easy access. I occasionally switch these while out shooting, depending on the subject I photograph, so quick access is necessary.
Types of Picture Styles and Their Uses
- Standard: This is a balance of contrast and color, great for everyday shooting.
- Neutral: Reduces contrast and saturation. Use this when you are planning your shots with more creative control.
- Vivid/Landscape: Boosts color and contrast, making your images pop.
- Portrait: Optimizes skin color by softening sharpness and contrast.
- Monochrome/Black and White: Converts the camera's images to black and white, which is helpful. However, I would never use this as the final black-and-white image, as these images are best processed in software like Silver Efex Pro.
- Flat: This profile dramatically reduces contrast and saturation, allowing maximum dynamic range. Videographers usually use a flat profile. Remember, this is an advanced profile, so you need some editing skills!
How to Choose Profiles
No matter your technique or skill, you must use profiles with intent. If you are photographing a landscape, you want to choose the landscape profile and wouldn’t want to use the portrait profile. We know the landscape profile will boost your color and contrast, whereas the portrait profile slightly reduces contrast and sharpness. Now that I have stated that, it's okay to break the rules and use a profile that may not usually be used for that subject. If you want more boosted colors and better contrast, feel free to try the landscape profile on a portrait. If you don’t try, you'll never know. When deciding what profile is “best,” you must look into the future and decide on the final image. You can ask yourself a few questions:
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“What is my final image going to look like?”
- Do you want more vibrant color, contrast, or sharpness?
- Are you trying to have a vintage, cinematic, or natural feel?
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“Does the profile enhance or distract from the subject?”
- Does the color or tone become distracting?
- Would a more vibrant or toned-down profile work better?
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“What is the subject?”
- Are you shooting sports, portraits, or landscapes?
- Is the scene high or low contrast, and what is the lighting?
Use Styles for Previews When Shooting Raw
When you are using profiles from the camera and shooting in RAW file format, the JPEG preview on the camera will be affected, but not the actual raw file. This is a great way to view the final image while retaining the flexibility of a raw file. When you shoot a JPEG file with the profile you selected in the camera, it is permanently set. You cannot change to another profile after the fact. If you choose a flat profile in JPEG and then decide to use the standard profile, you must shoot another image. If you are using the raw file format, all you need to do is change the profile after you have uploaded it to your software.
Customizing Profiles
The great thing about profiles is that you do not have to use them for what they are! You can customize them to your liking, which is a great way to express your creative style. You can also tweak them within your camera. I like to choose the profile I want to use, and then when it is time to edit, I tweak it in Lightroom! Either way will work; you have to find the best way that works for you and fits into your workflow.
Profiles in Post-Processing
Shooting raw files has many benefits and is my preferred file type. In conjunction with the use of profiles, you can preview your choice of profile and have the ability to change it during post-processing. If you are using JPEG files, it's set, and you cannot change it after the fact. Occasionally, you may think that the profile you selected while shooting is the best, but in the end, it might not be the best option. You must remember that profiles are just previews when using a raw file. When you preview the image on the camera, it's a preview, and when you import it into your software, like Lightroom, you must select the profile you want.
Why Profiles Matter in Post-Processing
- Color Consistency: Using profiles, you can ensure consistent color across all your images, even in varying lighting conditions.
- Creativity: Profiles allow you to experiment by applying styles without altering the original data in your raw files.
- Efficiency: Profiles save time; you can apply an edit across a batch of images with consistency and a base image that you can then tweak. This will reduce the number of manual edits, allowing you to focus on other edits.
Conclusion
Profiles allow for creative freedom and reduce the amount of manual editing in your workflow. Camera profiles are a powerful tool every photographer can use and are often overlooked. Understanding how to use them and their benefits will elevate your work, allowing for more efficient edits and unlimited creativity. Leave a comment below about your experience using profiles and the benefits you have seen!
