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Adobe Camera Raw 18.6: New Glow Feature and Creative Editing Updates

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Adobe Camera Raw 18.6: New Glow Feature and Creative Editing Updates

Clip title: I’m Re-Editing All My Photos Because of This One Camera Raw Feature [What’s New in ACR 18.6] Author / channel: Brian Matiash URL: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RZ8pOEi1u4I

Summary

The video provides a comprehensive overview of the new features introduced in Adobe Camera Raw 18.6, with a strong emphasis on the groundbreaking “Glow” effect. The presenter highlights that these updates, particularly the “Glow” feature, significantly elevate creative editing potential and are not AI-driven. He notes his personal excitement for the “Glow” feature, having re-edited many of his own published photos using it, and encourages users to update their Creative Cloud desktop app to access these new tools.

The first new feature discussed is “Trim,” which acts as a non-destructive alternative to “Render to DNG.” While “Render to DNG” would create a new DNG file after cropping and using Generative Expand, “Trim” allows users to effectively “crop in” while retaining the original photo and non-destructively applying Generative Expand. This enables adding creative space, like for ad copy, without altering the source file. Additionally, a new “Metadata Panel” has been added to the right toolbar, offering quick access to essential photo information such as EXIF data, capture date, copyright, and location, with clickable coordinates for Google Maps integration.

The main event of the update is the “Glow” feature, available as both a global and local editing tool that works with masks. Found under the “Effects” panel, “Glow” currently offers three distinct styles: “Diffusion,” “Bloom,” and “Halation.” “Diffusion” mimics the “Orton effect,” creating an ethereal, dreamy look, with sliders for “Range” (tonal application), “Spread” (blur strength), and “Warmth” (hue overlay). “Bloom” causes bright areas to glow, using similar controls. Both styles benefit from an Alt/Option key press to visualize the mask, showing exactly where the effect is being applied.

“Halation,” the third “Glow” style, is inspired by film photography and cinema, producing a characteristic yellow-to-red glow around high-contrast edges and bright lights due to light reflection on film emulsion layers. Its “Warmth” slider specifically controls this color range. The presenter demonstrates how “Glow” can be applied or subtracted using masking techniques, noting that “Style,” “Range,” “Spread,” and “Warmth” settings are global, while the “Amount” of glow can be adjusted locally per mask. He also strongly recommends pairing “Glow” with 32-bit HDR editing for “amazing results” and with “Grain” for a truly filmic aesthetic.

In conclusion, the presenter expresses immense satisfaction with the “Glow” feature, which has been highly requested by users. He confirms that “Glow” will eventually be integrated into Lightroom, as Camera Raw forms the foundation for Lightroom’s editing capabilities. He urges users to try out the new features, particularly “Glow,” and provide feedback, emphasizing that user input is crucial for driving future feature development and enhancements.

Video Description & Links

Description

Adobe Camera Raw 18.6 added a new effects tool called Glow, and it’s good enough that I went back through my own catalog and re-edited photos I’d already published. In this video I break down all three Glow styles, Diffusion, Bloom, and Halation, how the sliders work, and how to control glow globally and locally with masking. I also cover the other two additions in this release: Trim and the new metadata panel.

Chapters: 00:00 - This is a BIG Camera Raw update! 00:51 - Trim your photos in 1 click 04:02 - New metadata panel 04:41 - Glow is here! 05:40 - A closer look at Glow: Diffusion 08:53 - Using Glow with Masking 11:48 - A closer look at Glow: Bloom 15:03 - A closer look at Glow: Halation 18:32 - Let us know what you think of Glow

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