I would typically utilise PSD’s as my images in ID – until I’m happy with the result (so they update as I edit them), then once I’m happy with the image, I’d export it as a jpg or whatever and swap that for the PSD in ID to keep the computer from chugging.

PSD’s in ID are certainly handy when you know an image isn’t quite right – though I suppose you could get the same effect by saving as / overwriting the image file used in your layout.

It would be rare I’d use an image only adjusted in ACR – there’s usually some PS involved at some point.

Another tip: In the dialogue box in ACR where you specify the size/res you want your raw to open up, there’s a checkbox for ‘open in PS as smart objects’. This changes the ‘open image(s)’ button to ‘open object’ as default – no need to hold down Shift… (Shift will now switch to ‘open image’)

This technique only allows basic editing of the image – you can add adjustment layers to the PSD, but if you add any raster layers, they won’t change if you later alter ACR settings, so removing power lines for example (cloning using a layer above the smart object layer) isn’t an option in that instance. I think that’s what Kip was trying to say… You’re limited to whatever edits you can do in ACR, plus adjustment layers/masks/shapes/paths, or you’ll have to redo your raster edits each time you alter the ACR settings of the original raw file…

It would be nice if you could open up multiple raws in ACR, select all and tweak colour, contrast etc. then all the PSDs would update in InD. It seems though that the PSD smart object stores the raw settings and doesn’t update them from ACR’s database/.xmp files.

Thanks for sharing, it’s something else to add to the ‘one-day…’ toolbox!

Or is the Raw information merged inside of a single PSD file?

You must not have watched Terry’s video. Don’t get confused by the “Photoshop can’t save a file in a camera raw format.” The bottom line is that IF YOU WANT TO BE ABLE TO EDIT THE FILE, you can use the workflow, and the video shows you how. If you don’t want it to be edited, do exactly what you’re doing now.

What I am asking is if camera raw file does not save changes in camera raw format does that mean that the camera raw file you are placing into InDesign is unedited because it can’t be edited?

And if that is the case wouldn’t you want it to be edited? I suppose the photographer could have shot the photo perfectly as the raw file.

When you use the Camera Raw plug-in in Bridge or Photoshop to make adjustments (including straightening and cropping) to a camera raw image, the image’s original camera raw data is preserved. The adjustments are stored in either the Camera Raw database, as metadata embedded in the image file, or in a sidecar XMP file (a metadata file that accompanies a camera raw file).

That’s what makes working with Camera Raw files non-destructive. You can always go back to the original data, and nothing has been lost. This gives you the ultimate amount of control.

If you open a camera raw file in Photoshop, you can save the image in other image formats, such as PSD, JPEG, Large Document Format (PSB), TIFF, Cineon, Photoshop Raw, PNG, or PBM. From the Camera Raw dialog box in Photoshop, you can save the processed files in Digital Negative (DNG), JPEG, TIFF, or Photoshop (PSD) formats. Although Photoshop Camera Raw software can open and edit a camera raw image file, it cannot save an image in a camera raw format.

I hope that explains it for you. Ask more questions if you need to.

If that is true would you have imported an image that still needs to have editing done to it? I am confused.