GeneinChi Loc: Chicago, IL

I’ve decided to dip my toe into shooting raw. Having never done this, I’m looking for suggestions that can ease me into pp and grow from there. Please keep in mind I’m a beginner.
Thanks in advance.

Gene

CHG_CANON Loc: the Windy City

What camera? What software? Those are the issues 1 and 1a. Users of specific software (and cameras) can provide more directly actionable advice specific to your equipment. You can / should google youtube for RAW editing demonstrations using your software, a great way to get usage ideas.

Relative to getting started, the camera's typically free software will apply the camera defaults to the RAW image as if it was a JPEG from the camera. This can make it hard to recognize the opportunities to 'push' the image. If there's an <auto tone> option in your software, try that function and see what the software does to the image. Take it from there with the various sliders in your tool.

When you become a RAW photographer, you become the decision maker for the following considerations in post processing, where many had been decided by the camera for the JPEG:

1. Sharpening
2. Noise Reduction
3. Color Saturation
4. Exposure adjustments, general
5. Contrast, general
6. Highlights and shadows
7. White Balance
8. Lens corrections
9. Color space
10. Pixel resolution for target image share platforms
11. Disk storage (for the larger files)
12. Image file back-up strategy (for those larger files)

You don't have to understand all these issues, but when you do, you'll be much more successful as a RAW photographer.

Abo

Go for it, adjusting your raw images can be very satisfying.

Do you have a program for editing raw files?

It seems your camera has a raw mode. Possibly
the camera came with a CD-ROM with a raw editing
program or have invited you to their website
to download a program?

And kudos for writing "raw" and not "RAW"... "raw" is not an acronym.
It's "raw" as in uncooked.

Longshadow Loc: Audubon, PA, United States

Simple.
Edit with a RAW editor, same editing philosophy as JPEG, just different (more) editing options.
Save edits as JPEG.
Nothing magical.

Longshadow Loc: Audubon, PA, United States

To each his own, I like RAW...
But I'm not a language/linguistics professor.

Besides, it matches the font for JPEG.

gvarner Loc: Central Oregon Coast

That’s a hard one to answer if you want to ease into PP. Sounds like you’ve never edited JPEG's. Start with editing JPEG's, then work into RAW.

randave2001 Loc: Richmond

GeneinChi Loc: Chicago, IL

More info: I’m in search of a “beginners” program. I shoot with a Sony a6000.

CHG_CANON Loc: the Windy City

From the Sony Website, you can download Image Edge Desktop. I haven't used it much, but it appears to be three components: View, Edit and Remote (like remote / tethered shooting).

Alas, beyond 'free', RAW shooting and beginner digital editing software are not congruent ideas. What have you used so far? That current software, and video-based training, are the two places to begin.

gvarner Loc: Central Oregon Coast

I use PS Elements for editing. It’s about $70. Has an Organizer to easily find and tag your photos for quick retrieval. Has three levels in its Editor from easy to advanced. Very easy to learn. And it has an Adobe Camera Raw editor to edit RAW photos before sending them to the main Editor as JPEG's. RAW photos are like a film negative and JPEG's are more like a 35mm slide. In RAW editing you can adjust exposure, white balance, sharpness, and reduce grain, things you can’t do as well when editing JPEG's.

bsprague Loc: Lacey, WA, USA

If it were me and I had never tried RAW before, I would sign up for free trial of the Adobe Photographers plan. Be ready with a half dozen RAWs from your camera and have your calendar clear. The free trial lasts 7 days. That should be enough to work through the provided tutorials. Once your seven days are up, you will have another 14 days during which you can get a full refund.

Longshadow Loc: Audubon, PA, United States

Doesn't the camera come with a RAW editor, like Canon provides? I use DPP from Canon.
I haven't even tried to see if either of my other two editors edit RAW . DPP works just fine for me.

Rongnongno Loc: FL

Before anything that involves post-processing, you need to consider that raw is a format that exploit the full capabilities of your camera. As such, you need to learn the limitations of your camera and start shooting accordingly.

THEN on to post-processing.

Abo

Who needs to be a "linguistics professor"
to know the difference between a word and an acronym.

WHO... World Health Organization... an acronym.

QANTAS... Queensland And Northern Territory Aerial Services... another acronym.

Who... which person... an ordinary word.

Using "RAW" just makes you seem ignorant... Dont feel bad though...
commonly the advertising people of huge companies that manufacture
cameras use "RAW" in their literature and advertising LOL

Longshadow Loc: Audubon, PA, United States

Okay, I be igmorant. I don't feel bad...