Steve McCurry Photo Processing

Transform your Sony RAW photos with professional color grading inspired by Steve McCurry's iconic National Geographic photography style.

Features

• Professional Color Grading: Warm, rich tones inspired by McCurry's legendary style
• Batch Processing: Process 50-200+ images efficiently
• High Quality: Output JPEGs at 85-95% quality with no visible loss
• Open Source: 100% free using darktable
• Command Line: Automated workflow for efficient processing
• Multiple Presets: Standard and vibrant variants

Quick Start

1. Install darktable

# Check if darktable is installed
bash scripts/install_darktable.sh

# Or install manually
brew install darktable

2. Process Your Photos

# Basic usage: process all ARW files
python scripts/batch_process.py raw/ output/

# Custom quality
python scripts/batch_process.py raw/ output/ --quality 95

# Use vibrant preset
python scripts/batch_process.py raw/ output/ --preset assets/mccurry-vibrant.xmp

3. Validate Output

# Check output quality
python scripts/validate_output.py output/

# Export detailed report
python scripts/validate_output.py output/ --json

Steve McCurry Color Style

This skill replicates the distinctive visual characteristics of Steve McCurry's photography:

• Warm Golden Tones: Rich oranges, reds, and earth colors
• High Contrast: Punchy but retains shadow and highlight detail
• Saturated Midtones: Colors pop without looking unnatural
• Golden Hour Feel: Amber/yellow color cast like Kodachrome film
• Deep Shadows: Rich blacks with preserved texture
• Vibrant Blues/Teals: Cool tones provide visual balance
• Cinematic Quality: Film-like smoothness with storytelling mood

Directory Structure

your-project/
├── raw/                    # Input: Sony ARW files
└── output/                 # Output: Processed JPEGs

Presets

mccurry-narrative.xmp (Standard)

Balanced McCurry-inspired grading suitable for most scenarios. This is the default preset.

Best for:

• General photography
• Portraits
• Street photography
• Documentary work

mccurry-vibrant.xmp (Vibrant)

More saturated variant for high-impact images.

Best for:

• Landscapes
• Travel photography
• Images with strong colors
• Festival/cultural events

Detailed Usage

Batch Processing Script

python scripts/batch_process.py INPUT_DIR OUTPUT_DIR [OPTIONS]

Arguments:

• INPUT_DIR - Directory containing ARW files
• OUTPUT_DIR - Directory for processed JPEGs (created if needed)

Options:

• --quality QUALITY - JPEG quality 85-100 (default: 92)
• --preset FILE - Custom XMP preset file
• --verbose - Show detailed processing information

Examples:

# Process with default settings (92% quality, standard preset)
python scripts/batch_process.py ~/Photos/Raw ~/Photos/Processed

# Maximum quality for print
python scripts/batch_process.py raw/ output/ --quality 98

# Vibrant preset for landscapes
python scripts/batch_process.py landscape_raw/ landscape_out/ --preset assets/mccurry-vibrant.xmp

# Verbose output for debugging
python scripts/batch_process.py raw/ output/ --verbose

Validation Script

python scripts/validate_output.py OUTPUT_DIR [OPTIONS]

Arguments:

• OUTPUT_DIR - Directory containing processed JPEGs

Options:

• --json - Export detailed JSON validation report
• --verbose - Show all warnings (not just errors)

Examples:

# Quick validation
python scripts/validate_output.py output/

# Full report with JSON export
python scripts/validate_output.py output/ --json --verbose

Installation Script

bash scripts/install_darktable.sh

Checks for darktable installation and installs via Homebrew if needed.

Performance

Processing Speed:

• ~5-15 seconds per image (depends on image size and Mac specs)
• 100 images: 10-25 minutes
• 200 images: 20-45 minutes

System Requirements:

• macOS 11.0 (Big Sur) or later
• 8GB RAM minimum (16GB recommended for large batches)
• 50GB free disk space (for RAW + JPEG storage)
• Apple Silicon (M1/M2) or Intel Core i5+

File Sizes:

• Input ARW: ~24-42MB per file
• Output JPEG (92%): ~3-8MB per file
• Output JPEG (98%): ~6-12MB per file

Supported Cameras

All Sony cameras that produce ARW files, including:

• Sony Alpha A7 series (A7, A7R, A7S, A7III, A7IV, A7RV, etc.)
• Sony Alpha A9 series (A9, A9II, A9III)
• Sony Alpha A6000 series (A6000, A6100, A6400, A6600, etc.)
• Sony Alpha A1
• Sony ZV series
• Older Sony NEX cameras

Workflow Tips

For Best Results

1. Shoot in RAW: Ensure your Sony camera is set to save ARW files
2. Expose Properly: The preset works best with well-exposed images
3. Organize First: Sort and cull images before batch processing
4. Test First: Process 2-3 sample images to verify the look
5. Adjust if Needed: Try the vibrant preset or adjust quality settings

When to Use Each Preset

Standard (mccurry-narrative.xmp):

• Portraits and people
• Indoor photography
• Balanced lighting conditions
• When you want subtlety

Vibrant (mccurry-vibrant.xmp):

• Landscapes and nature
• Outdoor travel photography
• Sunset/golden hour shots
• When you want maximum impact

Quality Settings Guide

Troubleshooting

darktable-cli not found

# Run installation script
bash scripts/install_darktable.sh

# Or create symlink manually
sudo ln -sf /Applications/darktable.app/Contents/MacOS/darktable-cli /usr/local/bin/darktable-cli

Processing very slow

• Close other applications to free up RAM
• Process in smaller batches (50 images at a time)
• Check Activity Monitor for CPU/memory usage
• Ensure sufficient disk space

Colors don't look right

• Try the alternate preset (vibrant vs. standard)
• Ensure input images are properly exposed
• Verify you're processing ARW files, not JPEGs
• Check your monitor color calibration

Some images fail to process

• Check if ARW files are corrupted (try opening in Sony's software)
• Ensure sufficient disk space
• Verify darktable version is up to date
• Run with --verbose flag to see detailed errors

Advanced Usage

Creating Custom Presets

1. Open darktable GUI application
2. Import a sample Sony ARW file
3. Adjust color grading modules to your taste
4. Export the style as XMP
5. Use your custom XMP with --preset option

Processing Specific Files

# Process only files matching a pattern
cd raw/
python ../scripts/batch_process.py \
  --preset ../assets/mccurry-narrative.xmp \
  DSC001*.ARW \
  ../output/

Integration with Other Tools

# Process then optimize for web
python scripts/batch_process.py raw/ output/ --quality 90
cd output/
mogrify -resize 2048x2048\> -quality 85 *.jpg

Reference Documentation

For more detailed information:

• [references/mccurry-style-analysis.md](references/mccurry-style-analysis.md) - Deep dive into McCurry's visual style
• [references/darktable-modules.md](references/darktable-modules.md) - Technical details of preset parameters
• [references/troubleshooting.md](references/troubleshooting.md) - Extended troubleshooting guide

FAQ

Q: Can I use this with other camera brands? A: The presets work with any RAW format darktable supports (Canon CR2/CR3, Nikon NEF, etc.). Just change the file pattern in the script.

Q: Will this work with JPEG files? A: It will process JPEGs, but results are much better with RAW files since they contain more color data.

Q: Can I adjust the strength of the effect? A: Yes, edit the XMP preset in darktable GUI or create custom presets with different intensity.

Q: Does this delete my original RAW files? A: No, the original ARW files are never modified. Only JPEGs are created in the output directory.

Q: Can I undo the processing? A: The processing creates new JPEGs without modifying originals, so you can always re-process with different settings.

Credits

Color Grading Style: Inspired by Steve McCurry's iconic photography Processing Engine: darktable open-source RAW processor Skill Created For: Claude Code by Anthropic

License

This skill and its presets are provided as-is for personal and commercial use. darktable is licensed under GPL-3.0.

Version

Version: 1.0.0 Last Updated: January 2026 Compatible With: darktable 4.4+

Made with Claude Code - https://claude.com/claude-code