workflow systems

[Leigh Robinson]

In a previous post I asked about suggestions for selling photographs and a poster said that a very important thing is to have a well organised workflow system.

I am not sure what is meant by this but my google fu suggests adobe lightroom is good for this.

Can anyone give me information on what a workflow system is, and recommendations on how I do this with mac?

[acherontia]

Originally Posted by Leigh Robinson

In a previous post I asked about suggestions for selling photographs and a poster said that a very important thing is to have a well organised workflow system.

I am not sure what is meant by this but my google fu suggests adobe lightroom is good for this.

Can anyone give me information on what a workflow system is, and recommendations on how I do this with mac?

Mac has iphoto and systems to log where /when/ etc photos were taken - I've never used it as I've 'grown up' with other systems.

Most photographic software offers a system to log/ date/ organise stuff and it's mostly aimed towards fast tracking.
You don't always have to follow these systems - you can use your own organisation if you like. Look on it as working in an office and sussing out the best way to fast track sorting/collation/filing in the best way that suits your own individual needs and using the systems available.

In other words - look at what you need to do and make the best of what is offered. There's no easy answer - it's a case of finding out for yourself - as with most things!!

Acher

[pressld2]

Imagine you've just come home from a great day out with your camera and you have memory cards full of images. A workflow system is the complete process of taking those captured images through to the final output, whatever that may be - e.g. a high res tiff if you're selling it, an 800 x 600 jpeg if you're uploading it to WAB, a print to hang on your wall, and so on.

Acher is spot on that you need to find a system that works well for you but as a starting point I'm happy to describe mine. I do use Lightroom and find it excellent but it is expensive and there are cheaper options that do a similar job. I use a PC but I don't think I do anything that couldn't be done on a Mac.

Step 1 - Import the images. Lightroom will copy them from the memory card to your hard disc and add them to its "catalogue". It will also back them up at the same time if you want it to.
Step 2 - Edit. Get rid of all the photos you don't want to keep.
Step 3 - Process. Make adjustments to levels, curves, saturation etc., do any croping and dust spot removal and so on.
Step 4 - Keyword. Add keywords so that you can find the image again easily tomorrow or ten years from now.
Step 5 - Output. Save as a jpeg or tiff or make a print.
Step 6 - Backup. I backup to an external USB hard disc but also make DVDs which are stored off site.

Works for me!

Dave P.

[acherontia]

Good advice - I'll just add 'Don't forget the back up!' If you're using Snow leopard there's a function called 'Time Machine'. If you add an external hard drive Time Machine should ask if you want to use this hard drive as a back up. If you set it up any saving/deleting/organisation will be mirrored on to the selected hard drive. it's all automatic so you don't need to remember to do it! Easy peasy.
Have fun!

Acher

[Hobjob]

Originally Posted by pressld2

Step 1 - Import the images. Lightroom will copy them from the memory card to your hard disc and add them to its "catalogue". It will also back them up at the same time if you want it to.
Step 2 - Edit. Get rid of all the photos you don't want to keep.
Step 3 - Process. Make adjustments to levels, curves, saturation etc., do any croping and dust spot removal and so on.
Step 4 - Keyword. Add keywords so that you can find the image again easily tomorrow or ten years from now.
Step 5 - Output. Save as a jpeg or tiff or make a print.
Step 6 - Backup. I backup to an external USB hard disc but also make DVDs which are stored off site.

Dave P.

I do more or less as Davie, but three extra things.

1.] First sort I use a wonderful programme called "fast picture viewer". Preloads files so that you blitz through them. Photos load in a blink - literally. those you want to keep you just hit the "K" button and they are copied off to a saving file.
This saves a mass of time. Windows picture viewer or other similar programmes are so slow, and with a few hundred photos that maybe only 30 will deserve a longer look, it is great.
(personally I delete off the originals)

2.] Using freeware called "renamer", I do just that, so the name reflects where taken and date taken (on multiple copyings and shrinkings this exif data can get lost. I only bother to do this on the keeps.

3.] Bulk edit the Exif data
I use a programme exif pilot pro, to do this, which it does nicely but it is a bit fiddly to set up.
This allows adding where, when, who etc., then later I add the species name in CS3. in CS3 I always "Save as", which keeps originals.
As Dave says, finding photos later is then a doddle.


(Sadly I have a lot of photos in "unsortedet" that await the treatment!!

[Matt Hunt]

Originally Posted by Leigh Robinson

In a previous post I asked about suggestions for selling photographs and a poster said that a very important thing is to have a well organised workflow system.

I am not sure what is meant by this but my google fu suggests adobe lightroom is good for this.

Can anyone give me information on what a workflow system is, and recommendations on how I do this with mac?

Another vote for Lightroom here (although in terms of sorting out images Adobe Bridge is good). I switched from Capture NX2 to LR as a workflow tool last year and since I rarely do much to an image after it is shot, can use LR for 90% of my workflow. The Adobe manual is not great and I would heartily recommend Michael Clark's e-book about Lightroom which takes you from pre-shoot checks, compuyter and software set-up all the way the through.

Something I would add to the above is back-up. Part of the workflow should be the storage of the raw file and finalised image on a seperate disk. I use 2 internal SATA drives housed in external casing (this is a cheaper and allegedly more reliable method than buying dedicated external drives) and burn the raw files plus the alterations i.e. xmp files from Adobe application to DVD.

Rgds

Matt

[paulgul]

If you feel you can't afford Lightroom, I can recommend ACDSee Pro 3 as a good photo manager and processor. More on photo management using ACDSee can be found here
ACDSee Pro Blog Blog Archive
This was based on version2, pro 3 has better photo processing capabilities
Paul