Your Digital Workflow

[Glenn Wolsey]

What is your digital workflow with your digital images after you have "captured the moment", and connect the camera. Here is mine:

1. Launch Aperture
2. Make Picture Selects
3. Import & Clear Memory Card

4. Add Version Names, Keywords, Credit & Project Name
5. Assign A Rating

6. Make edits - Photoshop CS & Aperture
7. Next Image
8. Done - Enjoy the images in Aperture

 

[arogge]

Download image files
Launch development package
Develop film
Post-process images
Review processed images
Name images
And the most important step: Backup!

 

[Josh]

I don't have aperture yet (waiting for v2.0), but my process is:

1) Upload images to iPhoto
2) Create new album, move new pics to new album
3) Export the "winners" to a 'progress' folder on the desktop
4) Edit in Photoshop.
5) Save to 'print' folder on the desktop.
6) Put processed images into 'Processed' album in iPhoto.
7) Job well done

 

[kwajo.com]

-Download RAW images with Image Capture
-Convert with Adobe DNG Converter
-Open Adobe Bridge; Adjust with Adobe Raw from within Bridge
-Keep 90% of the Images I take, but put the selected shots I want in my 'Repository' folder

that's about it. I have Aperture too and it doesn't support my Pentax RAW images properly, so sometimes I export all my images to lossless JPEG and Import those in Aperture. God I hope they add proper RAW support to OS X soon, it's such a pain

 

[Clix Pix]

Don't really have a new workflow buttoned down yet.... At this point, I download the CF card(s) into a "Pictures" folder (subdivided with specific name), then check to be sure the images actually are all in there safe and sound, then take a moment to back them up before then moving on.... If it's a situation where I will be needing to use the memory card(s) again immediately, then I go ahead and format in-camera and resume shooting. If it's a a situation where I'm ready to actually examine each image and dispose of it one way or another, I will sometimes move the images into iPhoto, sometimes into Aperture or sometimes into Lightroom....if an image needs some work beyond the basics, it heads into Photoshop CS2.

I'm still in the evaluation stage when it comes to iPhoto, Aperture and Lightroom and so I choose to dump my images into a different folder rather than into any one of those programs so that I then have some choices as to where to go from there. As time goes on and I become more and more familiar with each program, I'm sure that I'll decide to automatically drop images from a CF card into one or the other software programs right from the get-go.

 

[Orlando Furioso]

Funny, I just read "Real World Camera Raw with Adobe Photoshop CS2" a couple days ago. At the heart, it touches on this very topic. Though a bit repetative, Bruce Fraser makes some good points. Most of it was common sense, but it was nice to read about someone else's workflow methodology. I recommend it to anyone why may currently have a haphazard system for working with their files.

In a nutshell, señor Fraser stresses: 1) making your tools (programs) work for you through automation, and when possible utilizing background processes for batch processes (or database/thumbnail generation. 2) Backing up and archiving (with a strong lean towards open, non-propriety formats). 3) After selects, starting edits from the most general (on many files simultaneously), to ending with the more nuanced/creative edits for those star (he calls them "Hero") shots (on and individual basis).

OK this was not really a workflow, but just items to keep in mind when developing your own.

I just got a new dSLR for Navidad, and am glad I came across this book sooner than later (to plan ahead, before becoming capture crazy). I'll experiment and post back when I have something more refined to share.

 

[ChrisA]

1. Launch Aperture
2. Make Picture Selects
3. Import & Clear Memory Card
4. Add Version Names, Keywords, Credit & Project Name
5. Assign A Rating
6. Make edits - Photoshop CS & Aperture
7. Next Image
8. Done - Enjoy the images in Aperture

#3 I don't clear the CF card until next time I shoot with the camera. I delay clearing as long as possable. It's just one more backup copy

#3.5 I do a copy off to CDROM before doing any edits, tagging or moving files around. It is durring the initial import, tag and copy operation that mistakes can hapen

I add a last step done after working with photos for the day. I copy the entire library (a few gigabytes) over to another phyical disk drive and then power off that drive

Every so often I copy the library to a stack of DVDs in addition to the external dive.

 

[Glenn Wolsey]

#3 I don't clear the CF card until next time I shoot with the camera. I delay clearing as long as possable. It's just one more backup copy

#3.5 I do a copy off to CDROM before doing any edits, tagging or moving files around. It is durring the initial import, tag and copy operation that mistakes can hapen

I add a last step done after working with photos for the day. I copy the entire library (a few gigabytes) over to another phyical disk drive and then power off that drive

Every so often I copy the library to a stack of DVDs in addition to the external dive.

A new step added too mine. Backup Aperture library onto DVD-RW each night before bed.

 

[apple4life]

Anyone save for the web or create web gallery....?

Does anyone have a step for resizing and appropriately naming for the web? Or a step for creating a web gallery? And then there's uploading as well....

I take pictures for uploading to my website that acts as a host for ebay pictures too...

1. Download into desktop folder via image capture.

2. Select and drag desired images into PSE 3.0.

3. Touch up and resize for the web. Name pictures accordingly with a systematc numbering system and no spaces. Save to a seperate folder.

4. Upload resized images to website in appropriate folder (on the website). I use a date system where auctions ending on say Feb. 12 will be in folder 2_12 which looks like this ...com/2_12/itemname_1.jpg etc...

5. Put unedited and edited pictures for each item in their own folder in my Pictures folder.

6. Tweak my HTML auction template with a new description and changes to the folder and image names so the correct pictures get pulled into the auction.

7. Do the load auction on eBay thing. Basically just the description.

8. Backup every several hundred megabytes of pictures to CD... I'm getting an external HD soon too.....

9. Wait for auction to end and paypal account to show $$

P.S. I also change the icon for each folder to an image of the item in the folder so I can see it right away. Much, much nicer than the generic folder icon and highly recommended.

And I make web galleries with PSE 3.0 every now and again to show my past items.

 

[Glenn Wolsey]

Does anyone have a step for resizing and appropriately naming for the web? Or a step for creating a web gallery? And then there's uploading as well....

Aperture's Web gallery is an awesome way too do this easily and efficiently.