What should my Workflow be?

I know this topic has been covered but I need some clarity.
I have the following software:

• PSE5
  
• DPP
  
• ZoomBrowser
  
• Playing with LR, finding the interface confusing especially the multiple copies of the images it virtually creates. So I will download some of the video tutorials I bookmarked yesterday.

1. Browse the files in Zoom Browser but I'm unable to zoom RAW files so judging clarity is sometimes an issue.
   
2. I then either go to DPP or PSE5 to convert and adjust if necessary.
   
3. Then into PSE5 to fix or crop if necessary.
   
4. Need to watermark here in an automated method.
   
5. Then I Save For Web or I guess crop for printing. I haven't been printing alot of photos so I need to fit that in as well.

You are right with your first impression... Lightroom is the way to go. Here's my flow just for ideas...

Currently, I have cut out PS for nearly 80% of the work I used to do with photography only. I still use it for the graphic design side of work, but it's nearly gone with the exception of rare extensive editing I may choose to do. I do use it for saving proofs or images to the web because I like having a bit more control in the sharpness at resizing.

I use DPP now only to graze through everything, dump the bad images and generally take a quick look at everything. I DO NOT dump anything that seems blown out as DPP cannot truly show you if the data is there or not. I save the "blow-outs" for deletion in LR. I mainly dump OOF or bad captures. Since DPP previews the images much quicker, there's no since in importing everything into LR and wasting the extra time it uses when you could be spending that time in DPP dumping the trash.

When I'm done with my dump, then I import the shoot into LR. Now, I'm only dealing with keepers. As I said before, I have cut PS out of a good 80-90% of my workflow. I have standard develop presets made so processing now is simply a few clicks, a quick graze through everything and a few tweaks here and there. Everything I need is in LR now. I only go to PS if I need extensive work or am laying out design stuff.

LR does privide watermarking. You just have to spend a little time setting it up. Once you've set it up and have made your preset, it's a snap. I haven't batched out a shoot with a custom WM as I have been using the simple WM in the preferences; but I would hope that you can batch process with a custom WM as well.

Overall, I'd say to spend some time in the next couple of weeks working primarily in LR. I think you'll answer your own questions really fast.

Any other comments?

I have to agree with amonline:

LR is good, give it a little time before you decide, make good use of your 30 day trial.

In either LR or DPP you can rate the images as you go through them... so they may be a better choice than zoombrowser. If Lightroom seems to go too slow for this, either try rendering 1:1 previews before sorting (this takes processor time, but once its done, things run much quicker.) Or use DPP for sorting as amonline suggests.

He makes a good point about not judging "blown out" images in DPP... LR's recovery feature can do much better than DPP shows in this regard. Also, you probably already know this, but unsharpened RAW files will have a certain amount of "blur" to them, so don't be overly critical- especially when viewing at 1:1.

Also, if you are used to the importing and organizing in Elements, Lightroom should be pretty familiar... importing, keyword tags, etc, and LR can send any image to PS Elements for further editing.

I personally would do as much processing in RAW before moving the image to another application... including cropping and watermarking as amonline suggests. (Leave sharpening til end if going into photoshop.)

I don't have any suggestions for watermarking or batching myself.

Amonline I forgot to say thanks in my first reply.
Thanks to you too David.

I've played with the Beta and a bit with the 30 day trial.
I've watched all the Matt Kloskowski videos.
I've bought the Luminous Landscape videos and watched the intro so far.
So today I bought LR. It's the way to go.


I think the watermarking is done thru the identity plate when printing. In one of the videos they show you how to add text to the pic.

Thanks for the replies.

Thanks Chris... also, David makes a good point about the sharpening in LR. I actually have 4 presets I use for sharpening. (0, 25, 50 & 75%) Sometimes, when I have already done my dump from DPP, I will choose my 50% sharpening w/ calibration for my import to be run on all imported images. (this is available on your import screen at the bottom left) This allows me to accurately start with pretty much the best image off the camera. Often, I will only need to adjust the WB and add any special filter effects if desired. WB can be very easily captured from the "copy" dialog and pasted to your batch if the lighting environment did not change. Obviously, different lighting situation will demand different WB's.

Make sure you check out the tutorials at www.rawworkflow.com as well

Again... just some info for ideas...

amonline wrote in post #2918762
[...]
Make sure you check out the tutorials at www.rawworkflow.com as well

Again... just some info for ideas...

Amonline, thanks a lot for the link! Extremely informative for me!!!

I have a 5D and only shoot in RAW.

But my biggest tim spent is in sizing, I think that is the correct name.

I take a lot of sports photos, and parents want the same "file" in many different sizes.. 4x6 / 5x7 / 8x10.

Now do I:
1. Crop image first in CS2 ( no size crop just "frame" up subject )
2. Then hope Wolf camera can put it on the correct size paper?

Or.
1. Take original "file" and change crop size to photo size ( 4x6 / 5x7 / 8x10 ) then try to make a "best" photo that way?

I never had this issue until I moved to the 5D, but again I always just had a plain digital camera and tolf wolf camera what size i wanted???

HELP<>

I'd say the second way... crop to the size of your output, that way YOU choose how your image looks. But also be aware that most processing houses will slightly enlarge your image to make sure there is no white space left on any sides of the image... so you usually don't want to leave anything important in the image hanging too close to the edge.

I am glad I stumbled on this thread! Am I correct in concluding from the above that LR will auto-export to PSE5? I did not see that on Adobe's web site and the screen shot only refers to Photoshop CS3.

Also, when you put your images onto the computer, do you even need to start DPP or LR, or can you just let the XP copier come up automatically and simply create a new folder and dump them in there, then later find the folder with DPP or LR? I don't have LR yet, but I think I am going to get it, however, that is the way I have been doing things lately just getting into RAW and some more technical PP.

Thanks for all the good info above!

Yes, LR exports to Elements (creates a new file in .tiff or .psd, opens it in elements... you then save the file [with SAME NAME] and it automatically is added into LR library).

I typically use card-reader, dump pictures where I want them, THEN open LR and import them... (For some reason, when importing off the card it copies ALL the images correctly, but fails to import a couple about 50% of the time for me.)

I've never used DPP to copy my images from card to computer.

chrisvl wrote in post #2915897
Any other comments?

Hi Chris

The only thing you seriously do wrong is sharpening your images in LR.
LR sharpening is the really weak point in your workflow and in LR. The sharpening in LR is really poor and anything above 25% introduce unessecary noise to your image. You can use a 25% setting as a kind of capture sharpening but thats all. I think the majority of LR users leave that for PS.

A good alternative if you need a FAST way to just browse and delete unwanted shots before importing in LR is to use the free program Fast Stone Image Viwer. Its unbeatable in its speed of viewing and browsing both jpegs and RAW files.

spcalan wrote in post #3226776
I have a 5D and only shoot in RAW.

But my biggest tim spent is in sizing, I think that is the correct name.

I take a lot of sports photos, and parents want the same "file" in many different sizes.. 4x6 / 5x7 / 8x10.

Now do I:
1. Crop image first in CS2 ( no size crop just "frame" up subject )
2. Then hope Wolf camera can put it on the correct size paper?

Or.
1. Take original "file" and change crop size to photo size ( 4x6 / 5x7 / 8x10 ) then try to make a "best" photo that way?

I never had this issue until I moved to the 5D, but again I always just had a plain digital camera and tolf wolf camera what size i wanted???

HELP<>

Your solution is of course having control of the cropping yourself. Create the custom crops you need in LR and apply them the best way you can for each individual crop. Make virtual copies for each crop and stack them onto the original so you dont clog up your your grid view too much. Or you can even delete the virtual copies if you want once you made the export.

When you export them, create a subfolder for each crop you need to make it easier to find them later on.

Im in the same situation as you shooting sport events for people that want them in different sizes. So i usually end up with a folder structure like this:

Top folder (X event and date - RAW's in here)
Developed (Where i keep my high-res jpegs with "my" crop)
Web (Low res, watermarked for web)
Print Crops (One folder for each print crop i need)

I personally dont even import my Web or Print Crops folder into LR as i do the printing with another software and dont "need" them to be in LR anymore.

I'm a bit confused by one of the OP's comments:

Playing with LR, finding the interface confusing especially the multiple copies of the images it virtually creates.

I dont' see LR creating multiple copies - what am I missing?

Now. if I am only giving the customer a CD with the images on it.
What size do I give them?
or do I create a folder and files for the Major sizes ( 4x6/5x7/8x10 )?