Improve my digital workflow :)

[Damian Brown]

OK, so I'm finally getting to grips with this digital age, but I'm sure I can do a bit better so I'm going to layout my raw workflow and if you guys have any personal suggestions I'm happy to hear:

1 - Download all images from CF via usb 2.0 reader using either Bridge or Windows if smaller job

2 - Sort all images by picture taken/ date created

3 - Back up raw files to dvd and external hd

3 - Preview all images deleting unwanted images

4 - Open images in Camera Raw and edit in cs3

5 - save as psd, usually around 110mb files!!

6 - After all images edited and saved in psd, select final images for web album (for preview to clients)

6.5 - Save as high quality jpeg (40-60mb files!!!)

7 - Copy jpegs, add signature, border, and save as jpeg

8 - create web album, currently using porta

9 - delete psd files, keep high quality jpegs, with and without border and sig.

10 - use high quality jpegs to adjust for reprints as and when ordered/ album prints - saving adjusted files separately.


Ok.. seems a bit long winded and it's rushed mock up of the workflow but i'll adjust it when my brain kicks in.

I think the main issue is the converting to psd and later jpeg, is it really necessary.. i'm not totally convinced. I tend to not do much adjusting past the psd stage, a little here and there but overall not a lot.

Another side effect is that this is meaning my workin directory for saturdays wedding is ove 60gb... !!!

What would you change?

It was never this long winded with film... oh the old days...

 

[Steep]

Consider a specialised downloader like Downloader Pro from Breezesys. You can set it to run automatically in card insertion, rename the files on the fly as it transfers them to any folder you like and then start your editing software of choice.

I have it set to name the files YearMonthDayHourMinuteSecondImagenumber (070715_205732_0966.CR2) and put them in a folder named YearMonthDay (20070715) which it creates. This saves a lot of time and faffing about.

 

[Damian Brown]

Consider a specialised downloader like Downloader Pro from Breezesys. You can set it to run automatically in card insertion, rename the files on the fly as it transfers them to any folder you like and then start your editing software of choice.

I have it set to name the files YearMonthDayHourMinuteSecondImagenumber (070715_205732_0966.CR2) and put them in a folder named YearMonthDay (20070715) which it creates. This saves a lot of time and faffing about.

Sounds interesting bud, read something about this before but was never sure. Will check that out.


ps like who you included CR2 files in your example, intended or not

 

[mho]

Well for a start off you are making your jpg's way too early, because you are reopening them and editing and resaving, each time you do this the image is degraded even at a save quality of 12. Stick to tiff as long as you can as thats where the quality is.

you could also do a few things earlier in the system and some things alter all at once.

Also consider just keeping one file layered file with borders sig etc, so you can just go into the pic and turn the layers on anf off you dont want, the file will be quite big but not as big as 3 / 4 seperate files.

There is probably a few more things but without seeing your system and what drives / backup / workflow / programs you have its hard to specify exactly.

 

[natjag]

I must be really lucky at the moment. I'm sending images off that I don't need to process, Maybe a slight crop here and there.

I save as RAW and med size jpg (for immediate submission) then send of the unedited RAWs a week at a time. I'm not even alowed to alter levels etc. How easy is that for a workflow. Oh yea, I just need to keyword, caption and name file names accordingly.