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Archive 2012 · Sorting photos after the event

  
 
r_o_e_e
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p.1 #1 · p.1 #1 · Sorting photos after the event


Hi,

I was wondering, how much of your time is spent on sorting photos after the event, do you use any tools to make this task easier/faster ?

What are your common metrics ? That is with how many photos do you start the sorting phase and how many usually pass your selection ?

thanks
Roee



Aug 21, 2012 at 04:09 PM
JoeMelzer
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p.1 #2 · p.1 #2 · Sorting photos after the event


You might want to search a bit, since this has been discussed quite a few times Anyway, here's what I do (all culling and most editing done in lightroom). First of all I go through all the images and do a rough star rating like this:
1: delete (blurry, boring, unfortunate expressions, whatever)
2: possibly delete
3: okay
4: what a fine image
5: wow

Then I delete all 1 star images, start post processing (i. e. cropping, white balance etc). During culling I downgrade nearly all 2 star images if a) I have a similar shot I like better or b) they just don't match the other images. Some 2 stars are graded up, if I don't find a similar shot to replace it. All in all, during culling I try to delete many of the shots I took twice or even more often to get the series more streamlined und remove redundancies. Last wedding I came home with about 900 images and culled it down to 500 (roundabout).



Aug 22, 2012 at 04:08 AM
ricardovaste
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p.1 #3 · p.1 #3 · Sorting photos after the event


I think my star ratings express my general dissatisfaction at my own work far better than I can with words :-). I rate:

3 - we're using this. Might be good, average, or just important on some level.
2 - we might use it, might not, but it could come in handy later on.

That makes it straight forward for me, they're not going in different "sections" according to how good I think an image is, so for me I don't need to rate anything 'better' than what I'm going to use. Nor do I need to rate images that are to be deleted. After everything is rated I filter "2 stars and above" or "3 stars and above" and there they are. I can delete the unused/oof/blinkers/etc later.

Then I go into adjustments, I try to do as much bulk as possible, which is usually in sections (according to time of day, location, lighting etc). Sharpening, NR, colour profile, WB, 'contrast', exposure, crop.

When everything is done, I have a second round of culling. This is usually just picking out the odd few that perhaps dilute the set or perhaps just don't work (upon reflection, when everything is together).

Something like that.



Aug 22, 2012 at 05:16 AM
jmraso
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p.1 #4 · p.1 #4 · Sorting photos after the event


keep or delete thatīs all

I dont need to categorize the keepers as I will see at what level they are during album creation (7 hundred keepers or so are easy to handle).

Jaime



Aug 22, 2012 at 05:43 AM
r_o_e_e
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p.1 #5 · p.1 #5 · Sorting photos after the event


thanks for the answers.

I know it's been discussed before, but I'm less after methods (though it is interesting) and more about how much time does it take you....

I think i'm a little bit undeceive when it comes to sorting. I can find myself spending quite some time deciding between couple of almost identical photos....

I'm wondering how much does it take you (just the sorting, no fixing) for an average event.

thanks



Aug 22, 2012 at 06:32 AM
coreymatthew
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p.1 #6 · p.1 #6 · Sorting photos after the event


I dump everything into one folder, open it in Photomechanic, and sort by capture time. Then I either keep or delete. No star system for me either. I don't see the point.


Aug 23, 2012 at 02:11 AM
mccallmedia
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p.1 #7 · p.1 #7 · Sorting photos after the event


r_o_e_e wrote:
thanks for the answers.

I know it's been discussed before, but I'm less after methods (though it is interesting) and more about how much time does it take you....

I think i'm a little bit undeceive when it comes to sorting. I can find myself spending quite some time deciding between couple of almost identical photos....

I'm wondering how much does it take you (just the sorting, no fixing) for an average event.

thanks


I don't use a star system either. I keep or delete. I do it all just in the finder.

First thing I do is backup every file.

Then, I run through the whole take (1k-2.5k photos depending on the wedding), I delete the obvious ones first (blurry, exposure problems, redundant, etc.) This usually gets it down to about twice as many photos as I'll provide. I go through once more, this usually reduces it by half again. This usually leaves me with around 2/3 keepers and 1/3 not. I import these into lightroom and as I go along editing I skip one here that I realize isn't quite a keeper and I end up very close to the right amount at the end. It's weird, but whatever the amount of photos is I promised, I'll somehow end up right at about that number with this process every time.

As far as time spent? Yes, it takes a lot longer than one would think. I spend a few hours most of the time. I often have those two images that I'm somehow attached to both but I have to decide between one or the other because they're too similar and only one shot is needed. Sometimes a photo is obviously not a keeper, but it's those times when you're torn between two images that adds a lot of time to the process.



Aug 23, 2012 at 05:03 AM
r-m-g
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p.1 #8 · p.1 #8 · Sorting photos after the event


It's hard give helpful suggestions without knowing what software you are using. Since lightroom is pretty familiar to most, I'll give out what helps me reduce culling time in LR3 on PC.

1. Be sure you have generated 1:1 previews of your catalog
2. Be in Library Module and hide all panels (Shift+Tab)
3. Lights out (LL)
4. Use Navigate view (N)
5. Select multiple photos - how many at a time will depend on your screen size (Shift-right arrow)
6. Rate the keepers with the numpad just to the right of your arrow keys (I only rate keepers with a 1)
7. Click space twice to review for focus/movement before rating - click N to return to Navigate View
8. Move to the final selected image using arrow keys and deselect all (Atrl+Shift+D)

Rinse & Repeat steps 5-8



Aug 23, 2012 at 08:45 AM
r_o_e_e
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p.1 #9 · p.1 #9 · Sorting photos after the event


thanks for all the suggestions.
I've started using LR recently and I think I'm starting to find how to use it best with my work flow.

I know it's almost meaningless (As there are many parameters involved, like number of photos etc) but I keep wondering, how much time does it take you ?

Let's take out the fixing/adjusting part out of the equation.... just sorting.
To try and make it a little normalised, how many photos do you start with? how many do you end up with, roughly how long does it take you ?



Aug 23, 2012 at 08:59 AM
TheGE
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p.1 #10 · p.1 #10 · Sorting photos after the event


I simply pick those I like. It's either good or it isn't.


Aug 23, 2012 at 09:45 AM
mirrorrim
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p.1 #11 · p.1 #11 · Sorting photos after the event


I take about 1000-1300 photos, and after culling usually end up around 400. That's when I get into editing, and deciding which two of similar photos I want to keep. By the end, I usually end up with around 350 edited photos.

Culling and sorting takes me roughly 1-2 hours. After that, I usually go through and pick some "wow" photos to work on for a sneak peek, and post that the same day.

I follow what r-m-g does, but I also have a preset applied to all photos upon import, which makes editing faster.



Aug 23, 2012 at 10:46 AM
stevez32
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p.1 #12 · p.1 #12 · Sorting photos after the event


http://photographerworkflow.com/


Aug 23, 2012 at 10:50 AM
paparazzinick
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p.1 #13 · p.1 #13 · Sorting photos after the event


After an event we run through each image pretty quick. it is a gut decision. Hit x to delete or pass over to keep. Usually cull a wedding in under an hour.

Since the images are time stamped and usually fall in exact order of events we can then just quickly grab groups of photos and out them in organizational folders such as prep, ceremony and so on.




Aug 23, 2012 at 12:12 PM
Ziffl3
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p.1 #14 · p.1 #14 · Sorting photos after the event


mirrorrim wrote:
I take about 1000-1300 photos, and after culling usually end up around 400. That's when I get into editing, and deciding which two of similar photos I want to keep. By the end, I usually end up with around 350 edited photos.

Culling and sorting takes me roughly 1-2 hours. After that, I usually go through and pick some "wow" photos to work on for a sneak peek, and post that the same day.

I follow what r-m-g does, but I also have a preset applied to all photos upon import, which makes editing faster.


more or less this^^^^ ...
all day wedding - culling 1-2 hours tops.

The culling comes from practice and knowing what you want to work with.
I do keep ll my shots until i am done with a wedding. sometimes i may change my mind about similar photographs.



Aug 23, 2012 at 12:33 PM





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