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Archive 2013 · PhotoMechanic-->Lightroom

  
 
StowePhoto
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p.1 #1 · p.1 #1 · PhotoMechanic-->Lightroom


Hi,

For awhile now I've heard people who import, cull and then export over the Lightroom as the first step of their workflow. I am trying to learn if this is something I might consider doing as well.

I generally shoot large quantities of photos per shoot. In Lightroom my method is to load the card, direct the files where I want them to land on an external HD, rename and renumber the files, add metadata and then import. Then I'll use the 'spray-paint' to scroll through the thumbnails marking the first round of rejected photos. Then I'll open them in 1:1 preview for the second cull before beginning my editing procedures in the develop module.

That's the process I've used to date. It's not lightning quick by any means. What I would like to learn is how Photo Mechanic might help speed this process up. Or to learn how others are using it.

Any info on how you use the two programs together would be fantastic.

Thanks!!

Jesse



Mar 11, 2013 at 05:46 AM
Ian.Dobinson
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p.1 #2 · p.1 #2 · PhotoMechanic-->Lightroom


I think i pretty much di as you are at the moment.
import into LR>quick cull to rid me of the crap (OOF , missed shots etc) > then a re cull being alot more critical . I also rate at the same time
but the last step I may not delete all that may be slightly OOF (only slightly) as some shots used small may not show up the OOF , and if its a good family type shot then other viewers may not be so criticle .

Ive never really bothered with other programs before my images get to LR as I cant really see how the workflow will be sped up by much cnsidering its me the veiwer/culler that is the slow point in the chain.

I do have my LR set so that it does not show either the X or the rated ones, so im always seeing the next image anyway . Any keeper gets a 1 star and anything that 'pops' me as I see it gets 2 stars. that way I know when I go back thru my keepers im either looking at 'OK what am I going to do with it 'images or the good ones.

However as Ive just got myself a wifi card and now use shuttersnitch on my ipad/iphone . I can import a small jpeg to the idevice and rate it in shuttersnitch . there is an app for lightroom that lets you import the rateings into Lightroom.
so you can rate in Snitch and import your RAW files into Lightroom. then you export via email a text doc that then imports into lightroom and syncs your rateings .
For this to work your images on the idevice and in lightroom MUST have the same filename (so dont change either on import) . this works great but i have found 1 flaw . if your using the wifi import into shuttersnitch then its fine as the filename remains the same , but if you import the images from the photos app of the idevice then snitch looses the filename and gives it a new one (IPM_0001> . ive had a short conversation on the help forum of snitch about this and they say thats the way it is as apple wont let the photos app tell the other app the filename . but I have other apps that can take images from the phots app and they do keep the filename . anyway sorry that went a tad OT



Mar 11, 2013 at 07:07 AM
James_N
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p.1 #3 · p.1 #3 · PhotoMechanic-->Lightroom


Instead of Photo Mechanic, I use BreezeBrowser Pro to cull my images before importing them into Lightroom. My reasons for using BBPro are:

(1) Unlike Photo Mechanic, BBPro displays the active focus points for Nikon and Canon cameras. In my opinion BBPro is better for assessing critical focus.
(2) BBPro can display the underlying raw data when needed while PM only shows the embedded JPEG preview.
(3) LR is just too inefficient since you have to wait for previews to be generated; BBPro and PM are both file browsers so previews are instantaneous. If shooting large numbers of raw files with time constraints, Lightroom is sub-optimal.

Both Photo Mechanic and BreezeBrowser Pro allow you to create XMP sidecars containing IPTC metadata and keywords. BBPro is PC only; there isn't really anything that I'm aware of that performs exactly like it for Macs.



Mar 11, 2013 at 07:11 AM
Ian.Dobinson
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p.1 #4 · p.1 #4 · PhotoMechanic-->Lightroom


James: i may be completely wrong here but

doesnt point 3 go against point 2?
i mean you say that you have to wait for LR to generate the previews and that BBPro is a file browser so things are instant . but doenst that mean that BBpro is using the embedded jpeg to view ?

OK I re read point 2 . you say 'Can' display the raw data. so if your doing that then how long does that take to display?
I do like the idea of the af point display though. thats probably about the only thing i wish would get added to LR4 ( and if shuttersnitch could add it that would be great )



Mar 11, 2013 at 07:55 AM
James_N
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p.1 #5 · p.1 #5 · PhotoMechanic-->Lightroom


Ian, yes BBPRo uses the embedded JPEG AND also allows you to drill down to the raw data if you want a closer look. For example you could be in a slideshow and press CTRL + B (View actual image) to view the raw data.

BBPro has other features like HQ Display mode that I didn't mention earlier. You can also do full raw conversions but I don't really use it for that since the interface needs revamping.



Mar 11, 2013 at 08:17 AM
Ian.Dobinson
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p.1 #6 · p.1 #6 · PhotoMechanic-->Lightroom


OK makes sense

I guess if your importing loads of images all the time its a justifiable expensse .
but i think personally I'll hold onto my $70 and just keep running with LR4. but from what you say it looks much better value at $69 compared to PM @$150 .



Mar 11, 2013 at 08:25 AM
mshi
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p.1 #7 · p.1 #7 · PhotoMechanic-->Lightroom


here is a PhotoMechanic/LR workflow vid that Zack Arias put up sometime ago.

http://www.zarias.com/workflow-photo-mechanic-to-lightroom-to-photoshop-to-delivery/



Mar 11, 2013 at 12:31 PM
egd5
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p.1 #8 · p.1 #8 · PhotoMechanic-->Lightroom


I too use another program to do initial culls. I was using Faststone viewer (it's free) but since I got aD800 I found I had to wait a bit for each file to load. Still faster than LR, but...
One day I just happened to open View NX that comes with Nikon cameras. Wow, it was instantaneous even with big D800 files. AND, it shows focus points. So now, that's what I use. Sorry it's only for Nikon though.



Mar 12, 2013 at 07:30 PM
schlotz
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p.1 #9 · p.1 #9 · PhotoMechanic-->Lightroom


James_N wrote:
Instead of Photo Mechanic, I use BreezeBrowser Pro to cull my images before importing them into Lightroom. My reasons for using BBPro are:

(1) Unlike Photo Mechanic, BBPro displays the active focus points for Nikon and Canon cameras. In my opinion BBPro is better for assessing critical focus.
(2) BBPro can display the underlying raw data when needed while PM only shows the embedded JPEG preview.
(3) LR is just too inefficient since you have to wait for previews to be generated; BBPro and PM are both file browsers so previews are instantaneous. If shooting large numbers of raw files with time constraints,
...Show more

+1 have used BBpro in conjunction with DLPro for years. DLPro allows batch rename and upload from a card reader to wherever you specify and can instantly launch BBPro. BBPro is excellent to view each shot in high quality and see where the focal point used was located on each shot (toggle option).

My workflow:
1. Run through each shot with BBPro and delete the obvious ones
2. 2nd pass and tag for potential
3. Move tagged to lower sub-folder named "picks" ex) \\2013\03\17\picks < un-tagged raws stay in \17
4. Import picks in LR

BTW: just recently moved from Windows to iMac - BB & DL Pro versions work very well with USB 3.0 card readers under Parallels



Mar 18, 2013 at 09:58 AM
Emile Gregoire
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p.1 #10 · p.1 #10 · PhotoMechanic-->Lightroom


James_N wrote:
(2) BBPro can display the underlying raw data when needed while PM only shows the embedded JPEG preview.


Correction: PM can show RAW data. Just press 'Q' while previewing to switch back and forth between JPG and RAW. JPG preview is quicker obviously. If you prefer to view RAW data by default, just change a preference setting.



Mar 21, 2013 at 04:10 AM





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