Hey everyone,
So here I go, I lack experience when it comes to the after photo is taken phase. I can definitely use some advice, tips, etc. on handling files and post processing. As of now I have many photos that I take on a 30D every week or so in JPEG and RAW format, I upload these files from the camera to my laptop with the Eos camera utility program, I then sort the JPEG and RAW files into 2 separate folders so that I can import both into Lightroom. I open up Lightroom and import and in the meantime I copy both the JPEG and RAW folders onto 2 external hard drives. Also, I have more recently been converting the images in Lightroom to DNG files and saving those on external hard drives also. So does this sound familiar to anyone or just dumb? Should I be converting files to Tiff's when I first upload them, should I be using something other that Lightroom and or the camera utility to get more out of my photo files? I am really curious to know more about this process and what I am or am not doing right. If it were up to me I would take a class on this sort of thing but instead I am on here trying to pick some knowledgeable brains. Also, if anyone can pass along some book titles for me to look at, ones that involve this sort of thing file handling and post work that would be great. I've been so busy taking photos I never spend time working with any of them and printing them which is something I am trying to get myself to finally do, but before I do it I want to know I am getting the most out of my files! I greatly appreciate any help or experience, sorry for the long post!
Do you use PS Elements or Photshop to work on your photos? I don't use Lightroom, it's primarily intended for working professionals who need to process large numbers of RAW files. It will do a certain amount of basic adjustments and retouching, but if you really want to get the most out of your photos, you need some sort of editing program.
Personally, I use Photoshop CS3, which comes with Bridge. Photoshop Elements is fine too. I use Bridge to download photos from the camera. In Bridge, you can copy files to your hard drive and to a backup. I use an external hard drive for this. The files are automatically saved as RAW files (CR2 is what Canon calls it) and when I edit something in PS, I save it in the PSD format, which keeps all the layers and adjustments I've made, so I can go back and make changes at any time. Of course, the original RAW file is still there. It shows the changes you have made in Camera Raw, but you can go back into Camera RAW and in the first panel select "As shot" and it will revert to the way it came out of the camera. If I want to email the image after retouching, I save it as PSD and then as a JPG, as that's pretty much a universal format these days, and can be easily emailed.
That's what I do but I know many other workflows are out there too. You need to experiment and find out what works for you.
I use Lightroom most of the time and if I really need to get into a photo I will use CS2. Thanks Dis for sharing this info, is CS3 something I should be looking to get, is it that much better than CS2 by the way? Anyone else have anything to say about my original post? I hope so...
CS3, with upgraded Camera Raw and Bridge, is certainly an improvement and I felt it was worthwhile to upgrade and I'm not a pro, photography is my hobby. But the upgrade does cost quite a bit and I suggest you go to Adobe's website and check out all the improvements and additions as it really is a decision you should make on your own.
If you find you can make most adjustments in Lightroom, then you can certainly live without CS3.
If you have Lightroom, why do you use Canon's software to upload? You can set up LR to upload to your harddrive as well as a backup at that same time. This will save you time. I wouldn't import both jpeg and RAW into LR. I think you should have two copies, one on the harddrive and one on external drive, as far as DNG or TIFF, I don't see the reason for it yet, if these are your images you don't need to convert them, you're not giving them to others.
1. Why do you shoot raw and jpeg rather than just raw? What advantage do you see in it?
2. Are you uploading and saving all your shots? If so, I would suggest going through each batch and throwing out the non-keepers (which I assume would be a majority).
To test that last suggestion, go back to one of your archives and look through it. See what percentage you can honestly say are worth keeping.
I agree with Peano about controlling your duplication. Files can otherwise grow quickly out of control. Generally speaking, while there are some good reasons to shoot RAW+JPEG, I can't think of any reasons to keep both after you have examined the take.
I edit at nearly every stage. Before converting the RAW, I will delete the obvious stinkers--out of focus images, for instance. But with the work I do, I have to be cautious, because an image that isn't right for, say, the expression on the subject might still be useful for body-part swapping or something of the like.
But by the time I've completed work on the take, I'll go back and delete the TIFFs. I normally save the RAW, the final Photoshop layered PSDs of the images I worked with, and the final JPEGs from those PSDs.
I shoot RAW and JPEG because I got in the habit of doing so, but I can probably get rid of shooting JPEG. Am I right to think that mostly people who need to put photos online quickly and/or take photos for fun of friends/family (point and shoot style, not wanting to sell the work), are using JPEG, and I should only stick to RAW because I am not doing photos for this purpose? So RDKirk are you saying that you shoot mainly RAW then import convert to Tiff, edit, save as PSD and JPEG and then go back and delete the Tiff, but you still have a copy of the original RAW and a PSD and/or JPEG? I believe that is what you are saying? Ultimately, I want to print and sell my photos, but I still take photos from time to time that are of family vacation stuff or a friends birthday at work, these photos I guess just use JPEG format everything else RAW...? Sorry for all this, like I said this is the area I really need to learn more about, so if there are any really good books that you guys recommend that would be great, thanks everyone for responses and suggestions so far...
Wow. You sound more confused now than in the first post. Suggest yoiu go to a local library or bookstore and look for books that can help, or take a class at your local community college.
Deke McLelland is a prolific author who writes about Photoshop and probably has something about all this.
I usually download RAW files from camera and do some basic edits(adjusting exposure,cropping,add some basic keywords,synchronizing white balance etc) in lightroom1.3 then export raw files into TIFF16 ProPhotoRGB for further post-processing in photoshop cs3. After done all the retouchment in ps cs3,saving all work in TIFF16 and exporting TIFF16 to JPEG8 sRGB.
In my case, the raw file more like original footage,TIFF16 is working file, JPEG is target output files. I can't live without any of them
FYI, Highly recommend you to dl the fixed thread-workflow guidances.
So RDKirk are you saying that you shoot mainly RAW then import convert to Tiff, edit, save as PSD and JPEG and then go back and delete the Tiff, but you still have a copy of the original RAW and a PSD and/or JPEG?
Yes. I edit as PSD (which Photoshop handles much more efficiently than 16-bit TIFF). I finally save (and back up) the RAW, the last layered PSD, and the final JPEGs of the image. However, I've only created PSDs of the best of the RAW images...not all of them by any means.
thanks everyone for the continued responses, I am looking at that DAM book right now, I am guessing the 2nd Edition is the latest one? Aaron "FYI, Highly recommend you to dl the fixed thread-workflow guidances" what do you mean here? Maybe I am missing something, it's been a long day night whatever, can you explain? Anyways thanks for the help everyone, further information and or book suggestions is very welcome
