Lightroom 2.3 Workflow

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Archive 2009 · Lightroom 2.3 Workflow

anthonyket
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p.1 #1 · Lightroom 2.3 Workflow

Well i have read through most if not all of the other LR threads not much there in terms of LR 2.3 workflow.

So what is your personal workflow approach to LR? From beginning to end, especially in Develop Module. Perhaps break it down into steps.
I am trying to find the best approach, so far my workflow is:
1. Create new Catalog for shoot
2. Flag all the winners
3. Select all winners and then add to a new collection
4. Rate through use of the star rating method
5. Move to Develop and work on those rated 5 and then work down

Thanks!

Apr 23, 2009 at 11:20 PM

sboerup
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p.1 #2 · Lightroom 2.3 Workflow

Here is mine. I don't currently use Catalogs for each individual shoot, just one large catalog. Anyone care to share why they would use individual catalogs for each one? I've heard people using it and dont see the concept or advantage.

1. Copy CF to disk.
2. Import images from disk to LR catalog.
3. Select Picks from session.
4. Sort by picks, start editing. I edit all photos from a session for color, exposure, contrast, etc . . .
5. Export to JPG.
6. Minor tweaks on select favorites or needed blemish touchups.

Finished. For a standard wedding, shoot 2000 or so shots, widdled down to 450/500 total images. All the import > sort > edit > touchup > export takes about 6 hrs.

Apr 23, 2009 at 11:45 PM

Sam Obeid
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p.1 #3 · Lightroom 2.3 Workflow

Here is mine C&P from this thread

http://www.fredmiranda.com/forum/topic/756416/0#6902392

This is my LR workflow:

1. Make sure you have good file Organization, it’s key! I keep mine setup as such: Photos\2009\20090331 – Jack & Jill Wedding
2. Copy all of your RAW files to the new folder
3. Copy new folder to backup system/s confirm and reformat cards
4. Import folder into LR with your base Tags, (I have my name, URL, and copyright notice added to every image) render Auto Tone & Preview at 1:1
5. Sort by time and go through set marking rejects using the X key
6. Hide the rejects using the filter tool
7. Select all non rejects and do a global rename with the F2 key, my files are renamed 20090331–00001 etc
8. Add high level key words, couples name, venue/s etc
9. Start batch editing, pick a photo in a set and tweak to heart’s desire and sync to matching photos
10. Go through set and mark your picks with the P key
11. Filter Picks and tweak more.
- Done
Once you get used to LR there will be more to do that will speed up your workflow such as;

- Keyword groups
- Adjusting Camera Import Defaults, save a lot of time on editing
- Export defaults, I have settings for Prints, Low Res, Flickr, Bluedomain, FaceBook etc

Apr 23, 2009 at 11:58 PM

Sam Hassas
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p.1 #4 · Lightroom 2.3 Workflow

sboerup wrote:
Here is mine. I don't currently use Catalogs for each individual shoot, just one large catalog. Anyone care to share why they would use individual catalogs for each one? I've heard people using it and dont see the concept or advantage.

1. Copy CF to disk.
2. Import images from disk to LR catalog.
3. Select Picks from session.
4. Sort by picks, start editing. I edit all photos from a session for color, exposure, contrast, etc . . .
5. Export to JPG.
6. Minor tweaks on select favorites or needed blemish touchups.

Finished. For a standard wedding, shoot 2000 or so shots, widdled down to 450/500 total images. All the import > sort > edit > touchup > export takes about 6 hrs.

I have this EXACT workflow. 6 hours is about right as well. The only difference between me and Spencer is that I'm TONS better looking.

Apr 24, 2009 at 12:40 AM

crockett
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p.1 #5 · Lightroom 2.3 Workflow

If using LR I believe you can combine steps 1&2 of that work flow.

In LR you can import from card into LR, copy to the hard drive and also place backup copies in another location (another HD) all on the first click.

Or do you guys mean something else?

Apr 24, 2009 at 06:07 AM

William Wilson
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p.1 #6 · Lightroom 2.3 Workflow

1. Load originals onto file server
2. Import into LR add meta data on import
3. White balance and sync
4. Grade images on grid or slideshow
5. Final selection, develop tweaks and show slideshow.
6. Client picks, export as tiff's to PS for any post and resizing
7. Print through PS

Apr 24, 2009 at 06:27 AM

BKphotography
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p.1 #7 · Lightroom 2.3 Workflow

Sam Hassas wrote:
sboerup wrote:
Here is mine. I don't currently use Catalogs for each individual shoot, just one large catalog. Anyone care to share why they would use individual catalogs for each one? I've heard people using it and dont see the concept or advantage.

1. Copy CF to disk.
2. Import images from disk to LR catalog.
3. Select Picks from session.
4. Sort by picks, start editing. I edit all photos from a session for color, exposure, contrast, etc . . .
5. Export to JPG.
6. Minor tweaks on select favorites or needed blemish touchups.

Finished. For a standard wedding, shoot 2000 or so shots, widdled down to 450/500 total images. All the import > sort > edit > touchup > export takes about 6 hrs.

I have this EXACT workflow. 6 hours is about right as well. The only difference between me and Spencer is that I'm TONS better looking.

Very impressive handsome.
You and Spencer have a look that seems to me would take up a lot of time to process.
Haven't used Lightroom yet, althought I have had it for a coupla weeks.
Gonna give it a bash (I think Spencers presets might be a good way to start and give me an idea how to get my own settings on the go).

Very interesting lads.

Cheers
BK

Apr 24, 2009 at 08:03 AM

yz-fotografie
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p.1 #8 · Lightroom 2.3 Workflow

1. All cards are copied to a jobo giga one during the shoots. As backup - and to have a separate folder for each card. Important for us because we are lazy and have often same filenames from different cameras and we always forgot to sync. And this way we are no card-jockeys at home anymore.

2. Copy the whole thing with all folders onto disk and import into an import-folder in lightroom
3. Renaming
4. Selecting, Sorting and so on - same as others
5. Dragging all images into desired folders in Lightroom

Michael

Apr 24, 2009 at 09:31 AM

prof_fate
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p.1 #9 · Lightroom 2.3 Workflow

1. copy files from CF to HD by card
G:
weddings
04_17 Brandy and John
RAW
Card 1
Card 2
Card 3

2. import one 'card' into LR (port sharpening and adds metadata)
3. left screen, grid view in library, select all, rate 1 star. Set filter to 1 Star or better
4. left screen now goes to develop mode, right screen Survey mode
5. in filmstrip select similar images (2 to 8 at a time) and compare them on the right screen. Rejects have their star removed and because the filter is on 1Star+ they go away from my view
6. On the left develop screen I crop/straigten and adjust as I go. Anything that's really nice I 2 or 3 star.
7. At the end of the 'card' I go back to Library mode on left screen, sort by rating. Move all starred files to a collection named like the HD directory. I then remove the filter to show the un-starred files, select them, delete from HD.

8. GoTo step 2 on the next card.

If anything really needs PS it gets labeled RED
When all the files are done I export twice - once for web (proofs) and once as hi-res files.

I only go thru the image files one time instead of once to pick and once to edit, etc. That way should be faster and before LR did it that way, but I just can't seem to leave files alone in LR!

Apr 24, 2009 at 01:05 PM

mcarr
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p.1 #10 · Lightroom 2.3 Workflow

sboerup wrote:
Here is mine. I don't currently use Catalogs for each individual shoot, just one large catalog. Anyone care to share why they would use individual catalogs for each one? I've heard people using it and dont see the concept or advantage.

1. Copy CF to disk.
2. Import images from disk to LR catalog.
3. Select Picks from session.
4. Sort by picks, start editing. I edit all photos from a session for color, exposure, contrast, etc . . .
5. Export to JPG.
6. Minor tweaks on select favorites or needed blemish touchups.

Finished. For a standard wedding, shoot 2000 or so shots, widdled down to 450/500 total images. All the import > sort > edit > touchup > export takes about 6 hrs.

I use this same workflow, but I tend to spend more time in Photoshop after the export. Sometimes I can't seem to get the colors I want in Lightroom. I just upgraded from 1.4 to 2.3 this morning, so I'm hoping that will speed up my workflow with the ability to do local adjustments and such.

Apr 24, 2009 at 01:22 PM

jeremy_clay
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p.1 #11 · Lightroom 2.3 Workflow

Apr 24, 2009 at 02:20 PM

sboerup
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p.1 #12 · Lightroom 2.3 Workflow

crockett wrote:
If using LR I believe you can combine steps 1&2 of that work flow.

In LR you can import from card into LR, copy to the hard drive and also place backup copies in another location (another HD) all on the first click.

Or do you guys mean something else?

DO NOT COMBINE STEPS 1 & 2. I did this ONCE, and it corrupted the images during import. I was sweating bullets seeing 30% of the images were corrupted and unuseable. In camera they looked fine.

I deleted them all from the hard drive, and simply copied over via USB/FW reader, then reimported into LR and all is well.

Also, combing those 2 steps is DOG slower than copying first then importing.

Apr 24, 2009 at 03:31 PM

p150
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p.1 #13 · Lightroom 2.3 Workflow

sboerup wrote:
Here is mine. I don't currently use Catalogs for each individual shoot, just one large catalog. Anyone care to share why they would use individual catalogs for each one? I've heard people using it and dont see the concept or advantage.

We use multiple external hard drives and sometimes pass them back and forth between our computers. If I load a shoot to a hard drive using my PC then at some point she needs to pull it up on hers, we couldn't get it to recognize any changes because they were stored in my catalog. If we create a new cat for each, then we can move them back and forth and just open the cat on the drive.

I did, however, just pick up Kelby's LR2 book, so I'm sure I'll soon learn that this method is completely lame and wasteful.

- Jeff

Apr 24, 2009 at 03:48 PM

4honor
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p.1 #14 · Lightroom 2.3 Workflow

I don't shoot weddings, mainly models, but the workflow is about the same:

1. Using card reader, copy all RAW files to harddrive, in specific folder like G:\Photos\2009\20090424jane_doe
2. Open LR, add above folder to LR. Add my copyright EXIF stuff on import.
3. Using loupe view in Library, color tag each different location and/or outfit/look.
4. Filter by color, then flag the ones I like in each group. Go thru the flagging in all groups.
5. Remove color filter, turn on flag filter. If there are too many that I like (which is usually the case), I will go back and do a second round sorting/unflag, til I am about ~20 photos. 20 because that's how many I can spend time on.
6. View only the flagged photos, and edit them.
7. Go to Edit in Photoshop CS4, so it exports to CS4.
8. Do any advanced effects/edits, resize, and add logo.
9. Save as jpeg, into a new subfolder called "pp" (for post processed)
10. Done! Now share the photos.

Apr 24, 2009 at 04:37 PM

Tony Hoffer
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p.1 #15 · Lightroom 2.3 Workflow

My checklist looks like this:

This image is copyrighted by the owner

Apr 24, 2009 at 04:39 PM

jofoto photo
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p.1 #16 · Lightroom 2.3 Workflow

ha ha Tony, that's a rickroll with a difference

Apr 24, 2009 at 04:44 PM

Walter Koch
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p.1 #17 · Lightroom 2.3 Workflow

Tag

Apr 24, 2009 at 04:48 PM

4honor
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p.1 #18 · Lightroom 2.3 Workflow

Nice one Tony...

Apr 24, 2009 at 06:56 PM

anthonyket
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p.1 #19 · Lightroom 2.3 Workflow

Also be interesting to see workflow related to Develop module too.

Apr 26, 2009 at 02:51 AM

William Wilson
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p.1 #20 · Lightroom 2.3 Workflow

Develop module

1. W/B
2. Calibration, noise and CA as required
3. Fill/Brightness/Contrast - mild curve all to taste
4. CH&S to taste mainly for web or slide show PS exports are usually flat.
5. Export as tiff - I used to go to psd till I noticed colour shifts

May 09, 2009 at 08:20 AM

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