Hello everyone! I hope all is well and everyone is busy with business, and 2010 is off to a kick'en start!!
I have recently "flushed" out my computer (MacBook Pro) and I wanted to spend a moment thinking about how "I" currently process my shoots.. and perhaps hear from others on the same subject. I don't work with any other photographers... so often times the things "I" do *might* not be the best way of doing the same thing..
Okay, so here we are in the studio.. and I have shot 400 frames (total) of 5 models. I will want to send the agency "their" picks, and I will want to select a few for "my" portfolio / website. The rest? well.. 5D II RAW files are big... so I guess I will be trashing the shots that are "nothing". (The first time I will be doing this)... I need to start saving some space... .
Note - I keep all files IN the aperture library, and do NOT use referenced masters... after every project I turn on my RAID, and drag the current A3 library from the laptop to the HD for backup..
1. I don't use DPP *unless* I want to take advantage of the in camera settings (such as noise reduction, color modes) so for this shoot everything is loaded into Aperture 3 in a new project with date and name. From here I go full screen, and I enlarge the thumbs so I can get a very good idea of all the shots in volume.
2. Next, I remove ANY shots that are "bad" (poor focus, bad light, horrid face, blinks, etc..) Deleted. From here, I slowly work my way through the shots.. and I give images 1 star if they catch my attention... after I am done, I may have 40 - 50 shots that have been marked.
3. I then sort my view, and view only the stared images.. from here I will make exposure / color adjustments, and stamp "like" images.. until they all look good / consistent.
4. I export all my "1 star" images, and use a proofing size for web use. This is what I end up showing the models / client to sort though...they are not "final edits", but are "pretty good, less anything more advanced I might do in CS4... and in some cases there is nothing I do other then batch resize or sharpen).
NOW... when the models / client "pick" the "best" shots for the project.. they will tell my the files, and I will then go back into Aperture 3 and give them "2-star". I will export the "2-star" files to a folder (date / project) as *jpegs and make edits in CS4. Then the "final edits" are deliver to client. Done.
The "Photoshop" folder stays on the RAID, and has subfolders for each new client I have.. This contains the "Final Edits" I do for projects.
5. I then go back, and re look at all the images. I take a look at what I like, what the client / others like.. and I make "my" selections for portfolio / web / blog... I then export to CS4, etc..
Feww...
So this is what I am currently doing. At the end of the day, I keep my "current" library on my laptop and start a new after about 100GB. This library is backed up after each import, and sits on my RAID. I have a third drive that I "sync" with the RAID every month.. and keep in a fire proof safe off location.
The Aperture library and the CS4 folder containing final edits are backup all the time.
I feel that the "hardest" thing for me to do is "proof" the images, and "pick" the shots for me to show the world... I HATE that part, and I wish I had a better feel.. sometime images can be so close in a look.. it gets tricky.
Any help / advice on how I am currently running things?
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