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 p.1 #9 · Photography Editing Fatigue - Alone with the Shadows II | |
RWNPhoto wrote:
Editing burnout through a giant list of images from a trip or event is certainly a thing I have experienced. However, maybe this isn't everyone, but I go through the LR catalog for the "trip/event" and mark the "decent ones to keep" with 1 star (could flag it with a pick, but I one star).
When I'm through all of them, I actually delete all the ones with NO Stars.
Then, I can look at those remaining and edit accordingly, but for me, the editing HAS to be quick. Spending more than a few minutes on an image is more like me thinking I really didn't shoot or take the image correctly, or have enough patience. But some images left that I may post, get little to no comments, so not sure my process was the right one and resulting in anything anyone else liked, but I still like. Maybe I like the image, the scene, or the story behind the image, but, I like....Show more →
Thank you for the comment and feedback, interesting workflow you use for your files.
Your feedback in my previous post gave me the right approach to correct my processing.
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keepclicking wrote:
Marcelo, beautiful set and love your BW work.
I've really struggled with photo editing fatigue. My main issue is that I capture so many images during my travels but then never seem to find the time to actually edit them. For example, I went to Iceland two years ago, and I'm still not done with those photos! The ironic part is that I'm retired now, and I honestly feel busier than when I was working full-time. Go figure!
My new mantra is this: I won't start editing any new images until I've finished processing my older ones. I recently took a fall trip to the South Island of New Zealand, but I haven't even looked at those photos yet. I'm determined to catch up on my backlog first. This approach really forces me to tackle the older images, as the sheer volume of unedited photos can be quite overwhelming for me.
I'd love to hear how others manage their post-processing overload!...Show more →
I totally understand your point. I have a few folders from past trips and adventures that I’ve never found the time to process.
Every time I start a new project or create a new folder, the old ones seem to drift into oblivion
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bnfotografie wrote:
Your burnout definitely doesn't show in any of these images. I think they looked great the first time around but are even better now. I know the feeling quite well as you described it and the only way I've ever been able to deal with it is to walk away for a day or two. A good night or two of sleep can do wonders before diving back in.
Brent
Thank you Brent for your feedback, it is really appreciated it.
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RustyBug wrote:
Marcelo, 
Good call on the re-processing. I like the first set. But, the editing didn't "match" the time of day. They look great, and so do these. The main difference is the time of day they convey ... the deep, inky blacks making a difference in mood / vibe.
Curious to what your exif was. I ask because there doesn't seem to be much motion from the water, yet at that hour, I know you had to have either a longer exposure or a higher ISO, and they look really clean, too.
On the processing overload ... we've all been there. My definition of overload is likely different (i.e. hundreds, not thousands) from some folks. But, I approach it kinda like this.
When I'm culling, the first time ... I'm only doing two things ... and they are what I call the "bookends".
1) I'm on the Delete Key to automatically toss out the misses or the obvious "there's a better" version right next to it, kinda thing. This is very "Pavlovian" as I'm advancing though them in full screen mode. If I find myself "thinking" about it ... that's thinking too much, and it's not a "bookend" (emotionally driven).
2) What I'm really looking for on 1st pass are the "Ohhh, that's it." that really grab me, even unedited / raw. Those get tagged (I use the number 3, but that's not important). Again, if I have to "think" about it ... not it (those are Tier 2 for later).
3) Then, I'll go back through my 3's and find the one or two (maybe 5 or 6 at most) that I like best and begin to edit them to taste. If there are a LOT of 3's, I may need to consider what "groups" of images I'm looking at (say I've got a few hundred handball, and a few hundred Stan, and a few hundred street).
All those others (between delete and "ohhh") ... they can sit. They are the "bell curve" of my efforts. I'm looking for the top tier outliers, not worried about the middle good stuff. They'll keep, till I want / need them.
Alternatively, if I'm want to go on to the "next tier" ... I find the "most appropriate" processing from my top tier and start applying it universally / bulk to those that are of similar ilk (i.e. lighting / exposure / etc.) and allow the expedience take place here to see if it will "bump" them from first pass into "3".
The one thing I do NOT do is try to individually rank images. Basically, I cull in the winners only ... culling out the obvious junk along the way. The rest, can sit and wait, till the cows come home if need be.
Case in point ... I shot a tournament and had closer to 700 images. I found my top few and processed them. I shared them with folks. Then they asked if I could come up with more. Next pass got me into the 30-ish range. And, the others "still sit", without editing or ranking. Eventually, time will pass and I'll come to a place where I toss them (in bulk) as never having called up for being above the "bell curve" of mediocrity (even if good mediocrity).
The actual number isn't important. The point is that I only look for the OBVIOUS winners to build Tier 1. Tier 2 can come later, and Tier 3 can come, never. Those numbers are vastly smaller than Tier 3, so I don't bother doing jack with the masses of Tier 3. Tier 0 is just cleanup along the way, but Tier 3 can sit ... unprocessed.
Basically, I'm only looking for top 1-5% ... for now. Any additional keepers, they'll keep till "someday" (or never).
Kinda like getting your negatives and finding the ones you want to print. Then, putting the negatives in their file. I don't try to decide how I'm gonna print them all, only the ones worth printing. Looking back to my film days ... a roll of 36, meant about 1-2 that made Tier 1, and 2-5 that made Tier 2. Maybe 1-2 Losers in that roll. The rest (will keep, till  ) ... next roll, please. 
 ...Show more →
Kent, thank you so much for your thoughtful feedback on my photos, and for generously sharing your workflow.
You're absolutely right, my initial post-processing didn’t reflect the actual time of day. Several of those shots ended up significantly overexposed.
I used a mix of long exposures on a tripod and handheld shots with my fast primes. The Z6 handles high ISO noise surprisingly well, which definitely helped.
My keeper rate is pretty similar to yours, if I come out with 10%, I consider that a solid win!
Marcelo
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taildraggin wrote:
Clinical PTD. Post-Trip Depression.
It hits after every good trip. Right now, you're probably ordering Aperol spritzes or a Negroni and scanning Tuscan real estate websites.
You'll recover in a week or two, morph back into NY mode and feel better about editing your pics.
 ... You’re absolutely right about the “side effects” of my trip to Italy, I’m feeling much better now.
I guess you could say I’m officially a PTD survivor (Post Travel Disorder)! 😄
Marcelo
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Jack Flesher wrote:
Simple answers: yes, and this series definitely better relates the time of day you were shooting in 
Longer answer is this is a great discussion item about how and why good B&W takes a different mindset than postcard color does…. Do you see in mono as you capture, or after you’ve seen your images in color and now looking for good mono candidates? Or maybe both? My own has hybridized over the past few years — I used to think I had to shoot in mono to get the best mono. But I now realize I see a lot of my more successful mono images after the fact and usually after processing out my best color images. Is your mono processing mindset different than color and if so, in what ways? Here, I’ve definitely developed a separate mono mindset, looking at the subject in terms of lighting, form and mood, and secondarily how its colors will affect or render the tonality for the underlying theme. ...Show more →
That's a really interesting point, Jack. I think I’ve developed a bit of a ‘mono mindset’ myself, these days, I almost instinctively imagine how a scene will translate to black and white. It’s changed the way I shoot entirely. Thanks for sharing your perspective.
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Danpbphoto wrote:
These are exceptional compositions Marcelo! You and a few others have found the "key" to that wonderful "sheen" these images display. I call it the "glossy" sheen. It REALLY renders the b&w tones exceptionally.
Wish you and others would divulge your secret process or workflow. I use Nik SEFx Pro but have yet to find the secret.
My mother and her family fled Fascist Italy in the 1920's. The town she came from is a real gem! I have NOT been back to Serrastretta in about 15 years. I lost all the film pictures I had when Suzanne and I moved into our present house.
Got off track here...
WONDERFUL images all!
And "YES" to the editing fatigue!!!
Dan...Show more →
Thank you Dan for the kind words, about my "secret process" well I found that Silver FX is really an amazing tool to process B&W. it really gives me the control and flexibility to obtain the look I have in my mind for a picture.
Italy is an amazing country filled with so many traditions and family values, People are kind and very friendly.
Marcelo
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