Post Processing Software Workflow - What do you use?

[Ryanmb21]

Hello All,

I recently bought a macbook and am liking it a lot. Overall I've been impressed with its performance and its included software (iLife). So far I'm using iPhoto which I like but I'm realizing its limitations as I grow curious of photo editing. I have also read it's not the best for dealing with Raw images.

Photo management and editing software is confusing! Before I invest in software I was hoping to gain some insight from the experts (and novices) on this board.

What do you use and if you had to do over again, what would you buy?

Specifically:

1.what do you use to import from the camera?
2.what do you use to cull, rate, delete and make minor changes?
3.what do you use to edit? (correct color, crop, soften skin, sharpen eyes, black and white, stitch pano's)
4.what do you use to print (online printing service vs. local vs. print yourself
5.what do you use to share? (flickr, smugmug)

1-4 for me is iphoto
5. is flickr
and I have a nikon d60 if that matters.

Cheers.

 

[DiploStrat]

Can't we talk about something non-controversial?

Like guns or religion?

I have used Apple's Aperture since 2006. Before that I used iPhoto and Elements - still a great combo for the JPEG shooter.

I shoot a Nikon D200, all RAW, all the time. (With Aperture, there is really little reason to shoot JPEG.)

1.what do you use to import from the camera? Aperture.
2.what do you use to cull, rate, delete and make minor changes? Aperture
3.what do you use to edit? (correct color, crop, soften skin, sharpen eyes, black and white, stitch pano's) Aperture. If I need layers, etc., I will use Elements; about one image in five hundred. Really.
4.what do you use to print (online printing service vs. local vs. print yourself) I use a Canon PixmaPRO 9000. I have had good results with Adorama and Costco.
5.what do you use to share? (flickr, smugmug) PBase.

N.B. You will get equally good results with Lightroom. I have found Capture NX to be too much of a pain and it has no cataloging features.

Aperture and Lightroom are serious rethinks of how to manage images (as opposed to digital files) and require that you really understand RAW, non-destructive workflow, and a few other things. Do yourself a favor and at least watch the videos and then buy a good book for whichever you choose. These programs a very, very deep and most people who profess to "hate"t them usually don't understand how they are different from simply dumping some files on the desktop.

Best wishes! (Beloved Spouse just ordered a D60.)

 

[Tucson T4R]

I'm still getting use to my new software so my workflow may change. I have a Canon 50D and only shoot RAW now.

1.what do you use to import from the camera?
I use the Canon EOS software that came with the camera for downloading.
2.what do you use to cull, rate, delete and make minor changes?
Adobe Lightroom 2 - great program
3.what do you use to edit? (correct color, crop, soften skin, sharpen eyes, black and white, stitch pano's)
Adobe Lightroom 2 for most edits and CS4 for any complex tweaking or panos
4.what do you use to print (online printing service vs. local vs. print yourself
I don't print that often so just I print local on an Epson Photo R320 when needed
5.what do you use to share? (flickr, smugmug)
I recently joined Smugmug and like it a lot.

 

[off-roader]

1.what do you use to import from the camera?
2.what do you use to cull, rate, delete and make minor changes?
3.what do you use to edit? (correct color, crop, soften skin, sharpen eyes, black and white, stitch pano's)
4.what do you use to print (online printing service vs. local vs. print yourself
5.what do you use to share? (flickr, smugmug)

D70/300 shooter myself... mostly amateur but have also been paid to shoot weddings, etc.. I also always shoot Raw and post process as needed.
1. PhotoshopCS4 although I'm looking at alternatives
2. PhotoshopCS4
3. PhotoshopCS4
4. Costco
5. webshots.com (because it's free), montypics.com (because it's from a former mitsu enthusiast).

 

[Photog]

I currently use Photoshop CS2 and the Bridge that comes with it, for all my filing and editing. I have seen demos of Lightroom and Aperture, and would choose one of those as a first software choice today. Then, as a beginner, I would recommend Photoshop Elements for editing (not expensive). In a few years, you may or may not, feel the need to upgrade to the full Photoshop (expensive).

For downloading: pull card from camera, insert into card-reader in computer, and use Aperture/Lightroom to place images into proper file folder. For Canon, the Digital Photo Professional (DPP) software will recognize the camera settings (from a RAW file), where Adobe software will not. Making JPEGS from RAW files, with DPP, may be an easier step before opening Lightroom.

For professional quality prints, I use MPIX and Miller's. For 4x6 prints, I use an EPSON PictureMate. Making large prints at home is more expensive than having a pro lab do it.

 

[Colorado David]

I would suggest always using a card reader to download your files to the computer rather than hooking up your camera. Don't delete single images form your cards in the camera. Once you've downloaded your images and backed them up to an additional drive (or two), you should format your card in the camera in which you'll be using it.

 

[emohn]

I switched to Lightroom about 3 months ago, and while my workflow is not 100% set yet, I'm MUCH more efficient than I was before using PhotoMechanic Lite and CS4. I very rarely have to go to CS4 for touchup and editing, as Lightroom handles all but a few things (I wish I knew how to dodge and burn in LR). The brilliant part of LR for me is that there have been plugins developed to export photos directly to Menalto's Gallery2 package (which I use on my website), Flikr, Facebook, etc.

I stick a card in from my D90 and allow Lightroom to ingest the files into the catalog, setting some basic keyword tags as it does the import. Then I browse and flag the keepers. Then depending on how much of a hurry I'm in, I'll either let LR's auto levels do their thing (rarely do I find it overstepping the bounds of adjustments I would make) or I make adjustments myself. Do some cropping or straightening when necessary. Then I export the keepers as print quality JPGs, export to my website with automated watermark, and upload to Facebook for the sake of friends and family. Easy, pleasy...

 

[photoman]

1.what do you use to import from the camera?
I use either Iphoto or Lightroom2.

2.what do you use to cull, rate, delete and make minor changes?
Lightroom 2 or Iphoto.

3.what do you use to edit? (correct color, crop, soften skin, sharpen eyes, black and white, stitch pano's)
Adobe Lightroom 2 to CS4 for most. Only editing the best of the best now.

4.what do you use to print (online printing service vs. local vs. print yourself
If I want something done nice I will print online through one of the smugmug printers or a small shop in California. If it is just a quickie to show or share Costco is okay.

5.what do you use to share? (flickr, smugmug)
Smugmug for sure. Considering a flikr as well but we'll see. Managing all these online accounts is turning into a real pain.

 

[Michael Slade]

Lightroom for everything. Photoshop if I need to do something 'more'. For sharing I use my website or blog or e-mail. I don't post to Flickr or anything else. I post a few to Facebook...but hardly anything that's serious or worth anything.

 

[goodtimes]

Lightroom for virtually everything. PSE from time to time.

Sharing is all electronic, or goes to the end user for printing (I don't even own a color printer).

 

[DiploStrat]

At the Risk of Stating the Obvious ...

In the beginning, there was Photoshop ... And there still is.

If you own a Photoshop license and are adept at using it, why stop? It is still the biggest dog on the block. If you start with LR/AP, you may never need Photoshop, but if you are already a Photoshop user, why stop? You will never find anything that AP/LR does better than PS.

LR/AP are appealing for those of us who don't own the full PS, don't have the skill, and don't need the advanced features. And if you do need them, you may find that Photoshop Elements is all you need. (As long as you don't need 16 bits.)

For the photographer starting out, AP/LR were designed as one stop shopping. For the experienced PS user, they might be considered as more powerful alternatives to Photo Mechanic and Bridge. LR/AP are designed to feed to Photoshop - in fact, one wag commented that PS could be considered to be nothing but one big plugin.

 

[emohn]

I started out with Photoshop long ago, adapted my workflow when I started shooting a LOT more to include photo mechanic for sortings and culling, tried LR 2 and didn't get into it. Gave LR another shot when LR 2 came out... never looked back. PS *can* do everything, but for batch edits, sorting, and basic functions, I just don't need the extra functions of PS for 90% of my shots and for that other 10%, I've still got my PS license.

 

[Ryanmb21]

Thanks so much for the contributions and sharing your experiences.

I look around the web and see these amazing images everywhere and the post processing part of the process seems important so I want to get it right.

So I guess I will download the trial of Aperture and Lightroom 2 and see which one I like better knowing that down the line (if needed) I will likely want to buy photoshop elements or photoshop.

If anybody has more input I would appreciate it greatly. I like the advice about getting a book and/or DVD to learn these programs, has anybody used a good one?

 

[Lost Canadian]

I still use Lightroom for importing and sorting, nothing I've tried beats LR in this respect, but I have moved away from Adobe products when it comes to editing, for a number of reasons. First, I'm not a fan of how Adobe handles colour, the transitions sometimes look a little harsh which flattens the image somewhat. Also textures seem, for lack of a better word, a little off. For instance, shadow areas seem to be particularly susceptible heavy pixelation and weird artifacting.

I gave Capture One a try a few months ago and really liked the results. The colours and textures had nicer transitions, so if I was starting from scratch I'd probably go with Capture One. As it stands however the results I got using Capture One were on par with those I could get using my already purchased Capture NX2, and I didn't see enough of a workflow improvement to warrent purchasing it in addition of NX2. So now I use NX2 almost exclusively for editing. Because NX retains all the in camera adjustments I make, my workflow is typically less than a few minutes for each image.

For good images my printing needs are handled by Elevator Pro Lab. For simple snaps Costco is hard to beat, and their printers profiles are available online.

For sharing I use smugmug, but I am considering something like livebooks.

 

[Ryanmb21]

I still use Lightroom for importing and sorting, nothing I've tried beats LR in this respect, ...

As it stands however the results I got using Capture One were on par with those I could get using my already purchased Capture NX2, and I didn't see enough of a workflow improvement to warrent purchasing it in addition of NX2. So now I use NX2 almost exclusively for editing.

Trevor - how does lightroom interact with Capture NX2? Do they integrate or does lightroom make a folder on your harddrive then you access that folder with Capture NX2?