Why JPEG files are suddenly good enough for me.

[Guido]

We sometimes talk about workflow options in my workshops, but no, I don't think that my workflow is some gold standard that should be adopted by everybody else. I'm a Mac user (since 1985), and in my experience, that's already a point where I am losing at 50% of the audience, as those 50% refuse to use a computer that runs Mac OS and Windows for maximum flexibility and choice of options.

 

Workflow is also a matter of personal preference. Personally, I recommend choices that allow maximum flexibility (hence always FINE+RAW). I also like speedy handling, so I first browse through my JPEGs and trash everything I do not need, then copy the RAWs of the remaining keeper shots. Of course, there's also the matter of "habit". Many users do not want to change their trusted ways, even when better options are clearly available. In the end, it's about what you like and what feels right. Very few people spend as much time with and thought about the X series as I do, so it's risky to say that my experience/conclusions should apply to everyone.

 

So do as you like, but I do recommend FINE+RAW, then importing the JPEGs only first for browsing/selecting, then importing the RAWs of the keeper files. That works really well for me.

Thanks Rico.

I am aware one's workflow can't be applied to everybody, but I was just curious to know yours as you have a lot of experience.. I have a Mac as well, by the way, so we are on the same (nice) boat for that matter.

Would you mind sharing the LR "tricks" to do what you do? I mean, I know how to import just jpegs.. but then, how do you select the RAW files of the picked images to import them ? Otherwise I will do some research on my own this evening at home. I wish I had more time to play with LR..

Thanks again

Guido

[FearTheXNoob]

My problem with shooting RAW+JPEG and using the JPEG for quick review is similar to Guidos: Once I have selected the keeper, how do I find them in the RAW files and eliminate the other ones? You say you only import the JPEGs, so I'm even more confused about how you can do that efficiently. And secondly: Once you have imported the correct RAW files you now have all pictures twice. How do you handle that?

[flysurfer]

I use Aperture to browse and select.

 

JPEGs are imported to the Aperture library from the card and automatically deleted from the card after import. So only RAWs remain on the SD card.

 

Eventually, I copy the keeper RAWs from the card to my Dropbox for automatic sync to the cloud and import the RAWs to Lightroom (leaving the files at their place in the Dropbox). Final exported JPEGs from LR go back to Aperture.

[FearTheXNoob]

Eventually, I copy the keeper RAWs from the card to my Dropbox for automatic sync to the cloud (...)

The question is, how do you determine which RAWs to keep? You said you use JPEGs to sort out the keepers and my problem with that approach is always how to quickly identify the RAWs associated with the selected JPEGs.

 

Very interesting topic btw, hope to get some more tips and new ideas out of it.

[flysurfer]

The question is, how do you determine which RAWs to keep? You said you use JPEGs to sort out the keepers and my problem with that approach is always how to quickly identify the RAWs associated with the selected JPEGs.

 

Very interesting topic btw, hope to get some more tips and new ideas out of it.

 

They have the same filme name.

[FearTheXNoob]

They have the same filme name.

Hmm, but then you have to look up the file names of the JPEG-keepers, search for the same name as a RAW file - that doesn't sound like speedy handling, or am I missing something?

[flysurfer]

Why search? They are ordered alphabetically. I just click on the keepers and copy them. The idea of course is to not keep too many images. Less is more. Of course I could also copy everything to Aperture, then delete JPEG and RAW pairs in concert. But importing everything alone takes more time, so I don't.

[ShutterNot]

Interesting reading here.

 

Disk space is cheap these days. I save both JPEG and RAW, but when I import the files using LR, I import the RAW files into a sub-folder from where the JPEG files are. LR can be set up to do that automatically. Since I use mostly JPEG, the RAW files are out of the way, but available for when I do need to go to them. There is no additional time involved.