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Hello,

 

let us share our workflow here.  There are many ways we can go about selecting, archiving, saving and sharing our images, so, how do you do it?

 

Let me share mine.

 

I use only Lightroom to work my images.  I shoot raw+jpeg and import both files to lightroom by connecting the camera to the PC and importing.

 

As I import I already apply exif information like copyright, owner, etc.

 

I also apply some keywords for the camera, and what I can to ease the process later.

 

After I import all the images, I filter by text and type RAF.  I then reject with the flag (also X) all the raf files.  I usually work on the JPEGs and use only the RAW if I want to change from colour to black and white or apply the film simulations.

 

The, I select JPG as filter and pick (P) all the images.

 

I then filter by flag, selecting only the picked images and then go to Loup view (E) and will look at the images one by one.  The ones I don`t like I just reject using the rejected flag, by clicking X on the keyboard, which makes it jump to the next image.

 

After I`m done selecting the ones I want I then change to Develop mode and go about developing the images.  There are many ways of doing that so, it depends.  But I keep my workflow within LR.

 

If I think I want to edit a RAW file instead of the JPG then I change the flag filter to show the rejected files and switch the flags.

 

After I`m done developing the images I go to the gallery (G) and start keyworking the images that I picked.  Sometimes I reject another one.

 

After I do this step I do another thing.  I choose the red color to the images that are public and green to the images that I like to keep for family and friends only.  Also, this shows the image that I selected.

 

I then use the flickr plugin to share the red images as public and the green ones as family and friends only.  I create an album for the images and upload them.  This is my backup.  Eventually I`ll backup everything to an external HD (I`ve got more than 24000 images there, which use up only 14% of the space they give you for free)

 

Then, what I do is stack the images together.  I only stack the jpeg with the raw file by going to the libraty, selecting all images and doing auto-stack with 0 for time.  That will join the raw + jpeg into a stack.

 

Then, I choose the spray tool, select the Unflag option and I`ll unflag the raw files that I want to keep to maybe later do some more editing.

 

Then I add the images to a collection.

 

And last.  I select all the rejected images and delete them forever...no mercy!

 

I guess this is it.  What`s your workflow like?  Let us know! Share your thoughts and doubts!

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Hi There! Good topic Its alway good to see others Raw Workflow and to rethink the own procedre from time to time.

 

Here's  my way of file handling ( I shoot RAWs only for my Nikon gear and just started using my X-T1 with RAW + JPGs - so there is no established WF for this yet)

 

  1. Import RAWs from Card (via an Lexar USB 3 CardReader) usually nothing but the Copyright Infos added at this point
     
  2. Generate Fullsize Previews for a smooth Selecting process  - This takes AGES so I usually let it run over night. And NO, LR 6.1 is NOT faster than 5.7 not a tiny bit. Worse Fuji RAFs seems to take even longer than my 36MPx Nikon files.
     
  3. Selecting the keepers. I dont spend time to X-out the bad ones, only picking the good shots (P) and give a star or two for really good ones. I mostly use the  Overview Mode (N) or Compare View © to find the best in a series.
     
  4. set the filter to picks only, sometimes i start with the star rated shots first (the 'best of')
     
  5. Developing time. well, I try to get the basic adjustments done for a series of pictures first (with autosync on) and then get into the individual adjustments one by one.
     
  6. Export to Fullsize and a small HD version (with 1080px Height)
     
  7. move the Not picked shots to a _Rejects Folder - this will go to my Rejects Archive for a while
  8. Make a 'Export Folder as Catalog'  as a Backup for the real archive, including the raws and the _delivery Folders
  9. Select all shots that will stay in the main LR Catalog and will make it to the Website or blog (usually the star rated shots) - Invers selection and delete the rest from disk (ONLY after the backup is confirmed)
  10. Done.

 

Need to find a clever way for a Raw +Jpg WF.

 

And boy do I regret having updated to LR 6.  This is so incedibly slow. When exporting files LR is just unusable. The CPU acceleration is a joke it may speed up things a bit but its buggy:eg. when i use the crop tool i always see a library grid view for a split second, and it takes some 3 seconds to finally be able to crop.and a lot more funky shit......grrrr

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Hi There! Good topic Its alway good to see others Raw Workflow and to rethink the own procedre from time to time.

 

 

5. Developing time. well, I try to get the basic adjustments done for a series of pictures first (with autosync on) and then get into the individual adjustments one by one

 

 - Need to find a clever way for a Raw +Jpg WF.

 

 - And boy do I regret having updated to LR 6.  This is so incedibly slow. When exporting files LR is just unusable. The CPU acceleration is a joke it may speed up things a bit but its buggy:eg. when i use the crop tool i always see a library grid view for a split second, and it takes some 3 seconds to finally be able to crop.and a lot more funky shit......grrrr

 

Hey hoschi420 thanks for the reply!

 

Good point on number 5.  I'll try to incorporate that into my workflow.  Sometimes I feel that images shot in the same place end up looking a bit different because I individually process them, instead of looking at them as a group, do a sync like you do to get the feeling of the images in the same mood and then individually tweek them.  Thanks!

 

Finding a workflow for Raw+jpg is complicated.  This is because LR either treats them together or as separate files.  When treated together you only see the jpg (if I remember correctly, or the RAW, but only one) and the other does not get imported.  So, for me this does not make sense.  Now, if you import them as two separate files, they are treated as separate images, so if you reject one of them, you have to reject the other also, they won't reject together.  Or pick together for that matter.

 

I tried using the stack option for this, but again, when stacked, if you reject of pick it only does that to the image on top of the stack.  That is why I ended up doing the text filter and rejecting the RAW first, and picking the jpg.  Then, I filter by the picked images and go rejecting the ones I don't like, that makes it remove the image and skip to the next one down the stream of photos, so it works pretty quickly.

 

On lightroom 6 performance.  Good thing you commented on that.  I might delay moving to 6.  Maybe you could start a thread on that to check if other people have that issue or maybe you need to do an upgrade to your machine (which will not be nice)

 

Thanks!

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Hi Guys, I have faced the same dilemma and have come to this resolution for now:

 

1. Shoot RAW+jpeg

2. Copy all files to desktop

3. Import ONLY jpegs

4. Slight JPEG processing (if needed. They are already so good!)

5. If I run into issues on any image, just go find that particular RAW file and work on that.

 

It works well for me now. Saves a lot of time, and I still can save the RAW files as an insurance.

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I process both the Fuji and Nikon (d800E) files in the same manner though the settings vary a little camera to camera and subject to subject.

1. Download Raw to LR

2.adjust color temperature

3.adjust exposure, make sure there is no clipping at the white and black end

4. null my sharpening, and adjust noise reduction to suit conditions

5. import to Photo Shop

6. convert to Smart objects via copy (it is already a Smart Object but the conversion  is an important step)

7. import to NIK Silver FX Pro (this is for B & W OR Color, trust me)

8. Select full Dynamic Range preset

9. export back to Photo Shop

10. In Layer Style change from Normal to Luminosity

11. Import back to NIK Silver FX Pro and work the image in  Black and White (this is just a layer it will be in full color when it is done.) This is mostly Structure in order to get middle tone contrast

12.import back to PhotoShop and now process with Layers and Masks as you would normally do (when you import back your image color is restored automatically)  What the B&W layer does is give you beautiful middle tone contrast without blocking up anything or over saturating) 

12. Lastly do a vigorous Noise Reduction and then localized sharpening via mask and layers.

 

I know it sounds a bit much, it takes about 20 minutes, but the results are fantastic.

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Hi Guys, I have faced the same dilemma and have come to this resolution for now:

 

1. Shoot RAW+jpeg

2. Copy all files to desktop

3. Import ONLY jpegs

4. Slight JPEG processing (if needed. They are already so good!)

5. If I run into issues on any image, just go find that particular RAW file and work on that.

 

It works well for me now. Saves a lot of time, and I still can save the RAW files as an insurance.

 

So, you keep the raw files of all the images? Even the bad ones?

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I hope this is helpful to the group. 

I have my workflow shown on my blog if you care to visit.

 

I'd recommend you try the spray tool to reject the raw files related to those jpegs you reject.  Pretty easy and quick to use.  Specially if you do this after stacking the images together.  What I do is set the zoon in the grid view in a way that it shows 4 images at a time.  That will usually show 2 stacks per line, so if there is one rejected or picked you click the spray on top of the one on the side and that will reject/pick depending on your selection for the spray action.  

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Eventually I delete all of the raw files maybe after I've safely backed up the processed jpegs. Seriously, who has the kind of time to edit Raw files years from now? I've got 30 thousand RAW files eating up space on my hard drive from my Nikon and Canon days. Guess when I'm going back to re-process those babies? NEVER.

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I process both the Fuji and Nikon (d800E) files in the same manner though the settings vary a little camera to camera and subject to subject.

1. Download Raw to LR

2.adjust color temperature

3.adjust exposure, make sure there is no clipping at the white and black end

4. null my sharpening, and adjust noise reduction to suit conditions

5. import to Photo Shop

6. convert to Smart objects via copy (it is already a Smart Object but the conversion  is an important step)

7. import to NIK Silver FX Pro (this is for B & W OR Color, trust me)

8. Select full Dynamic Range preset

9. export back to Photo Shop

10. In Layer Style change from Normal to Luminosity

11. Import back to NIK Silver FX Pro and work the image in  Black and White (this is just a layer it will be in full color when it is done.) This is mostly Structure in order to get middle tone contrast

12.import back to PhotoShop and now process with Layers and Masks as you would normally do (when you import back your image color is restored automatically)  What the B&W layer does is give you beautiful middle tone contrast without blocking up anything or over saturating) 

12. Lastly do a vigorous Noise Reduction and then localized sharpening via mask and layers.

 

I know it sounds a bit much, it takes about 20 minutes, but the results are fantastic.

 

I'm interested in seeing some of your photos processed in this way.  Please share.

Kent

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need some expert input here. When importing your fuji raw file(.RAF), did you convert to (.DNG)? I used to do that when using canon and enjoy the file size saving.

My concern is that whether LR know it was a fuji raw file and apply a different algorithm that optimize for x-trans sensor? 

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need some expert input here. When importing your fuji raw file(.RAF), did you convert to (.DNG)? I used to do that when using canon and enjoy the file size saving.

My concern is that whether LR know it was a fuji raw file and apply a different algorithm that optimize for x-trans sensor?

I maintain the raf file. Don't know if there is a difference.

 

Sent from my SM-N910C using Tapatalk

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Seriously, who has the kind of time to edit Raw files years from now?

I do. Admittedly I don't have thirty thousand, but I do have files going back to 2008 that I routinely re-edit. The software that is available now is so much more capable than what was available at the time that I can get much better results now. My view is that developing technology will constantly improve the results I can get from raw files so I never delete any raw file of any image I am keeping. It doesn't mean that I'm going to reprocess every one, but for those I want to reprocess I always have the option.

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Nope, screw DNG.  although the idea behind may be nice,I just prefer to keep my original RAF Files. And I dont think the Adobe DNG gets more love than the propriatary file formats in the future.

 

What would be really cool thoug is a lossless compressed RAF file format!! Its just hard to believe that my D800 36MP NEF files are around 40 MB and the 16MP Fuji RAFs come in at about 35MB....

 

Btw, it feels like the RAF import took significant longer than the NEF import to Lightroom...anyone else having this issue?

 

 

 

And my Hardware should be sufficient for Lightroom, I have a i7 3820 CPU, 32GB of RAM, a GForce GTX280, and the LR catalog and Preview files are on a fast SSD.....shure not the latest and fastest Hardware money can buy, but i guess its fast enough for some pixel pushing.

 

 

Back to the Workflow topic: Ive recently seen some tutorials from Jared Platt and although I dont agree to all and everithing he says, there are some very good points I've already picked up. Like Only do positive selections! Never spend time marking the bad pictures, only pick the good ones! Saves a lot of time since there are fewer files to mark and gives a much better feeling since you dont deal with the fails so much.

And Syncronize what ever possible.

and some more tipps...just check him out on youtube or so

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Interesting topic, already good a few ideas out of it.

 

I do the following:

  1. I shoot RAW only
  2. Import everything into Lightroom
  3. Look through the images, X those that will be deleted
  4. Rate the best ones (which are most likely to be shown to someone) with 1-5 stars, and edit them
    1. Out of a series pick the best one only and star that
    2. Use synchonise if necessary
  5. Once done: In grid view delete all the X'ed images
  6. Export all the 1 star and above image to Flickr as a backup
  7. Change all non-stared RAW to compressed lossy DNG (takes up no more space than JPEG but is more flexible if I really need to process one of those images later on. That said, it never happened as far as I remember).
  8. Backup the files and catalogue to an external HD

I rarely use JPEGs, even though they are good. I just could not find a workflow for that (if I want to keep the possibilies of RAW development)...

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Back to the Workflow topic: Ive recently seen some tutorials from Jared Platt and although I dont agree to all and everithing he says, there are some very good points I've already picked up. Like Only do positive selections! Never spend time marking the bad pictures, only pick the good ones! Saves a lot of time since there are fewer files to mark and gives a much better feeling since you dont deal with the fails so much.

And Syncronize what ever possible.

and some more tipps...just check him out on youtube or so

 

I guess it depends on the rest of the workflow.  For me, unflagged images are either raw files I want to keep or images I have not looked at.

 

Since I pick all the jpeg images in the beginning and filter by flagged images, going through them is pretty quick.  When I reject one image (using X) it already jumps to the next, if it is a keeper I'll skip to the next using the right arrow.  Pretty quick process, and I would look at all of them either way, even if good or bad, so, what changes is that I either click X or right arrow to change image using the loupe view (E).  I'll take a look at his videos, thanks for the tip.  

 

I guess you end up getting used to one workflow and then it feels pretty natural

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I rarely use JPEGs, even though they are good. I just could not find a workflow for that (if I want to keep the possibilies of RAW development)...

 

Thanks for sharing.  I have found a way of working with the jpegs and raw.  Maybe you might want to try it, if you think the jpegs are worth keeping and are good enough.  I used to shoot raw with my canon and always felt the need to work the files every time.  With the Fuji, I feel the jpegs are great and also I feel that doing minor tweeks to the jpeg instead of working on the raw a lot, is better for me.  But, each of us do what feels better to them, and works out better.  Depends on the type of photography you make and how much time you like to put into post production.  With 2 kids, wife, work, everything else, post-production time is not much for me.

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... The software that is available now is so much more capable than what was available at the time that I can get much better results now. My view is that developing technology will constantly improve the results I can get from raw files so I never delete any raw file of any image I am keeping. It doesn't mean that I'm going to reprocess every one, but for those I want to reprocess I always have the option.

 

I have RAW files going back to 2001. Not only have the tools to process them improved but also the dullard behind my keyboard has gotten better at using the tools.

 

To me, throwing away the RAW and keeping the JPG/TIFF/whatever is like throwing away the negative and keeping the print.

 

But, still, I do not very often go back and reedit an image so maybe I'm just a RAW File Hoarder...

 

Mike

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Hi There! Good topic Its alway good to see others Raw Workflow and to rethink the own procedre from time to time.

 

Here's  my way of file handling ( I shoot RAWs only for my Nikon gear and just started using my X-T1 with RAW + JPGs - so there is no established WF for this yet)

 

  1. Import RAWs from Card (via an Lexar USB 3 CardReader) usually nothing but the Copyright Infos added at this point

     

  2. Generate Fullsize Previews for a smooth Selecting process  - This takes AGES so I usually let it run over night. And NO, LR 6.1 is NOT faster than 5.7 not a tiny bit. Worse Fuji RAFs seems to take even longer than my 36MPx Nikon files.

     

  3. Selecting the keepers. I dont spend time to X-out the bad ones, only picking the good shots (P) and give a star or two for really good ones. I mostly use the  Overview Mode (N) or Compare View © to find the best in a series.

     

  4. set the filter to picks only, sometimes i start with the star rated shots first (the 'best of')

     

  5. Developing time. well, I try to get the basic adjustments done for a series of pictures first (with autosync on) and then get into the individual adjustments one by one.

     

  6. Export to Fullsize and a small HD version (with 1080px Height)

     

  7. move the Not picked shots to a _Rejects Folder - this will go to my Rejects Archive for a while
  8. Make a 'Export Folder as Catalog'  as a Backup for the real archive, including the raws and the _delivery Folders
  9. Select all shots that will stay in the main LR Catalog and will make it to the Website or blog (usually the star rated shots) - Invers selection and delete the rest from disk (ONLY after the backup is confirmed)
  10. Done.

 

Need to find a clever way for a Raw +Jpg WF.

 

And boy do I regret having updated to LR 6.  This is so incedibly slow. When exporting files LR is just unusable. The CPU acceleration is a joke it may speed up things a bit but its buggy:eg. when i use the crop tool i always see a library grid view for a split second, and it takes some 3 seconds to finally be able to crop.and a lot more funky shit......grrrr

No offense, but I fear your problem is with your computer, not Lightroom. And I am no Lightroom fanboy, believe me.

 

As I type this, on an iMac, I also have a Dell running Windows 8.1 next to me. 16GB of ram on the PC, 32 on the Mac. I have about 57k raw files on the Mac, 40k on the PC. (Lately I have used two catalogs with each: one for "current year" photos, one for everything else. This just made sense to me, but there were no problems before.)

 

I have had absolutely no speed issues with Lightroom (or any other of my processing software, including Capture One, Iridium, PhotoNinja, DxO, and, of course, Photoshop.) I do admit to waiting for LR to render previews sometimes, but that is highest quality, 100%, and not really much of a wait. Seconds, not minutes. Nor are there issues with icons, screens etc.

 

I suggest you do a reinstall. Remember to remove all of the preferences, and anything related to LR in your system. Before reinstalling, use diagnostic software to check out your computer and see what the problem is. On a Mac OnyX is quite good, and free.

 

Good luck...

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Here is my workflow, for a D800 and the X100T:

 

1. use a card reader to import raw files into Lightroom* I have a user preset for either camera, with import sharpening, lens corrections, camera profile.

2. in the Library mode, hit F key and look at each photo, grading keepers and rejects.

3. use the Develop mode to process keepers — Basic only plus cropping and straightening.

4. Command E gets me into Photoshop where I adjust color, tone, anything else needed (burning and dodging for example) Been with Photoshop since Day One.

5. I have an action for frequency separation output sharpening, which I developed.

6. I have output actions for each intended use — email, web, print, etc.

* I use GoodSync to backup my raw files to various external drive locations. Unless it is something special, I really don't back up processed files, just move a year's worth to another location at the end of the year. I am no pro.

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2. in the Library mode, hit F key and look at each photo, grading keepers and rejects.

 

 

I usually use Loupe mode (E) for this, but the full screen seems a good idea.  I'll try it next time.  I onlly think that the F will not allow you to see, before hand, if you have a series of like photos to analyse together when you get to them.  But maybe it is better to select since you view it bigger on the screen.  I'll give it a shot.

 

Thanks!

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Hello everybody,

here is my workflow:

1. Shoot RAW + JPEG (Astia is my fav simulation)

2. Import with Capture One. I have a main folder for the year named YYYY and subfolders for single dates named YYYYMMDD

3. Mark the keepers. Delete the rejects.

4. Process the RAW. The JPEG is my reference especially for the colors and general look. If JPEG is good enough I keep it, if not I delete everytime after RAW process.

5. Export RAW to TIFF 16 bit Prophoto RGB to further process in RAW Therapee or Photoshop (film simulations, chromatic aberrations, black and whit, dodging & burning, frequency separation retouch, color grading and so on)

6. Final export in TIFF 8 bit Adobe RGB 1998.

7. Backup in external HDD.

 

I have RAW files from 2008 and I also re-edit something from time to time :)

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I have RAW files going back to 2001. Not only have the tools to process them improved but also the dullard behind my keyboard has gotten better at using the tools.

 

To me, throwing away the RAW and keeping the JPG/TIFF/whatever is like throwing away the negative and keeping the print.

 

But, still, I do not very often go back and reedit an image so maybe I'm just a RAW File Hoarder...

 

Mike

 

Same Here.  When I switched from there Fuji S1Pro in 2004 (I think) dSLR to the S2Pro I shot nothing but RAF files.  Even back when I was a LR 1.0Beta tester moving from iPhoto, yes, iPhoto to LR with many others, LR did not have a problem opening my RAF files.  None.

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