new CS3 user - workflow ?

Elaine

I'm new to CS3 and want to get started on the right foot as far as a simple workflow. Does the following make sense? What should I do differently?

Work on image layers, uncropped, no USM.
Save as PSD (unflattened). If I go back and edit anything, just replace and save the new PSD.
Before uploading to Smug, flatten and crop to appropriate size, apply USM.
Save as a JPEG (with size noted in file name).
Upload.

Eventually, I want to include Lightroom in my workflow, but my brain can only handle so much at once, so I'm starting with CS3.

Am I doing something strange or wrong or inefficient here?

Thanks in advance.

jjbong

Elaine wrote:

Work on image layers, uncropped, no USM.
Save as PSD (unflattened). If I go back and edit anything, just replace and save the new PSD.
Before uploading to Smug, flatten and crop to appropriate size, apply USM.
Save as a JPEG (with size noted in file name).
Upload.
Thanks in advance.

This is reasonable. I do it slightly differently, sharpening before I do the SmugMug conversion (the SmugMug conversion is an action, including converting to sRGB; I use a JavaScript to do the resize, so the original image can be of arbitrary size). I always save the original image from the camera, so I can go back and redo. I never really have to, but it's interesting to see over time whether I've gotten better (and by how much), comparing images I've corrected some time ago with different techniques with the same images using techniques I now use.

Zanotti

Elaine wrote:

I'm new to CS3 and want to get started on the right foot as far as a simple workflow. Does the following make sense? What should I do differently?

Work on image layers, uncropped, no USM.
Save as PSD (unflattened). If I go back and edit anything, just replace and save the new PSD.
Before uploading to Smug, flatten and crop to appropriate size, apply USM.
Save as a JPEG (with size noted in file name).
Upload.

Eventually, I want to include Lightroom in my workflow, but my brain can only handle so much at once, so I'm starting with CS3.

Am I doing something strange or wrong or inefficient here?

Thanks in advance.

I too have gotten into the habit of adding crop size to the file name. I find it really helps me when I go to print. It does mess up the key words in smugmug though. Note too that SM adds some usm to the images as well, so check before you print.

The shots do look different (and you have to think about) different crops - most typically for me 5X7 and 8X10.

Z

Ekaj

I defnitely prefer to do the majority of my editing in Lightroom. I use Photoshop for the more difficult editing aspects. I recommend downloading the lightroom trial before you waste too much time doing simple edits in the more time intensive Photoshop.

Elaine

Ekaj wrote:

I defnitely prefer to do the majority of my editing in Lightroom. I use Photoshop for the more difficult editing aspects. I recommend downloading the lightroom trial before you waste too much time doing simple edits in the more time intensive Photoshop.

I do own Lightroom 1.0. I'm taking a class on CS3 right now, learning about layers, etc... I just don't have the time to invest in learning Lightroom at the same time, and I'm not very good at figuring things out on my own. So...I'm happy to get really familiar with CS3 for now, and learning Lightroom is on my list as soon as this class is done (in a few weeks). Working with CS3 is important to me right now as I'm putting together some holiday cards using layered templates. I plan to use some free lynda.com training (that I got when purchasing CS3) to work through the tutorials on Lightroom. Hopefully, in the next few months, I'll get all this stuff pulled together in my head!

Elaine

Zanotti wrote:

I too have gotten into the habit of adding crop size to the file name. I find it really helps me when I go to print. It does mess up the key words in smugmug though. Note too that SM adds some usm to the images as well, so check before you print.

The shots do look different (and you have to think about) different crops - most typically for me 5X7 and 8X10.

Z

Good to know/be reminded, thanks!