RAW Workflow Issues

sebpayne

At the moment, my workflow is a shambles. I can't seem to work productively. I'll describe how it works at the moment.

1. Copy RAW .MRW files from camera into 'RAW In' folder on the desktop
2. Open them up with Photoshop CS2
3. Adjust settings for photos
4. Export them as .DNG files
5. Import these DNG files into iView Media Peo
6. Annotate the images
7. Either Print, Upload to web or leave htem

Now, here lies a problem. Once I have adjusted the RAW files, do I save them as DNG or JPEG? As DNG files in iView Media Pro, I can't use PictureSync to upload them to smugmug as it doesn't understand them (and they are huge). So, my question is, once I have processed the RAW files, do I:

a.) Store them as JPEG in IVMP
b.) Store them as DNG in IVMP
c.) Store them as both JPEG and DNG IVMP (impratical due to disk space)
d.) Stop using RAW?!?!

Any help is welcome :

Seb

EDIT: I should also say I'm new to the whole RAW thing. I previously just used JPEG but the ability to adjust in RAW is great.

jfriend

Make JPEG copies of your RAWs for Smugmug

sebpayne wrote:

At the moment, my workflow is a shambles. I can't seem to work productively. I'll describe how it works at the moment.

1. Copy RAW .MRW files from camera into 'RAW In' folder on the desktop
2. Open them up with Photoshop CS2
3. Adjust settings for photos
4. Export them as .DNG files
5. Import these DNG files into iView Media Peo
6. Annotate the images
7. Either Print, Upload to web or leave htem

Now, here lies a problem. Once I have adjusted the RAW files, do I save them as DNG or JPEG? As DNG files in iView Media Pro, I can't use PictureSync to upload them to smugmug as it doesn't understand them (and they are huge). So, my question is, once I have processed the RAW files, do I:

a.) Store them as JPEG in IVMP
b.) Store them as DNG in IVMP
c.) Store them as both JPEG and DNG IVMP (impratical due to disk space)
d.) Stop using RAW?!?!

Any help is welcome :

Seb

EDIT: I should also say I'm new to the whole RAW thing. I previously just used JPEG but the ability to adjust in RAW is great.

I work in RAW and stay in RAW as long as possible. When I'm ready to upload to smugmug, I convert a copy of the files into JPEG and upload those to smugmug (I store them in a sub-directory under the directory containing the RAW files). I consider the JPEGs as view only - I never edit them. If I want to change the image, I go back to the RAW (or PSD if I've edited it in PS) and then regenerate the JPEG.

colourbox

It's so easy to export a batch of JPEGs from Camera Raw that I've been getting into the habit of not generating files I don't immediately need. DNG is enough to see in a catalog. If I need working copies to print or send or upload, then I batch-export JPEGs, but I often trash them after their job is done since I can always make a new one from the DNG. If a file needs more work that can't be done in Camera Raw, then I might keep a layered Photoshop copy of the image around. But I try not to save a Photoshop version unless absolutely necessary since they're so large.

If you are new to the whole RAW thing, you do not want to delete your RAW/DNG files yet. You will only get better at correcting them, so you don't want to have only the JPEGs of your early mistakes. Keep the DNGs so you can produce improved conversions as you gain skill. That's why I would vote for storing all the DNGs, and then on top of that only the JPEG or PSD copies that are necessary.

edit: I agree with jfriend that it should be a one-way street. It goes from RAW/DNG down.
RAW/DNG >> Camera Raw >> Photoshop (if needed) >> JPEG
I never edit the JPEGs either. I consider it an output-only format.