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best workflow for nikon nef (raw) files if i don't want to do much manipulation?
pics-ell
Registered Users Posts: 55 Big grins
yikes! i'm searching through this forum and i'm a little overwhelmed! i've been a smugmugger for a couple of years now, but i'm just (rather reluctantly) making the switch to shooting digital. my film camera broke and i took it as a sign from the cosmos that it was time to go digital.
anyway, coming from the film shooting camp, i don't foresee making tons of manipulations to photos, but i'm sure since i'll now have more of an option i'll probably get more into it at some point. so i was wondering what people thought might be the best workflow for me. i have a nikon d80 and a macbook.
currently, since i've been having my film processed and scanned, i've just been using iphoto to organize and then upload the digital files to smugmug. i'm thinking, though, that iphoto is probably not the most efficient way to handle large files and is unable to really do much retouching... i've been looking at the lightroom vs aperture and other threads here, but i'm such a beginner that a lot of what people are saying is making me think perhaps i'm in over my head!!! i'm actually pretty tech savvy, but for some reason this whole switch is freaking me out.
anyway, if anyone has any thoughts or opinions i'd be appreciative...
thanks,
ellen :yikes
anyway, coming from the film shooting camp, i don't foresee making tons of manipulations to photos, but i'm sure since i'll now have more of an option i'll probably get more into it at some point. so i was wondering what people thought might be the best workflow for me. i have a nikon d80 and a macbook.
currently, since i've been having my film processed and scanned, i've just been using iphoto to organize and then upload the digital files to smugmug. i'm thinking, though, that iphoto is probably not the most efficient way to handle large files and is unable to really do much retouching... i've been looking at the lightroom vs aperture and other threads here, but i'm such a beginner that a lot of what people are saying is making me think perhaps i'm in over my head!!! i'm actually pretty tech savvy, but for some reason this whole switch is freaking me out.
anyway, if anyone has any thoughts or opinions i'd be appreciative...
thanks,
ellen :yikes
pics-ell
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Lightroom, from what I understand, is very similar to Aperture. It's my main photo software because it takes care of almost everything except localized editing. It imports, backs up, renames, and has good global development capabilities. The Print module is very good, exporting to JPEG is easy, and the cataloging features are great. The interface is very intuitive and easy to pick up on. I have two LR books but only use them to look up something when I'm stumped. It's a "no-brainer" to get started with, do a little reading to start off and you'll be amazed how easy it is to use.
I shoot Nikon RAW and use LR for most everything. Occasionally, I'll use Capture NX for editing RAW files then save them as TIFF and import them back into LR. Or send a file to PSE for watermarking, but it goes right back to LR for export/printing.
I wouldn't be freaked out at the prospect of using either LR or Aperture. They'll do a lot more for your images than a simple browser ever could.
Best of luck,
Bill
This was originally documented for this thread http://www.dgrin.com/showthread.php?t=72786
I am not an expert photographer by any stretch, I take lots of photos hoping to get a good one. Luckily it is my hobby and electrons are recyclable. This work flow is what works for me after a few years of process.
1. Shoot lots of photos
2. At the end of the shooting, typically the end of the day, download the photos in two methods
* I use Adobe Lightroom to import the photos (copying them in), including a Keyword and Metadata set that is appropriate for the day. I also tell it to convert to DNG when possible. I shoot both RAW and JPG.
* I then copy all the photos/data from the camera to a directory on the computer. All of these files are backed up and kept whether the pictures are keepers or not.
3. I print a PDF of a contact sheet of the photos and include that on the backup of the pictures. I then keep the contact sheet on the computer just in case.
4. I review the photos in Lightroom and figure what pictures are keepers and what ones are rejects. I then delete the rejects including the original files. (If I change my mind I have all the original photos)
5. I rename the files using Lightroom, I typically do a Filename that is a description and then sequence number.
6. I then go in and start putting in the keywords, title, and captions. To me the key is to just go in and do it that day so I do not get behind. I learned this one the hard way.
7. I then look for similar visual settings and create a smart group (there are lots of ways to do that) and apply an included Develop Preset, see how it looks - undo - repeat as necessary until I am happy with the look.
8. Continue until they are all done.
9. In Lightroom select Export and set its Post Processing After Export command to run a batch uploader.
10. Read various forums while the photos upload.
This work flow works on both Mac and Windows.
It might not be the right one for everyone but it works for me. I figure after 3,000+ photos cataloged and having taken over 10,000 photos with my digital cameras in the past 7 years I have learned a few things.
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good suggestions on the workflow, bradford. it sounds like a lot of steps to me, but i'm sure it makes sense and is helpful in the long run.
if anybody else has something to add, i'm all ears!
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Dale
i'm beginning to think you're right, dale. i've been running it for a few days now (actually since i started using the digital camera) and it seems to be what i want/need. does anyone know if i can add text, and if so, how? i don't need anything fancy. i have cs2, but it's on the windows computer and i've switched everything over and i'd rather not mess with it for just simple text additions...anyway...
Text features are a little short in LR currently. You can add photo info in the Print/Slideshow/Web modules and a limited amount of text, but there's currently no provision for watermarking or text overlay on exported files. It's definitely on the Adobe request list but it's a case of "when we can get around to it".
However, it's easy to send a file to PS or PSE and that's what I use for text overlay. You could pick up a copy of PSE4 for your Mac and you're set.
HTH,
Bill