Recommended workflow and software for Mac
eichert12
Registered Users Posts: 100 Major grins
What are the Mac users in this forum using for post processing your images? I'm currently using iPhoto and while it's worked ok for me, I'm not thrilled with it. I recently started shooting in RAW and its a bit of a mystery to me how iPhoto treats RAW images.
My current workflow goes like this:
1) Download images from my camera / memory card into iPhoto.
2) Go through my images one at a time and adjust the temperature / tint / exposure
3) Bump up the sharpness
4) Crop images as necessary
What software are you using, and what's your workflow?
Cheers,
Steve
My current workflow goes like this:
1) Download images from my camera / memory card into iPhoto.
2) Go through my images one at a time and adjust the temperature / tint / exposure
3) Bump up the sharpness
4) Crop images as necessary
What software are you using, and what's your workflow?
Cheers,
Steve
0
Comments
iPhoto really sucks IMHO. Be careful with all the versions of multiple sizes it creates in it's so called database. When you have something like Lightroom, all you really want to import is the high rez versions, toss the rest.
Author "Color Management for Photographers"
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For anyone on this forum, meaning anyone with loftier aspirations, it does suck.
Lightroom.
But if I was only going to get one app, it would be Photoshop. Lightroom is great, but it's not a complete image editing app.
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I find I need the ability to do selections with masks and localized curves to create images that match my vision.
For me, and what I shoot, global only editing is not enough.
I open my RAW files via Bridge, delete the roughage, and edit the keepers. I file the finished images by a different folder for each month of the year. In the images file name I include the keywords, so that I can sort by Spotlight, It is kind of a lazy based system but it works for my needs as someone who does not make a living from my images.
This is not what I should do probably, but is what I have done for sometime - since Spotlight was introduced on the Mac. Because my RAW files are not in a single file, but stored in folders on two separate hard drives, they are easy to B/U or to write to DVDs as well.
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Absolutely love Aperture ... but I haven't used Lightroom so I cannot make a comparison. The initial version of Aperture was flawed, newer versions have made important improvements.
As Pathfinder said, one program cannot do it all. There is no such argument as Photoshop vs. Aperture, they do different things really. I use Aperture to store, keyword, catalog, review and retrieve images ... and for some minor adjustments to the image (except I do black and white conversion in Aperture and then tweak in Photoshop). I use Photoshop for color correction, localized curves, advanced sharpening, and all other adjustments.
Important note on Aperture: You cannot damage the RAW file saved within Aperture, it won't let you touch it ... when you make changes you are working on a new version. This nondestructive editing is awesome and the RAW file is always there if you want to export it. I ASSUME Lightroom is the same.
Workflow (abbreviated ... this just touches the surface of Aperture)
1. Pop card into reader, Aperture opens and import window pops up. Choose a "Project" folder or create a new one. Import images (I also assign basic metadata during the import stage, such as copyright info., and if it's appropriate basic keywords as well)
2. Add keywords to images. Lots of good tools for this including one to lift keywords from one image and drop them onto others (can also lift and drop other most other file settings, pick and choose). Aperture calls this Lift and Stamp.
2. Review images and rate them (reject, unrated, one to five stars).
3. Choose an "equal to or greater than" rating level (2 stars for instance) and the culled images disappear off screen.
4. Further review images in full screen mode, adjust rating as necessary.
5. Working with the best pics, I will make some minor global adjustments, often including edge sharpening and sometimes color temp.
6. From within Aperture, choose "Open Image with External Editor." I have this set to PS. Aperture automatically creates a new version of the file within Aperture and groups it with original. Photoshop opens and the image pops up as a PSD file (you have to set it to do this as a default, very important because PSD files save layers) ...
7. Make changes to image in PS using adjustment layers, layer masks and soft brushes, etc.
8. Save file and close. Switch back to Aperture and the saved PSD file is there in Aperture with all adjustment layers intact if I wish to revisit (I have one file that is nearly 500mb it has so many adjustments and dupe layers)
9. I can now export this file easily into different sizes and file types for various uses (with or without all the metadata, including keywords). I don't drive myself nuts trying to find stuff because all the versions are saved within Aperture. The entire database is searchable by keyword, image date (with a calendar that has bold dates for images taken on those days), rating, etc. I can also pull various images from different project folders and group them within a new virtual album without changing the original file location (confusing I know but it's a great feature for grouping various images).
Note: Aperture IS a major memory and processor hog. It works but is slow on an 2GHz Intel Core Duo imac with 2gb ram ... very fast on latest macbook pro. The Aperture file can get a bit large too, especially if you get image version happy, I'm at about 350 gb running on a 1TB mirrored drive ... but everything is in one place, and backed up easily.
So, i don't claim to be an expert on this, and i seriously doubt i have the most efficient workflow, but you asked ... and i'm hoping others might provide some insights here as well (if their eyes haven't crossed by now)
I find iPhoto to be quite useful. I use it with the mac uploader to organize my smugmug galleries.
In addition, iPhoto ties in to all your other iApps, as well as a number of third party softwares (Toast, etc.) which increases its usefulness to me.
Having said all that, import to iPhoto is the LAST step in my workflow, after it's been Ingested, Bibbled, and CS2'd.
Sounds like one of two problems:
Either 1) the version of ACR that came with PE needs to be updated to support your camera (free download from the Adobe site)
or
2) You need to update to a new version of ACR, which will involve buying the newest version of Elements, possibly the version that hasn't been released yet.
Another option is to download Adobe's free DNG converter and convert all of your raw files to dng, then open them as normal in ACR. Many people are suspicious of this method, because it isn't always clear what is getting lost or gained in translation. (On some fora, just typing the letters "dng" are an incitement to a flame-war. Luckily dgrinners are, by-and-large, a calmer, more rational peoples.)