AN OUTLINE OF THE DIGITAL WORKFLOW

CAMERA SETUP

• Choose JPEG or RAW (don’t use TIFF as a capture format)

• Set camera to display histogram (individual color channel histograms if possible) and “blinking highlights”
• Set camera LCD monitor brightness to allow distinguishing brightest tones
• Set ISO – keep as low as the light level permits – no not use the “auto ISO” feature if your camera offers such
• Set ISO step values to 1/2 stop, shutter speed and aperture to your choice of 1/2 or 1/3 stop
• Set AF as needed (read your camera manual very carefully about this)
• If camera has auto-rotate feature to display vertical images on camera LCD as a vertical when camera is held horizontally, turn it off.  You should be working on a tripod so the camera will be in a vertical orientation already.
• Turn off in-camera noise reduction; use only when needed (usually only long-exposure noise reduction, not high-ISO reduction)
• Set camera to Aperture Priority exposure mode
• Set metering pattern to Matrix or Evaluative, and check your histogram.  Use Spot metering pattern when working deliberately.
• In Matrix metering mode, adjust exposure with the “+” and “-“ exposure compensation button; if working in manual exposure mode you must physically change aperture or shutter speed.

• Organize flash cards in wallet (label side out means not used)
• Format flash card in camera

IMAGE CAPTURE

Now take your pictures – but remember that good workflow starts in the field, not later at the computer.  Photoshop cannot make a bad picture good, but does have the ability to make a bad picture big.  Garbage in, garbage out.  For the best pictures use the best photographic technique possible.

• Check your histogram and re-shoot if necessary.

DOWNLOAD

• Always use a flash card reader; do not connect your camera directly to computer
• Make sure your card reader is NOT an old USB1 version

• If desired have program add your copyright information automatically: © John Shaw

• Rename files as you download
• Setting up a naming convention is important.  Digital cameras output files with name such as “DSC1234.nef” which tell you nothing about the file, nor is there anything to keep from getting another “DSC1234.nef” file sometime in the future (or from a second camera).  I use Nikon D2x cameras that allow substituting a three letter code instead of the DSC letters.  I add the date (which makes it important to set the camera’s clock correctly, including allowing for time zone and DST).  A file from my camera might be named 070925_JSP1234.nef.  This interprets as the date (September 25, 2007), the _ denotes it was taken in Adobe RGB color space (Nikon’s convention, not mine), JSP is my code for this particular camera since I have two D2x bodies (JSP = John Shaw Photography), 1234 is the file number generated by the camera, and .nef is the file extension (Nikon’s RAW file format, Nikon Electronic Format).  I would have to shoot more than 9,999 images on that particular day with that camera body before any chance of repeating a file name.
• Copy downloaded files to a second hard drive
• Copy to third hard drive 

EDIT AND CAPTION

• Edit pictures and batch caption.  Use slideshow mode for editing.  (You could use Adobe Bridge for renaming, adding copyright, and editing.)

• Set up archiving system for images, with some method to associate versions of the file (print image, web image, etc.) back to the original file
• Drag and drop files and folders
• Use cataloging program if so desired: iView Media Pro,  iMatch, Extensis Portfolio, etc.  Download and try the trial versions before purchase.  I use and highly recommend Media Pro.

OPEN A FILE

• Every RAW converter has a slightly different “flavor.”  There is no one perfect converter, although some are far easier to use than others. 

ADOBE CAMERA RAW (ACR)

Note:  Adobe periodically releases updated versions of ACR as new cameras come on the market.  You need to download the free updates from www.adobe.com and carefully follow the instructions as to installing.  ACR will not open files unless you have the correct version for your particular camera (the download site has a complete listing).

• In Workflow Options
• Set Space to Adobe RGB; use ProPhoto RGB if you intend to stay in high-bit throughout Photoshop also, but do not send out ProPhoto RGB files
• Select 16 bits/channel
• Default size
• 240 or 300 ppi (it really doesn’t matter what you select here)

• In the Adjust tab
• Turn off ACR Auto settings: open the fly-out menu; uncheck “use auto adjustments.”  Make new defaults as you wish (with an image open in ACR click “save new Camera Raw defaults” in the same fly-out menu).
• In Preferences set sharpening to preview only
• Set white point with Exposure slider – hold down Alt/Option key for clipping preview
• Set black point with Shadows slider – hold down Alt/Option key for clipping preview
• Note: watch the image preview to determine the tonal range.  Not all images will use the widest range.
• Now use the Brightness slider to adjust the midtone point
• Set White Balance as desired using the Temperature slider for warmer or cooler light
• Hint:  try all the presets for a quick overview of possibilities, then fine-tune with the slider
• Use the Tint slider to control green/magenta casts

• In the Detail tab
• Use the noise reduction sliders as needed (the least possible as image sharpness suffers at higher values).  View image at 100~200% for evaluation
• Luminance Smoothing deals with grayscale noise, variations in tonal values (looks like film grain)
• Color Noise Reduction deals with the random bits of color that appear, especially green and magenta
• A better option: use Noiseware or Noise Ninja plug-ins

• In the Lens tab
• With wide-angle images, zoom to 300% and view the extreme corner of image.  If you see a color fringe use the Chromatic Aberration sliders.  Hold down Alt/Option key to limit color channel visibility
• Use Vignetting slider to either fix or add corner darkening

• In the Curves tab
• Modify curve as needed

And now you have a choice as to what to do:

• Cancel: exit without saving anything
• Done: save settings then exit
• Save: save settings and save image to file (such as .tif, .jpg, .dng, or .psd)
• Open: save settings and open image in Photoshop

BRIDGE

• Open Preferences and select
• General tab: settings for display of images in Bridge
• Use Distributed Cache so Bridge does not have to re-cache if you move images/folders to other media
• Use Bridge to move images/folders and cache moves also
• Metadata tab: specify which fields are shown on Metadata palette
• Labels tab: labels and ratings
• Most likely you can leave the other tabs at default settings
• Drag and drop palettes to create your own customized workspaces; give each version a name and save (Window>Workspace>Save workspace)
• If you don’t use a specialized cataloging program, use Bridge to find images
• Edit > Find, and type in up to 13 criteria you want to match

PHOTOSHOP

• Work on the image
• Open image, study it, make a game plan on what you want to correct
• Crop and straighten the image if you did not do this in Bridge
• Remove dust spots using a new layer and clone tool or spot healing brush
• Make global color and tonal corrections first, then local ones
• Levels adjustment layer
• Curves adjustment layer
• Hue/saturation adjustment layer
• Selective color adjustment layer
• Add masking layers or make selections as needed for localized corrections
• Dodge and burn layer

• Save master file with same name as original file – not sized, not sharpened, not flattened – as .psd or .tif with all layers intact

• Make a print
• Open a copy of master image, and flatten layers
• Size image and set to 240 ~ 360 ppi
• Sharpen
• Have good paper profiles installed
• Use “print with preview”, “let Photoshop determine colors,” “relative colorimetric” intent, correct paper profile, and turn off any printer color management.  Set printer to use 1440 dpi.  Select correct paper size and type.
• Print

• Create web, email, digital projection images
• Create actions for different uses
• Or use Image Processor in Bridge (Tools > Photoshop > Image Processor) to set size, color space, and file type.

• Archive images created in previous steps