Workflow Question from Lightroom User

sxross

• June 22, 2011 17:25

Ok, I confess, I have been using Lightroom. There, I said it. At this point, I've moved to Capture One and I'm happy with it, but am puzzling through emulating a workflow that I find comfortable. I'm sure someone else has solved this very same problem, so let me describe it.

What I typically do in Lightroom is:

• Import


• Process the image as far as I can get in LR


• Do some stuff in Photoshop or Nik tools -- whatever


• Export -- whether it be from the original RAW that LR has or from the TIFF that resulted from Photoshop/Nik. Further wrinkle: I have LR ask me where to export to because it varies depending on usage from image to image in a single shoot

In C1, I'm at this point:

• Import


• Process the image as far as I can get in C1


• If further processing is necessary, export to the specific location I expect to finish up as a TIFF


• Mark the image with a color flag as having extra processing done so I don't miss some important PS cleanup


• Export from C1 by setting the location of the output folder to the specific location, then hitting process (one image at a time)


• -or- Export from Photoshop

Now, the rub comes if I get a request for some change in the image at a later date. In LR, I can just find the image in my collection, click on the TIFF (processed version, Photoshop/Nik and all) and take up where I left off. With C1, and this happened just this morning), I have to open the collection, find the image, look to see if I've marked it with a "you did extra processing" flag, locate the TIFF, then open it in Photoshop. This is a much more error-prone process.

Any recommendations for streamlining this?

Thanks...

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  dougstroud

  • June 24, 2011 11:16

  If I understand this correctly, (I used to use LR3), after exporting from C1 you possibly may need to do more processing on an exported file and you are looking for a quick way to identify if this particular file has or has not been processed, is this correct?
  If so it seems to me the most simple way to identify this is to go directly to your "Output" file and seeing if the file is there; if so- success, if not- success, you know now what step this file is in your workflow.
  If I don't understand your scenario please help explain where I got it wrong and will be glad to help you troubleshoot it.

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  Paul Steunebrink

  • June 25, 2011 10:21

  My first response to either workflow description (LR3 or CO6): KISS (Keep It Simple, Sir).
  
  The workflow is a linear, sequential process:
  raw image -> raw processor makes adjustments -> processing combines raw image with adjustments -> TIFF (RGB) image -> post-processing (Photoshop/Nik) -> final TIFF image
  In LR3 you might store the TIFF or final TIFF in the LR Library again, where with CO6 you leave the program behind you and use a different browser or DAM program to view and select. You could even combine both LR & CO6 in that you use LR for asset management only and leave raw processing to CO and post-processing to your other tools, but that's a different story.
  
  Now, for the second round of adjustments. A change request comes in. You have now either of two options:
  1) the change can be done on the final TIFF and with Photoshop: let's do it, re-save as a different name with a suffix (see below); add a keyword in metadata if you like.
  2) the change requires reprocessing in CO6, but you do not want to loose the original adjustment: create a clone variant in CO6, reprocess into a new name (use the advanced output naming in the Output tool tab) and you apply post-processing with your PS/Nik/? tool if necessary. In case you used layers in Photoshop it might be easier to reapply the post-processing.
  
  And: how to identify a TIFF that has been enhanced with Photoshop/Nik/? after raw processing? Either use a suffix in the file name or add a keyword in metadata. Both solutions are tool (LR, CO, PS, Nik) independent.
  
  You design your workflow tool independent. Next, use features from your tools to tag their state you like to be able to distinguish (in file name, metadata, clone variant). Back to the drawing board. Good luck.

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