Workflow (1 Viewer)

I have just added Lightroom :king: to my workflow and have some questions on what others do.

Previously I would do something like this;

Import RAW file -> first pass in zoombrowser -> open tagged in CS3 -> identify key shots (normally 3/4 images) -> process in CS3 -> save image

Would be interested in some advice how to make the most of the new set up.

Thanks, Marcus

Marcus Conway - ebirder said:

I have just added Lightroom :king: to my workflow and have some questions on what others do.

Previously I would do something like this;

Import RAW file -> first pass in zoombrowser -> open tagged in CS3 -> identify key shots (normally 3/4 images) -> process in CS3 -> save image

Would be interested in some advice how to make the most of the new set up.

Thanks, Marcus

Click to expand...

Hi Marcus


I use Lightroom for my editing as well as photo management.
I import jpegs into my pictures (set up folders by species and date) then import from that folder (helps if carrying out any further work at a later date)
In library I set up folders by bird species (listed in the column to the left).You can also rate or categorize your photos in this section then filter depending on how you set it up.
Develop for my editing (although I sometimes transfer to CS2).
I dont use slideshow and print that much but my website is linked directly to the web section.In here you can customise your website if required.
I have used it for about 2 years and the possibilities are endless.
It might help if you could advise what you hope to get out of it.

Hope this is of some use.

Thanks Martin

Should point out I have used the key words and group settings from Mark Wilson's awesome tools.

http://www.rusticolus.co.uk/technology.html

Here's what I do.

1. Stick the CF card in the reader and use the Lightroom Import function to get the files into the correct folder. I also rename the images to something sensible.

2. In the Library module, set 'Caps Lock' to 'on', view the first image full-screen and decide it it's worth considering for keeping or it it definitely needs to be dumped. The former get a 'Right-Arrow', the latter get a press of the 'X' key. LR then displays the next image. After having gone through the whole shoot I display images in the Grid View, filter so that only rejected photos are shown, select them all and press 'Delete' and remove them from my hard drive.

3. The next step is to choose those worth of processing. Often I have several similar shots and I just want the best. For those I select all of them then press 'C' to use the Compare tool. This shows the first two images and you can select whichever of the two you want to reject. The rejected image gets replaced by the next in the selection. I then repeat the process until only one image - the best - remains. Taht will get marked as 'Pick' by pressing 'p'. The remaining similar images may be left alone or, more commonly, get marked as rejected with the 'x' key. Single images are viewed closely in Loupe Mode (press 'e') to see if they're worth processing - the space bar zooms in and out.

4. Now I should have images flagged as 'x' for reject or 'p' for pick. The rejects are deleted and the filter set to only show the picks. Then the 'picks' get processed.

5. The processed images then get flagged with 5 stars and keyworded (I also use Mark's lists). Then they get put into appropriate Collections. Those that I consider suitable for submission to Alamy are given a red label before bing copied to their own collection.

Hope that helps. I'm a lazy git, so I've tried to come up with a solution that works for me and doesn't require any excess effort.

Thanks, Frank. I'm trying this workflow after my next shoot. I've been using Lightroom since switching to RAW files and moving back to a Mac after being on a PC for a few years. Those occurrences were simultaneous and Lightroom picked up where iPhoto, Picasa, PS Elements, etc., left off. (And Apple Aperture seemed less sophisticated than Lightroom.)

Thanks for the tips on the keyboard shortcuts.