BASIC WORKFLOW FOR DIGITAL CAPTURE
PREPARED FOR PRESSEFOTOGRAFENES KLUBB, NOVEMBER 2004.

STEP 1: SHOOT. Shoot at your camera's highest optical resolution. Use a minimum of in-camera sharpening. Shoot RAW & JPEG simultaneously, if possible. That way, if the JPEG is good you can use it, and skip the RAW conversion process. However, you still have a backup file with much more latitude. You can think of RAW as being similar to color negative film, and JPEGs as transparency film: with JPEGs, color and exposure must be nearly perfect in-camera. If you must shoot JPEG only, shoot at the highest quality, and check your histogram to judge exposure. When shooting JPEGS, camera settings make a big difference: color temperature, contrast, etc. Explore the options in your camera's menu items, especially with Nikons (try cloudy-3, for example), or consider creating and loading a personalized custom curve into your camera. (See planetneil.com, listed below under “websites.”)

STEP 2: DOWNLOAD TO COMPUTER. You can use your computer's operating system to copy files from digital cameras (it treats the camera or card reader as a hard drive), or you can use the camera manufacturer's software, or other programs such as Q-Pict, iView, iPhoto, etc.

STEP 3: BACK-UP. Some photographers make a backup of their images “as shot” before editing or file renaming - just in case. I travel with a laptop and two small external firewire hard drives for downloading and backing up images. It's up to you to where in your workflow to backup your images. Just make sure you always: 1.) have more than one copy of your images, 2.) backup to more than one place, and 3.) always make a backup of your files before renaming or performing any Photoshop work. Save untouched versions of your original files and do your Photoshop work on copies (Version1, V.2, etc.). TIP: Copying to one hard drive alone is not safe. With hard drives, it is not a question of if a drive will fail, it's when. High-speed CD/DVD burners and portable external hard drives are becoming very inexpensive. Avoid heartbreak and take the time to back-up your precious image files.

STEP 4: EDIT. Use Photoshop's “file browser” (which is extremely robust in CS), or a dedicated program, such as your camera manufacturer's software (Canon or Nikon, for example), or Q-Pict, iView MediaPro, iPhoto, etc.

STEP 5: RENAME. Always rename your files with names that you'll easily remember when you want to search for a file. I use Photoshop or a separate program to rename batches of files with a new name that includes the date, a subject keyword, and a number. For example, “_MG_8253.CR2” might become “001_oslo_111804.CR2.” I suggest renaming files in the order they were shot. Always keep the file suffix (.jpg, .NEF, etc.), and rename so the file number is first, so that your computer directory will display your renamed files in the same order they were shot. If you shoot RAW and JPEG simultaneously, you must rename the JPEG and RAW files (of the same image) with the same name and different suffixes. As for the folders, divide RAW and JPEG files into separate folders, make sure the contents of the folders are identical except for the suffix, and use the same rules for renaming. (TIP: when working with Photoshop files, name versions of the same image the way software manufacturers name updates: V1, V1.2, V2, etc. Never name a file “final,” because it never is. Do you have files on your computer named “_MG_8253final3.psd”?)

STEP 6: EDIT METADATA. it is surprisingly easy to add copyright information or captions to your images' metadata. Use Photoshop's “file browser” or a dedicated program. (Using Photoshop to add copyright information by batch processing is incredibly simple. Protect your images!) For more information on editing metadata, see “websites,” listed below: adobeevangelists.com > “Photoshop for Law Enforcement.”)

STEP 7: FILE FORMAT CONVERSION. Convert from RAW to PSD, or JPEG to PSD to do your Photoshop work. Do not work on JPEGs in Photoshop. JPEG is a “lossy” compression format. Each time you save a JPEG, your image loses quality because it loses a bit more information to compression each time the file is saved.

STEP 8: REDUCE NOISE. If are constantly shooting at high ISO, perhaps due to the shorter autumn and winter days in northern latitudes, noise is an issue. If you have not already discovered “Noise Ninja,” this is the software you've been looking for. It is a stand-alone program, currently in beta testing as a Photoshop plug-in. (See “websites,” listed below, for the URL.) There are also a number of ways to reduce noise using Photoshop. (Again, see “websites”: adobeevangelists.com > “Photoshop for Law Enforcement.”)

STEP 9: OVERALL IMAGE ADJUSTMENTS. Sometimes it is desirable to crop an image, or adjust the overall contrast, lightness/darkness, or color of our photograph(s). Perhaps you want to convert from color to b&w. (TIP: A one-step way to do convert to b&w that's usually far better than “image>mode>convert to grayscale” is to add a “gradient map” adjustment layer with the gradient set to white/black.) Note: If you're shooting RAW, it is possible to do most or all of these adjustments during the conversion process (Step 7), and to automate or batch the process, depending on the software you use.

STEP 10: LOCAL IMAGE ADJUSTMENTS. Traditionally, even documentary and press photographers performed basic “darkroom” work such as “burning & dodging,” controlling or enhancing contrast & color, etc. to specific parts of their photographs to enhance them. (TIP: Photoshop “layers” and “masks” make this a pleasure, and allow you to change your mind later, without degrading your file.)

STEP 11: SHARPENING. Generally, this should be at the end of your “darkroom” work. Be careful not to oversharpen. Perhaps more than anything else, pictures that have been sharpened too much give “digital” a bad name. White “halos” called “Mackie Lines” along edges where dark areas meet light areas, “stairstepping,” and all kinds of other unpleasant digital artifacting can be caused by oversharpening.

STEP 12: CONVERSION TO FORMAT REQUIRED FOR DELIVERY TO EDITOR/CLIENT. Perhaps your client needs a specific file format, such as TIFF or JPEG. Perhaps you want to do further editing of metadata, such as adding image-specific captions, or removing camera EXIF data. (TIP: If you deliver RAW files to your editor, you may want to check into Adobe's new DNG format.)

**AUTOMATION: By using Photoshop “automation” and “actions,” as well as batch processing features (in Photoshop and in stand-alone programs such as “Noise Ninja,”) it is possible to quickly and accurately modify folders full of images all at once. While it does take time to explore and master automation, once set up, actions can quickly and automatically perform surprisingly complex tasks.**

USEFUL WEBSITES:
(copy them into your web browser.)

http://share.studio.adobe.com/Default.asp (Actions, tutorials, and much more.)
http://www.adobeevangelists.com/photoshop/index.html
(Download “Automating Photoshop CS.” Also,“Photoshop for Law Enforcement” contains an in-
depth discussion of workflow and other tips press photographers will find especially helpful.)
http://nickyguides.digital-digest.com/adobe/index.htm
(Exceptionally well-illustrated Photoshop tutorials.)
The following are excellent sources of digital photography information:
http://www.fredmiranda.com/
http://www.robgalbraith.com/
http://www.steves-digicams.com/
http://www.photo.net/
http://www.nikonians.org/
(Privately run online forum for “passionate Nikon® users.” Great Nikon info.)
http://www.planetneil.com/nikon/custom-curves.html
(Info about custom curves for Nikon digital 35mm.)

http://www.picturecode.com
(Noise Ninja software for PC and Mac. Examples, tutorials, beta Photoshop plug-in.)
http://www.publicspace.net/ABetterFinderRename/ (Mac only program for renaming files.)
http://www.qpict.net/ (Q-Pict is an excellent Mac-only image browsing/viewing/renaming program.)
http://www.nikmultimedia.com (nik Multimedia, Inc. - Photoshop plug-ins for sharpening, effects, etc.)
http://www.iview-multimedia.com/
(iView MediaPro is a robust Windows/Mac media management,
presentation, editing, publishing, and cataloging application.)


Copyright © Jean Miele 2004. All Rights Reserved. No Reproduction Without Written Consent. Version 2 - November 2004

ABOUT JEAN MIELE: An internationally recognized artist and educator, Jean Miele is an outspoken advocate of the digital darkroom. Miele's highly enhanced black-and-white landscape images represent the fusion of classical landscape photography with 21st century technology. To see images, download free digital darkroom tips, purchase prints, posters & notecards, and for more information about workshops, seminars, private lessons, and the artist, visit the website


FOR INFORMATION ABOUT JEAN MIELE’S “DIGITAL DARKROOM” WORKSHOPS IN NORWAY:
WWW.VAGAHOTEL.NO Tlf: 61 23 95 50 November 17-21, 2004. Spring 2005 dates to be determined.