Digital Workflow, Lightroom and Capture One V4
September 1st, 2007
It's been a while since I am currently analyzing my current way of working in terms of workflow to work towards a simpler, faster and more flexible allowing me to spend less time behind my screen and more time behind my camera.
For now, I work in the following way for an optical "report":
- After each photo shoot, I transfer my CF cards in a destination directory on my hard drive theme dedicated to the photo, for example a session of urban aperitifs will be copied into a folder images / stories / urban aperitif / appetizers urban 20/08 / 07 Place Stephanie /.
- The cards are emptied via a compact flash drive from Sandisk that some tests offers the highest transfer rates (and therefore speed) it takes me about 6 minutes to transfer the equivalent of a card 2 gigs Xtreem3.
- I browse C1 to display all images in the application form contact sheet (ctrl + B) to delete the pictures that are either technically bad (sub ex, blurred, duplicate, without interest) representing approximately 5% pictures (my skimming is done on site using the wide screen of D200).
- Development work begins with a first adjusting the white balance that I applied for series of images, then I attack the contrast, exposure and saturation. This work is done in around 20 minutes for 200 images.
- I then exported all in Jpeg mode SRGB in two resolutions as a maximum in Jpeg and the other in a resolution suitable for the web with a stronger compression.
- Low def is uploaded to a web gallery and removed from my record. The High Def burned to CD or DVD depending on size will then be delivered to the customer demand.
- I then opened at Extensis Portfolio (software image catalog comparable Iview) and I assign keywords generic my pictures to find them later.
- Twice a week, I run a backup of my system and my data on external drives, the disks are stored away from home to avoid losing my data in case of disaster or burglary.
For a more "artistic"
The workflow is much the same a few differences:
- I am much more selective in my choices, it is no longer here to keep a good picture technically, but go beyond and choose the most interesting pictures, the selection is much more drastic.
- Some images will be corrected in more depth (usually for chroma) has been using photoshop, so I would export to TIFF 16-bit from C1 to benefit from the greater flexibility of work.
Capture One V3 advantages and disadvantages
It is now two years since I "developing" my images in Capture One 3.x, Capture One is a program that for me represents the best balance between quality and time spent behind the screen. Each importing images created an overview of C1 RAW and working on this preview, relative to other applications "derawitisage" we win énorment time behind the screen, the color rendition is unmatched in my opinion compared to other solutions available on the market.
But let's be clear, Capture One v3.x in terms of ergonomics and interface is clearly behind the times, its limited settings has basic settings (exposure, contrast, saturration, white balance) the software does not tonal correction, and certainly not uncorking of dark tones (achieved through the curves to some extent) what I need in about 10% of my photos.
The solution is to export my photos once developed 16-bit TIFF and work them through photoshop. Another feature that I miss a lot about this type of software is the ability to achieve my N / B without going through the box photoshop.
Lightroom V1.1
I waited for my new computer before I seriously consider Adobe Photoshop lightoom (LR) on my old P4 3.4 with 1.6 gigas gigas of ram, LR revolved but slowly, very slowly, every change applied to resulted in a file long enough refreshments on each image, the quality was very against you but in terms of productive time. On my new machine (Quad Core Xeon accompanied 4gigas of ram), the application delivers its full potential in any fluidity.
Lightroom is not just a "derawatiser" Lightroom offers to manage all the flows in one software.
- LR imports your pictures from your memory card in its catalog (automatically or manually)
- It offers your images as a contact sheet which allows a quick editing
- We then go a little time tagg images with keywords (which can then easily and instantly find its images via the integrated search tool, you can even search based on parameters Exif photos , focal length, exposure time, sensitivity ect ..)
- It then passes on the development tool that allows the same settings as Capture One and much more, for example, the possibility of making tonal corrections, retouch and in areas of former ex, make B / blender layers, correcting vignetting ect ...
- A module for printing and a module for creating web galleries ends this non-exhaustive list of features
Lightroom perfect application?
Yes and no, but here it is objectively a matter of preference and use, lightroom is for me sometimes so complete that it becomes slow, this may be a matter of time to adapt to meet the same speed as in C1, C1 is a tool that does that development, we must therefore turn to an external solution for cataloging images.
In lightroom I can not even respect me to have the colors in Capture One (especially in skin tones) what problem I saw my interest in the portrait.
Capture One V4
Phase One, the publisher of C1 after months of delay is out this Thursday, August 31, 07 first Beta version of the highly anticipated C1 V4, the Beta version is available for free download , I just download it and I would prepare a short note to express my felt vis a vis this new mount.
Good news, from the videos available on the manufacturer's website it is now possible to make the B / W and we can finally use a clearing of shadow areas, the manufacturer announced a version 4 times faster than the last! Returns on this beta version on the forum PhaseOne are not yet very positive
In summary I'm still not convinced to spend all my workflow in Lightroom, this is not a decision taken lightly, because if I chose LR this implies that I will have to enter all my keywords from Portfolio , as well as the settings made under C1.
The test on this new frame of C1, however, should make me look in one direction, if C1 is the height of my hopes, lightroom I will not be necessary. Case be continued!
Feel free to write your own workflow via the comments!
September 1st, 2007 at 8:40
Thank you for this very interesting article. The issue of digital workflow fascinates me
It is always interesting to see how others are doing to manage their photos.
Benjamin, quick question: you always photographed in RAW? How do you, at the directory structure to manage RAW + JPG (it already there's a bit of response in the article)?
September 1st, 2007 at 8:48
Hi Benjamin,
A small issue, apparently the Xeon Quad Core MacPro is not it? Why do not you try Aperture, it's still a professional solution, he proposes to try
September 1st, 2007 at 10:51
Very interesting ... actually me who does not like to spend 3 hours derrirèe the screen to touch up a photo series that except when it suits me really.
September 1st, 2007 at 10:52
bp in my dsl connection.
September 1st, 2007 at 12:37
Interesting post, it's always good to see how others are doing
For my part, I drop the NEF in .. / yymmdd_nomduprojet / NEF / I preprocesses images that require a dédistortion and correction of aberrations chomatiques with DxO, which then produces DNG, NEF I delete the corresponding. Then I import that directory in lightroom.
I never tried C1, may be the desire to scatter me on several apps, and lightroom is such a good job of ...
Just a phase I delete or sorting waste (approximately 30% for me, the D70 screen is too small to detect eficacement, I prefer to rely on a 19 ")
Correction in lightroom is done directly in "Develop" and takes the last shoot, 2 hours for 350 photos. Unlike you, Benjamin, it does not bother me to spend time behind the screen if it's worth it. 95% of the images undergo a WB correction, adjusting the white point & black point with Black / exposure and contrast correction with curves & saturation, sharpen + between 50 and 100 and dévignettage. 30% / 40% of the images also require a slight opening by fill light, and / or attenuation of the high lights. Productivity in lightroom seems possible with option synchronizes and if they do well in any "order" otherwise it's a little long ...
(I noticed from experience that even if it is better to expose the right course, but it's better just to the left than right too. A "fake" burnt is easier to fine-tuner a real out to retrieve my opinion.)
Then I esporte JPEG (adbeRGB preferably) in .. / yymmdd_nomduprojet / I U / L all in a Picasa web album to share with stakeholders, and I class with ACDSee thereafter. Photoshop never, unless it's for work, but it is another story
September 1st, 2007 at 24:49
You say C1 delivers unmatched color rendition ... Even compared to Nikon Capture NX?
Otherwise it's true that C1 is very good, I expected this v4 forward!
September 1st, 2007 at 1:59
Jean Roman: Since the D200 that I shoot in RAW, for the tree I keep everything in a folder with the name that I photographed in the folder and a folder for Jpeg and the RAW.
Augie: The quad core Xeon is a windows machine, I tested Aperture on mac but I was not impressed.
Mickymx:
;
pixel: Thanks for sharing! I love spending time but it depends on the purpose of frames and in themselves.
Pifgadget: Nikon Capture NX provides for me the finest quality "raw" but I find Verily against productive when you find yourself facing a large number of images, the color rendering of C1 to try just mount the white balance of an image and do the same thing in another program like lightroom to realize rendering
September 1st, 2007 at 3:41
Always interesting to read the workflow of other photographers.
I used RawShooter before Adobe bought it and do the farm, and I always use this for a quicksort sometimes pictures (your phase 1) as it is at least 50x faster to load the photos lightroom, regardless the PC.
Ditto for the change of PC, I have a quad core 4Gb ram also, and before that Lightroom was torture ...
For the workflow, it is very close to what you describe except that I 'quibble' has much in lightroom other than just the white balance and contrast. After, there are pictures or I make adjustments in areas that saw photoshop lightroom can not. There are LightZone is terrible in this area and is now incorporating lighroom, but it's still a separate product and is already being developed on the picture, so it's been one step and more. it would be great to know that lightroom do something similar ...
in lightroom, it is very interesting that the system of cleaning tasks much more efficient than the HEAL in photoshop, but similar. also try moving the sliders while the panel "detail" to let down the ALT key ...
September 1st, 2007 at 4:11
After a quick trial of Capture One 4, I must say that it already resembles more of a complete, well now there is still some stuff missing a lot and others that are very basic, but the speed compared to LR is indisputable.
September 2nd, 2007 at 1:34
Just a technical remark in passing, 4 gigs of ram on a windows machine that is not a 64 bit Windows (Windows XP 64-bit, 64 bit vista, which also bring their share of problems), it is useless, xp vista and not knowing 3gigas handle more ram.
September 2nd, 2007 at 2:18
Alexander, RS there is a patch for allowing import lightroom adjustments made in RS to import them into Lightroom.
LightZone is very powerful but in my view one gets from the scope of a software "derawatisage"
Capture One has always been a complete tool but it is true that the fill light tool provides a real plus!
Wistily: quite, why I had to go under Vista 64, with a result such as comical: the Nave from the d200 do not have a preview in vista, we must necessarily pass through a soft to view them (Nikon does not release a codec in vista 64)
September 2nd, 2007 at 11:21
Benjamin, I know for conversion tool that is totally incomplete and largely useless, I wrote a version of myself for some information
LightZone is true is that most of dérawatisage, but I was referring primarily to technical adjustments in their regions ...
September 4th, 2007 at 9:28
Yop!
I have bad luck .. C1 4 crashes on startup
I would not say no to test on my set of "holiday" ..
While we're at is, for better compliance of skin tones still in C1, there is an appropriate color profile.
You will find it in "workflow / color editor" and you take the profile "Nikon D200 portrait"
a +
September 5th, 2007 at 8:33
Interesting indeed to see the organization from others ..
I use Aperture on my mac, and I feel that it is much faster than other solutions, including ligthroom (I tried in parallel before I decide)
I first correction curve and sharpness of an entire folder then the balance of groups of photos. After I adjust picture by picture, but my curve is personal and often correct ... with the flying window is super fast.
After I export as needed, and I connect regularly on two external drives to protect all.
I keep a can around 1 year of photos on my computer, then I just keep the thumbnails (very good qualities) which allows me to keep the last 7 years of photos on my mobile (40000)
I have a D70 and I shoot in raw only since this summer, thanks to your influence Dailleurs.
September 6th, 2007 at 10:51
I use lightroom since beta, and I aimbe bcp, but I dream of a 1.2 with the tools "deformation of the lens' built ... because for architectural shots must board on photoshop for each image ... as most are taken into 18mm and well curved, straighten the verticals etc. ...
I have tested Capture One V4 but I have not hooked, I'm already too used to photoshop lightroom &.
September 13th, 2007 at 10:13
Hello Benjamin. About the cataloging of your photos by keywords, why not have them recorded in the iptc Metadate? They would be integrated into the image and you'd have found in any program.
If I ask is because I just had to lightroom 1.1 and I asked myself, seeing that lightroom proposed to enter keywords for photos but not store them in the metadata . That said, it is quite possible to put the keywords in the many fields available iptc.
I think it would make more sense to record systematically the keywords in IPTC fields.
That said, there may be something that escapes me
September 13th, 2007 at 8:58
Hello all,
I see that everyone is testing software. I wanted to know your position on that Bibble 4 m'à parru fast enough in post processing with a lot of options but a very bad comprehensive ergonomics.
I perceive also that iPhoto runs on mac ca not as bad as the RAW (CR2 gun for me) at least for simple images that do not require very large corrections.
I myself have tested very quickly although LR development options parraissent me very easy to use, I have myself found very slow despite my config (core 2 duo 2.4 gh 2GB of RAM) when the we begin to see a hundred photo tag expected to be ready.
I await your opinion.
thank you all for your advice and you benjamin that we offer a real exchange through your site.
September 24th, 2007 at 4:17
Here, I pass by here because I have a question. What is the PHP script that you are using to generate your gallery pages? I found more than 9000 but no one who does a single page
February 1st, 2008 at 4:37
Hello,
First to comment on this site that I discovered a few days ago and I have already adopted
Before working my photos to my selection I use Photo Mechanic is very efficient to browse raw files (a D50). I have a few powerful windows pc with less ram and 1GD it scrolls!
It also allows export in jpeg or tiff.
Benjamin and thank you for your tutorials, it makes you want to do the portrait!
A +