Raw 1.12

[Damien Symonds]

Jump to next slide >>

The standard Raw workflow

No two photographers have the same workflow, of course. Over time, you’ll develop your own unique system that suits your needs. But everyone needs to start somewhere, so we need to discuss the fundamentals. Since my own workflow is fairly standard and unadventurous, I’ll outline it for you now.

It begins with safely copying the files onto my computer. I’ve made a video about it here, and an important reminder here.

Next, I browse my photos in Bridge and ruthlessly cull all the photos that aren’t good enough. Poor focus is my main concern, as well as obvious problems like blinking, open mouths, etc. I don’t delete any files in the early stages, though, just in case I can use any of those rejected photos as donors for background replacements, etc.

(I’ve made a video about the culling process, which you can watch here.)

Then it’s time to begin editing. The editing workflow looks like this:

Let’s break it down >>

[Merevor]

I watched the video and I was wondering how you selected the eye and it zoomed in on it.  Mine is just an arrow and does nothing when I click it.  Thanks!

[Anna-Lena Ström McGrath]

In Bridge you select "Filmstrip" view and when you hover over an image in the "preview" window it has a loupe with a plus on it.  Click on the image and it brings up that "zoomed in view" for a focus check.  You can move it around (to an eye for instance) or click the "x" in the bottom right corner of the "zoomed in view" to get rid of it.  

[Merevor]

thank you!

 

[Lyndall]

In the first video where you talk about transferring your files from your card you mentioned you right click and select browse in Bridge,  I'm on a Mac and cant see that option.  is that just a PC thing? I currently transfer ALL the photos from my card onto my computer (which is way too many) before I go into Bridge.  Would love to have this option.

[Damien Symonds]

10 hours ago, Lyndall said:

In the first video where you talk about transferring your files from your card you mentioned you right click and select browse in Bridge,  I'm on a Mac and cant see that option.  is that just a PC thing?

If your Mac mouse doesn't have a right-click button, I strongly suggest getting one that does.  But in the meantime, Ctrl-clicking will give you the same result.

[Lyndall]

I have a right click button but the option to view in bridge isnt there. Thought it might be a PC option but wanted to make sure as I think this would be great to use. 

[Damien Symonds]

Oh, right.

You do have Bridge installed, though?  Do you use it habitually?

[Lyndall]

Yes I have bridge and use it all the time. 

[Damien Symonds]

Just to check, you're right-clicking on a folder?  It doesn't work if you right-click on individual files.

[Lyndall]

Yep just on the folder.  This is what I see when I right click

[Damien Symonds]

Bummer.  I don't know, I'm so sorry.

[Lyndall]

I actually just worked it out. It seems with a mac you have to open the folder so you can see all the photos. Then just right click on one of the photos and it has the option to view in bridge. It brings all of your photos that are on your card in there. Thought I would post just incase any other mac users wanted to know. 

Edited March 16, 2016 by Lyndall

[Damien Symonds]

Thank you so much!

[Lilli]

How do I modify the filmstrip. I like the idea having the filter and metadata on the left hand side. thank you.

[Damien Symonds]

6 hours ago, Lilli said:

How do I modify the filmstrip. I like the idea having the filter and metadata on the left hand side. thank you.

Just drag the panels around by their tabs, exactly the same as you'd modify a workspace in Photoshop.

[splewington]

Hi - I'm using Elements 14 on my iMac, Bridge doesn't seem to be installed with that. Also, Faststone doesn't appear to be available for the Mac (only Windows?). What should I use to copy and cull my photos, the macs standard explorer/finder? Thanks

[Damien Symonds]

Yes, 'fraid so.

[splewington]

ok thanks for the prompt response

 

[TraceyTurner]

Long winded question here. 

This may not be an appropriate Raw question.

I am extremely new to editing and am very confused on copying and saving. I hope to understand the process better before I go any further.

 

I bought a new computer for the purpose of learning and using Photoshop Elements. The secondary reason was a brand new hard drive along with portable hard drives and CDs for safely storing and categorizing to make it easier to find photos on demand.

 

As I take photos I copy them to my computer hard drive in folders labeled by year then month.

I review them and delete unacceptable photos.

Then I copy again to a portable hard drive with the year/month folder system.

Then I copy to another portable hard drive with a event folder system (Holidays, photo shoots, birthdays, vacations, etc.)

 

My intent was to eventually sort all my past photos and once organized in to events I could burn each event onto Cd's to keep in a fire safe?

 

In the mean time I purchased PSE and signed up for your course. I actually liked the idea of the PSE Organizer so I could click a button or search a word to find the photos I am looking for instead of scrolling endlessly through my year/month/event file system. So, I began importing thousands of older photos into the PSE Organizer and tagging them. I have opened many photos to play with it while following steps in your course. Now I see a million other photos being stored in My C: Photos and not in the folders I would like them to be organized under? I think I may have moved a few into my file system.  I am scared to delete these photos because I am clueless as to WHY they are there and if I will lose something important. Side Note: When I open the PSE Organizer it pops up time to backup. When I select backup, it says files are missing?? Could this be that PSE Organizer creates a duplicate?

 

Again, my whole purpose was to have an organized library to find photos quickly. Now I have no idea if I've just buried my new hard drive with a million duplicates.

 

Can you give me a starting point?

1. File storage. I'd like several media in case fire, or mother nature.

2. Organization. Fast and easy to find particular photo.

 

After being on your forum I see you are not fond of Organizer. I see you prefer Fast Stone?

If I am to switch does it work similarly?

 

Also, how do I begin to switch over and make sure all my photos are there?

Thank you.

[Damien Symonds]

18 minutes ago, TraceyTurner said:

After being on your forum I see you are not fond of Organizer. I see you prefer Fast Stone?

If I am to switch does it work similarly?

No, it doesn't work similarly, that's the whole point, and as I read it, the whole crux of your issue here.

FastStone and Bridge are browsers.  They allow you to do things with your photos where YOU put them.  None of the importing crap, none of the automatic organisation crap, and DEFINITELY none of this "I wonder why those files are there and whether I can delete them" crap.

[Damien Symonds]

Just name your folders with appropriate key words, and keep a good disk catalogue.  Don't overcomplicate this.

[TraceyTurner]

Thank YOU!!! you guys are so fast. 

So to be clear, just use fast stone to browse and cull and continue with the Year/Month/Event file system? DO NOT USE ORGANIZER SOFTWARE of any kind, Correct?

And as I edit they stay in the file I save it in?

[Damien Symonds]

6 minutes ago, TraceyTurner said:

So to be clear, just use fast stone to browse and cull and continue with the Year/Month/Event file system? DO NOT USE ORGANIZER SOFTWARE of any kind, Correct?

Well, personally I find monthly subfolders really clunky.  Subfolders, period, actually.  I just start each folder name with 160527 (today's date, for example) then cram it with relevant keywords.

For example, if I took photos of my son at the beach today, I would name the folder "160527 Rowan beach Caloundra sandcastle", or whatever.  Later, when searching, if I knew we'd been to the coast in May, even if I didn't remember the date I could search for "1605" and it would come up.  Or if I just wanted photos of the kids at the beach, no matter when, I'd search for "beach", and so forth.

9 minutes ago, TraceyTurner said:

And as I edit they stay in the file I save it in?

Right.

[Victoria Rowe]

Is there a quick way to 'Pick' photos in Bridge like you can in LR or do you have to do the tedious Cmd-5 or right click to every single image you like? In LR I can cycle through them as I pick or reject so it moves on to the next image automatically. What's the fastest way to cull? I've watched the video but I'm looking for speed here.