Work Flow

[Ken Fournelle]

I imagine there are many work flow methods. Listed below is one I am using based on what I believe I found in Katrin Eismann's books. What I am confused about is when in the process is the best time to crop, resize, sharpen, flatten and print. Here is what I currently follow:

1. Duplicate background layer, (do not work on the background)
2. Do level corrections. Color corrections
3. Repair, retouch, clone, etc.
4. Save As
5. Flatten
6. Duplicate this flattened background image
7. Re-size the image for output
8. Unsharp mask
9. Flatten as a final image for printing
10. Save As (save this file as a separate file for printing etc.)

Comments please

Thanks,

Ken

[Ed_L]

Hi Ken,

I think people will have their own preference on many of the things you mentioned. Even sharpening, which once was the last thing you did to your image, is now sometimes being done in stages. If I'm sure how the final image will be cropped, I normally do it early in the process. If the image is large, this might help to keep things running smoothly, without straining resources. Unless there is a problem with a file being too large for easily making adjustments, I like to leave downsizing until just before the final sharpening, which is my last thing, except for flattening (if I do that). The reason I wait for downsizing is that it sometimes help make adjustments un-noticable, which otherwise might not be the case.

Ed

[austin2k]

Stick to a general pattern

Best best is to go with Eismann's recommendations. Saving off versions is a good idea...er...I mean excellent idea. If you actually work through her examples from front to back (ignore the glamor stuff if you want) you will have a good overall feel for a proper workflow. You can always make changes as needed but you should start with a solid foundation and her's seems to be as good it gets.

I have done all sorts of things that the books tell you not to do :-) But I know what I'm doing it and especially why I'm doing it. Practice, practice, practice!

[DannyRaphael]

Best best is to go with Eismann's recommendations. Saving off versions is a good idea...er...I mean excellent idea. If you actually work through her examples from front to back (ignore the glamor stuff if you want) you will have a good overall feel for a proper workflow. You can always make changes as needed but you should start with a solid foundation and her's seems to be as good it gets.

I have done all sorts of things that the books tell you not to do :-) But I know what I'm doing it and especially why I'm doing it. Practice, practice, practice!

Welcome, austin2k... Good advice (in general) and good point about coloring outside the lines when you more (or less) know what you're doing.

- - - - -

Ken:

Here's the absolute best workflow resource I've ever found. It's completely overkill for most mortals like ourselves, but will give you some additional insights:

http://www.luminous-landscape.com/tutorials/workflow1.shtml

- - - - -

BTW: Using Katrin's model around which to build = a great idea. She really knows her yogurt.

~Danny~

[roger_ele]

The little thing that we do that makes a big difference is after whatever name we give the photo that we are working on we add "_orig", "_work01", "_work02", etc. Sometimes we have a "_final" and sometimes the final is just the last work.

This is not a new idea, but it is such an important one I thought I would mention it.

Roger