My usual workflow from any shoot is that I download my images from my compact flash card to my hard drive. Then I burn the RAW images immediately onto a CD or DVD and I cannot rest til I have seen the images on CD so that I know it is safe and I have all my images.
Using My Computer or Explorer, I arrange the files according to event such as Bridal Preparation, Bridal Walk, Wedding Ceremony, Group Shots, Reception, etc. I use My Computer instead of Adobe Bridge or other photo software because I find it faster and not such a huge hog on my computer resources.
Then I choose the best photos from each section. In some photos, some people are blinking and those are immediately no-nos (unless that’s the only photo of that and it is important, then I would try to open the eye in Photoshop.). Some brides or some grooms are blinkers and if they are, that kinda narrows down the photo choices a bit. I make sure I take enough photos to make sure nobody’s blinking especially on Group Photos. (Small Groups, 3 takes, usually 1 vertical, 2 horizontals, for Big groups, I’d take as much as 5 or more: it is easier to click the camera 5x than to Photoshop eyes) I try to speak or make a joke between shots so that people will have different expressions in each shot.
I then open up each RAW file (.nef) in Photoshop’s Camera Raw which allows me to change the white balance and the exposure. I usually just change the white balance if the photo appears too yellow or too grey, then I use the Auto exposure and usually it works fine. If it is still too dark or too light, I adjust the exposure either up to -2 or +2. I don’t go beyond that unless absolutely necessary. I watch the highlights to make sure I don’t clip any info. (Cause I can still adjust it in Photoshop) I also bump up the contrast but not a lot.
Other things I watch for are vignetting, which is the black thing around the edges of the photo, which I always remove in Camera Raw; and Sharpening, if some photos are a bit soft (if it’s out of focus, there is very little you can do but if it is just a tiny bit soft, I fix it).
Then I press OK which takes me to Photoshop where all the fun begins. I crop the photo to the framing that I want, adjust the horizon if it is crooked, sometimes I make a horizontal shot vertical if there is too much unnecessary space, sometimes I frame the photo diagonal to add effect.
Then I do the Levels (I do the crop first so my levels are for the cropped photo). I usually just press Auto and just look at the photo to see how it affected the color and the brightness. Then I tweak it by putting the black point as far as I can put it without clipping important detail, same with the white point. Then I fix the midpoint til the photo is as light as I’d like it.
Then I do Curves and just usually do either the Linear Contrast or the Medium Contrast. (Curves still scares me so that is about as far as I go for now)
Then I do retouching like if there’s people in the background, I clone them out. If there’s blemishes, I heal them. If it’s a closeup of a face, sometimes I fix the lines like laugh lines, wrinkle lines, stray hair, bra straps etc.
Then I save the file as jpg. After I finished all the files (which takes me 2-3 days depending on how picky I am), I again burn these to a CD so that it will be safe.
I then send it to the photo lab. I usually just upload it to the website or if I have time or if it’s rush, I go to the photo lab myself.
When I get the photos, I either mail it to the client, or meet with the client.
