Photoshop Editing Workflow for Photo Shoots

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. 

Shooting on RAW instead of JPEG

I’ve just recently discovered the joy of shooting on RAW.  Instead of setting my camera to Finest Quality JPEG, I use RAW setting instead.  With JPEG, all the file information of the photo is compressed so that the file size is smaller and you can take more photos.  But with RAW which is considered a Digital Negative, all the information is uncompressed and with Adobe Photoshop, you can change settings such as White Balance, Exposure and other cool things while still maintaining high quality.

I’ve started using RAW for every photo that I take because I love the degree of control it allows me at post-production.  I especially love shooting on RAW on weddings because I can’t afford to make mistakes during weddings but of course sometimes I do, but since I shoot on RAW, I can correct it in Photoshop.  Some purists would say that I should learn to shoot properly and set my exposures properly but in stressful shoots such as a wedding, you don’t really have time to fiddle with the camera while an event is happening in front of you that if you so much as blink, the moment is gone.  I’m also moving from different locations, indoor, outdoor, indoor again, shade so it’s not always easy to change settings while running.