Do you ever feel like you’re running around chasing your tail? Oh, I do all the time! One of my biggest tail-chasers is my workflow.
I have to admit — my workflow basically is work-slow. I’ve just never taken the time to create and stick to a process after I download pictures from my card to the computer. Yes, I backup regularly, important client photos are copied immediately to a DVD and all photos are uploaded to an offfsite – online storage site, but I don’t have a committed to process after that. Sometimes I rate photos, then delete the less than stellar photos — and then sometimes I just don’t take the time to do that at all. You’d think I had endless storage space for all these photos. Well, I don’t!
The other evening, I was talking to Rick and mentioned to him that I really needed to buckle down and get a handle on my digital workflow!
I’ve been a Photoshop user for at least 5 years now and am currently running Photoshop CS5 (love it). Late last year — I decided that I wanted to add Lightroom to my bag of tricks (to help me manage my digital workflow). Problem is, I really have no clue how to use Lightroom and haven’t taken the time to learn it. So — today I’m going to start my journey of developing and sticking to a digital workflow!
I went to one of my go-to sites, Adobe TV, to see if there were any videos that could get me started — and of course — found one!
It’s a short, simple and to the point video on how to select, sort and rate your photographs in Lightroom. Now I may have to watch it about 3 times before it sinks in, but at least it’s a start. After watching it, I went to Lightroom and started looking at my pictures from my honeymoon in California. After going through the process explained in the video — I went from 1200 to a little over 300 photographs. Now that’s manageable!
While scooting through the photos — I ran across this little series of Rick, looking out into the ocean. Oh — and then the ocean comes to him — SPLASH!
Yes, he may have misjudged his timing just a tad. Don’t worry, he escaped with just his bottom half getting wet!
Anyhoo — I’m really, really, really committed to buckling down and getting a handle on my workflow! Think of all the time it’s going to save me — and save space on my hard drive!
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5 Comments
So, did you un-install Photoshop? I like LR too, btw. Thanks.
Still using Photoshop. I’m trying to get better organized (thus Lightroom), plus get some of the quick and easy global adjustments taken care of in Lightroom. Still struggling with it — but hopefully, the light will come on and I’ll go — well Duh!!!!!
Choosing to incorporate Lightroom was your best decision. I barely ever open Photoshop anymore unless it’s a rare photo I need to use the clone tool on or work in layers with. I’d say since going with Lightroom about two years ago I do 98% of my post processing with it and a couple plugins and it saves me so much time. I do my geotagging in it as well. Once you learn it you’ll love it I’m sure, it’s a lot more powerful of an editing tool than most people think. My favorite is the built in noise reduction, it’s better than most plugins I’ve tried. Hope you have fun learning and using it, good luck!
Thanks Andrew! I don’t know why I’m finding Lightroom so much more complicated than Photoshop. Must be the “old dog – new tricks” thing.
I had been using Imagenomic for noise reduction — so I’m thrilled to hear that you like the noise reduction in LR. I’ll give that a whirl!
Thanks again!
I was overwhelmed with it at first too. I was just tired of opening up everything in photoshop to do a small curve adjustments etc. It really saves a lot of time naming, tagging and editing those photos that don’t need much done to them. Imagenomic has Lightroom plugins as well, so hopefully you could just download that version if you wish.