A question that I am asked quite often is what is my workflow for processing images. Given I am asked this frequently, I thought a post might be in order to give an overview of how I process images. This workflow has evolved over time to the point where it currently works best for me. For myself, the workflow needs to be streamlined so I am not at the computer for long periods of time and is setup so I am able top do things in a quick efficient manner. I am sure this workflow is like many others, but this is how I approach it.

First thing I do is utilize Photomechanic to import, cull through the images, tag favorites, delete unwanted images, nameing the images, and finally applying coyright, metadata then exporting to a designated folder for the next step. Photomechanic is just plain fast at dong this. Could I do this in Lightroom, sure, but it just takes more time so I prefer Photomechanic.

Once I. have the images I want to keep and work with, I import into Adobe Lightroom Classic app which is parto the creative cloud. First thing I do with the RAW file is apply any camera matching profile I may have used in camera at the time of capture, then I make global addjustments like exposure, contract, setting my black and white points and perhaps minor WB tweaks if needed. That is about it in Lightroom for me. I don’t spend a ton of time here. Whenever I share this with others, they tell me that I am missing out by not doing more in Lightroom. I remind them, for me at least the goal is not to spend time at the computer , but rather get back out there shooting. Lightroom is just what i personally prefer for a DAM program and orginization of my catalogs. For this Lightroom excels. Again, this just works for me.

My final step is to open the image in Photoshop. Here is where the majority of my post-processing is done from sharpening, noise reduction, removal of distracting objects, masking and so on to the final image. I do utilize the onboard engine in Photoshop of Camera Raw, which is basically the same interface, commands, and controls in Lightroom. Once completed, I close the PSD file sending it back to Lightroom. I then back up my primary disk with catalog to a backup, which is then copied to a cloud based service where all my files are kept. This provides me three copies of my images, one of which is off site. That is basically the workflow from import to digital darkroom processing to storage.