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Originally uploaded by kk+.
Digital Photography Workflow: From Ingest to Flickr
PhotoCamp Session at Northern Voice/Moosecamp, by Warwick Patterson
Today I attended "Moosecamp", the unconference portion of Northern Voice. In the morning I hosted VidCamp - a short session on video for the web - and also helped out at KK's PhotoCamp with a presentation on digital workflow. We could easily do a whole day for PhotoCamp - there were so many questions left unanswered from the participants (over the next few days I may try and write up some of those Q&A's here). To start, here are my notes from PhotoCamp (cross-posted from the NV Wiki). Video tips to come after NV is over.
1. Using PhotoMechanic (try it for free), I ingest Photos, preview Images, select photos for editing, and hit Ctrl-E to output my selected images to Photoshop (different programs can be opened based on Preferences).
2. Before doing anything to my images, I apply an Unsharp Mask to correct for the camera sensor's Low-Pass Filter (a coating on the CCD). For my Nikon D2H, the settings are Amount: 298%, Radius: 0.3, Threshold: 1. Each camera will have their own specific optimal setting - I got my settings from a chart that Rob Galbraith developed. This is a good starting point to try out for your camera (it won't be THAT wrong). You just want the image to regain it's natural sharpness - don't sharpen too much! You should always have your image at the 100% zoom while judging and adjusting the unsharp mask.
3. Then I adjust my levels/curves and any edits I want to make to the image.
4. I then do an additional post-edit Unsharp Mask step. The settings for this will change depending on where the image is headed. Unsharp Mask settings will be very different whether you're sending the image to web or for prints/magazine, etc. For an 800pixel Flickr-prepped image, I'll usually leave the Radius and Threshold settings the same, and move the Amount down to between 50-100% (judging by eye for best results). For printing purposes, you'll tend to bump the radius up...possible as high as 1.0 because printers tend to blur the inks together.
5. Key step for photos destined for the web: Right before saving, go to ~Image>Mode>Convert to Profile... Convert the image colour space to sRGB.
6. I use the ~File>Save As... option instead of "Save For Web...", simply because it keep the photos EXIF info for when I upload to Flickr.
7. Upload to Flickr using desktop Uploader! (or however you want).
This is the workflow I use almost all the time, especially when in the field on events. It works for me, but I know many other photographers with different workflows...you just need to find what works for you. With Photo Mechanic's simplicity and Photoshop Actions, I can turn around 40-50 photos in just minutes.
For quick and dirty image prep for Flickr, here is a Photoshop Action that resizes your image to 800 pixels, applies an Unsharp Mask, and converts to sRGB. You can change the size option or anything else you want to your own preferences. Download flickr_prep_actions.atn
