What is YOUR typical post-processing workflow?

[BEphoto]

I realized something tonight. I realized that I spend way too much time per image in Photoshop. And this was not even people photography. It was products. I'm a bit of a perfectionist (aka OCD) so I tend to take forever. That got me thinking, what the heck do you guys do that shoot weddings/portraits on a regular basis?? I am planning to get a lot more portrait heavy once my strobist stuff all gets in and I get to test it out a bit. But I'm not sure that I could handle the amount of post that goes into that kind of stuff.

I know the basics of Photoshop (levels, curves, color balance etc) and know how to soften skin, enhance the eyes, all that. Now, my main question is- what's your workflow like when coming home from a shoot, whether ot be a wedding or a portrait, and if you shoot 1000 images at a wedding, do you edit every single one or do they pick XX amount and you edit those and just give the other unedited ones to them as-is?

I guess I just don't understand how you find enough hours in the day/week/month to soften skin and bring out the eyes for every single image you are shooting. I actually really enjoy editing the skin and eyes, but after about 5 images I'm ready to put my tablet pen in the garbage disposal!

Going to bed now. I'll check replys in the morning and jump back in the conversation then.

[Clint_Smith]

not trying to be a smart arse, but if you do it right in camera, your workflow should be rather limited, that is unless you want the plastic barbie look. If lit correctly you can hid a lot of the flaws and accentuate the good.

But to answer your question, Import into Lightroom, cull my bad ones, add my good ones to collections, Correct exposure (levels and tone curve), then WB if needed, fix blemishes in lightroom. Only adjustments made in photoshop anymore are running some of the tricoast actions on my wedding images.

Lightroom is that powerful

[janetg]

+1 to lightroom, i offer 20 retouched images per wedding as i will not fix 500 zits...(for free anyway)

[Cheermom]

I take private family photoshoots and spend from an hour to two hours doing the shoot itself, but then find I typically spend 2-4hrs post-processing. That includes picking out pictures, cropping, touching up, removing unwanted cars/houses/buildings/kid's acne/etc..

Maybe as I get better, I'll simply take better pics to begin with and need less processing?

[Tom]

I edit all pics in weddings for color/WB/etc. Will retouch any pic they buy a print for.

[BEphoto]

Originally Posted by Clint_Smith

not trying to be a smart arse, but if you do it right in camera, your workflow should be rather limited, that is unless you want the plastic barbie look. If lit correctly you can hid a lot of the flaws and accentuate the good.

But to answer your question, Import into Lightroom, cull my bad ones, add my good ones to collections, Correct exposure (levels and tone curve), then WB if needed, fix blemishes in lightroom. Only adjustments made in photoshop anymore are running some of the tricoast actions on my wedding images.

Lightroom is that powerful

I wasnt so much talking about the exposure correction as i was the "beautifying" of the subject. I can typically do most of the exposure in batching, but sitting through each individual image to smooth skin, zit removal, eyes, all that stuff seemed daunting.

Someone mentioned that they only offer XX amount of retouched shots. Thats pretty much what i was looking for. I have never shot a wedding, nor do i plan on it in the near future (maybe down the road a little more) but I am planning on doing a lot of portraits. Seeing that you offer a certain number/price helps me out. I also like the idea of only retouching the ones that they buy prints for too.

Thanks for the input so far.

[sparkyjr]

I shoot weddings and portraiture.First thing I do is burn a copy of the original images. I'm one for trying to get it right out-of-the-camera. I then cull in iPhoto bringing stuff over to PS as needed. I have LR2 and briefly tried incorporating it into my workflow, but ended up going back to iPhoto.

[Teddington]

I'm a reader, not a doer, so take this FWIW. The key I keep hearing to cutting down post processing time is to determine what is critical and reducing it to an action (or finding somebody else's that you like) - then for the first cut you batch process all of them the same way. Then a second cut for any quick needs to make the shot meet your "preview" standards. One of the most popular actions for portraits is the Portrature Plug-in from www.imagenomic.com.

[BEphoto]

Thanks for the link Terry. Im going to check that out. anything that helps is a plus!

[Jim Victory]

Don't do weddings or portraits and your problem is solved.

Seriously I have most of my processing in PS set up with actions so I can batch process depending on what each photo needs. I set them in categories based on their needs, set the actions to be used, and batch process.

[BEphoto]

I really need to look into setting up more detailed actions. Ive set up a few, but only really use my resizing one to bring pics down to 800x533 for batching a set before editing.

[Clint_Smith]

Originally Posted by BEphoto

Someone mentioned that they only offer XX amount of retouched shots. Thats pretty much what i was looking for. I have never shot a wedding, nor do i plan on it in the near future (maybe down the road a little more) but I am planning on doing a lot of portraits. Seeing that you offer a certain number/price helps me out. I also like the idea of only retouching the ones that they buy prints for too.

Oh god, retouching 100s if not 1000s of images would be a nightmare. I tone about 1/3 of the images we shoot at weddings, then only really "beautify" about 1/3 of those for building the album. Portraits I may do some retouch on zits, but only on the ones I am pretty sure they will buy. Purchased images get the full work over, if needed..

[ngoduyviet]

Originally Posted by Clint_Smith

not trying to be a smart arse, but if you do it right in camera, your workflow should be rather limited, that is unless you want the plastic barbie look. If lit correctly you can hid a lot of the flaws and accentuate the good.

But to answer your question, Import into Lightroom, cull my bad ones, add my good ones to collections, Correct exposure (levels and tone curve), then WB if needed, fix blemishes in lightroom. Only adjustments made in photoshop anymore are running some of the tricoast actions on my wedding images.

Lightroom is that powerful

+1, only need CS on a few of them as needed.

[BEphoto]

Thanks for the input guys. You've helped me get a better understanding of how that side of the business works!

[venchka]

Lightroom.

Slide the sliders a bit.

If I can see the effect of the slider sliding, I back off.

Lately I haven't had to do much at all.