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Lecture Notes for Lecture 104: Processing Photos

Processing Photographs
Developing a digital workflow

What is a digital workflow?

• The term ‘workflow’ refers to a set of steps that a photographer commonly walks through from capturing the image to final printing of an image.
• Workflow varies by photographer and by the hardware and software used.

Key Components (workflow)

• A workflow begins by going out and capturing images. You must have images to work with.
• The next step generally involves downloading images to a computer (usually into a specific software package: Picasa, iPhoto, Lightroom, Aperture)
• Next, you will post-process images, correcting for errors, cropping, rotating, making black and white, etc.
• Finally you output your photos to a desired media, sometimes this is online to a blog or online album (flickr.com) or to print.

What is your workflow?

• Do you already have a workflow?
• What software do you plan to use? (Always think about how to back up your images!)
• What kind of post processing do you typically need to do?
• Are there any steps you can automate ? (This is an advanced topic)
• How will your photos be used?

What software?

• Windows or Mac? Personal Computer, lab computer, or online? Non-destructive editing?
• Free (0 - 10,000 images) or Professional (usually 10,000+ images)

Software (free options)

Google Photos [photos.google.com]

• Free
• Easy to use,
• Contains built in backup tools
• Allows for easy organization by albums
• Easy to publish to web, print & send out for printing at local store
• Semi-destructive editing
• Few advanced editing features

Adobe Photoshop Express [photoshop.com]

• Free
• Easy to use, presets help you select appropriate settings
• All images stored/organized online in albums Easy to email, download, or order prints online Some advanced editing features/filters Must have connection to internet
• Destructive Editor
• Requires Adobe Flash

Pixlr.com (online) [www.pixlr.com]

• Free
• Easy to use, presets help you select appropriate settings
• Save back to your flash drive, just like it was an application on your computer
• Requires internet connection
• More advanced editing features/filters if using the advanced mode: www.pixlr.com/editor/
• Destructive Editor
• Requires Adobe Flash

Photos (Mac) [www.apple.com/macos/photos/]

• Free on any Mac
• Non-destructive editing of images, can turn on or off corrections, filters etc without affecting original image.
• Advanced editing features including histograms, curves, selective dodge/burn, etc.
• Extensive Meta Data support
• Albums, Events, Faces to organize images
• Mac only, sync to iCloud/other Apple devices

Software (professional options)

Luminar (Win/Mac) [www.skylum.com]

• $69 (no subscription, 1 time purchase)
• Powered by AI for quick adjustments
• Professional editing available on any image (in addition to simple, quick options)
• Works as a standalone app or as a plugin for Photoshop/Lightroom/Photos

Adobe Lightroom (Win/Mac) [lightroom.adobe.com]

• Expensive
• Non-destructive editing of images, can turn on or off corrections, filters etc without affecting original image.
• Very advanced editing features including histograms, curves, selective dodge/burn, etc.
• Extensive Meta Data support Albums & Folders to organize images

Adobe Photoshop (Win/Mac) [www.adobe.com/products/photoshop/]

• Expensive
• Non-destructive editing of images, can turn on or off corrections, filters etc without affecting original image.
• Most advanced editing features (of any software option) including histograms, curves, selective dodge/burn, etc.
• Work stored on layers, layers can be combined through blending modes
• Pixel level correction through clone stamp, etc.
• No Album/File Organization built into program

Organizing Images

Meta Data

• Data about the image that is stored within the image file itself.
• Generally contains camera information (including lens, aperture, shutter speed, ISO) as well as the date & time the image was taken
• Can also contain a GPS location for the image

Folders, Albums, Faces & Places

• A variety of organizational structures have been developed in the various software packages
• These include Folders, Albums, Events, Faces & Places

Folders

• Most basic form of organization
• Generally manual organization (you place an image into a specific folder)

Albums

• Similar to a Folder
• Generally manual organization (you place an image into a specific album)
• Smart albums allow you to specify a criteria and all images in the album adhere to that criteria

Events

• Groupings of images that occur during a similar timeframe
• You can specify that timeframe (1 day, 1 hour, etc.)

Faces

• New advances in software allow for facial recognition
• Once a person is recognized, all (most) photos of that person appear under their name

Places

• Organizes photos based on geographic location
• Requires GPS in camera or manual attachment of location data to image during post processing
• Generally, shows images (or icons for images) on a map

Typical Adjustments

Crop/Resize

• Adjust composition to make a better image
• Remember principles of composition from the last lecture
• Make image smaller (only!) for desired output (for web)

Exposure

• Adjust improperly exposed images
• Lighten dark images to show more detail
• Darken light images (this is difficult unless you shoot in raw format)

Brightness/Contrast

• Adjust overall brightness of the image Adjust the image to have stronger darks and lights
• This is a basic tool, better to use Levels & Curves (discussed later)

Color/Saturation

• Adjust for improper white balance
• Tint an image to a specific color
• Add more or less saturation (color) to an image

Black & White / Sepia

• Make an image black & white (compare a variety of options for which looks best)
• Sepia is an old fashioned style image similar to b&w

Focus

• Sharpen the image to make edges stand out
• Slightly blur the image for a soft focus effect

Red-Eye Reduction

• Remove “Red-Eye” from flash photos of people

Levels (advanced)

• Adjustment of image so that there is both true black and true white in a given image
• Can be done in better image organization programs

Curves (advanced)

• Selectively adjust parts of an image without changing other areas of the image
• Generally done in Photoshop

Final Results (printing/web-export)

• Final images can be printed at stores or from your home computer
• Final images can be posted to the web

Web Galleries

• Facebook
• Flickr
• Picasa Web Album
• Photoshop.com
• Your own site!
• Many others...