# Image editing Workflow for best results.



## Nate (Jun 13, 2014)

Hi, 

I want to tell you guys my workflow and ask if I should do anything different, or if you do anything different, to get the best results.

*In camera: *

I shoot raw (5D3 if matters), 
Auto light optimizer: OFF
AWB
Picture Style: Neutral
Long noise reduction: OFF
High ISO speed NR on Maximum



*In Lightroom (CS5):*

At import every LR is by default.
If needed I play a bit with Histogram, WB and other basic settings. 
Depending on the pictures sometimes I change a lot the Tone Curves and Colors

*Now here it comes what I am interested in.*
Where and when should I do the sharpening/ noise reduction?
Usually I do it in LR and I put Sharpening to 30-40 and NR if needed even until 60, I change the detail and contrast.

Lens correction if needed. and in the end of course I change the Picture Style
And export in maximum quality jpeg. 
If I still edit it in PS should I export it in other format?

*In Photoshop (CS6):*

If its a portrait I correct some skin issues and maybe I correct the colors even more and in the end Unsharp Mask; Amount: 30%; Radius: 2; Threshold:1, and export it.

Should I dont bother with sharpening in LR?

My biggest issue is that I have the same gear as for example these guys and no matter what I do I dont get the same results on the same settings:
http://www.canonrumors.com/reviews/review-canon-ef-17-40mm-f4l/

In the first picture for example (I know he used lighting) but I dont have the same clear noise free sharpness.

Is there other things I should do for better results?

Cheers!

Nate


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## Jim Saunders (Jun 14, 2014)

Export to PS as a 16-bit TIFF, finish it there, resize it once, export to JPEG when it is done. Assuming you have your camera set to AdobeRGB stay with that til you export, then convert it to sRGB. If you're sending images for print then give them TIFFs cropped to your intended aspect ratio but not resized.

Jim


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## philmoz (Jun 14, 2014)

Nate said:


> *Now here it comes what I am interested in.*
> Where and when should I do the sharpening/ noise reduction?
> Usually I do it in LR and I put Sharpening to 30-40 and NR if needed even until 60, I change the detail and contrast.



A big time saver for me is to set LR to use default import settings based on the image ISO.

I shot a test image at each ISO of the camera (5D3) and then adjusted the noise reduction and sharpness settings of each image to my preferred settings (for the ISO).

I then saved the settings for each image as the default import settings for each ISO.

Now whenever I import new images into LR they automatically get my preferred settings for noise reduction and sharpness based on the image ISO.

Phil.


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## Logan (Jun 14, 2014)

philmoz said:


> Nate said:
> 
> 
> > *Now here it comes what I am interested in.*
> ...



why did I not notice this?? such a good idea I'm going to set this up right now.

isn't LENR just for jpegs? I didn't think it had any effect on RAW but i could be totally wrong maybe someone that knows for sure could shed some light.


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## Nate (Jun 14, 2014)

philmoz said:


> Nate said:
> 
> 
> > *Now here it comes what I am interested in.*
> ...




Great idea! Thanks!


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## Nate (Jun 14, 2014)

And if I dont save them in Tiff, but I save the metadata in LR and I simply drag it from the LR timeline to PS is the same or better with the TIFF?


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## Jim Saunders (Jun 14, 2014)

Nate said:


> And if I dont save them in Tiff, but I save the metadata in LR and I simply drag it from the LR timeline to PS is the same or better with the TIFF?



I've always right-clicked on an image in LR and selected Photoshop, but you can (in LR) go to Edit -> Preferences -> External Editing and check the settings there. I can't tell you that will have the same effect given your method though.

Jim


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## Logan (Jun 14, 2014)

according to the dialogue boxes, when you right click, edit in ps, it opens the raw file in PS and applies all the same adjustments. usually drag and drop and right click menus perform the same function.


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## distant.star (Jun 14, 2014)

.
This might be helpful. Grey is a workflow expert...

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rbKTQeM105I


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## ichetov (Jun 15, 2014)

After cursory look at the link you provided, I'd say these are all post-processed with Nik collection HDR Efex Pro. I routinely use it even on single-exposure raw files from my mkIII. Here are some shots from last weekend with nearly every frame treated with HDR Efex (some are "true" HDR with +/- 2 step exposures):

http://www.ximfak.us/Альберта-2014/


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