Easy workflow for busy photographers
Are you behind on your editing and dreading working on the wedding or sessions you shot a while ago? I have a workflow that will let you focus on the rest of your business AND yourself the rest of the week.
Step 1: When you walk in the door after your session or wedding plug in those memory cards and start downloading them on an external hard drive. I find it faster when you transfer the images first and then import them in Lightroom. I know you’re tired after a full day of shooting but it only takes a couple of minutes and you can set it and forget it at least until morning. Unless, of course, you are wired like me then you can continue to step two.
Step 2: This step is about setting your anchor images. Your anchor images are images that you edit. These allow me to mimic your editing. Most of the time these are images you will use as sneak peeks this way you aren’t creating extra work for yourself. Your anchor images should be colored (I like blue) or flagged so I know which ones they are. At a minimum try to follow these guidelines:
- One image in each lighting scenario.
- If one of your anchor images is a detail make sure there is another with people in it.
**Pro-Tip: Export those sneak peeks now!
Step 2.5: If you plan to cull your images you can cull them now. If you’re behind don’t forget I can cull your images for you. When you cull your images mark your images with a color, I like green.
Step 3: Export your Catalog and upload them to your Dropbox space. Not sure how? Read this post.
Step 4: Grab a drink or answer some emails. Do both! I’ll be notified that you uploaded a file and get to work our your images. It will be 5 days from the time you upload them to the time I deliver them.
Step 5: Import your edits. Check out this post to learn how. Review them. Remember, constructive criticism helps me learn your style so let me know if there is anything that should be fixed.
Step 6: From here you get to deliver your images however you would typically!
Pro-Tip: There is some pre-work you can and should do to make your life and your editor’s life easier. Make sure the time on all of your cameras, including your second photographer’s camera, is the same. Ideally the correct time but syncing all of the cameras is the most important part. That way all of the ceremony images will show up together, etc. The only time this doesn’t work is
