Preface

Back in the days before digital, when photographers shot film, few gave much thought to workflow. That's because the film-based workflow offered far fewer options than the digital workflow, and the way those options were executed was fairly straightforward. Even so, though most of them didn't realize it, all of these photographers had a two-part workflow.

The first part began right after the shoot. It consisted of processing all of the rolls or sheets of film. In the case of negative film, automated proofs, such as 4 × 5's or contact sheets, were printed from the negatives—usually by a photolab. The point with these proofs was to quickly create tools to use for further evaluation by the photographer—or the photographer's clients. Every effort was made to manage tone and color, but the point was to create proofs quickly and cheaply because they were merely tools used to identify the best photos. After those few best photos were identified, they were moved into the second part of the two-part workflow.

This second part of the film-based workflow was focused on fine-tuning these special images and preparing them for output. Every effort, and oftentimes much expense, was put into managing the strengths and weaknesses of each image. This was usually accomplished through a custom print that was handcrafted by a highly skilled technician. Retouching and artwork were often thrown into the mix when required to fix problems. The resulting image was a one-of-a-kind print that had little resemblance to the proof that was used to pick it from the original group of photos.

The modern digital photography workflow is much like the film-based workflow. It consists of the same two parts. The first part is focused on processing a group of photos from a shoot or event so that they can be used to identify the most important images from the group. One of the main differences is that digital photographers don't have to pay for every exposure, so they tend to generate lots of photos. These large numbers of digital files require software tools and procedures for using them that are streamlined and efficient. For that reason I call this first portion of the digital workflow the Production Workflow.

Like the film-based workflow, the second part of the digital workflow is all about the pursuit of perfection. This is accomplished by managing the strengths and weaknesses of the image. The same rules apply regarding what separates a good image from a great one. The difference is in the amazing amount of control possible with today's digital tools. Anything is possible for someone who understands how to use these new tools. Thousands of decisions can be made while editing a single image because the options are so open ended. That's why I call this second portion of the two-part digital workflow the Creative Workflow. The open-ended process allows the maker of the image to create a true personal expression of that image.

Photoshop has been the foremost tool for executing the Creative Workflow for many years. But it has never been a very good solution for photographers managing large numbers of images in their Production Workflows. Adobe, the maker of Photoshop, solved this problem when it introduced Adobe Lightroom. Now Lightroom and Photoshop can be combined to offer the complete digital post-production workflow solution. In this book, I explain how both of these programs are used individually, and together, to manage your own digital two-part workflow. By the end of this book you'll be ready to begin making your workflow work for you.

What's in This Book?

This book is divided into five parts. Part I explores the workflow concept and how it's used to organize the digital photographer's post-production procedures. You take a closer look at the two-part workflow and the role each part plays. Then you take a peek at Lightroom and Photoshop and compare and contrast them, and how they're used in combination to create the total workflow. You finish this section by comparing different file types, how they're used for specific portions of the workflow, and how to keep them organized.

Part II is all about Lightroom and the Production Workflow. You take a close look at Lightroom's intuitive workspace and the five modules that comprise Lightroom. Then you cover best practices for importing new photos into Lightroom and organizing them with keywords and other metadata. The next chapter covers everything you need to know to process your photos in the Develop module so that you quickly make them look great. After that you look at the three output modules — Slideshow, Print, and Web — and how they're used to share and present your photos. You also look at how to export files so that you can take them to a lab for output if you prefer. Then you put it all together by looking at how a wildlife photographer handles his Production Workflow with Lightroom while photographing polar bears in the extreme conditions of the Arctic.

In Part III, you move into the Photoshop section of the book. In this section, I introduce Photoshop, Bridge, and Adobe Camera Raw and discuss how they work together to open files in Photoshop. I also discuss ways to insure that editing done in Lightroom is seen by these three programs. Then you take a close look at Photoshop and how its workspace is used. Next, I show you how to adjust tone and color in Photoshop and how those tools compare and contrast with similar tools in Lightroom. I finish this section with a chapter on one of the most important Photoshop concepts: layers.

Once you have the basic Photoshop concepts down, it's time to move beyond them. In Part IV, you explore the real power behind Photoshop: the selection tools, layer masking, and Photoshop's retouching tools. When you learn to use these three features together, you'll be able to accomplish just about anything. I finish this section by showing you how some of these special Photoshop procedures can be integrated into Lightroom during file export. This is one of the few ways that Lightroom and Photoshop are used together at the same time.

Part V puts all of the tools to work by looking at how they're used to solve specific problems. You explore the concept of retouching and define exactly what it is. Then you look at how Photoshop is used to solve several everyday portrait retouching problems from repairing missing eyes to removing braces. The next chapter covers burning and dodging, resolution, sharpening, and printing, as well as other finishing touches. In the final chapter, we work together on a hands-on project and take it through the entire Creative Workflow process.

As we explore Lightroom and Photoshop together, I demonstrate the practical applications with real-world images and step-by-step examples. I also make every attempt to explain the theory behind the steps so you understand the reasoning behind the process. In some cases, when feasible, I provide online practice files for hands-on projects so that you can work along beside me.

Who Should Read This Book?

Adobe Photoshop Lightroom and Photoshop Workflow Bible is intended for anyone wanting to know how to take control of his or her complete digital post-production workflow. You don't have to be an accomplished Lightroom or Photoshop user, but it is helpful if you have some experience with the software. With that said, even a beginner benefits from reading this book, especially when you consider that as a beginner you'll be starting out on the right foot with your digital workflow.

This book is not intended as a comprehensive guide to all things Lightroom and Photoshop. My intention is to give you the things you need to establish a bullet-proof workflow, without distracting you with what you don't need right now. There are times when I'd like to go into deeper detail, but I can't because those details are outside the scope of this book. If I don't cover a topic in detail that interests you and you want to know more about it, find a resource to help you explore it. Two of the most useful resources are the Lightroom and Photoshop Help menus, and Google. (Just type your question into Google to see if someone else has already asked it and posted an answer.)

How to Use This Book

To get the most from this book, start at the beginning and go through it sequentially. This allows you to experience the learning process in the way I envision it. In many cases, ideas in one chapter build on information introduced in previous chapters. This amplification process won't make as much sense if experienced out of order. Also, take the time to read each chapter, even if you think you already understand its subject. You never know when you'll turn up a nugget that will completely change the way you work with your images.

Download all the practice files from the Web site at this URL:

www.wiley.com/go/workflow

Most of the practice files are fairly small. If you have a slow Internet connection, borrow a friend's connection and download them all at once. After we go through a hands-on process together, take the time to explore those new processes with some of your own photos. I know from my own experience that working with personal files makes a big difference in the learning process. This is where you'll find the time to go as deep as you need to go while exploring the content of this book.

After you've been through the book from front to back, you can use it as a reference guide to help you solve your own workflow issues. When a specific issue pops up, find the relevant references in the book and review them as needed.

Conventions Used in This Book

I'm big on using keyboard shortcuts in my own workflow, but I won't be stressing them much here because there are potentially hundreds of shortcuts in Lightroom and Photoshop and I don't want to confuse you with them. The other thing is that I think it's more important that you know where to find a command in the workspace, rather than the fastest way to execute it. After you're comfortable with the workspace, you can focus on speed.

With that said, I do think you should begin getting used to the idea of keyboard shortcuts. So I share some of the more useful shortcuts. When I first introduce the most common tools and commands, I give you their keyboard shortcuts in parentheses like this: the Lasso tool (L).

Because this book was written on two Macs, all the screenshots are from the Mac versions of Lightroom 2.0 and Photoshop CS3. That shouldn't make much difference, because almost everything is the same in the Mac and Windows versions of the software. (In fact, you can open a Lightroom catalog on either platform.) If you're using a Windows machine, the only real differences are the keyboard modifier keys.

Macs use the Option (Alt) key and the Command (Apple) key as modifiers, and Windows machines use the Alt key and the Ctrl key for the same functions. (This is all the more confusing because a standard Mac keyboard has a Control key on it that has a completely different function.)

• Mac Option (Alt) key = Windows Alt key

• Mac Command (Apple) key = Windows Ctrl key

Because every modern Mac keyboard I've seen has an Alt label on the Option key, I refer to this key as Alt, which should be straightforward. When I need to mention the other set of modifier keys, I say Command/Ctrl. The only reason I'm putting the Mac command first is to be consistent with the screenshots.

Should You Use a Mac or a Windows Machine?

This is a question many people, especially photographers, ask themselves. Back in the old days of digital photography, the answer to this question would have had a serious impact on a photographer's ability to do what he or she needed to do. At that time, the Mac was a superior platform to Windows primarily because of its more intelligent way of dealing with color. However, that difference disappeared long ago. When it comes to Photoshop CS3, a modern version of either platform works quite well.

I've used personal computers since their earliest days. Many of the computers I used during that time were Windows-based machines. For the last few years, I've used Macs because I work with many professional photographers who use the platform. I switched to it so that I would be more comfortable in their environment. (I would say that my current client base is split 50/50 on the platforms.) I have both types of machines in my office, and I commonly use both Mac and Windows machines during a typical day. I like some things about each platform. In a perfect world, I could combine all those things to create the perfect operating system.

The subject of Mac versus Windows comes up in my workshops and private training quite often. When it does, I explain it like this: Deciding between Mac and Windows is like choosing Canon or Nikon (or any other camera system). Both systems are great. If you buy a quality system from either manufacturer, you should be happy. Your decision as to which to buy should be based on how you like a particular system. Does it feel good in your hands? Are the controls easy to understand? Is it the same system your friends are using so that they can help you when you have questions? After you make a choice and begin buying lenses for one of those camera systems, you'll probably want to stay with it for a while. This is the same as software. After you spend a few thousand dollars on software for one platform, it's not likely that you'll want to switch anytime soon, because you'll have to buy all new software.

No matter which computer system you decide to go with, be sure that the system is up to snuff. If your system is more than five years old, you may be disappointed in the performance of Lightroom and Photoshop, especially when you begin doing some of the things you're going to do in this book. You may not even be able to have both programs open at the same time. Ideally, you should have a machine with a fairly fast processor. A dual processor is even better because Photoshop is designed to take advantage of two processors. Lightroom and Photoshop are real RAM hogs, so you'll want to have at the very least 1GB of system memory and preferably 2. If you have both these bases covered, then it won't matter if you're running a Mac or a Windows machine.

Which Version of Photoshop CS3?

When Photoshop CS3 was released, Adobe did something new. It introduced two versions of the software: Photoshop CS3 and Photoshop CS3 Extended. The Extended version has some added capabilities for people who work with animation, film, and 3-D objects. It also has some cool features that allow people like architects, engineers, and medical researchers to analyze images. Many of these features are in a menu called Analysis. Because I used Photoshop CS3 Extended to write this book, you may notice the Analysis menu in some Photoshop screenshots. Don't worry if you don't have it. Most of the photographers I know don't need the added features of the Extended version, so I usually recommend that they save money and purchase the standard version. (I would prefer to see a photographer purchase Lightroom and Photoshop CS3, rather than only Photoshop CS3 Extended.)

Products Mentioned in This Book

On several occasions I recommend products I use or like. I want you to know that I do not have relationships with any of the companies that sell these products. These companies do not sponsor me. The only reason I endorse these products is because I think knowing about them will make your digital workflow experience more enjoyable.

One Last Thing

I tried very hard to make sure everything in this book is 100 percent accurate. When writing the Lightroom chapters that became a tall order because Lightroom 2 — still in the beta development process — was often a moving target. If you notice any errors or omissions, please let me know by emailing me at books@ddroom.com. That way, I can fix them in future editions.