I'm just curious what you folks do for post work. 

I dont tend to do much, aside from resizing and maybe level adjustments. So do any of you guys (and girls) do anything more? And how much time do you devote to post work?  

I probably tend to go overboard....but here is my rough workflow;

1. All shots taken in RAW + JPG mode

2. Transfer files to computer

3. Review JPG's...weed out (delete) undesirable RAW/JPG's

4. Further review of JPG's...

5. Import the RAW files of the final "keepers" from step 4 above into Nikon Capture (RAW editor)

6. Basic tweaks in Nikon Capture...usually only exposure and perhaps WB or color space

7. Save tweaked RAW from step 6 above as TIFF

8. IF NECESSARY....Import TIFF file into noise program such as Noise Ninja or Neat Image

9. Save processed  file from 8 above as TIFF again

10. Import file from 7 or 9 above into PS or similar program for "final" adjustments such as curves, saturation, artistic mods, borders, resizing and sharpening.  Sharpening is best left off in cam and done as the FINAL step in the process.

11. Save a  PSD file of your work...A big tip here...save  a PSD of your FULL size UNSHARPENED image.....THEN also save a PSD of your resized/bordered/sharpened image....then save as JPG for web or TIFF depending upon final use (web, print or stock).
    That way you can always go back to your FULL size PSD and make new alterations if you wish to go to print for example.

The amount of work in each step above is dependant upon the final destination of your image...(web use usually requires the least amount of work)....and how picky you are...

HDR images require a few additional steps....both in image acquisition and software workflow.

Again, the workflow above would generally only apply to perhaps less than 20% of the total acquired images....but, that's because the other 80% of mine end up in the trash bin.....

Interesting question.

I normaly add 20-40 % sharpness to my picture, this is a first step in Photoshop. Secund step, looking for spots what absolutely don't need and clone them out. After that I duplicate a picture and start to play. I always check out if the auto level make any magneficent different in the apperance of the picture. If yes leave it on, perhaps degrade it by 50%. Also might check out a contrast option ( add some) normaly make a bit different in a good way. Depending of the theme of the picture, like if I am working on a beach shot, I like add some orange tone to it, so here comes another layer with a desired tone. If I feel need some dodgeing to do I will do it, but not overdone in a next layer . Never do nothing on the original picture. Frame, title, watermark...that is all.

seeya  Tunde

I used to do lots of postwork on my images but these days I seem to be doing less and less so I'm either getting a better photographer just getting more lazy, lol.

I always shoot in RAW, unless I'm just taking 'snapshots' then it's jpeg, so my typical workflow is...

Import RAW files into Bibble
Tweak exposure, colour balance etc.
Remove any noise and sharpen.
Save as jpeg
If I think it needs anything else eg. cloning out of anything unsightly it goes into Photoshop for that.

But on the whole I try to keep postwork to a minimum.

• Andy

interesting question ... here is my workflow :

1. developing films (40min)
2. scanning them 4000dpi 14bits 100% on the coolscan 5 (35min)
3. i put them in a folder (tiff format) and open them one by one (my films are safely in a  special crystal sheet, protected from dust)
4. keep or trash + crop correctly (to erase the black border of the film)
5. level, contrast, unsharp mask (1,8 - 90%, this is an average)
6. save the tiff, create a little one (750 x ??? + 15px as black border) as jpg saved in an under-folder named 'web'
7. i zip my tiff's (because of 130Mo each file !)
8. go to sleep ;o)

I limit my postwork to what i could do in a blackroom (+- 10min by pic) !
Olivier

ps : of course, i've got a structure in my folder ;o)

Whatever it needs to look like i want it to.  That could mean anything and really depends on the photo or "look" i am going for...

I used to post images with no postwork, thinking it was a good idea for my photography, but then i realised that digital images need postwork to bring them to some sort of level of "goodness"... i then went overboard and did a lot of postwork and discovered a lot of things i didnt previously know about Photoshop and now i just sit here with that knowledge and apply it where i see fit.  How i see that as beneficial is that i can now look at a scene and picture what i can get out of it with postwork should i want to (one example of that is people... "oh i can take out that person walking in my shot when he steps infront of that wall" - click).  So if you really only resize and levels adjust your photos i would recommend having a severe play around with the full force of photoshop on some of your shots then you will just learn what is there so you can apply it when you think it is applicable... and there are a lot of processes etc out there!

RAW is a digital negative and you can choose your developer. Mine is Bibble.
I do nothing in the camerasoft (sharpening, noise,...) and most is done in Bibble (with NoiseNinja included) untill I need masks. Then I switch to PS (16bit) and do what has to be done to make it look like I want it to.
Finally, if  needed for the web, I open a copy, eliminate colorspace , adjust colours by visual comparison and save as a jpeg.

I have to agree with Rich, I postwork as much as I feel is needed to get the effect I want from the photo. Sometimes the photo doesn't need any postwork, other times I may spend hours adding and editing postwork until I am satisfied with it. It may be as simple as upping contrast or as complicated as some of the steps you see others have posted above in this thread.

One thing that has really help me is participating in threads here in this forum. DITI gives us all a chance to play and learn at the same time. It especially helps to see someone elses postwork and ask them "How did you do that?" !!!!

Hey..... that just gave me a new idea for a thread!!!! LOL :P

Im a postwork junkie :) It depends I suppose... If I really like the image, stright off the cam.. I tend to do very little... odd touchups, like skin blemishes, and sharpening / smoothing, and thats it.... But other times, Ill go all out, and use a plethora of PS 3'rd party plugins... SOme of my favorites are made by Alien Skin, Picture code, Tiffen, Flaming Pear, Redfield and Richard Rosenham...

Lately, I've been experimenting with the the settings in my camera to optimize my photos  "out of cam"    Its allowed me to save time and make my workflow more efficient.  (eliminating some steps)

Note,  I do shoot  RAW + jpg, so I can do more extensive postwork if I feel the need. 

Je

I'm with Rich and Bentchick - depends on what the image calls for. Could be a Levels Adjustment, sharpen a bit and call it a day, or I could spend a few hours going over it, tweaking individual bits and pieces, as well as the broad strokes.

I also tend to shoot multiple exposures and merge them - not with Photomerge or an automated process, but manually - yeah, I'm a control freak.
-Lew ;-)