Capture NX workflow

[Kellie]

Anyone care to share theirs? I finally have a set workflow for PSE5 and now I'm being forced to shoot RAW. *cough* Tcad *cough*

[Rooz]

sure, what kinda photo kell. i'll post up some screen shots.
i have heaps of standard batch workflows that are just a mouse click away for a bunch of different applications.

[tcadwall]

Wish I could help Kellie, You probably know from past posts I use Bibble - not PSE5

I am sure that you will adapt quickly. Generally though, you will have to feel it out a litte, since most raw converters use differing algorithms. It could be similar, so I will give a couple pointers... I don't do it exactly this way because there are some really kewl work queues, batch queues, and print queues that I utilize to speed up my workflow. So I will talk as if working single images. The difference would be that if doing a bunch of images, I would analyze them with no modifications first, and then add them to work queues according to image similarities/needs before actually applying settings to them.

1) if the image has some noise I would like to remove, I do this first. Bibble utilizes noise ninja in the raw workflow which works better on unprocessed files because it references camera tendencies when removing noise. Neat Image and others don't use this algorithm, so I am not sure when the best place in the workflow is for this step for them. I will also rate images when reviewing. (when working batches)

2) Often at this point I will make white balance / color curve modifications if necessary.

3) effects. If I want to do a b&w conversion I have a special queue for that for instance. Tweaking these often requires the use of several settings changes for color emphasis in the conversion, as well as contrast, etc.

4) sharpening (sometimes I do this before 3)

5) cropping / resizing. Again, I have queues for this but if I am cropping I will normallly adjust per image.

6) output. Here is where the batch processing really rocks, since I will drop an image or group of images to a queue (often based on how I rated the image) and the queues are set up to produce one or more types of images (thumbnails, web rez, tiff for printing, etc) Bibble also will direct-print raw images - converting the color palatte according to the printer you select.

Oh yeah, anything that Bibble can't do, gets done in PSPX (things that use layers, whitening teeth, softening wrinkles, etc)

[Kellie]

Rooz - most of my shots are of people (kids) so I have to do a lot of skin tone adjustments.

What I learned yesterday while processing RAW (for the first time! ) was that I have SO much more control. I worked with base adjustments until I got the picture how I wish it had looked straight out of the camera and then opened it in PSE5 to do the finishing touches.


Thanks Tcad - have you ever used NX or just Bibble. I might try Bibble just to compare. I live the base adjustments in NX. Your workflow seems like a better order than what I have been doing. I often find myself jumping around and needing to undo something in order to fix something else. I'm going to try your steps and see if that helps avoid the back tracking.

[Rooz]

ok will post some up later on.

in the meantime, have you looked at these tutorials ? they are excellent.
http://nikonimaging.com/global/produ.../tutorials.htm

i also found this very helpful.
http://www.luminescentphoto.com/capturenx.html

the + and - brush and colour control points are just brilliant btw.

[tcadwall]

Kell, Just posted this link on another thread. I watched the videos and stuff before I installed the app. I don't like to muck up the registry by installing apps, if I don't think that I will really use them. So you might want to see how you like the app from the demos and tutorials, before you install it.

http://www.bibblelabs.com/learn/index.html

I didn't install NX because of some things I read about registry settings and crashes... But I think that was prior to the latest release, and it could be much better now. I DO like what I have seen regarding the control points... It is not quite as simple with Bibble, but I have a feeling that will change soon, and when I purchased Bibble it included a free upgrade to the next version that isn't out yet. If it doesn't have the control points, then I might try NX as well - just to play with that feature.

[Kellie]

ok will post some up later on.

in the meantime, have you looked at these tutorials ? they are excellent.
http://nikonimaging.com/global/produ.../tutorials.htm

i also found this very helpful.
http://www.luminescentphoto.com/capturenx.html

the + and - brush and colour control points are just brilliant btw.

Great links! I have just bookmarked them. Another great link is one that JASON shared a while back that I found in my bookmarks.

[Rooz]

twas a great link that one. yes indeedy.