MY PHOTO EDITING PROCESS

In this blog post I describe the photo editing process I am using when shooting and editing images from card. The process is suitable for editorial work, especially news and sports type of photography. I rely on PhotoMechanics and PhotoShop CC (including its RAW converter) software. So, if you use different software tools, your process may look differently. My approach is most probably not appropriate for creative work. Also, I use a different process when transmitting photos directly from the camera, using remote cameras, and / or editing photos from someone else (which I may describe in an upcoming blog post).

I you have ideas about how to adjust and / or improve this process, or if you disagree and have a better alternative, simply leave your input in the comment section below. Please note that all comments will be moderated, and only relevant ones will be posted.

Before shooting any photo, I complete the following steps:

1. I ensure that the date and time are correctly set on all cameras, and the time is synchronized between multiple cameras. Don’t forget to adjust for daylight savings! Unfortunately, most cameras still do not synchronize the time automatically using the radio-controlled time signal.
   • Canon EOS 1 D-X Mark III allows setting the time via GPS (Network -> GPS settings -> Auto time setting: auto update), but I never succeeded in doing so.
   • Canon EOS 1 D-X Mark III allows synchronizing the time between cameras (Network -> Network settings: enable -> Connection Sync time between cameras), but you need to use an Ethernet cable or the external WiFi transmitter to do so.
2. I set the file name prefix on my cameras to ensure that I can distinguish images from different cameras. I use as a prefix FLMC, where F stands for my first name initial, L my last name initial, M an identifier of the camera model, and C an identifier of the specific camera.
   • For me this means setting the prefixes to CD3A and CD3B on my two Canon EOS 1 D-X Mark III cameras.
3. I do reset the photo count to zero on each camera for each event I cover, but at most once a day. Some of my colleagues don’t care about the numbering which is fine too. In addition, I format all cards in the camera so that I can start with clean empty cards. I store all images in one folder on the card, rather than juggling with multiple folders.
4. I prepare the generic IPTC metadata for the event I am going to cover and save it for later usage. Alternatively, you may download the generic IPTC metadata template directly to your camera. To caption images, I use PhotoMechanics and rely on variables, code replacements, and pre-populated tables as much as possible to fill-in fields.
   • Figure 1 shows two sample IPTC metadata templates I use, depending on whom / where I transmit the photos to.
5. Next, I prepare code replacement files that will make my life easier when writing captions and load them into PhotoMechanics. By the way, I like to use the $-sign for code replacements.
   • I am not going into details on how to write “good” code replacements as this is a topic for another post. Just saying that I use the XEmacs editor (https://www.xemacs.org/), which allows recording keystroke macros and defining functions which make transforming roster files into code replacement files really easy.
6. You have to decide whether you want to shoot in RAW or JPEG format. I only use RAW format. I do not consider the time needed for pre-processing RAW format as a drawback with modern computers. But I know many photographers that only use JPG.

These five steps complete my preparation routine.

When arriving on location, I scout the environment for possible and permitted photo positions, especially screening backgrounds, lights, etc.

Before the event I am covering starts, I double-check the settings on all my cameras, notably, white balance, ISO setting, exposure, etc. to avoid any surprises. Unless I am in a controlled environment, I let the camera decide what’s best!

While taking photos, I perform the following three steps relevant to the editing process:

1. I take pictures, focusing on composing and exposing in such a way to avoid as much as possible post-processing, like cropping.
2. If the probability is high that I will forget information relevant for captioning the image afterwards, I record the information via sound with the picture. This may be the name of a player or the number on their jersey not recognizable in the picture. But I don’t over-use this functionality!
3. If time permits, I tag the images that I really like on my camera.
4. Again, if time permits, I delete any image that is definitely out of focus or poorly framed.

I do not do any additional editing on my camera, even though modern cameras would allow to do so!

Once I have taken the pictures I want and are ready to process them, I proceed to ingesting the photos onto my computer. To do so I use PhotoMechanics. In the old day, I removed the card from my camera and copied the photos to my laptop (or desktop) via drag-and-drop. Nowadays I always use the ingest function because it allows automating a first processing step. I iteratively use the following process for each card which contains images.

Sources:

1. I always ingest the images directly from the card (Ingest: Disks). I use incremental ingests, that is, only copy new photos.
   • This saves me trouble if I have forgotten to delete the images on the card that I have already ingested.

Destination Folder Roots:

2. I always ingest the files to the same primary destination folder, here set to \\DIDINET\photos\actuality. This permits me to easily locate the files afterwards.

Filter Files:

3. I copy all images, whether tagged or untagged, and do my image selection on the computer, using the tags set as a preliminary preference rather than a final selection.
   • Some colleagues run the whole editing process (steps 2 to 7) twice, once for tagged images and once for untagged images. This permits to complete editing and transmitting the tagged images faster, but loses in flexibility.
4. I only ingest RAW files, avoiding duplicates of images and not knowing whether I am using the RAW or JPG version of the image. If you are using JPG, you need to change that setting.
5. I apply the metadata IPTC template that I have created during preparation and selected with the Metadata (IPTC) Template…
6. I do rename the ingested photos by prefixing them with the capture date using “{year2}{month0}{day0}_{filename}”.
   • This results in unique filenames for all photos, assuming that you reset the photo count on the camera at most once a day and do not take more than 9999 photos per camera per day. I do not renumber the photos when ingesting and rely on the numbering from the camera.

Folder Name:

7. I copy the images into a folder named “{year2}{month0}{day0}_CAT_SUBCAT_OBJ”, where CAT is the category, SUBCAT the subcategory, and OBJ the object identifier.
   • I use a three letter abbreviations of the first level of the NewsCodes from the photo metadata IPTC standard (https://cv.iptc.org/newscodes/subjectcode/) for categories.
   • I use the second level of the NewsCodes from the photo metadata IPTC standard (https://cv.iptc.org/newscodes/subjectcode/) for subcategories.
   • I use as object identifier, a short identifier of the event that I am photographing.

As I have PhotoMechanics unmount the source disk / card after completing the ingest, I can remove the card from the reader without any problem. But first, I double-check that the ingest completed successfully by having a first look at the images. If everything looks fine, I remove the card from the reader, put it back into the camera, and format the card in the camera. Only then do I proceed to ingesting photos from a second camera, if any, using the same ingest process.

Following the recommendations from PhotoMechanics, I do not have the application erase the images on the card after ingesting them. Although that would be faster (avoiding having to format the card in the camera), they recommend against it as a step of precaution.

I open the folder in which I have ingested the photos and sort the images by capture time.

• By the way, I use Name + 2 Labels, with the first label being {category}_{suppcat1}_{object} and the second label {event}, as contact sheet preferences for thumbnails as seen in Figures 3 and 4.

Next, I circle through the images and crop those images that I want to process further. I especially check that the images cropped are sharp. Once, I have completed the selection and cropping process, I move to the image processing step of my editing process.

If I am in a hurry, I only focus on the tagged images, by displaying only the tagged images, as shown in Figure 4.

1. I sort the images by {crop} and select all cropped images that have not yet been color-coded.
2. Then I color-code the selected images. I have defined a special color-core “processed images”. This allows me to know which photos have already been processed.
3. Next, I open the images in the RAW converter of PhotoShop using the command CTRL+E (Image -> Edit Photos).
4. In the RAW converter, I do the following adjustments (but only if really needed): white balance / temperature, exposure, contrast, highlights, shadows, whites, and blacks.
   • You may also consider applying optics corrections (which I typically do not do) and other image corrections.
5. Once opened in PhotoShop, I process the image if necessary. This typically includes adjusting colors, tone, and contrast, straightening and / or sharpening the image. I try to keep the adjustments made to a minimum and adhere to the AP guidelines for editing news images.
6. Finally, I save the image as JPG. When saving the JPG file of a processed image, I append an “e” to the filename, to indicate that the photo has been edited.

AP Code of Ethics
AP pictures must always tell the truth. We do not alter or digitally manipulate the content of a photograph in any way.
The content of a photograph must not be altered in Photoshop or by any other means. No element should be digitally added to or subtracted from any photograph. The faces or identities of individuals must not be obscured by Photoshop or any other editing tool. Only retouching or the use of the cloning tool to eliminate dust on camera sensors and scratches on scanned negatives or scanned prints are acceptable.
Minor adjustments in Photoshop are acceptable. These include cropping, dodging and burning, conversion into grayscale, and normal toning and color adjustments that should be limited to those minimally necessary for clear and accurate reproduction (analogous to the burning and dodging previously used in darkroom processing of images) and that restore the authentic nature of the photograph. Changes in density, contrast, color and saturation levels that substantially alter the original scene are not acceptable. Backgrounds should not be digitally blurred or eliminated by burning down or by aggressive toning. The removal of “red eye” from photographs is not permissible.
On those occasions when we transmit images that have been provided and altered by a source — the faces obscured, for example — the caption must clearly explain it.
Except as described herein, we do not stage, pose or re-enact events. When we shoot video, environmental portraits, or photograph subjects in a studio care should be taken to avoid, misleading viewers to believe that the moment was spontaneously captured in the course of gathering the news. In the cases of portraits, fashion or home design illustrations, any intervention should be revealed in the caption and special instructions box so it can’t be mistaken as an attempt to deceive.

After having processed the images in PhotoShop, I return to PhotoMechanics and sort the images by {type}, now focusing on the edited JPG files.

I edit the IPTC data for each photo by completing the caption, adding keywords, person shown, etc. and checking that all data is correct. If the image has an associated sound, I take that into account when writing the caption. I heavily rely on code replacements to make caption writing quick and easy – and to avoid typing mistakes.

• Which fields should contain which information depends on the requirements set by the person / system / database you are transmitting the photo to.

After having written all captions, I re-read them and correct typing mistakes. It is very important to get your spelling right. As they say – you never get a second chance to make a first impression. Unfortunately, sometimes I jump over this step, and it comes to haunt me later!!!

1. I select the images to transmit and upload the images using CTRL+U (File -> Upload).
2. Then I chose the appropriate FTP destination and make sure to replace existing files on the server.
3. I only transmit JPG files and do not adjust for quality, send WAV files, or perform any image processing.
4. If required by the target system, I rename the files transmitted by prefixing them with a unique identified of me (in the example “cd-”), ensuring that the filenames of the images transmitted are unique.
5. Finally, I have PhotoMechanics save the transmitted images in the subdirectory transmitted. Once the transmission has been successful, I delete the transmitted JPG files in the original directory. This helps me avoid transmitting the same image multiple times, especially if transmitting images in multiple batches.

As a final tip, I have defined the info text shown next to each image when in the preview window as shown in Figure 6.