The work that follows the capture of a photographic image - the workflow in the digital darkroom - has a significant effect on the quality of the final image. This workflow is often underestimated and neglected, leading to weak images and poorly managed image collections. The Digital Photography Workflow Handbook will help you avoid crucial mistakes as you master the craft of photographic post-processing.
This book provides a step-by-step guide through the photographic workflow, from image capture, editing, and asset management, all the way to the perfect photographic print. The workflow presented in this book focuses on RAW images, which will give you maximum quality and flexibility, and is based on two of the most popular and powerful software tools: Adobe Photoshop and Lightroom.
The Digital Photography Workflow Handbook can be used as a reference of textbook by both aspiring amateur and professional photographers, as well as by students.
Chapter 1 Introducing the Digital Photo Workflow
The Basic Digital Photo Workflow
Computer Equipment
What are RAW Files?
JPEG Instead of RAW?
Camera Settings
From the Camera to the Computer
The Digital Light Box
Adobe Bridge
Metadata
Views
Buzzwords You Should Know
Chapter 2 The Basic Workflow
The Five Phases of the Workflow
Phase 1: Shooting
Phase 2: Image Transfer and Management
Phase 3: Image File Conversion and Optimization
Phase 4: Output
Phase 5: Digital Asset Management
The Influence of Individual Tools on the Workflow
Increasing Efficiency
Develop Your Own Approach to the Workflow
Chapter 3 Color Management Know-How
Understanding Different Color Models
Understanding Color Management
Mapping Color Spaces
Creating Device Profiles
Profiling Your Monitor
Photoshop Color Management Settings
Printer Profiles
Installing and Uninstalling Profiles
Soft-Proofing and Gamut Warning
Color Temperature and Hue
Complementary Colors
Working Spaces II
Chapter 4 Image Processing Basics
Don’t be Afraid of Photoshop
8-bit or 16-bit Color Depth?
Image Size and Resolution
Choosing a File Format
File Information and Logs
Image Alignment
Simple Corrections
The Art of Sharpening
Color Corrections
Selection Tools
Retouching and Repairing Images
Speed Up Your Workflow with Photoshop Actions
Photoshop’s History Panel
Additional Information and Overviews
Chapter 5 RAW Editing and Conversion
Some Initial Thoughts
Important Aspects of RAW Processing
Adobe Camera Raw (ACR)
Other RAW Converters
Even More RAW Converters
Chapter 6 All-in-One Workflow Tools
What We Expect of an All-in-One Tool
Apple Aperture
Adobe Lightroom
Bibble 5
Chapter 7 Photoshop Layers
Layers Panel
Your First Layer
Using Adjustment Layers
Making Selective Adjustments Using Layer Masks
Flattening and Merging Layers
Smart Cropping
Removing Moiré Effects
Auto Color Correction for Better Contrast
Blending Layers Using Layer Styles
Dodge and Burn Using Layers
Loading Image Files into a Stack and Aligning Layers
Smart Objects and Smart Filters
Organizing Layers
Other Aspects of Working with Layers
Getting a “Layer Feeling” without Using Layers
Selective Adjustment Using U Point Control Points
More Tips for Working with Layers
Chapter 8 Advanced Photoshop Techniques
Correcting Saturation Selectively
Some Tricks for Improving Saturation and Contrast
Correcting Perspective Distortion
Correcting Lens Errors
Correcting Color Casts in Shadows
Using Masks to Increase Luminance
Correcting Images Using Brush Techniques
Advanced Sharpening Using Photoshop Layers
Adding Digital Sunshine to Your Photos
Brush Off Noise
Enhancing Midtone Contrast
Enhancing Local Contrast
Content-Aware Fill
Fine-Tuning After Upsizing or Downsizing Images
Chapter 9 Multishot Techniques
Common Steps in a Multishot Workflow
Increase Your Angle of View Using Stitching Techniques
Maximizing Depth of Field Using Focus Stacking
Increasing Dynamic Range Using HDRI Techniques
Chapter 10 Turning Color into Black-and-White
From Color to Black-and-White
Black-and-White Conversion Using the Channel Mixer
Enhanced Black-and-White Conversion
Black-and-White à la Russell Brown
Black-and-White Conversion Using the Black & White Command
Black-and-White Conversion Using Photoshop Plug-ins
Black-and-White Conversion Using a RAW Editor
Colorizing Images
Chapter 11 Printing and Image Presentation
Publishing Images and Image Data
Printing Images on Paper
Printing on Photo Paper
Printing Using Inkjet Printers
The Print Workflow
Printing Your Image
Specialty Printing Software and RIPs
Creating Contact Sheets
Printed Frames
Publishing Images on the Web
Creating Digital Slideshows
Other Ways to Present Your Images
Chapter 12 Useful Photoshop Plug-ins
Photoshop Extensions
White Balance and Color Corrections
Reducing Noise Without Losing Detail
Third-Party Sharpening Tools
Correcting Perspective and Other Optical Anomalies
Juergen Gulbins has extensive experience in writing, technology, desktop publishing, designing high-end document archival systems, and digital photography. He is a prolific author who has written and translated books on topics such as CAD, Unix, DTP, typography, Internet, document management, Linux, and various aspects of digital photography. He has been a passionate photographer most of his life.
Uwe Steinmueller, a native of Germany, has been a photographer since 1973. His first exhibitions were in 1978 in Bremen, Germany with photos from Venice, South Tirol, Germany, and France. He shares a joint copyright with his wife Bettina. Uwe moved to California in 1997 and began working seriously in digital photography in 1999. He currently lives and works in San Jose. He has written a number of books, two of which won the prestigious German "Fotobuchpreis" award two years in a row, in 2004 and 2005. Uwe is the man behind outbackphoto.com, a popular website covering quality outdoor photography using digital cameras.
Comments about oreilly The Digital Photography Workflow Handbook:
THIS is a BOOK. Not book, as in the sense of a small, quickly read work, but one that deserves attention and concentration to understand fully what it is teaching you. I was impressed initially by the weight of the package it arrived in, and even more so when I opened it and saw it for the first time.
It is beautifully constructed…hardbound, with high quality papers and printing throughout. And HEAVY…it weighs in at a whopping 552 pages, and just under 4 pounds. Definitely want to keep your toes out from under it if you should drop it…
Authors Jurgen Gulbens and Uwe Steinmueller have set out via this volume, to teach you the fundamentals of the digital imaging workflow, from input to output.
Organized into 13 chapters, they do an excellent job of it.
Chapter topics include:
1. Introducing the Digital Workflow 2. The Basic Workflow 3. Color Management Know-how 4. Image Processing Basics 5. RAW Editing and conversion 6. All-in-one Workflow Tools 7. Photoshop Layers 8. Advanced Photoshop Techniques 9. Multi-shot Techniques 10. Turning Color into Black and White 11. Printing and Image Presentation 12. Useful Photoshop Plug-ins 13. Data Management and Backup
An appendix and detailed index round out the contents.
Most of the time, it takes a lot to impress me. And this is one of those times. If you want to know the digital imaging workflow from start to end, this is the book to turn to.
As noted, it is divided into thirteen chapters, each of which covers a certain technique in detail. However, where the authors have written another book on a certain subject being covered (as in the chapter on Printing), they note this fact and refer you to the other book for comprehensive information on that subject…and present brief overviews of needed details here. But it works… you get the required information in this book, and direction to a volume that expands on the topic even further.
Looking at the number of pages within the covers, you may think that it is a dry, boring volume that would not hold your interest for long. This is further from the truth. There IS a wealth of knowledge inside, but you can take it a chapter at a time, and absorb it slowly. Rushing is not something you want to do if you want to produce high quality photographs, especially if you want to sell them in the fine-art marketplace.
Each chapter contains many photos and illustrations, o allow you to understand the concepts being presented easier. Uwe and Jurgen have strived to make things simple and easy to comprehend, while still conveying the important facts you need to know. And this is consistent throughout the volume. The book is written for photographers of any and all levels of expertise, but it could be used as a text for a college-level photography class…it's that good.
If you want to jump in and start to develop or alter your own workflow, Chapter two is the place to start. As it is noted b the authors (and was apparent to me when I first looked through the book), this chapter is the true heart of the work. Here they take you step-by-step through their own personal workflow, examining and explaining why each step is important.
The effort has been made (successfully, too) to be a different type of workflow book.
Rather than concentrating on just a single product, such as Adobe Lightroom or Apple Aperture, or any of the associated tools, the authors have made it a point to include information on many different tools that are available. Not only do they discuss ways of doing things in Aperture and Lightroom, they also talk about using other apps that are a viable and effective alternative.
For example, ACR (Adobe Camera RAW) is regarded as the most popular and widely-used RAW converter on the market. But in order to give a rounded view of options, they also explore converters from Canon, Nikon, DxO, Phase One and others. Likewise, they give directions on using Aperture, Lightroom, Expression Media and Bibble 5 for use as all-in-one workflow solutions. This is somewhat unique to this book…I don't recall seeing any other workflow books that deal with alternative products as this one does. It's another example of the completeness the authors have brought to their work.
Chapter nine presents techniques to make your HDR and panoramic images stand out from the rest. They are simple enough to create, but some special attention during the image processing can make a huge difference in the way they look.
The final chapter is also of great importance, as it describes methods to protect your digital images. As we no longer have photos on physical film, caring for the original data files is more important than ever. Methods of doing so are presented here.
This volume needs to be in every serious photographer's library. The information presented is priceless. Just don't try to read it all at once…take it slowly, and it will make you a better photographer.
The Digital Photography Workflow Handbook is published by Rocky Nook (www.rockynook.com), and lists for $49.95. However, you can find it on Amazon.com for $30.63, almost 40% off list. If you want to search for it, the ISBN number is 978-1933952710.
