Workflow headache. Can I see examples of your workflow bullet style?

[Laminarman]

I shoot film, scan and use PS and LR (also shoot digital). But for this let's say it's hybrid I'm interested in. I see a LOT of conflicting opinions on workflow and I read The Zen of Post Production which advocates opening an image in LR, adjusting highlights, clipping, tone and color adjustments, assign keywords, labels..etc THEN open a copy with LR adjustments in PS (which is now a permanent file and LR edits are embedded). Do your PS thing then save as an edit which is stacked with the original. Is there a better way?

*Scan image in v850 at the resolution for the print size I desire (have not been scanning supersized and re-sampling down to print due to file size concerns and disc space). What is better, a few scans at different sizes or one master large file?
*Import TIFF into LR
*Assign keywords, tags..etc
*Open a copy with LR adjustments in PS
*Edit in PS and save an edit along with the original

If it's non critical work for family and friends, I'll just edit and print from within LR which is about 75% of what I do. Then I have the issue of how do I keep track of my FINAL printed product so I can find it in the future and duplicate it. So my edit from PS, now saved in LR (Img4555_edit for example) may have these keywords (my keyword list is huge now)

FILM<scanned<BW<Delta100<Rodinal 1:100STAND<FINAL EDIT<Papersize13x19<EpsonEFP<P800<ABWWarm<500CM<LANDSCAPES<Trees<Winter

I then place this file into a smart collection named FINAL PRINTED so in my portfolio boxes I have this collection in hard copy essentially.

Does this seem like a reasonable approach or is there something simpler?

[Tin Can]

I add version numbers like Final 1.13 as i change my final.

Get bigger drives.

Backup.

Many use Flickr Pro for posting any pic as it is so easy to custom size and post.

[Laminarman]

Randy, I thought if you saved with a different file name in PS then LR wouldn't find it? Something about synchronizing files. I have a 2TB HD and two cloud backups going and local Seagate HD backup. Sadly, I never even heard of Flickr PRO : (

[Tin Can]

I don't use LR.

You will get different advice.

There is no correct Digital road and it changes course over time.

I do know where my actual negatives are.

Randy, I thought if you saved with a different file name in PS then LR wouldn't find it? Something about synchronizing files. I have a 2TB HD and two cloud backups going and local Seagate HD backup. Sadly, I never even heard of Flickr PRO : (

[Steven Ruttenberg]

I scan at 6000dpi on V850 as a raw tiff (linear gamma) 4x5
import to PS
Convert using ColorNeg by Colorfast
In PS I use the following, but not always all on adjustment layers
Use Color Balance to see if there is a cast of sorts that need to be corrected
create a blank layer (first one above base image)
On this layer, I do all of my dust deletion using the spot healing, healing, and clone tool. I prefer the Healing brush. I don't remember, but I think the patch tool will work with the blank layer, but maybe not so I rarely use it
Then I create a set of luminosity masks
use these luminosity masks to create selections to use curves, levels, etc as an adjustment layer. Note: I rename each layer I create with the appropriate name so I know what it is. The dust delete layer gets that name, If I use a luminosity mask called light 2, I name the adjustment layer light 2
I also group my layers based on what they do. For example a set of adjustment layers may be for contrast so I group all those together and call the group contrast, etc
I create dodge and burn layers
contrast mask layer/s
Frequency Separation layers too (typically used for portraits, but works awesome to smooth out a blotchy sky and other areas of photo)

Each step is an adjustment layer. I may after making a lot of adjustments, delete the original set of luminosity masks and create a new set
Once I am satisfied, I will save this as the working file (note, it can be quite huge. I have files in the 60-70gb range) This is my archive working file. I have to archive files. The original scanned raw tiff, and then the working file.
From the working file I flattened image, downsize to print size I want at 300dpi (use Canon Printer) use 360 for an Epson Printer
Use high pass sharpening. I start by desaturating the image (can't desaturate if it is a smart layer so I do the desaturating first, then create a smart layer.
I set the layer blend to Overlay (you can use others that suit your goal) and choose high pass from filter>other, I have started using layer blend options to target the mid-tones. You can do the high pass filtering as often as you want, one on top of the other if you think needed, each time targeting a certain area. I typically only need to target the mid-tones or mid-contrast if you will.

Also, I take full advantage of layer masking and painting in combination with luminosity masks, gradient tool, etc. Example, I will adjust picture to get the look I want in a certain area, then either paint out the adjustment elsewhere, or use the gradient tool to filter out the adjustment from areas I don't want and will even do additional painting on the gradient maske.

Make full use of the paint brush and layer masks. Set your flow very low (leave opacity at 100%) and like a painter, make corrections to your masks

While I can keep listing what I do, I also do not use everything or even add more. The image dictates what I need to do based on what I want to achieve.

To be sure, I usually never get there in one pass or even two. It sometimes takes me a couple of iterations to get there (why everything is on an adjustment layer) Forget about LR for editing your photo. Use it to catalogue your images at most. It can't read a PSB file and most certainly cannot read a 70GB file. Make sure your directories are set up logically for how you think, use dates to name your files so you know what is latest and what was first and in between. When all done, get rid of all the intermediate working files and save the final working file.

My file names are something like this: 20180920_0143_Working_20190123.psb so; (date image was taken)_(image file number)_(Working/final_date saved).psb

I also create jpgs along the way to post up for opinion if I want or to show the final image. Intermediate jpgs are used to see if others are seeing what I am, expecially if I am not sure about the look, and for general discussion which helps me finalize. Of course in the end the only real opinion that counts is your own and no one elses.

Check out thse two sites for working on photos

This first one, will provide you with more information on how to use PS and LR than you will probably ever use, but you will find it quite worth while and Aaron is pretty cool for a millenial

https://phlearn.com/

The second is Joel Tjintjelaar.

https://www.bwvision.com/

Both these sites have a lot of PS/LR knowledge. Joel, has started into large format since last year as well. They also have g+, and facebook sites as well.

Hope this helps a little.

[Laminarman]

Steve that is very helpful. I am nowhere that proficient in Photoshop! And thank you for the references.

[Alan9940]

This is a pretty wide open question and there are probably as many answers as there are photographers using a hybrid workflow. I would say my own hybrid workflow is darn close to Steven's, except my scanners are a Minolta Scan Elite II for 35mm and an Epson Expression 1680 Pro for LF. I scan at max optical resolution of each scanner into a raw TIFF file which becomes my master (think of it as a raw file that's never touched.) Silverfast Ai Studio 8 is used with the Epson and VueScan with the Minolta. Like Steven, I convert with the ColorPerfect plugin, do my edit, sharpen, then re-purpose for output. When I'm done, I'll have three image files: 1) the raw TIFF master, 2) a working copy (.psd format), and 3) a print copy (TIFF) for output.

[Steven Ruttenberg]

This is a pretty wide open question and there are probably as many answers as there are photographers using a hybrid workflow. I would say my own hybrid workflow is darn close to Steven's, except my scanners are a Minolta Scan Elite II for 35mm and an Epson Expression 1680 Pro for LF. I scan at max optical resolution of each scanner into a raw TIFF file which becomes my master (think of it as a raw file that's never touched.) Silverfast Ai Studio 8 is used with the Epson and VueScan with the Minolta. Like Steven, I convert with the ColorPerfect plugin, do my edit, sharpen, then re-purpose for output. When I'm done, I'll have three image files: 1) the raw TIFF master, 2) a working copy (.psd format), and 3) a print copy (TIFF) for output.

Nice to see I am not to far overboard.

One thing to mention, unlike digital, which can take some time if the file is not a great exposure, is that film, not withstanding dust delete can take as much or as little time as you want. I figure the whole process from mounting negative to final output for me is around 8-16 hours. As you can imagine, this is not a high volume process. If I were doing portraits, it might still take me 2-4 hours or longer for a final image, but then your customer is expecting a perfect image even though there isn't such a thing.

[Steven Ruttenberg]

Steve that is very helpful. I am nowhere that proficient in Photoshop! And thank you for the references.

Just takes practice. I hadn't used PS in many years, because I could do 99% of everything in LR for a digital image, but when I went back to film, I found LR wanting and PS was not. So, I dived in and started. I eventually learned most of the lingo and then just sat down and worked an image. And those images can take some time as I posted.

[Laminarman]

Thanks Steve and Alan. I guess what I wanted to hear and see was that there is indeed no "one right way" to do this. I will have to look at that plug in. I don't do professional work so my images don't anywhere near 8-16 hours. Perhaps I don't even have the eye for that much detail