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Field Workflow, the key to more time shooting
By Moose Peterson
The very nature of my photography (bad pun there) demands that the vast majority of my image processing be done in the
"field." My Dell notebooks (M65 & M70) because of this demand are fitted with the necessary hardware (160GB HD, 2GG Ram
& 2.4 dual processor) and software (CS3, Capture NX, DigitalPro 4.0) so I can function. While all of this is to insure
I can work, all of this gear more importantly maximizes my time as time is everything. I while all of this gear is
essential, at the heart of it all are two Lexar products, their 133x cards and their multi card reader. Let me explain.
I'm a business man, nearly everything I do is in some way dedicated by that fact. One fact that I can't escape is, the only
time I make money is when I'm behind the camera. Anything that puts me behind the camera, fast, is money in the bank. This
all starts with the Lexar Professional 133x cards, I run the 8GB cards. They don't provide any faster write time in the camera than other
speed cards, but they make a massive difference when uploading a day's take.
I start when I get back to my room by booting up the computer with a 4 stack of multi readers plugged in and full of flash
cards. I than launch DigitalPro 4.0 where, I can upload all the images on all four cards at once with one click. That's
right, one click and I have them all! The bloody fast speed of the readers and the ability to upload them all at once
typically saves me thirty minutes to an hour. Once the cards are all uploaded, I format them in the computer, load them
back in the cameras and flash wallets and go on to editing the images.
Using DigitalPro slideshow feature, I delete all the out takes as fast as I can click. During this process, I tag images
that are either favorites, educational material or ones to be sent to clients right away. With that all done, I file all
the day's images while at the same time, numbering them. I than typically go to the file that has the images I want to
work, copy those Nefs to a Temp file for the next step in the process.
With DigitalPro closed, I launch Capture NX to convert the Nefs to Tiffs for finishing in Photoshop. Once NX is opened and
the file open, I use NX's U-Point technology to fine tune many aspects of the digital capture. Black Point / White Point
correction is done on nearly all images. Color U-Point is often used on small, subtle portions of the image. The time an
image sees NX is typically no more than 60seconds. Speed, time is everything! The file is saved, closed, NX is closed and
Photoshop CS2 is launched.
Photoshop is used to finish the image. Small, subtle changes are made, not unlike simple dodging and burning, color cast
removal and other finishing points. The file is than saved to a new folder as a PSD which takes up less hard drive space.
All the images from the day's take as well as the images that might have been worked in the digital darkroom are all saved
under one folder, in their own separate subfolders. This is important because the very last thing I do before I go to bed
(because I do all of this before I turn in) is to backup everything onto an external 100GB Fortress.
Why is any of this important to you? Workflow, while an over used word, is something you must design for yourself for the
protection of your images. Further more, a workflow that protects your images and puts time back into your pocket is vital
to your business success. Without images, you have nothing to sell, print, publish or share. The only time you can grow
your skills and files is when you're behind the camera. It's no bull (bad pun again), Lexar is the center piece to my
workflow and putting me behind the camera with more time to shoot!
(Note: to power all of this gear in the field, I use a Lind Converter which is plugged into either the cigarette lighter
in the truck, or dual solar panels.)
Moose Peterson Bio
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