How to Improve Your Photography Workflow

Getting in the field, capturing gorgeous images, and sharing your shots with the world are some of the most riveting aspects of photography. But setting up a streamlined photography workflow? Not so much. Creating an organized photography workflow is less about creativity and more about logistics and processes. Said differently: Optimizing workflow can be boring. But this task can save you time, which ultimately means a higher hourly rate — which can help your business grow.

So where do you begin with improving your photography workflow? Here are eight steps to get started:

8 Steps to a Successful Photography Workflow

1. Shoot in RAW

The first step to perfecting your photography workflow is making sure you have the right kind of shots to edit in the first place. RAW images, rather than JPEG, offer significantly more flexibility when editing. They’re larger files, but that size means these images capture more data — which ultimately means you can salvage highlights and shadows for most images in this format. So first things first, make sure your camera is set to RAW captures before you begin shooting.

2. Download images into organized folders

Once your shoot’s over, it’s time for the good stuff: editing! I download my files onto a hard drive like the LaCie Rugged Hard Drive and work directly from there. Otherwise, those big RAW files would bog down my Mac and slow down the process (not to mention laptops hardly have enough space for numerous RAW shoots).

I’m a big believer in folders, subfolders, and — when it’s relevant — sub-subfolders. Since I use my travel images for articles and blog posts, I save them in a larger destination with a subfolder for each city or experience (and potentially restaurants or experiences within those). That way, I can efficiently access my images when I need to pull something quickly for a client. 

3. Import photos and choose selects

Once I have my images organized, I import all of them (yes, even the bad ones) into Adobe Lightroom. Culling your images in Lightroom will help you save time in the whole process. It’s much easier to analyze my shots here than pre-import. This must-have photo-editing software is just as much for editing as it is for organization. You can flag favorites, compare images, and even color code shots to streamline how you’re editing different photo sets.

While everyone has their own system, my selection process looks like this: I go through images quickly and flag the ones I like (even the ones I’m so-so on). Then, I go through those flagged images and remove any flags from images that maybe aren’t up to par. I’ll rate my top shots with five stars; my second-tier shots with three stars, and my “still considering” with one star. Then, I use the color-code options to mark photos taken in similar settings so I can easily batch edit images at once.

4. Use presets for editing efficiency

Now, batch editing leads me to presets. Lightroom presets are essential for editing efficiency. While you can have some more general presets for all images (like the presets you purchase from other photographers), I like to make presets during each editing session for making quick adjustments when images are virtually identical.

So, I’ll edit the first image in a series — say a portrait session in the same setting. Once I’ve perfected everything from exposure to color, I’ll save the preset, then apply it to each photo in the color-coded series. From here, I’ll go through each image separately (but quickly) to make simple adjustments, such as cropping in, straightening, or adding minor doge-and-burn tweaks. I create another preset for the next batch of photos, and so on. Every so often I’ll take my photos into Photoshop, but for the most part I stay in Lightroom because this tool has virtually everything I need.

5. Set time limits

It’s way too easy to lose track of time while editing photos. That’s why I try to stick to no more than a few minutes per shot. Perfecting that initial edit for the preset ultimately takes the most time — and I give myself more flexibility there — but once I move on to the batch-editing, I keep it quick. Yes, you want your images to be near-perfect, but clients won’t notice a tiny corner that could’ve been darker or a photo that’s a hint too warm. Do what you can quickly, but don’t let yourself go down that tempting (and time-sucking) rabbit hole.

6. Take a break before exporting

Yes, this goes slightly against my speed tip, but sometimes you just need fresh eyes. If I’m editing portrait images or more natural shots, I can usually get those finished in one setting. But, if I’m getting creative with nature or wildlife shots, I need a fresh set of eyes to review my work and make sure I wasn’t too heavy handed with, say, contrast or colors. Your best bet here is to go ahead and edit at once — you’re in a flow, don’t break it! — but color code the images you think need a second review. Then come back to them after a walk or run outside.

6. Create export settings

Just like editing presets, you can also set export presets for different scenarios. For example, if you’re editing images for print, you’ll want higher-quality files (at least 300 pixels per inch) than you would for, say, a blog (about 72 pixels per inch). If you’re exporting for Facebook shares, you’ll want 2048 pixels on the longest side, says photographer Courtney Slazinik.

Settings vary based on how you’re using the images, so for speed and efficiency, create export presets for each situation and create consistent subfolders within your hard drive so you can easily access and use those edited images.

8. Back up images

You’ve finished the editing process, now it’s time to double check your backup system. Each photographer has their own preference for how many backups are necessary for files. I keep the RAW images on my memory cards and on my hard drive. (I almost never erase and reuse SD cards). Some photographers take it a step further with a third, fourth, or fifth back-up version. If nothing else, make sure you at least have two for peace of mind.

Feature photo by Domenico Loia on Unsplash