This document outlines the class topics for a digital workflow class, including introductions, setting up for success, systems and services, backup methods, color calibration, Lightroom interface and tools, importing and exporting images, editing photos, and printing photos. The instructor's background in consulting and photography business is provided. The class will cover selecting hardware and software, streamlining workflows to focus on revenue-generating tasks like shooting and marketing, and calibrating monitors for color-accurate printing and delivery to labs and clients.
3. Class Outline
• Introductions
• Setting yourself up for success
• Systems & Services
• Gizmos & Gadgets
• Backup Systems
• Color Calibration
• Introduction to Lightroom
• Interface tour
• Image management
• Importing / Exporting Images
• Round trip to Photoshop
• Editing(culling) images
• Global adjustments
• Cropping and resizing for print
• Local adjustments
4. Background
• Background in management consulting, business process optimization
• Started my photography business part-time in 2010
• Went full-time in early 2013
• Re-branded in Summer of 2016
5. Enough about me…
• Name
• Background on your business
• Focus of your business
• What do you do well?
• Where do you struggle?
6. A few notes
• Do what works best for you!
• Eat the elephant one bite at a time
• Systems don’t have to be complicated or expensive
• Remember: No debt is better than debt!
7. Stuff I love
(No, I don’t get paid by any of these companies)
• Google apps for work
https://gsuite.google.com/
• Office 360
http://office.microsoft.com
• Pixifi Studio Management Software
www.Pixifi.com
• Quickbooks Online
https://quickbooks.intuit.com
• Wordpress
https://wordpress.org/
• Sytist
https://www.picturespro.com/sytist
• Zapier
http://www.zapier.com
• Evernote
http://www.evernote.com
• OmniFocus
https://www.omnigroup.com/omnifocus
• Dropbox
http://www.dropbox.com
• Lightroom & Capture One (yes, both!)
http://lightroom.adobe.com
https://www.phaseone.com
• Photo Mechanic
http://www.camerabits.com/
• ProSelect
http://timeexposure.com/
• ProShow Producer (or web)
http://www.photodex.com/
• Fundy Designer
http://fundydesigner.com/
• Resilio Sync
https://getsync.com
• CrashPlan
https://www.crashplan.com
• FullContact
http://www.fullcontact.com
• Mvelopes
http://www.mvelopes.com
8. Why are we in business?
• To make money, of course!
• Time is money
• Time is a finite resource
• We waste time on unimportant things
• How do you regain time and make more money?
9. Productivity Survey
• Collected from 20 portrait and event photographers over 1 month
• Split into two categories, high performing and low performing
Travel
8%
Shooting
10%
Processing
42%
Sales
5%
Fulfillment
11%
Client
Communication
11%
Marketing
1%
Administrative
12%
Low Performing - 70 Hours Per Week
Travel
11%
Shooting
21%
Processing
18%Sales
7%
Fulfillment
11%
Client
Communication
7%
Marketing
16%
Administrative
9%
High Performing - 50 Hours Per Week
10. The bottom line
• Activities that add to the bottom line:
• Shooting
• Marketing
• We need to focus on those activities and streamline everything else!
11. Systems and Services
• Email
• G Suite
• Office 365
• Website
• Squarespace, Wordpress, Zenfolio
• Image Hosting
• Zenfolio, Smugmug
• Accounting
• Quickbooks, Xero, Gnucash
• Backups
• Studio Management (Later)
• Sales Software (Later)
12. Gizmos and Gadgets
• Camera gear
• Grey Card or Color Checker
• Full frame vs crop sensor
• Where to start investing
• Computer Gear
• Laptop or desktop?
• Specs and storage
• Wacom Tablet (Cintiq pro)
• Monitor calibration device
• Print or Lab?
13. Backup Systems
• 3-2-1 Method – Best practice
• Have at least 3 copies of your data
• Keep these backups on 2 different media
• Store 1 backup offsite
• RAID & NAS
• Raid is not backup!
• A copy of your data is not a backup!
18. Color Management Workflow
• Start big -> End Small
• Delivery for web – sRGB
• Delivery for print (typical lab) – sRGB
• Delivery for print (high-end labs and printers) – Adobe RGB
• Embed your color profile
19. Printing Your Work
• Calibrate your monitor
• Temperature 6500k Gamma 2.2 is standard
• Select your lab
• Pilot Imaging
• WHCC
• Bay Photo
• Millers
• Nations Photo
• Convert to proper color space and embed your profile when you export
• Order test prints from the lab and make corrections as necessary!