How do I learn to edit my pictures in Lightroom?

How do I learn to edit my pictures in Lightroom?

How do I learn to edit my pictures in Lightroom?

Hey!

No better way to learn Lightroom (or anything really) than to use it a lot!!

My workflow:

1. Import

• import images into nested folders by date : 2013/2013-01/2013/-01-06
• assign copyright metadata on import by having a metadata preset
• tag images on the import. Generally not too many tags: client + people on the image or topic + type of work

2. Selection

• Skimming : I go through the images a first time and attribute: X (reject) to images that I will not keep and 1 (one star) to the images I want to take a closer look at

3. Develop

• Filter : I use the one star filter to see the images I have selected
• Developing: I use different develop and selection processes if it is a portrait or an event, but loosely it goes like this: develop the first few images taking time to experiment and get the mood right. Then I paste the settings of my first edit to the following images and see if it matches, I will then continue through my batch by pasting/and tweaking developement. 
• Second selection:I attribute 2 (two stars) to the developed images I want to keep. This I do while developing. Say if I have a series of two or tree similar images, I will attribute two stars to the one I whish to keep in the story.
• External edit: if the jobs requires it, I do (minimal) external editing in photoshop on the two star pictures with lightroom developement.

4. Final selection

• Filter: I filter all the images that have 2 stars.
• Refine: I go through the images and select the keepers for the client either by attributing 3 (three stars) to the selected images or by reverting to 1(one star) the images that I do not whish to keep.
• Metadata: I add caption and metadata, a general caption for all images (even with no stars) and a more precise caption for the final selection of images

5. Export

• All at the same root: the root of all my exports is the same (e.g. Photos/exports/). I create subfolders for each export.
• Export presets: I have different export presets depending on the job.
• FTP: I deliver the images via ftp to the client.

The process of 1,2 and 3 stars was thought to me by Bob Sacha . It is a brilliant use of the stars in Lightroom as it allows to have a hierarchy in the images. For example, if the client wants to have another picture from your series, you can just go back to your 2 or 1 star selection firs to have good candidates!


For good tutorials on lightroom, check Julieanne Kost. tutorials, they are very well done.

I also recently started using VSCO Keys and VSCO Film that accelerate a lot the workflow, I would recommend this to experienced Lightroom users though.

Let me know if this helps!


ps: there is also the problem of backup and archiving. I back up everything with time machine, then I archive the images once the job is finished. At that moment I usually delete the rejects. For less important jobs I also use the refine tool and delete images that have no stars.