The advent of digital photography is changing the ways in which photographers work both during and, most radically, after a shoot. According to a January 2006 InfoTrends study, professional photographers say that they now spend more of their time in post-shoot activities, including image editing and digital asset management, and less time marketing and taking pictures.1
The same study reveals that 90 percent of professional photographs will be captured digitally by the year 2010.2 An effective and efficient digital workflow is rapidly becoming a necessity for all professional photographers. Eighty-five percent of digital photographers recognize inadequacies in the effectiveness in their workflow.
The impact of the digital photography revolution means that professional photographers are increasingly expected to manage many of the processes previously handled by photography labs, including developing, retouching and color management. According to iView Multimedia research, a majority of professional photographers recognize the single greatest benefit of an effective workflow is that it saves time. It is apparent that a comprehensive and efficient workflow is key to delivering projects on time.
A professional photographer’s workflow can be defined as the complete sequence of steps necessary to deliver a finished product to a client – from shooting images right through to archiving them. Specific elements within a workflow will include, but are not limited to, downloading images to a computer, organizing, selecting, editing, presenting and archiving images. A workflow will often be dictated by a variety of factors including customer requirements, business goals, staffing, in-house equipment, third-party software, distribution methods and the amount of images produced.
Not all photographers have been able to take the conversion to digital in stride. The learning curve associated with new technologies coupled with the huge stores of digital images, has resulted in professional photographers struggling with photo editing, management, and printing issues.3 iView research reveals that image editing, such as raw file conversion, color correction and touch-up, and adding metadata to images cause frustrating workflow delays for most professional photographers.
An effective digital workflow will incorporate the use of different tools working in conjunction to complete a series of steps. A digital asset management (DAM) program, such as iView MediaPro, streamlines many tasks within the digital workflow and is integral to the entire process. By utilizing a set of coordinated technologies and procedures, DAM systems enable the efficient import, storage, editing, search, retrieval and reuse of digital files. Comprehensive DAM can ease of the learning curve associated with new technologies and enable users to maximize the value of digital advances.
How DAM can streamline the workflow
A DAM solution can save creative professionals’ time, energy and money that might be otherwise wasted in managing, searching for or recreating the same or similar content. Professional photographers need a DAM component in their workflow that will enable them to minimize the amount of time spent managing their media and maximize the time to create, market and sell digital assets.
For a DAM system to be effective it must enable photographers to customize and automate many of the processes involved in their workflow. iView MediaPro achieves this by streamlining digital workflow, enabling users to realize their creative visions.
The ability to batch process specific functions is crucial to the simplification of a workflow routine. A batch process is a function that can be simultaneously applied to a group of digital files. MediaPro has integrated batch capabilities with many key tasks including: viewing, marking and selecting images, adding metadata, sorting, grouping and renaming images, editing and converting images with MediaPro or with third-party software programs, and repurposing or distributing images through the creation of web galleries, hi-res PDFs, movies, and CD/DVD-ROMs.
Another fundamental step in creating an efficient workflow is automation. Automating a workflow through the use of scripts enables photographers to simplify tasks or a sequence of batch processes. MediaPro can be scripted on both Mac and Windows platforms to perform a series of tasks with third- party applications, Web services and database systems.
Workflow efficiency and productivity can be increased by customizing a DAM solution’s interface and features, tailoring them to meet individual needs.
The key to a successful, efficient workflow is to work smarter. Photographers are encouraged to pay close attention to detail, batch or automate as many tasks as possible, and follow a consistent routine. An effective workflow solution will be fast, simple and above all flexible.
Customizing the workflow
Developing an efficient workflow may not be easy, but it is necessary. Professional digital photographers are well-served by navigating the fastest and most effective route from capture to delivery. Here is what iView recommends to create an effective workflow:
- Document every step of the workflow. This enables workflow to be standardized among decentralized workgroups.
- Revise and refine the workflow over time. As there are so many variables in workflow, it’s unlikely that anyone has the foresight to plan out an entire workflow. The only way to define a workflow is to work through the experience and document it. Try this method: Experience › Document › Revise.
- Identify which steps take the most time and research whether these steps can be combined through batch or automated processes.
- Pay close attention to detail, and follow a consistent workflow routine.
- Remember that a well-organized archive leads to efficient recovery and re-use of digital assets.
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