I have been working on developming a workflow.
What I would like is advice as to (1) my workflow is any good and (2) where I should slot Neat Image (NI) in?
Workflow - provisional
Obviously some of the steps in these workflows are redundant depending on what I am doing. For example Guniune Fractals wouldn't be needed for every shot.
( 1 ) JPEG Workflow - provisional
~ Pic Shot
~ Upload w/Breeze Downloader or ImageIngester Pro or DigitalPro
~ Rejects
~ Backup originals
~ Noise Reduction w/Neat Image (Q. Is this the best place to do noise reduction? And do I sharpen here, or leave till later?)
~ Distortion correction w/PT Lens
~ Crop
~ Colour Correction (Tone, WB etc) w/Photoshop or LightZone
~ B&W w/Photoshop or LightZone
~ Retouching 01 ( cloning, blurring, special effects etc ) w/Photoshop or LightZone
Q.
In any one of the last three steps above, would it be best to introduce NI, instead of near the beginning of the workflow?
~ Album w/variious album creation products
~ Painting w/various tools
~ Enlarge w/Genuine Fractals
~ Noise reduction w/Neat Image
~ Copyright, watermark, fingerprint
~ Convert to JPEG SHQ
~ Archive
~ Print
( 2 ) RAW Workflow - provisional
~ Shoot RAW,
~ Upload w/Breeze Downloader or ImageIngester Pro or DigitalPro
~ use ACR to get max DR
~ save as SHQ JPEG/TIFF or DNGA and dispose of original RAW
Q.
Now, in the RAW processing software there are a whole host of things one can do to the file e.g. curves, contrast, noise reduction, sharpening etc. What would you recommend as being the max/min parameters to adjust in my RAW conversion software before processing with NI?
And how soon after the RAW conversion do you recommend introducing NI or particular NI tweaks i.e. where in the rest of the workflow below?
~ Rejects
~ Backup originals
~ Noise Reduction w/Neat Image (Q. Is this the best place to do noise reduction? And do I sharpen here, or leave till later?)
~ Distortion correction w/PT Lens
~ Crop
~ Colour Correction (Tone, WB etc) w/Photoshop or LightZone
~ B&W w/Photoshop or LightZone
~ Retouching 01 ( cloning, blurring, special effects etc ) w/Photoshop or LightZone
Q.
In any one of the last three steps above, would it be best to introduce NI, instead of near the beginning of the workflow?
~ Album w/variious album creation products
~ Painting w/various tools
~ Enlarge w/Genuine Fractals
~ Noise reduction w/Neat Image
~ Copyright, watermark, fingerprint
~ Convert to JPEG SHQ
~ Archive
~ Print
Advice much appreciated.
Thanks in advance.
Workflow: Where does NI fit in?
Dear NI users, please feel free to add your comments on the above questions.
I just want to say that we recommend to use Neat Image noise reduction as close to the source of image as possible (1) to avoid any aggravation of noise by possible post-processing and (2) to simplify noise profile management (the less variables are influencing the images NI has to work with the less complex is the required profile set (if you use pre-built profiles; this is no concern if you only use Auto Profile) ).
Hope this helps,
Vlad
I just want to say that we recommend to use Neat Image noise reduction as close to the source of image as possible (1) to avoid any aggravation of noise by possible post-processing and (2) to simplify noise profile management (the less variables are influencing the images NI has to work with the less complex is the required profile set (if you use pre-built profiles; this is no concern if you only use Auto Profile) ).
Hope this helps,
Vlad
I don't know if it's correct or not, but I like to use NI after I do curves or shadows. All my photos are published in B/W so I don't have to worry about color noise as much.
My reasoning for this is that when you change curves or levels it aggravates any noise in the area. I like to be able to see the final output in NI so I can adjust the noise settings as needed. That way I am not guessing what the result will be. If you use NI first, then you might not be able to see any dark areas with noise. Again, color might be different because the curves might aggravate the color noise before NI. But for B/W I feel that NI is after curves
My reasoning for this is that when you change curves or levels it aggravates any noise in the area. I like to be able to see the final output in NI so I can adjust the noise settings as needed. That way I am not guessing what the result will be. If you use NI first, then you might not be able to see any dark areas with noise. Again, color might be different because the curves might aggravate the color noise before NI. But for B/W I feel that NI is after curves