My workflow, just one from 1 Million :-)

[sinus]

Hi,
at first I wanted answer to the post of WebEngel, (https://www.photools.com/community/index.php?topic=10751.0), but then my  answer got too long and because I do not use DXO, I wanted not to got away too far from his questions.
But his thread motivated me, to write down my rough workflow. 

Hence I startet this new thread, maybe it is interesting anway for some users. As always, we have for sure 1 million  different workflows.

Here is mine.
Hm, like John (in the thread from WebEngel, I do describe (roughly) my workflow, maybe it gives you here and there an idea.

I do shoot mostly only Raw (in fact a copy on a second card, just in case, but the jpgs I leave on the card and format the card later).
And Raws are my only files, what I import into IMatch. I use no buddy definiton, only version.
I shoot with Nikons, hence nefs (raw) are my masters, naturally for me, jpgs are versions.

Sometimes for private images I shoot only in jpg, e.g. with a handy. But then the workflow is roughly the same, simply then is a jpg the master.

At first glance, this naturally appears to be a long workflow, but in practice it is done quite quickly, because it has to be done quickly.
Most of the time it is with Photoshop.

From time to time even SMALL things are adjusted or changed. Or even changed in order to make it fit.

I have a "workflow-control-bar" for about hmm, 2-3 years, that has proven to be very practical. Of course you could still - like many other things - adapt it.

Generally I have a bar with 5 segments under each thumb (sees attachements), for private pictures 3 additional ones.
In the beginning all of them are empty.
Then the segments are (automatically) filled up, according to the workflow work I have done. At the end the control bar must be a long green bar without interruption, THEN the workflow is done, no important point is forgotten.
In the private ones there is only a small pink bar with 3 segments.
As soon as an image is private, the first segment is filled in. The rest can also be empty. This bar could also be improved, but for my purposes it is also very practical and enough for me.

The meaning of the segments:
1) the image is renamed
2) GPS is filled in
3) Headline (and therefore other) is present
4) Stack line for the event is available
5) all metas are filled in

Private:
1) a dot is available (means private)
2) the age of the person/s is recorded
3) Keywords of the persons are recorded

Workflow:
1) Out of my cam I copy all nefs (raws) into one single folder of my pc.

2) IMatch does a automatic import, I see all NEW images in a category or in the collections of IMatch

3) I rename all nefs with the renamer-tool. It gives a unique filename for each nef (private pictures gives special characters, easy to see a difference)

4) I set GPS (ALL I do, is inside IMatch, no other program, except later Photoshop), this gps goes also to keywords

5) Write some metas like headline, description and so on

6) if private, I set a dot
6a) private: I set keyword for persons, with name, and if they are 1, 2 or three persons
6b) private: I set for each person the age at the moment of shooting (with a favourite-button)

7) culling with the raws with the viewer, selected files I give a red pin

8 ) I go to a special category, where I see only the selected files (but only for these new images, not the old ones)

9) I add with a renaming a special character at the end of the nef, indictates, that this file is used

10) Because I have here mostly about 10 to 100 pictures, I do now a write-back for these files (selected)

11) Now I drag'n'drop these files into Photoshop to process the nefs.

12) I produce jpgs (seldom tifs) and store them in the same folder with a special character at the end (_v1, means version 1)

13) IMatch does find the versions automatically, I can see this at the version-number in the thumb

14) I propagate the nefs to these new jpgs

15) I set a label, and flags to see quickly, that these are versions, and that they are delivered (now 3 pins are set)

16) for versions, what I want finally not deliver, I delete the blue pin (is a processed jpg, but not delivered)

17) I do a write-back for these versions

18) I send a COPY to another folder, this folder is also in IMatch

19) I rename the jpgs, depending on the client or private

20) I send these pictures to the client/private

21) After this is done, I delete thes COPIES inside IMatch (what are copies from the jpgs), sometimes I move them to another "wait"-folder, until I have the ok from the client

22) Now I go to another cat, where I can see ALL images from THIS event. Means, this can be a birthday, a portrait-shooting, a report from a construction site or whatever. Each such a "event" (has nothing to do with the events in IMatch) holds between 1 and say 300 images. Sometimes more, sometimes less.
The events in IMatch was introduced years later, I had this system long before. That's why I still use this one, because it has proven itself very well. And that's why I don't use the event system within IMatch (yet).
In this step now I select the one image, what represent for me the whole event. Later one view on this single image, and I know, what it is (almost always, even years ago).
I call this image "info-master".

23) I set some icons and a label to indicate, if I have to write a bill for this event, private images get another icons, label.

24) Now I choose some pics (mostly jpgs, because the are anways the best), what I have in a special category (to produce later a timeline for me, but this is another story). These pics are simply the best for me (or the client) out of the event.
Say, an event hat 100 images, then I will choose here roughly between 5 and 15 images (for private images I choose more)

25) Settings stars. During import the first nefs, IMatch gave automatically 1 star for each nef, to indicate, they are in the workflow. Now I can give some other stars.
1 star inside workflow
2 stars interesting for different things
3 stars very good image
4 stars done special heavy image-editing (real montages)
5 stars was set in step 22, this indicates the info-master (hence to see all info-masters is easy)

26) Set some final categories to show, that they are finnished in the archive (different clients, private..)

27) Check, that all metas and others are done, then give a ok in a meta-field, produces also a icon under the thumb

28) give all images from this event the same (special) line in a metadata, indicataing, that all image with this (unique) line are the same event

29) Autostack all these images, with the same line in the metadata-field (from step 28), the info-master with 5 stars (from step 22) will be the top of the stack. Normal color for stacks is green, private gests pink

30) Writing some things for the bill (if there will be a bill), like amount, date of delivery, amount of images and so on. These informations I write into the attributes of IMatch, there I have also the clients - addressed stored and so on) And these images (always only the info-master) gets also a special icon

31) If the bill is (later) done, the icon will be changed and also the label. The produced pdf for the bill (out of the informations in the attributes), I print and send it to the client, the pdf is linked with the filename to the event, but will be hold on another place (I had them once stored with the event, went also fine, but somehow I found it later better, to set a (filename) - link and hold the bills in another place (also inside IMatch).

Well, hope, this gives you here or there some ideas.

ps: I did not reread this, could be, that I made some mistakes here and there

Attachements:
1) Workflow-control-bar (meaning)

2) The workflow-control-bar under 3 thumbs, the green must be filled out, the (private) pink depends. Without person is is only one segement (the x-mas-tree), with persons all should be filled out (with age and keys). The last pic is for a client, no pink bar.
5 stars indicate, this is the master, first thumb has 7, second 14 and the third 69 images in the stack (in my term each represent a "event").

3) an example of a thumb, what is not finished, GPS, Headline are missing and hence the final metadata also, these information must be filled out still, then the green bar gets filled.

[Tveloso]

Markus, I really like your workflow-control-bar.  Would you share how you generate that element of your File Window Layout?...(and how you go about setting the segments)...

[WebEngel]

Merci viumau, Sinus!

Interesting to see your workflow.

Surprised to see you use stars for workflow control and not for just "overall picture quality"

You have a very strict and long workflow.  This makes sense for you as a pro, as you have deadlines for delivery to your clients.

I am an amateur, and I fear it will not work for me.  A couple of requirements and use-cases just added to my other thread.

Regards

martin

[Mario]

I am an amateur, and I fear it will not work for me.  A couple of requirements and use-cases just added to my other thread.

That's the good thing You can implement your very own workflow. Whatever works for you is good.

An amateur photographer has a different workflow than a pro shooter or a stock photographer. Or a librarian. A doctor. A scientists. A plane spotter. An artisan.
IMatch has users from all these audiences. Which is one of the reason why it is so flexible and gives you many options to choose from.

Figure out a workflow that does the job for you. No need to complicate things.
Don't be afraid to change or enhance your workflow when your requirements change or you discover a new cool feature in IMatch - e.g. while browsing in the 'Did You Know?'' App included in IMatch.

[sinus]

Gärä gscheh, Martin 

Yep, you are correct, a long workflow, but really in practice it take not a long time (would be not good, because sometimes I have to delivery pics quite quick).

And of course, there are hundrets of different workflows, my brother for example uses hmmm, I believe 4 or 5 steps, that's it. And it works for it, that is the most important point.

It is very good, that you do try find a good workflow for you, I think, this is very important.

I hope, you will find finally a very good one for you!

@Tveloso
Sorry, I have seen your post just now, thanks!
Yes, I can write down, how I do this workflow-control-bar.
I will try to do it this week, sorry, but I am a bit in pressure.

best wishes
Markus

[Tveloso]

Thank you so much Markus.

Please, no rush...just if you should find yourself with some free time (if there even is such a thing).

--Tony

[sinus]

Markus, I really like your workflow-control-bar.  Would you share how you generate that element of your File Window Layout?...(and how you go about setting the segments)...

Tveloso
it is not easy to explain, because my workflow is quite, ahem, complicated and individual, but it works really great for me.

Basically I check some important variables for me, and if they do correct, I add a part of a bar, if not, I add a "missing" bar.
To create such a bar, I created a long bar and cutted it in pieces and then I take some of these pieces to add them to a green bar or not.


At start, with a new image, imported into IMatch, none of the "checking" is ok, hence the bar shows me, what is missing, at start all.
To see the first section, I made it a bit red.

The first section ist the filenname. it must have some criteria, that the bar turns green. For this I use variables, in this case:

Code Select Expand

{File.MD.photools.com::IMatch\101100\file.name\0|contains:DSC,dsc,;pereplace:dsc==<Image Source='file://c:\sinus-icons\wf1off.png'/>}{File.MD.photools.com::IMatch\101100\file.name\0|contains:IMG_,img,;pereplace:img==<Image Source='file://c:\sinus-icons\wf1off.png'/>}{File.MD.photools.com::IMatch\101100\file.name\0|contains:-pri-,pri,;pereplace:pri==<Image Source='file://c:\sinus-icons\wf1on.png'/>}{File.MD.photools.com::IMatch\101100\file.name\0|contains:-coo-,coo,;pereplace:coo==<Image Source='file://c:\sinus-icons\wf1on.png'/>}{File.MD.photools.com::IMatch\101100\file.name\0|contains:-ref-,ref,;pereplace:ref==<Image Source='file://c:\sinus-icons\wf1on.png'/>}{File.MD.photools.com::IMatch\101100\file.name\0|contains:-sin-,sin,;pereplace:sin==<Image Source='file://c:\sinus-icons\wf1on.png'/>}{File.MD.photools.com::IMatch\101100\file.name\0|contains:-kun-,kun,;pereplace:kun==<Image Source='file://c:\sinus-icons\wf1on.png'/>}{File.MD.photools.com::IMatch\101100\file.name\0|contains:-gou-,gou,;pereplace:gou==<Image Source='file://c:\sinus-icons\wf1on.png'/>}{File.MD.photools.com::IMatch\101100\file.name\0|contains:-shz-,shz,;pereplace:shz==<Image Source='file://c:\sinus-icons\wf1on.png'/>}
If the filename does reflect some of my criterias, then the bar turns green.




The second part is rating (what is not a real rating in my workflow).
If no star is there, bar is not green, if yes, it is green. The written Abbreviations gives a hint for me, what it is missing, like STE for Stern (star).

Code Select Expand

{File.Rating|default:;is:1,00;pereplace:1,00==<Image Source='file://c:\sinus-icons\wf2on.png'/>;is:2,00;pereplace:2,00==<Image Source='file://c:\sinus-icons\wf2on.png'/>;is:3,00;pereplace:3,00==<Image Source='file://c:\sinus-icons\wf2on.png'/>;is:4,00;pereplace:4,00==<Image Source='file://c:\sinus-icons\wf2on.png'/>;is:5,00;pereplace:5,00==<Image Source='file://c:\sinus-icons\wf2on.png'/>;is:0,00;pereplace:0,00==<Image Source='file://c:\sinus-icons\wf2offSTE.png'/>}



The third part is GPS. I do enter my gps mostly via the IMatch-map. I check for this the Altitude-field (metadata), if there is a value, I think, then also the other gps are there, hence ok.

Code Select Expand

{File.MD.XMP::iptcExt\LocationShownGPSAltitude\LocationShownGPSAltitude\0|default:<Image Source='file://c:\sinus-icons\wf3offGPS.png'/>;hasvalue:ja;pereplace:ja==<Image Source='file://c:\sinus-icons\wf3on.png'/>}




4. part is an easy one, if I have written a headline, all is ok, if not, the green bar does not turn green. (I want have headlines)

Code Select Expand


[code]{File.MD.XMP::photoshop\Headline\Headline\0|default:<Image Source='file://c:\sinus-icons\wf4offHEA.png'/>;hasvalue:ja;pereplace:ja==<Image Source='file://c:\sinus-icons\wf4on.png'/>}



5. part the same with the description.

Code Select Expand

{File.MD.XMP::dc\description\Description\0|default:<Image Source='file://c:\sinus-icons\wf5offDES.png'/>;hasvalue:ja;pereplace:ja==<Image Source='file://c:\sinus-icons\wf5on.png'/>}



The 6. section is specially for stacking. I do stack with a variable (metadata). Hence all my stacked images must have filled this out. If not, then it is no stacking, and for me this is wrong.

Code Select Expand

{File.MD.XMP::dc\relation\Relation\0|default:<Image Source='file://c:\sinus-icons\wf6offSTA.png'/>;hasvalue:ja;pereplace:ja==<Image Source='file://c:\sinus-icons\wf6on.png'/>}



The 7. part is a hmmm, a kind of control-check. If I click this favourites, it fills a metadata - field and the bar is green, means, all checks are done and ok.

Code Select Expand

{File.MD.XMP::photoshop\Category\Category\0|default:<Image Source='file://c:\sinus-icons\wf7offTOK.png'/>;pereplace:ALLES OK==<Image Source='file://c:\sinus-icons\wf7on.png'/>;pereplace:ok==<Image Source='file://c:\sinus-icons\wf7offTOK.png'/>}



The last, short bar is only for private images, hmm, means finally:
First bar it is private
Second bar means, the age of a person is fillied out (via a favourite)
Third bar mean, the name of the person is in the keywords.

Code Select Expand

{File.Dot|pereplace:Red==<Image Source='file://c:\sinus-icons\wf8on.png'/>;pereplace:Green==<Image Source='file://c:\sinus-icons\wf8on.png'/>;pereplace:Blue==<Image Source='file://c:\sinus-icons\wf8on.png'/>}{File.MD.PLUS::XMP\Custom2\Custom2\0|default:;hasvalue:ja;pereplace:ja==<Image Source='file://c:\sinus-icons\wf9on.png'/>}{File.MD.XMP::Lightroom\hierarchicalSubject\HierarchicalSubject\0|contains:Privat,hit,;pereplace:hit==<Image Source='file://c:\sinus-icons\wf10on.png'/>}

Means, if the bar is completely green, the image should be fine.
If the three pink-red bars are filled out, all private stuff, what I want, is filled out. But in the private section also only 1 or two could be ok, because I do not fill for all persons the age or the names.



Of course I can imagine a lot more such "workflow-controls" and I am very sure, there could be easier, but also even more fine tuned controls be created.
But for me this works really very good and specialy gives me a good, secure feeling with one look at the bar.

And it sounds complicated and if you look at the variables above (what are ALL in ONE layout-footer!) one could think, that slows down IMatch a lot.
I am sure, we could measure this slower time, but to be honest, IMatch is still very fast (e. g. for scrolling) even with a lot of such variables.

And yes, I am also sure, here and there we could makes the variables easier, but variables are complicated and if the work, they work :-)
Really impressive, what Marios does with IMatch.

I hope, this helps, what you wanted to know.

[loweskid]

Wow..!!

Very impressive.

[Tveloso]

Thank you so much Markus, for taking the time to put together such a thorough explanation!

Wow..!!

Very impressive.

Very impressive indeed!

I'm definitely going to incorporate much of this into my own IMatch config!

In the 7th segment of your "main" Control Bar, you're loading a value into XMP::photoshop\Category (via a Favorite to a MDtemplate?) as a sort of "check-off" for the file, to tell yourself that you have finished all if the processing for it (in IMatch), correct?

Thanks again!

--Tony

[sinus]

Thanks, loweskid and Tveloso

About the 7th segment (ahh, that is the correct term ) :

Yes, Tveloso, this is correct.
I had in the past this metadata-field to write ok for images, what have been filled out, but not fully.
If the metadata-fields have been filled out completely, I overwrote ok with ALLES OK.

In the bar now I do this with metadata-template (a button in favourites) what does write ALLES OK into this field and the bar reflects this.

In the industry there are sometimes some forms (paper or digital) what must be filled out and signed with "ok" from different departements.
At the end of this "run" you can see, that each departement has given the ok.
If there are 20 such "oks" you have the loop with your eyes quickly through these to find out, who is missing or all gave the ok.
And sometimes a secretary or the chief himself  write a BIG OK, so you see with one look, all is ok.

My workflow-bar is a bit like this.
In the past I have looked in this field for "OK".
If no OK, I knew, almost nothing is filled out.
If a OK was there, I had to check, what field is missing.
And if I saw ALLES OK I had not more to look, I knew, all important fields (for me) are written.

This workflow-bar is really very good for me.
I can look at an old image, look at the bar and know with one look, if the image is ok or are fields missing.
And if missing, what is missing (hence the abbreviatons).

E.g. GPS is not important for some, hence this field could be stripped out of the bar.
Or you could have some special words, what MUST be in a field and check them.
You could also integrate for example the size from an image into the bar (if pixel is over then green, over x then blue ...). I do this by some fruit-icons, the bigger the fruit, the bigger the image.

Or or or  IMatch gives us really a lot of possibility.

If you think carefully about this, I am sure, you can create something like this, what fit exactly your wishes.