Image processing workflow

My image processing workflow is pretty simple. I prefer to minimize post-processing by capturing images as close to their final result in-camera. For example, I use neutral density filters for most of my landscape photos rather than a software gradient. I don't use any complicated post-processing software such as PhotoShop, Lightroom, or Aperture. I have nothing against those programs; I just haven't learned how to use them yet.

I only use the following free tools for my post-processing:

• Canon Photo Professional (CPP) - This is the free software that came with the camera. I periodically check for software updates on Canon's website. (For example, you can find out about the latest software available for the Canon 7D in Canada here.) I have configured Canon Photo Professional to only show raw images when there is a JPEG image with the same filename (using the checkbox at Tools->Preferences...->Display only CR2 images for CR2 and JPEG files of the same name).
• Google Picasa - I have configured Picasa not to show raw images (using the checkbox at Tools->Options->File Types->RAW formats).

With Canon Photo Professional and Picasa in place, my workflow is as follows:

1. Capture raw images in camera.
2. Copy raw images to computer.
3. Edit raw images using Canon Photo Professional. I almost always change each image's white balance and sharpness. I occasionally edit color saturation, shadow, and highlight and rarely use noise reduction.
4. Convert raw images to JPEG images. I resize images to 1920x1280 to save a little space and because that's the maximal resolution supported by my Apple TV.
5. Add captions using Google Picasa. I caption each wildlife photo with the species name so that I can easily find photos of that species later using Picasa's search bar.
6. Upload JPEG images to SmugMug.

Apple TV for photo slideshows

I use Apple TV for photo slide shows in my home and I love it! Photos from any modern digital SLR look great on a big screen. Here are the steps I use to create a photo slide show:

1. Put the JPEG photos you want in the slide show in a separate folder on your computer. (I use Google Picasa's export feature for this step. When a folder contains both a raw image and a JPEG, Apple TV displays both and I don't want that because the raw images don't show up on Apple TV with my edits. I only want the JPEG photos to appear in the slide show.)
2. Using Apple iTunes:
   1. Enable home sharing (using Advanced->Turn on home sharing).
   2. Configure the photos to share (using Advanced->Choose Photos to Share...).

That's it! Turn on your Apple TV and the display it's connected to and blow your audience away!

Photo backup workflow

I admit it. I'm paranoid about data loss. I want to be sure that my photos are safe even if my house burns down. They say that the first step is admitting the problem, so how do I deal with my paranoia?

I use two online services for backup. One backs up my raw files and another backs up my JPEG files:

• Mozy is an online backup service that I have configured to back up all of my important data, including my raw image files. I have configured it to run nightly (at 3:00 AM) and, unless I have put a very large number of files on my computer that day, all of my files are safely stored on the cloud by morning. The only problem with Mozy is that their largest plan only covers up to 125 GB of data and I am quickly exhausting that limit. You can buy more storage but it's more expensive than for their pre-packaged plans.
• SmugMug is specifically designed for photos. I use it to back up all of my JPEG images and to publish galleries I want to be public. For example, I make a collection for each calendar year, add my favourite photos to it, and make it public. Other galleries, such as those with photos of my family and friends, are kept private and shared via URLs. Only someone with the URL can view the gallery.

With these two services in place, all of my raw and JPEG images are online and safe, even if my house burns down. What a relief! Now I can turn my paranoia towards something else...

Update on Friday, October 26, 2012 at 7:24PM by Kyle Blaney

I’ve never been a fan of local backups because they don’t appease my paranoia. For me, the purpose of a backup is to withstand a house fire. Therefore, what’s the purpose of a local backup? So that your burnt hard drive can have a companion burnt backup? That being said, I’ve added a 1.5 TB eSata drive to my arsenal of backup services. This is exciting stuff!

In the end, I just take too many photos (in raw) to back up everything to the cloud. I still use my Mozy online backup service but that’s limited to 125 GB unless you pay extra. I could have added more Mozy storage but that approach has limitations. For example, it would take too long to get my data back if I ever need to. Secondly, I can’t just keep buying more and more Mozy storage with no end in sight. So now my backup plan has a third component:

• Windows Backup is configured to back up all of my data nightly to my local eSata drive.
• Mozy is configured to back up my most important 125 GB of data (including recent raw photos) nightly. I periodically change the definition of “most important data” as needed.
• SmugMug stores JPEG copies of all my photos. I use Adobe Lightroom to publish each of my albums. That way, I don’t need JPEG photos on my hard drive; instead, Lightroom creates JPEG photos on-the-fly.

Update on Monday, May 13, 2013 at 1:55PM by Kyle Blaney

My paranoia continues. Therefore, I have added another element to my backup strategy.

Most notably, I use Microsoft SyncToy (available for free) to help me backup to two external hard drives. I have one external drive that is permanently connected to my home PC. I configure two different types of nightly backups to that drive. The first one is the standard Windows backup (which doesn’t provide direct access to files, making it difficult to get specific image files). The second one is a SyncToy job that backs up all of my image files. I followed these instructions for that one. The two different types of local backup provide doubly-redundant protection against hard drive failure on my home PC.

In addition, I have a second external drive that I connect once a month and usually store off-site, at my parents’ house. When I bring that drive home, I run different SyncToy jobs that automatically put all of my important files on the external drive. That drive provides protection against a house fire or other catastrophe that destroys both my home PC and my permanently-connected external drive. If a catastrophe such as a fire occurred, I would use the combination of the external drive at my parents’ house and my recent files backed up online to Mozy to recreate everything.