![\"eric](\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/erickimphotography.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/02\/eric-kim-street-photography-hanoi-0008471-1-800x530.jpg?resize=800%2C530\")
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Dear friend,<\/p>\n
I wanted to share some of my thoughts about \u00e2\u20ac\u0153workflow\u00e2\u20ac\u009d in photography:<\/p>\n
<\/p>\n
I don\u00e2\u20ac\u2122t know the textbook definition of \u00e2\u20ac\u0153workflow\u00e2\u20ac\u009d \u00e2\u20ac\u201d but if I were to spell it out for myself, it would be how I get work done, as effectively and efficiently as possible. And not only that, but I want my work to \u00e2\u20ac\u0153flow\u00e2\u20ac\u009d easily \u00e2\u20ac\u201d without friction, seamlessly, kind of like how water flows effortlessly.<\/p>\n
In photography, we all have different \u00e2\u20ac\u0153workflows\u00e2\u20ac\u009d. Generally, a workflow in photography is something like this:<\/p>\n
Of course, there are different workflows in photography \u00e2\u20ac\u201d depending the device you use.<\/p>\n
If you shoot with a smartphone, your workflow is much simpler:<\/p>\n
With film, a photography workflow is something like this:<\/p>\n
There is no \u00e2\u20ac\u0153right\u00e2\u20ac\u009d or \u00e2\u20ac\u0153wrong\u00e2\u20ac\u009d workflow in photography.<\/p>\n
But my suggestion: create the easiest, least complicated, and most seamless workflow for yourself.<\/p>\n
For example, in Lightroom \u00e2\u20ac\u201d I try to use the simplest process possible. My philosophy is you only need to know how to use 10% of Lightroom for 90% of the functions. And this philosophy can apply to a anything in life.<\/p>\n
As of 2016, this is my current photography workflow:<\/p>\n
I know this isn\u00e2\u20ac\u2122t the simplest workflow, but it has worked well for me until now.<\/p>\n
One of the most difficult things to do is to choose your best images.<\/p>\n
Some practical tips:<\/p>\n
If you\u00e2\u20ac\u2122ve taken many photos of the same scene, try your best to only choose the best one.<\/p>\n
But how do you know which is the best?<\/p>\n
My suggestions: when you\u00e2\u20ac\u2122re looking at your images, judge them by these three things:<\/p>\n
Also sometimes when you\u00e2\u20ac\u2122re unsure, export all your shots that you are considering as JPEG images to your hard drive. Then let them sit on your hard drive for a while, and then wait. Then a few days later, keep revising the images over and over again. Then follow your gut in terms of which image speaks to you the most.<\/p>\n
Another suggestion: share the sequence of images with a close friend or someone you trust. Ask them which image they prefer the best\u00e2\u20ac\u201d and why<\/em>. This can help you make a better decision which photo to choose.<\/p>\n And then when you have the 1 best shot, which you think is a strong shot, choose that 1 image to share.<\/p>\n Another important tip with workflow: don\u00e2\u20ac\u2122t spend a lot of time choosing, post-processing, and backing up an image that you don\u00e2\u20ac\u2122t imagine will have personal meaning in the future.<\/p>\n For example, don\u00e2\u20ac\u2122t treat each photo you\u00e2\u20ac\u2122ve shot the same. Let some photos die on your hard drives. Even more\u00e2\u20ac\u201d try to practice deleting photos that don\u00e2\u20ac\u2122t have any personal meaning to you.<\/p>\n Generally as a practice, at the end of the year, I try to go through my archives of the entire year, and review whether there are any shots that I missed during the year (which I believe are personally-meaningful). I then export those images as JPEG\u00e2\u20ac\u2122s, and keep them synced on Dropbox on a folder.<\/p>\n I personally have (most) of my images backed up since 2011. But honestly, I\u00e2\u20ac\u2122ve never looked at any of my past archives in the last 5 years. And I probably never will.<\/p>\n All the photos that are personally-meaningful to me, I have backed up, and I know exactly where they are.<\/p>\n And for my photos that I keep, I know that I will continue to love them 5, 10, 20 years from now. And as time goes on, I also make it a practice to slowly edit down the photos in my portfolio. I let this process happen organically.<\/p>\n I always ask myself: \u00e2\u20ac\u0153What are my 3 favorite projects?\u00e2\u20ac\u009d I try to focus on these projects, and let the other projects slowly fade away.<\/p>\n The biggest problem of workflow and backing up images is that we over-hoard. We keep too many photos. We need to make a practice of letting certain photos go. Either by deleting them, or just forgetting about them.<\/p>\n After all, do you want to spend the rest of your life looking through your archives of images? Or go out and actually make new photos?<\/p>\n The photographer Josef Koudelka (well into his 80\u00e2\u20ac\u2122s) is devoting all his energy (while he can) to make images. He says he will start to sit down and reviewing his images once he\u00e2\u20ac\u2122s too old or sick to make photos. This is a similar philosophy I want to take in my photography \u00e2\u20ac\u201d focus on the shooting, and less on the archival and backup workflow.<\/p>\n The hardest thing about any workflow \u00e2\u20ac\u201d to keep it simple. We will learn new tips, tricks, and strategies from other photographers \u00e2\u20ac\u201d but we need to prevent ourselves from making our workflow more complicated than it needs to be.<\/p>\n Also what I try to do with my workflow: always figure out ways to make my workflow simpler<\/em> \u00e2\u20ac\u201d rather than more complex.<\/p>\n To keep things simple is one of the most difficult things. Especially with photo-processing and editing software. There are constantly new features (they call this \u00e2\u20ac\u02dcfeature creep\u00e2\u20ac\u2122 \u00e2\u20ac\u201d new features which aren\u00e2\u20ac\u2122t necessary, but are used to sell new products) that just confuse us.<\/p>\n Once again, with most software (and things in life) \u00e2\u20ac\u201d we only need to know how to use 10% of it for 90% of the functions. What I strive is to constantly learn how to use less<\/em> of the software, for even more<\/em> of the functions.<\/p>\n So whenever possible, aim for simplicity. Take out redundant or superfluous steps in your workflow, to keep it simple.<\/p>\n Ultimately what I want to leave you with is this: there is no \u00e2\u20ac\u0153right\u00e2\u20ac\u009d or \u00e2\u20ac\u0153wrong\u00e2\u20ac\u009d workflow. Even as I\u00e2\u20ac\u2122m typing these words, I know the software, cameras, and tools we have in the future will be radically different. A workflow with a digital camera is different from a film camera, and different from a smartphone camera. Who knows what will change in the future.<\/p>\n But what I feel what will stay consistent in photography is the principles<\/em> of workflow. The idea of keeping a simple workflow, that flows smoothly, and allows us to spend less time looking and reviewing our images on our devices\u00e2\u20ac\u201d and more time actually shooting.<\/p>\n So friend, whenever in doubt, try to keep it simple. Aim for the simplest workflow possible, and always strive to find the best workflow for yourself.<\/p>\n2. What photos will be meaningful for you in the future?<\/h2>\n
3. Keep simplifying<\/h2>\n
There is no \u00e2\u20ac\u0153right\u00e2\u20ac\u009d or \u00e2\u20ac\u0153wrong\u00e2\u20ac\u009d workflow<\/h2>\n