Last week we processed our selected RAW images into TIFF files. This week we will convert them to Photoshop psd “working files”. If you process RAW images in an Adobe product you may be skipping the TIFF step entirely, going straight from RAW to psd. This week is where the roads converge once again and most everyone gets back on the same page.
This is also where the bit depth debate can go a bit deeper (I wasn’t trying for a pun there, honestly). As Eric S. mentioned in the comments …

Last week we selected files from a shoot for processing…
Now that our RAW files have been selected for processing in Phase One’s Capture One software, we will output these “selecteds” as high-resolution TIFF files. At this stage of the game we we want to create the best possible uncompressed TIFF files that we can. Here are the basic settings that our studio uses:

We output the file at the original capture size without resizing up or down at this point. While I’m a big fan of Capture One, I’m not crazy …

Digital Workflow, Stage 2: image selection
Last week we looked at archiving RAW files from a shoot. There’s an important point I failed to mention that should be throw in. When I initially back up my RAW files only the blank frames or total disasters get discarded. At this initial stage I don’t like to “chimp” much to make space on a card, or toss out files too liberally. For some photographers that works just fine but not in our particular studio environment.
As a commercial studio we resist throwing away images …

Digital Workflow, Stage 1: backing up digital captures
Shooting great photographs means little if you don’t handle your files properly. I’d like to share the outline of my digital workflow, one refined over the past few years at the photo studio. Workflow is a process that takes time and experience to implement and understand. We’ll be taking it a step at a time. This week: properly caring for your RAW digital captures (we are all shooting RAW, aren’t we?).
If you are serious about managing your digital files properly, I should tell …

In earlier discussions we’ve looked at video of how to read a histogram and read why RAW files hold more information than JPEG. I’d suggest checking those entries out, if you haven’t already.
To date I’ve stressed proper camera exposure so file manipulation will be reduced in post-production (especially important when shooting JPEG). Speaking in general terms, the less an already processed file (JPG, TIFF, etc.) is manipulated, the more integrity there will be to the information contained within. We’ve seen that RAW files have greater flexibility for manipulation, allowing us …

There are lots of great reader comments on the tech article pages (the camera meter / histogram video, the battle of the bulbs shootout, studio color management, etc.). A couple of times it’s been pointed out that shooting RAW files (instead of JPEG) is advantageous for everything from color balance to exposure. This is very true. So before tackling some of those specific questions, I’d like to back up a little and show graphic illustrations of the difference between RAW and JPEG (also called JPG). Understanding this will help …