Software Tools For Photographers
One topic that comes up invariably over and over on discussion forums is which software tools are best for the digital workflow. One thing I’m sure of is that there is no one best solution that will work for each and every photographer. I’ve collected a set of tools that work pretty well for me, but this tool set is continously changing as I find better solutions.
Since I get a lot of questions from folks locally and via email about what tools I use I thought I’d summarize my toolbox in this article. I’ll start at the beginning (getting images off the camera) and work my way through to the end (how I get printed output). In many cases I’ll have multiple tools that can accomplish the same thing. My decision to use one over the other is determined by any number of factors. If possible, I’ll try to explain as I go. Also, where applicable I’ll (eventually) detail how I have each tool configured and how the configuration enhances my workflow.
This is a living document. I’m adding new content to it as I have time. Come back regulary (or subscribe to my blog RSS feed) to see what new content I’ve added.
Backup Utilitiy.
I start with backup utilities because this is the most important part of your toolkit (or should be). I’ve lost photos before because they were not backed in a timely manner.
I have two computers that I use on a regular basis. When I’m working in my studio the images will be downloaded directly to my workstation. In the field, I use a laptop with a external 80Gb USB2.0 drive. How do I sync both of these? Easy. I use the SyncToy from Microsoft. SyncToy is a free tool created by Microsoft that can be used to syncronize file systems. I simply setup a SyncToy job that will copy any new files from my external drive to my working storage drive on the desktop, and a second SyncToy job to copy the files to my backup external drives.
I also take advantage of Lightroom’s automatic database backup feature.
General Photo Editing
This is simple. Photoshop & Photoshop Lightroom (the latest versions).
While not technically a software tool, one of the most valuable parts of my photo editing workflow is the Wacom Intuos3 6×8 Tablet.
As far as Photoshop plugins are concerend, the only ones I use on a regular basis are Photokit Sharpener (covered in the next section) and Neat Image for noise removal. Another noise removal plugin called Noise Ninja is also very popular. The relative performance of the two plugins is comparable. I, however, purchased Neat Image just before Noise Ninja was first released and so have stuck with Neat Image for the time being.
One of the most useful, but not often found, features in Photoshop for batch processing images is the ImageProcessor. This is actually a script and is found under the File|Automate menu. I use this tool all the time for batch resizing of images. This is the easiest (and probably the only) way to resize both landscape and portrait images to a specified maximum width or height while maintaining the aspect ratio of the input images. The ImageProcessor can also be used directly from Adobe Bridge. In Bridge it is found under the Tools|Photoshop menu.
Image Sharpening
I’ve purchased a few sharpening plugins over the years, but the only one I use now is Photokit Sharpener. One of the most attractive features of this plugin is its non-destructive nature. All sharpening is done on layers. It is also very easy to use and understand, and fully scriptable in actions. The sharpening effect can be adjusted by simply modifying layer opacities in resultant layers. Photokit Sharpener contains specific sharpening algorithms for all the output processes that I use from inkjet, to continous tone, the halftone. It is a pleasure to use. The user manual for Photokit Sharpener is one of the finest product manuals I’ve come across. There are several raving reviews on the web, here are a few:
Other sharpening tools that I own, but do not use anymore:
- Focalblade – TMI (too much information) Focalblade does a good job sharpening but, for me, there is just too much information overload in the UI. I’m not the guy who will spend literally hours evaluating the sharpness of every little detail, tweaking this halo and that halo until it’s perfect (whatever "prefect" means). Focalblade will allow you to do this. I’m more concerend with efficiency. Time is money. When I have many prints to get done for a client, I want the clean and fast interface that Photokit offeres. Focalblade’s scriptability is rather cumbersome, at best.
- Nik Sharpener 2.0 Inkjet Edition. I upgraded my Nik 1.0 license to the 2.0 license when I came out and I basically regret doing so. I used Nik 1.0 up until I got Photokit Sharpener. The 2.0 edition, for me, just doesn’t work well. This may be because I’m so content with Photokit that I’m not willing to invest any energy in figuring out Nik. The other drawback is that, in order to get sharpening support for contone or halftone printers, you have to step up to the ridiculously expensive Pro edition. I can understand charging more for the halftone sharpeners since most casual users are laying out books for digital or offset press. Continous tone output, on the other hand, is something that almost every casual user can access (through any local or online printer like snapfish, costco, walmart, etc…), and in many cases is cheaper and easier than printing at home.
Panorama Stitching
I’ve found that when it comes to panorama stitching it helps to have a couple of tools to choose from. I’ve had instances of image sets that would stitch with one tool, but not the others. These are the ones I currently use:
- PTGui – This is my main workhorse. The latest version (5.6) no longer requires the Panotools DLL and is capable of fully automatic panorama generation.
- Panorama Factory – I’ve owned this tool for several years now and still use it from time to time. It is limited to single row panoramas, but works very well and is very fairly priced.
Photo Presentation
- Photodex ProShow Gold – I use this for creating slide shows for DVD, CD, ScreenSaver, or Internet presentation. Photodex also has a "Producer" edition that cost about 5 times as much. I haven’t yet been tempted to upgrade.
- BreezeBrowser Pro - BBPro has a very nice and flexable html slide show gneration engine. Several templates are included with the product, and they are all easily customized. I usually turn to BBPro for creating proof CDs for clients.
Printing Utilities
- Photoshop – I use the Print with Preview function all the time. I wish it saved it settings a little better, but it gets the job done when I just need to create a single proof or final print.
- QImage – I use QImage when doing many client prints because it’s the best, most cost effective, solution for laying out multiple images efficiently on media. A QImage license comes with free lifetime upgrades.
- QuadTone RIP – For grayscale prints.
- I acually do a lot of printing online at Costco. You cannot print at home cheaper.
If you have feedback, suggestions, or critiques, or just want to say thanks let me know in the comments.
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