The basics of going from Originals to Derivatives
Just thought I'd reiterate what I went over at the end of our final class. Here are the basic steps for going from your DNG files to the various types of derivatives:
Once you have archived your DNG's (by copying your DNG's from the step "4_Converted to DNG" folder into the "1_Archive Originals" buckets), and then imported them to your "Originals Catalog" EM catalog, you'd follow these basic steps for making Derivatives of those files:
1) Select the files you want to work on (you don't have to make derivatives of all the files from a shoot, of course - leverage those ratings we did to only work on your best!)
2) "Sync Annotations" (Action>Sync Annotations... This ensures all your metadata comes along with your derivatives)
3) With the images still selected, right click & choose "Edit with... Photoshop CS4".
4) The files open in PS, and you do your work on them. At this point, you have two options:
a) If you are done working on the files, then you can save them as PSD/TIF files into the current "Derivative" Bucket (making sure to append the filenames according to what type of derivative you've made - see first class PDF notes), then import them into your "Archived Derivatives" catalog, or
b) If you are not done working on your files at this point, save them into the "Working Derivatives" folder inside the Working Files area. Leave them there until you are done working on them, then follow the steps I outlined in a). The key here is not to archive your derivatives (move them into the current "Archive Derivatives" bucket) until you are sure you are done working on them. Sometimes my working derivative files will live in the "Working Derivatives" area for weeks while I tinker with them before finishing and putting them away in the current bucket.
In the future, if you need to re-open derivatives that you've already archived (because you didn't like the work you did previously, etc), you have a couple of options:
1) Open the derivative file (PSD, TIF etc) into PS, make your changes, then just hit "Save". This will save the adjusted file right where it lives - which could be an old bucket that has already been backed up to DVD. In this case, you could re-burn the DVD (overkill I think), or just rely on your Hard Drive backups to keep the changes made. If you don't re-burn the DVD, the file will still be on the DVD, just not the most current version. I prefer this route as it is simple and clean, and these situations happen quite rarely (provided you aren't too hasty in archiving your derivatives in the first place). However, if your main and backup HD's both crash and you have to recover from DVD, you will not have the most current version of some files - a risk I'm willing to take to keep things a little simpler.
2) The second option (not my choice) would be to remove the derivative from your "Archived Derivatives" catalog (delete it), then go back to your "Archived Originals" catalog and open the corresponding DNG into Photoshop, do all your work, then save them as PSD/TIF files into the current "Derivative" Bucket (providing you are done working on them - making sure to append the filenames according to what type of derivative you've made - again, see first class PDF notes), then import them into your "Archived Derivatives" catalog. This essentially replaces the previous version. The reason I don't like this method is that in the case of a multi-drive failure (where my main and backup drives both fail) and I have to rebuild from DVD's, I could potentially have multiple derivative files with the exact same name.
Hope this helps. Questions? Post 'em here.
Cheers, Josh
Copyright © 2010 Josh McCulloch.
Once you have archived your DNG's (by copying your DNG's from the step "4_Converted to DNG" folder into the "1_Archive Originals" buckets), and then imported them to your "Originals Catalog" EM catalog, you'd follow these basic steps for making Derivatives of those files:
1) Select the files you want to work on (you don't have to make derivatives of all the files from a shoot, of course - leverage those ratings we did to only work on your best!)
2) "Sync Annotations" (Action>Sync Annotations... This ensures all your metadata comes along with your derivatives)
3) With the images still selected, right click & choose "Edit with... Photoshop CS4".
4) The files open in PS, and you do your work on them. At this point, you have two options:
a) If you are done working on the files, then you can save them as PSD/TIF files into the current "Derivative" Bucket (making sure to append the filenames according to what type of derivative you've made - see first class PDF notes), then import them into your "Archived Derivatives" catalog, or
b) If you are not done working on your files at this point, save them into the "Working Derivatives" folder inside the Working Files area. Leave them there until you are done working on them, then follow the steps I outlined in a). The key here is not to archive your derivatives (move them into the current "Archive Derivatives" bucket) until you are sure you are done working on them. Sometimes my working derivative files will live in the "Working Derivatives" area for weeks while I tinker with them before finishing and putting them away in the current bucket.
In the future, if you need to re-open derivatives that you've already archived (because you didn't like the work you did previously, etc), you have a couple of options:
1) Open the derivative file (PSD, TIF etc) into PS, make your changes, then just hit "Save". This will save the adjusted file right where it lives - which could be an old bucket that has already been backed up to DVD. In this case, you could re-burn the DVD (overkill I think), or just rely on your Hard Drive backups to keep the changes made. If you don't re-burn the DVD, the file will still be on the DVD, just not the most current version. I prefer this route as it is simple and clean, and these situations happen quite rarely (provided you aren't too hasty in archiving your derivatives in the first place). However, if your main and backup HD's both crash and you have to recover from DVD, you will not have the most current version of some files - a risk I'm willing to take to keep things a little simpler.
2) The second option (not my choice) would be to remove the derivative from your "Archived Derivatives" catalog (delete it), then go back to your "Archived Originals" catalog and open the corresponding DNG into Photoshop, do all your work, then save them as PSD/TIF files into the current "Derivative" Bucket (providing you are done working on them - making sure to append the filenames according to what type of derivative you've made - again, see first class PDF notes), then import them into your "Archived Derivatives" catalog. This essentially replaces the previous version. The reason I don't like this method is that in the case of a multi-drive failure (where my main and backup drives both fail) and I have to rebuild from DVD's, I could potentially have multiple derivative files with the exact same name.
Hope this helps. Questions? Post 'em here.
Cheers, Josh
Copyright © 2010 Josh McCulloch.
posted by Josh McCulloch at
9:27 PM
4 Comments:
Hey Josh,
Help... I'm having issues with my catalog sets in Expression Media!! When I set up the catalogs in Image Ingester it is transferring over to Expression Media but its showing up with the squiggly brackets and the @ sign as the title of my catalog and the sub-terms... which I don't think they're supposed to come along for the ride. What am I doing wrong?
Thanks!
Jen
Jen-
Make sure you are using the macro code as:
1) {@client.name}
2) {@project.name}
Note they are case-sensitive, and make not of the period in them. Double check these are right!
These will make the client &/or projects you've set up in the "Identification" area of ImageIngester transfer over to Expression Media.
Shoot me back a comment if this doesn't solve your problem. Also check out the post here on the blog about setting up IIPro - I put up some screenshots so you can make sure to get the code right.
Josh
Josh, when I first did my transfer of data to Expression Media my Catalog sets did not transfer as I had the brackets < > in the wrong order > <, I have since repaired my Image Ingester code so am now ready (I think) to start a new catalog in Expression Media. How would I clear the old files out of the Catalog, should I just delete them or is there a safer way to clear so the information is gone for good and won't hang on causing me issues?
Mike-
If you are removing the files from the catalog, and deleting the files from your hard drive as well (ie. Re-Ingesting from scratch), you just need to select the images you want to remove and hit delete. You will be prompted in EM to "Remove from Catalog", and select this option. Then navigate to your hard drive folder and delete them from your bucket also.
If it is only those few images that are giving you trouble and all other metadata is AOK, you also could just edit the Catalog sets in your EM catalog for those images and not go through all the hassle of re-importing them, and your revised code in IIPro will be fine for new images moving forward - it's up to you.
Cheers, Josh
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