Following the NIK Post Processing Workflow

Saguaro National Park

Saguaro National Park Sunrise

I was able to get out to Saguaro National Park last weekend, which I've already posted about to some extent (actually, that post was more about the Tether Tools Case Air). I only got about 20 captures, and processed 5 of them that I've uploaded to my SmugMug site.

I have been working on a free online document where I put my post-processing notes, and as I work on things I update the document. When processing the Saguaro National Park photographs, I decided to once again try the Nik collection of Adobe plugins (now free from Google). I had kind of stopped using them for a while and have mainly been doing post in Lightroom.

My Modified Nik Collection Workflow

In my post-processing notes, I have a Workflow section in which I list a few different post-processing workflows including the Nik Collection Workflow from their online documentation. I basically copied it but I swap a couple of their steps (I tend to do the noise reduction before the pre-sharpener).

I decided to use the Nik plugins on the Saguaro National Park shots just to see how they compared to my Lightroom processing (note: you can use the plugins in Lightroom too). I have to say I was pretty pleased with the results!

In addition to the Nik workflow, I added the Elia Locardi High Pass Sharpening technique that I also outline in my document. While doing so, I took the time to learn and document how to create a Photoshop Action for creating a new High Pass Sharpening layer. I really like how this sharpening works.

I also added a layer for my watermark but that's not too difficult. I was hoping to create an action for that too but I don't see how. You apparently can't import an image using the file system directly into a layer.

The Workflow in Action

Saguaro National Park Sunrise - SOOC

I used Lightroom to browse the RAW files after importing them. I still don't find that I use Adobe Bridge for much; I've only used Bridge when I want to open multiple RAW files in ACR (Adobe Camera Raw) at the same time. Here's the SOOC (Straight Out Of Camera) version of the image above:

As you can see, it's pretty dark! Let's get to work on it to see if it's of any value...

In Lightroom, I right-clicked on the image and selected "Open as object...". By opening it as an object in Photoshop you can make adjustments with ACR or Nik plugins which get saved and allow you to re-edit them. The alternative is to open the image as a background layer and when you apply a Nik plugin and save it, you won't be able to re-open that plugin with the settings restored.

One other note - it is sometimes easier to do any cropping and straightening in Lightroom before you go to Photoshop. Any such edits will be preserved when you open the image in Photoshop.

Exposure First (in ACR)

I made my overall exposure adjustments in ACR (again, following my Exposure notes in my document) by double clicking on the Smart Object (which opens ACR).

Then I followed my modified Nik workflow:

• Dfine for noise reduction .
• Raw Presharpener. 
• I did apply a bit of additional overall brightening to the foreground as well as some minor dodging and burning using Viveza.
• In Color Efex Pro I used the Detail Enhancer, Pro Contrast, and Vignette: Lens filters, adjusting each to my taste.

After those steps, I used my High Pass Sharpening action to add a new layer with sharpening and adjusted the opacity down a bit.

Finally, I added another layer for my logo, copied and pasted my logo from another PSD, resized and re-positioned it.

This is actually a fairly quick process, although not one that may lend itself to duplicating directly from one image to another (which I rarely do). In fact, I was so pleased with the results I went back and processed some other photos I hadn't touched before and ended up being pleased with them as well, such as this one from Picacho Peak State Park in Arizona:

Picacho Peak Sunset on Cholla