Order of Operations?

[flowness]

So I am working on learning more about post processing ... I have very little experience with that stage.
Is there a generally accepted "order of operations" that people tend to use - something that's always done first, or always left to the last finishing details? For a simple example, if you wanted to crop, adjust white balance, and do some burning/dodging -- would it matter which one you did first? Or is this just on personal preference as you look at the image?

Apologies if this is a BTDT thread ... I didn't find it in a search.

 

[480sparky]

Post Processing Workflow:

To start:
• Create sub-directories on hard drive
• Download image files
• Cull worthless frames (exposure way off, OOF, etc.)
• Batch Rename image files
• Batch insert XMP/IPTC data
• Insert keywords
• Create jpegs if none were taken or created in-camera
• Separate jpegs from raws into their own sub-directories
• Select & rate raw image files

Now the fun begins:
• Load a single raw file into Capture NX2
• Duplicate of original for comparison (Ctrl+D)

Then, adjust original image file if necessary:
• White Balance
• Picture Control
• Noise Reduction
• Active D-Lighting

Then on to:
• Curves
• Exposure compensation
• Contrast
• Highlight Protection
• Shadow Protection
• Saturation

Camera & Lens Correction:
• Color Moiré Reduction
• Image Dust Off
• Lateral Color Aberration
• Axial Color Aberration
• Auto Distortion
• Red Eye
• Vignette Control

Further color corrections:
• Luminance, Chroma and Hue
• Color Booster
• Saturation & Warmth

Now to adjust focus & sharpness:
• Gaussian blur
• High-Pass Filter (my favorite step!)
• Unsharp Mask

Next:
• Add grain/noise
• B&W Conversion
• Colorize
• Color Range Contrast
• Sepia
• Tint

May still need to do the following:
• Color Control Point
• Auto Retouch Brush
• Straighten / Rotate
• Crop (either freehand or specific aspect ratio) This I rarely do at this point.... I typically wait until I know what size print I'm making.

Time to:
• Save raw file (neat thing about raw.... the original sensor data is not overwritten... just the adjustments I made are added to the file. So if need be, I can always delete the steps at any time in the future and return the file to the original downloaded state!)
• Rename, adding "Sell Name" to filename and save as a Jpeg in a separate file.

Send the Jpeg to GIMP for:
• Cloning any areas that need it.
• Correct Perspective Distortion
• Crop to final aspect ratio for printing (again, typically I don't do this until I know what aspect ratio I need to print)
• Any other step that CNX2 cannot perform


Create a resized image for posting on web site.

 

[flowness]

Wow that's thorough! Thanks

 

[Big Mike]

Here is a good article on the topic...but it's a bit old (I don't know if it has been updated). Workflow

Specifically on the topic of 'Order of operations'...yes, it does matter. But it also depends on what programs you are using. For example, if you use Adobe Lightroom or Adobe Camera RAW to edit your photos (Usually Raw files), then it doesn't really matter what order you do things (within that software), because when you are done and you 'export' the image, the software will apply the parameters in the best possible order (according to Tomas Knoll, one of Adobe's best software engineers).

If you are editing in a software like Adobe Photoshop CS/Elements (or similar), then it's much more important that you apply your edits with a good order of operations.