A summary of workflow
1. In the Field
Every image begins outdoors, observing, waiting, and capturing moments in their rawest form. On my R5 I always shoot in RAW/cRAW to preserve the full dynamic range and colour depth my camera can record. Whether it’s a fleeting expression of wildlife or a dramatic play of light, I aim to get everything right in-camera.
2. Import & Culling
Back at home, I load my memory cards onto my Windows 11 PC and begin sorting through the files in Photo Mechanic.
Photo Mechanic is incredibly fast, it displays the JPEG previews instantly, allowing me to flick through thousands of shots effortlessly.
Photo Mechanic is incredibly fast, it displays the JPEG previews instantly, allowing me to flick through thousands of shots effortlessly.
For most local shoots, I only keep the strongest compositions. For major trips (like India), I’ll keep everything for archival and storytelling purposes.
My favourites are tagged and moved to a dedicated SSD scratch disk, so they load and edit even faster.
My favourites are tagged and moved to a dedicated SSD scratch disk, so they load and edit even faster.
3. RAW Editing in Capture One
Once the best files are selected, I move into Capture One for all my core RAW adjustments. I prefer its colour rendering and tonal control over Lightroom. Using my TOURBOX editing console (a hardware control surface similar to a toolbox or touchpad), I fine-tune each image, adjusting exposure, contrast, highlights, shadows, white balance, and saturation.
This stage is where I shape the look and feel of the image, ensuring colour accuracy and balance before moving on.
This stage is where I shape the look and feel of the image, ensuring colour accuracy and balance before moving on.
4. Finishing Touches in Photoshop
When I’m satisfied with the RAW edits, I export the images as JPEGs, choosing resolutions based on how they’ll be used, so web, TV, print, or desktop viewing.
In Photoshop, I carry out the final refinements:
Selective noise removal
Targeted sharpening
Minor local adjustments to ensure the image is polished and presentation-ready
5. Final Output
Once complete, each image is exported and backed up in multiple formats. From there, it’s ready to be shared, printed, or displayed, representing not just the scene I saw, but the emotion I felt when capturing it.
