Hi everybody, fairly new to stock photography and wondering what you boys and girls do as far as a workflow for getting photos ready, keywording and then submitting to the likes of Shutterstock, AdobeStock etc.

Thanks, Uncle Pete

Quote from: Uncle Pete on March 08, 2019, 16:50

Quote from: 2checkingout on March 08, 2019, 16:35

Hi everybody, fairly new to stock photography and wondering what you boys and girls do as far as a workflow for getting photos ready, keywording and then submitting to the likes of Shutterstock, AdobeStock etc.

I'm positive there are people who have better methods, but just to answer. Once I have the editing and culling finished, ready to upload, renamed and whatever else.

1) I add keywords to every image, batch add if they are similar, then go to SS and use the keywording tool to find words I might have missed. Paste that into everything. If single image same. Important always have the best keywords Title and Description embeded in the files.

Hi.

Can I ask you why this step? It's not enough to set the titles/descriptions and keywords on the web? I don't use to do it and can see my pictures well indexed (I think so).

Thanks.

If you include data in the file you don't need to add data every time you load to a different site.

Quote from: Pauws99 on March 09, 2019, 02:53

Quote from: trabuco on March 09, 2019, 02:31

Hi.

Can I ask you why this step? It's not enough to set the titles/descriptions and keywords on the web? I don't use to do it and can see my pictures well indexed (I think so).

Thanks.

If you include data in the file you don't need to add data every time you load to a different site.

Right, everyone has their own best workflow, we use different software, we have different ways to upload, and plans for batches, large or small. But having the metadata embedded in every image is the single universal, best practice for managing images.

Once you have the data, you'll never have to enter it again, only update if you have new ideas.

Eventually keyword lists or saved word groups will also be useful if someone is shooting similar subjects over time.

Except for Eyem who have the worst contributor interface bar none!

Thank you for the answers.

I use to edit the pictures first, remove dust, etc. When I have a 10 batch  I create a text file with the title and the keywords while I upload them to every agency with filezilla. Every single picture has a number, so I can find them (the name of the jpg is the number).

So I just copy and paste the information from the text file. First I submit to shutterstock to correct the words and add some of the sugestions.

Then the rest of agencies.

It's a quite similar method I think.

Doesn't matter much how people edit and upload, what editor or how we save and sort or make batches.

Most important is always embed the data for later.

Finding a text file in 2025 instead of having the photos stand alone, is a small time for a long future investment if you ever want to upload an image again. Heck I have trouble finding images again, I don't know how I'd find batches and text and match them up ten years later.

I wrote in some detail about how I handle my images (and videos) on my blog. I don't think much has changed since I wrote it:

https://www.backyardsilver.com/2017/12/my-current-workflow/

Steve

Yes Steve, great organization, good advice.

Thanks, Steve very useful.

Uncle Pete you mentioned about embedding the title of the photo, how do you go about doing that? When you export from LR do you use a title as a custom file name?

Thanks

Sorry I use Elements and Breeze Browser Pro, someone who knows LR will need to answer.

Here's something I did when I had LR2



So where it says Irfanview, that's what that software calls it. LR Etc. Breeze Browser screen.

I used to wait til i'd done any post before adding iptc - but this meant I was breaking up shoots with similar images.  so, now, after the initial cull I add iptc to the unprocessed images - this also means if I go back to the originals they'll already have metadata

 excel, LR & PS are great tools to develop an efficient and personalized workflows - when traveling I typically shoot 300-1000 images per day; I  shoot both std and HDR (5-7 continuous exposrue bracketing), so there's a lot of quick editing to do.   on tour, I dont always have time (or energy) to get through  a complete day's shoot (in Morocco recently our days started before 8 and didnt get back to the hotel room before 10 or 11 pm).  I use the old WIndows Photo Viewer to do this since it's faster than the programs, allowing quick views at 100% and deletes. then each day goes into a prelim folder until I run them thru LR for its easy renaming.  images are now named YYMMDD-xxx and go into a holding folder.

i keep an excel file of all captions & tags. esp'ly when traveling I try to do at least a brief summary of each day (image 101 - 133 = notre dame; 134 - 155 = st chapelle, etc. -- one year later i know exactly where image 145 was taken)  I find a local bar at the end of the day improves this part of the workflow)

Sometime later I take 100 image batches and add metadata thru LR since it handles this much easier and quicker than PS.  the captioned images are then sorted to those that can be submitted directly; those needing resizing to increase sharpness (LR) and those needing further editing (PS)

'to-edit' images go to subfolders based what's needed -- HDR, remove minor trademarks and personal data;dust or sensor spot removal; straightening; lighting changes, etc

i'll later concentrate on one type of PS editing  and those images eventually find their way to the agencies.  a bonus feature of this system is that images from one shoot get sent to agencies over time,  ensuring a constant stream of new images (helps in display in agencies)

some days create large number of images that need the same edit (esp'ly lighting on cloudy days where quick autotone or leveling is needed, or same small sensor dot needs removal)  PS excels at setting up quick batch scripts

Since my workflow leaves images in many different (but efficient) folders, i dont use the cataloging of LR.  instead i archive the original image, replacing it later with an unaltered but metadata'd image,and then separately any edits.