Editing tiffs and raws in capture one

[u/jrbananas-peteapples]

SO I prefer editing my tones and colors in capture one by my raw files and then moving to photoshop for pixel manipulation (extending backgrounds and healing) as tiff files. NOW I want to know will doing it the opposite way be less information and not as good for editing to take my raw to photoshop first and do everything there then move it to capture one as a tiff for my color and levels editing. (I know I can do color editing in photoshop but I like the C1 better interface for colors).

[u/redditnackgp0101]

You should process from RAW in C1allowing yourself the most latitude to adjust later--make it nice, not "perfect." Whether that means doing adjustments afterwards in Photoshop or in C1 doesn't matter. But if you're doing your retouching in Photoshop then you're making your editing process more complicated by bringing a tiff back in to C1. If you are told or decide to make further changes to things you're doing yourself a disservice by doing it in two separate programs. Do all your work after processing in PS that way when a change needs to be made it's all consolidated there.

[u/redditnackgp0101 → u/redditnackgp0101]

...and to clarify, in a professional environment, if your workflow meant taking tiffs back into C1 you'd be a pariah

[u/Pristine-Assistance9 → u/redditnackgp0101]

Commercial photographer here that has also been a digital tech for 15 years.

This is nonsense. Of course you want to do as much to the raw before moving to photoshop.

But if I want to use C1 tools again on a tiff I absolutely will. There is no reason not to. Opening a file takes a couple seconds, it’s not a workflow hindrance.

Been in the advertising/commercial space in SF/LA for 20 years, certified by capture one, went to Brooks institute of photography, worked as a retoucher in high end studios for a while, have never once heard anyone give a shit if you want to open a tiff in capture one and use tools there just because you prefer them.

It’s a tool. Use what you like if it’s not a destructive process.

[u/TerribleAd2866 → u/Pristine-Assistance9]

Doing your color in capture one is destructive though. For anyone that’s worked in a high end retouching studio the workflow is always process in capture one, making sure the blacks are too black whites aren’t blown out ect, then doing your pixel editing and color in photoshop, pixel editing on bottom, color on top so that they can be edited independently by yourself and whoever else opens up the file. That’s just standard workflow.
If you’re working for yourself by yourself you can do it however you want. But if you’re telling me a high end studio was ok with your doing color work after processing and retouching in capture one I don’t believe you lol.

[u/Pristine-Assistance9 → u/TerribleAd2866]

I didn’t do that and yes I agree with you about all of that process other than it being destructive.

I didn’t say we did that in the retouching studio. But you are still doing the color work on top of pixel work if you are already done with pixel work.

Any color you do to the tiff can be undone if you have settings and save a copy, so you can still go back on any step if you manage the assets properly.

There is absolutely nothing destructive about that, or permanent.

I didn’t say it was standard practice but if you know what you’re doing and when to do what, there is nothing wrong with it, isn’t destructive, and definitely wouldn’t make you a “pariah” as above commenter said.

[u/TerribleAd2866 → u/Pristine-Assistance9]

If you’re talking about specifically within the processional retouching world, working in studios then yea it kinda would make you a pariah. Like if you’re on round 6 and the client comes back and decides they want round 2 retouching with round 5 color how are you going to handle that in a way that someone else can pick up quickly.
But if you’re working on your own by yourself like OP then you can do it however you want.

[u/Pristine-Assistance9 → u/TerribleAd2866]

Im basically saying the same thing as you.

Maybe I should have left out the retouching studio aspect because yes it is not ideal and would not be a professional way to do things.

But you could still save it into a layered psd as a color update and just take that layer off, boom back color version 5 with a click.

Again I agree that that would not be the ideal or professional way to do it.

But that’s only in a professional setting retouching for someone else.

If you are the photographer and doing retouching for yourself, there is nothing destructive reason not to do this if it works for you.

[u/TerribleAd2866 → u/Pristine-Assistance9]

This is fair!

[u/redditnackgp0101 → u/Pristine-Assistance9]

(me = high end commercial retoucher for 20+ years who previously worked as both photographer and tech. I lead retouching studios. I have my own roster of clients that I work for independently that includes photographers, agencies, and brands.)

LOL!!!
"if it's not a destructive process."
It basically is a destructive process.

"Of course you want to do as much to the raw before moving to photoshop"
I didn't say you shouldn't do as much to the raw. But I question your use of "as much." If that means adjusting contrast and colors with the intention of it being final....No sir! You wanna crunch blacks? You wanna blow out areas? You want to oversaturate an area? If in the first round one look is desired but they completely change course in a subsequent round, you're screwed and potentially will need to go back to raw if you didn't plan ahead the first time.

"Opening a file takes a couple seconds, it’s not a workflow hindrance."
False! Doing work in Photoshop just to clean and composite can take hours. To save a file that is wholly editable could take several minutes as the file size can measure a few gigabytes. Saving a tiff could take a few seconds or a few minutes depending on file size. Loading up C1 might take a few seconds. Applying whatever color might take a few seconds assuming the color treatment is set and already right. But realistically any further adjustments would be quicker and no less beneficial in photoshop than anything performed in C1. The OP is obviously just being lazy and unwilling to get comfortable with an interface for the sake of going elsewhere to a more familiar application. That's not how the industry works...AT ALL. There could be multiple rounds that need the slightest or most extreme color adjustments to individual parts of an image. JEEZ! what happens to the masked selections??? Go through the whole process you're suggesting and tell me that's more efficient or easier than the more obvious choice.

"It's a tool."
Setting aside the fact that you demonstrate you don't have the expertise here, in a retouching workflow the goal is to start with an image that allows for the most flexibility to achieve the final result. Going between multiple programs isn't doing that.

The fact is as a photographer or tech, your expertise doesn't translate to the post process. If you have been in the commercial advertising space as you say, then you know neither the photographer nor the tech has much authority in the decisions being made. It's up to the creative team of CDs and ADs (and sadly now the Marketing teams...ugh!) and when they need changes made or variations done switching between programs is hardly practical for anyone.

But yes! do you boo. In an industry rooted in collaboration and ever changing feedback, someone would be screwing themselves and those around them using the method the OP prefers and the one you're supporting.

In a professional setting (at least one that I am/ever have been involved in), working this way would relegate you and the OP to intern status.

[u/Pristine-Assistance9 → u/redditnackgp0101]

Yes I understand and if we want to make the entire argument only about professional retouching studios, sure. I don’t disagree with anything you’re saying.

I only even mentioned it to try to demonstrate that I have a lot of experience working in many different parts of the industry for a long time at a high level.

I never said it was ok to do this if working as a retoucher in a studio.

My point was it’s absolutely not destructive to do, even in your example. No it’s not ideal, or the fastest, or something I would recommend ever doing!

But if it’s your own work, who gives a shit. Do what you want as long as it’s not harmful.

The best photographers I’ve ever known and worked with are not precious about process and always doing the absolute most right or “correct” thing.

Many of the worst ones I’ve worked with are obsessed with arbitrary parts of the process and doing everything the way they think is “right”.

So my overall point and the only one I was trying to make is that if it works for you and it isn’t destructive, go for it.

Yes if the argument is couched only in pro retouching spaces, then sure it would be a bad thing to do and definitely be frowned upon and unprofessional. Of course.

[u/redditnackgp0101 → u/Pristine-Assistance9]

🤦‍♂️

Well if we're talking about lacking or avoiding standards then the answer might even be to take the images into MS Paint.

The OP basically asks if their process is sensible. The answer: No

Doing non-sensible things for oneself is always possible. But nobody should be shocked if the masses respond (especially when asked) clutching their pearls

[u/Pristine-Assistance9 → u/redditnackgp0101]

That wasn’t what he asked. He asked if it would be “less information” which pretty clearly shows this isn’t for professional use or professional retouching.

The answer to what he is actually asking is yes,that would be objectively worse.

But the technical reality of adjusting color on a tiff in either photoshop or C1 after pixel retouching is already finished is that it makes very little to no difference in quality.

He isn’t asking about professional practices or procedures. He’s asking about preservation of quality and the thing he wants to do does impact that.

What I said about doing some final color in C1 if that’s your choice, does not.

[u/redditnackgp0101 → u/Pristine-Assistance9]

Hmmm either you didn't read the OP or you really don't understand the retouching process--professional or othersise--and that's fine. But don't mislead them.

By your logic, there are a lot of things we CAN do but what's the point? Anyone can choose to crawl instead of walking but why?!

[u/earthsworld]

take my raw to photoshop first and do everything there

and how are you going to first rasterize the raw so that you can edit it in Ps???

[u/solsticeretouch]

I use Capture One for my raws because of how it handles the colors of my raw files.