What kind of tools do you use for post processing?

Do you mind sharing it here! ;-) Explain your work flow.

Photoshop and various Nik collection. However, there are thousands of "tools" altogether and you can't specify a workflow without stating what you want to do.

Too general a question, and you seem to want us to provide you with a free education. It doesn't work that way.

 

I will be happy to educate you properly on post-processing workflow and how to run a photography business. My fee is $1200 per day and you can have up to eight hours of my time. You may message me privately if you are interested.

I use Photoshop. I shoot RAW with a Canon 5D, use the Adobe RAW converter to gain access to my files, and then post process as required. I may do nothing more than control temperature and exposure in the RAW converter. Other times I may spend hours finessing my files in Photoshop, using various lighting filters, levels controls, dodging and burning, etc. Rarely do I get into some of the more crazy effects Photoshop has to offer, though I've played around with them a bit, because I find that dialing them back to where they're barely noticeable can sometimes add something interesting to photos.

I use Lightroom primarily for editing and storing my digital files. Lightroom allows me to experiment with multiple versions of the same file adding different post processing effects (for example one color and one BW), without significantly affecting storage space. If I feel I need some processing that Lightroom cannot offer, such as the Silver Efex plugin (actually LR has the Silver Efex plugin, but I find using it from within PS more convenient), I load the photo in Photoshop and then save the edited version back in Lightroom.

I do all my post processing in Adobe Camera Raw on my Raw files. I don't shoot jpeg any longer. Horrible file format to post process on. I don't use Photoshop except for Save For Web and resizing the image for posting online.

 

I shoot with manual exposure settings to grab all the Raw data from black to white, the full dynamics of the scene, and make the image just as I remembered the scene in Adobe Camera Raw. My post processing habits are applied to get a specific look with tone, color, contrast and clarity that may not end up looking like the original scene.

 

For instance I apply heavy use of the Point Curve, select different camera profiles that make certain saturated colors punchier or diminished. For example one camera profile makes green grass a bit more blue-green and so I can apply a warmer white balance that compliments and adds depth and richness to the finished image that wasn't in the scene. 16bit/ProPhotoRGB output color space Raw processing is a very big color world to work in on a calibrated display if you want to apply subtle color nuances that make the image look different without drawing attention to itself.

 

It took many trial and error sessions shooting and processing over 1000 Raw images of various scenes around my town and in my home in order to become familiar with how the Raw converter enables manipulation of these color nuances. I have a painting background layering multiple hues with chalk pastels to create richness so I've come to recognize and apply this in the Raw processor.

 

I do not go for a commercial look. There's tons of folks who already can do that. My noodling around both behind the camera and with the Raw converter using all its tools sends me down a path where I end up coming up with image looks that aren't obvious but don't look like what I see of the trillions online. I work to please myself as a hobbyist.

With RAW files, I edit and process with DxO Optics Pro. I edit first, marking the good frames with a star. Then I make corrections, activate NR if needed (chrominance only), and export to JPEGs.

 

With JPEGs, I edit with Finder (Mac OS).

 

In fact, if you shoot JPEGs for everything, you will need nothing more than Finder, which is the equivalent of a light box for slides (I do miss shooting slides!). Perhaps Preview as well (and Automator if you want to do batch resizing, renaming, cropping etc). You might keep GIMP on hand just in case, as it's free. The free version of PhotoScape X is also valuable sometimes - if I use it enough I'll buy the full version merely out of gratitude.

I use Photoshop and GIMP. Have Lightroom, but don't use it that much.

Primarily Lightroom for both initial sorting, classification, organization, and the vast majority of my PP. Photoshop for the fine details or very complex operations that are not available in LR.

Like David Triplett I imagine.

 

Import raw files from cards to Lightroom . In that environment carry out basic processing/deletion/organising/selection tasks

 

Export to hard drive as Tiffs and use Photoshop ( in my case a reasonably elderly CS5 ) to complete processing and convert to Jpeg if necessary for the final application- I still prefer some of the tools in PS to their LR equivalents. Many people would use the cheaper PS Elements rather than full -blown Photoshop, though frankly if you're starting from zero then the combined Adobe subscriptions including full PS offer good value

 

I have a small raft of other tools on my machine that get used infrequently. Nik suite ( I like the noise reduction and BW conversion options. PT Lens. Perfect Resize. But the thing about these is that you can accumulate them as you have a real need for them- you don't have to get them (mostly free) load them and absorb them up front and so you can spread the learning curve.

 

To pick up on an earlier response. Photo.net can provide you with free help, and was set up to give mutually supportive help to those that ask for it. Sometimes it is necessary to say that the questioner should do more themselves, but I don't see this as one of them and indeed most responders here have managed to give assistance in a paragraph or two without mutterings about "free education". Frankly if people aren't prepared to share their expertise and give a little time to others, this is not IMO the right place to be.

Very much like David Triplett above, but with different pieces of software...CaptureOne for import/catalog/edit raw files instead of Lightroom. It is sufficient for the vast majority of what I do. For the images that need more work, Affinity Photo with the Nik plugins, instead of Photoshop.

 

So, the main workflow is really quite simple: import from memory card (or folder, in case of scanned images) into CaptureOne catalogs with a simultaneous copy to a second drive. Next I do a backup to a third drive. Back in CaptureOne, selecting the files, and deleting the failures. For the remaining ones, assign keywords and the needed editing. I have several different output profiles (for web/printing/sharing with others/further editing). When all done, an incremental backup including the catalog files which contain all my edits/keywords etc. from CaptureOne.

Usually, the output files (jpg/tif) are deleted after I've done with them what I needed to do - so I don't keep these JPG/TIFF copies around, as I can always generate those again from C1 when needed. Edited files (PSD format, or the Affinity Photo format) I do keep around.

 

Just to be sure: creating backups is, in my view, an essential part of the workflow. Make sure you have copies before you make deletions. Make sure you have copies of unedited files, and a backup that saves your editing work.

 

The main points, in my view, with setting up your workflow are volume and preference. If you frequently have large series of photos that require identical or near-identical editing, getting a piece of software like Lightroom or CaptureOne will pay off, as they're quite optimised for this. If you usually work on a low volume of photos, and really work one photo at a time, Photoshop, DxO or Affinity Photo can work perfectly fine as the key program. It's worth it spending some time on trial versions of software, to get an idea of the logic, the user interface and whether that suits you or not. For the Adobe programs (LIghtroom, Photoshop), it is very easy to find tutorials, books and courses; the other less-known programs this is harder. This might make a difference, though I think some of the Adobe competitors deserve way more attention than they get and your wallet can benefit too from giving those a serious look.

I use CC/ PS & LR, but rely heavily on plug-ins from Topaz Labs -- Studio is their new release and a great tool. I shoot RAW with Nikon gear and occasionally an iPhone 6s.

I start in Lr and will bounce back and forth to PS and Topaz. I make most global adjustments in LR. Unlike most, I no longer use the layers in PS and work only in one layer. I may make multiple versions of any single image and I save all of the versions to LR. I am rich in memory and have about 30 TB, including 16 TB of RAID memory that I store my photos in - multiple copies across multiple drives. I'm on a fairly new (2015) 5K,retina 27inch iMac with a second 24inch Apple monitor.

The most essential for me is some kind of RAW converter. The one that came in the camera's box might do well enough? The rest depends on your goals. Mine is usually a bearable B&W picture.

If you have to blend color work from different cameras Lightroom and XRite passport colorchecker come in handy.

I love dodging and burning. I love shaping the light a little more to my liking. There are many ways to dodge and burn. To be the least destructive, I will use one curve adjustment layer set to a brighter exposure and one set to a darker exposure. Then using the layer mask and brushes I will dodge and burn where I see fit. Sometimes I will also use the actual dodge and burn tools in Photoshop. I like these because I can set them to affect the shadows, midtones, or highlights. When dodging and burning there are several things I like to keep in mind. I try to make my subject pop, I try to even out skin tones or other parts of the image, and I often will darken or lighten one side of the image. I try to create a sense of depth by having a transition from dark to light in some of my images. I also dodge my shadows a bit in preparation for the contrast that I will add later.