What is your workflow?

I am little lost on the oder in which to do things once the images

are in the PC.

Do I sharpen them up first and then resize or do you convert to

grayscale if needed and then remove noise?

Which are the normal workflows for the best results?

Before doing anything else, you first ensure that your system is calibrated. Do your editing under consistent and even lighting.

<p>For each image, do the following:

 

<ol>

<li>Scan at highest resolution, making sure the software is using the correct profiles.

<li>Retouch: remove dust/scratches, color correct.

<li>Archive: create a JPEG for the web, tag file with metadata, update database, record to CD/DVD.

</ol>

<p>

If you intend to work in black and white, you read <a href="http://www.photo.net/bboard/redirect-for-sws?msg_id=001vBO">this</a> and <a href="http://www.photo.net/bboard/q-and-a-fetch-msg?msg_id=001sea">that</a>.

<p>When the time comes to print:

<ol>

<li>Interpret image (optional): I prefer to leave some of the creative work such as tonal and color manipulation to the printing stage so that I can take an alternative look at my work. Most people will skip this step and just print the archived file directly.

<li>Crop if necessary. I embed a "Path" to save my cropping preference (a Photoshop feature).

<li>Resize: personally, only necessary if I want a large print, otherwise I set the desired print size from Image->Image Size (Photoshop) and let the "ppi" (<i>pixels per inch</i>) fall where it may. Contrary to consensus, I found that the stochastic dithering algorithms in new printers does <i>not</i> require a ppi that is a divisor of the print resolution. I use an Epson inkjet though; perhaps your printer may yield better results with a special ppi. If it does not, then you do not have to resize your image.

<li>Final touches: I generally use an <i>unsharp mask</i> for the entire picture, though I experiment with the settings (<a href="http://www.creativepro.com/story/feature/11242-1.html">systematically, mind you</a>). If you have the inclination, you can <a href="http://www.photo.net/bboard/q-and-a-fetch-msg?msg_id=003rb5">get fancy</a> or buy <a href="http://www.photo.net/bboard/q-and-a-fetch-msg?msg_id=003non">third-party software</a>.

</ol>

Try http://www.luminous-landscape.com/tutorials/workflow1.shtml

1.) store the original image at full resolution and make a duplicate copy of that

file, store the original file on either a seperate hard drive or CD-D or other

media. Preferably both images will be in an uncompressed format (PSD or tif)

not asa jpeg.<P>

2.) Open the duplicate image and do any image manipulation you need to do:

retouch rotatation, crop, mode change, resizing etc.

3.) Only when happy with changes save a copy of the manipulated file with a

slightly different name, and then use the Unsharp Masking or Sharpening

filter on the file you have been working on.

<P>Use of Sharpening or unsharp masking should always be the last step

before printing or publishing and should always be done when viewing the

image at full (100%) size.

I have a whole course on digital printmaking on <A HREF="http://www.normankoren.com/makingfineprints.html">http://www.normankoren.com/makingfineprints.html</A>. Should get you started. Good luck!