RAW workflow with iPhoto - or need to move up?

<p>Apologies in advance if this is a dumb question. I'm trying to figure out whether the way I'm approaching my workflow with RAW files (NEF) with iPhoto is the problem, or if iPhoto just doesn't play as well with raw files and I need to spend money on something else. I've been using iPhoto with jpeg files for ages without any major complaints. I've recently realised I'm a dolt and should have been using raw at least for more 'serious' photos. I generally shoot Raw + basic jpeg (on d50), so that I can toss the raw if it's really just snapshots or junk - but most of the time I toss the jpegs and keep the raw files and import them.<br>

The first simple question is whether I should be importing the Raw + jpeg into iphoto - will iphoto realise these are the same photo and use them together somehow? (Okay, this is question I could answer by trying it). In general, the jpegs obviously have less detail and the like, but (without magnification or tweaking of any kind) - they look better (mostly colour and lighting). So it seems iPhoto is not fully using the 'recommendations' of the camera...<br>

Other questions:<br>

1) iPhoto (as noted) seems to import the raw files with fewer basic corrections and hence the raw files need more fiddling at import to get to a basic level of usability. "Reprocessing" the original with iphoto just seems to redo the same basic import, no options and the like; but no problem, I can redo the raw processing using Photoshop Elements.<br>

2) Most of the time, the iPhoto 'enhance' gives pretty good results - but quite often, it overdoes the correction, particularly in terms of saturation and lighting correction (turning them too light). The result frequently borders on garish. Is there a way to tone down iPhoto's tendency to over-correct?<br>

3) The part that I can't figure out at all relates to working with Raw. At any point in this process, if I edit using external editor (Elements), it goes through the Adobe raw converter - even if I've already done some basic corrections in iPhoto, I'm starting from scratch. iPhoto in other words does not seem to be passing the edited version; not the end of the world, but ideally I'd like to be able to choose.<br>

4) Adobe Raw/Elements provides quite a lot of control and flexibility, and the results are great. But when I edit an NEF file, even with a lot of change, I can't save directly back in to iPhoto and have iPhoto realise this is 'final' version I want to use. I have to reimport it as some other file type, and as a result, there is no longer any link to the original - as well as being a pain workflow-wise.<br>

Note that I still shoot a lot of film, generally scanned as jpegs or tiffs at the same place where developed (I have a film scanner I can use when I want, but don't generally need to do this except for critical work).<br>

I'm not entirely opposed to purchasing some additional piece of software, but the $300 for lightroom does seem a bit much; I'd rather spend the money on gear/film. I also see the potential advantages of using Nikon's own capture software/raw converter, but would probably decline to drop the $140-odd or whatever it is unless the results are a huge improvement over Adobe Raw. In other words, workflow is more of a concern right now than quality, as the quality I'm getting is good - although if I'm missing something major, I'd like to know.<br>

I'm also not wedded to iPhoto; I'll probably keep using it for snapshots and the like anyway, but I have been very impressed with how well it works apart from the raw issues.<br>

Thoughts/suggestions?</p>

<p>If two separate photos are not appearing in iPhoto, the raw is being lost. Under iPhoto preferences, check edit in external editor. Then click on a raw or photo and see if it opens in Elements raw editor. If it opens in elements itself, then it is not raw. </p>

<p>When finished in elements, you need to "save as" a JPEG to get it back to iPhoto as a JPEG or better yet a .psd. iPhoto will not recognise any changes to a raw file.</p>

<p>Use the .psd as a master from which you make different sized JPEGs sharpened for the final product. </p>

<p>The only program that will recognise an altered raw file is NX. NX picks up the camera settings such as color saturation , contrast, & sharpness. Other programs only pick up color balance.</p>

<p>IPhoto is nice, but it is a consumer program that takes control away from you . In my opinion you should save the original under pictures in folders by date+event name. <br>

2009 06 17 Father`s Day would be one group or folder. You need a minimun of three subfolders, original, photoshop, and final JPEG. Label the final as IMG 1234 300 4x6.jpeg.<br>

Then it is diferentiated from the original IMG 1234.JPEG and you know the size.and resolution. Import that final to iPhoto for yuor slide show or to make an iMovie of still images.</p>

<p>.psd files are uncompressed and lossless and a better save than JPEG which should be only a final product.<br>

If you create the folders without changing the format, they will forever stay in date order and can be moved to final storage in large groups or one at a time as you finish them. This becomes the back up plan.</p>

<p> </p>

<p>Thanks. I'm well covered in terms of saving the originals, so I'm not so worried about that. First, iPhoto does always keep the originals, and I can revert when needed. I also save originals of almost everything prior to importing into iTunes (using a date and subject system) and they're backed up on a server. Several times redundancy.<br /> iPhoto's workflow is actually close to what I want, most of which is for non-critical computer work and prints; for larger prints (very large, up to 8X10 is fine from iPhoto as long as original is good) and critical work (not that often), I can revert to original easily - from directly within iPhoto. In worst case scenario, from Time Machine or, failing that, server.</p>

<p>Well if you are happy with what you are doing, I guess you do not need to improve. <br>

I will repeat, only NX will read camera recomendations from raw files unless you save it as a JPEG, or TIFF or .psd.</p>

<p>Thanks, I didn't realise that NX is the only one that will use the camera recommendations - that's annoying.<br>

I meant that I'm well covered with backups, and while iPhoto in principle has a workflow I like, it doesn't work as well with raw files. I'll think about your suggestion - which I guess is converting everything using Elements into psd and then working with PSD files (for example in iPhoto). But I may have to look at Capture.<br>

Appreciate the suggestions.</p>

<p>It's not that iPhoto doesn't work well with RAW, it's just it stores and looks for manipulations in place other than XMP stored by Camera Raw. For my wife I've configured iPhoto to work with Canon raw processor and that works well because Canon software stores manipulation instructions in the original file (it doesn't change raw data, just processing recipe). If you already have PS Elements, why not use it for organising your photos?</p>