The Topic:
Amanda Taylor of Taylormade Designs joins Episode 109 of The Digi Show to talk about our favorite camera straps, our organizational systems, Lightroom libraries, being work-at-home moms, gallery rules and templates (and our opinions about them), and more! Listen in…It’s Scandalous!
Joining the Discussion:
Amanda Taylor of Taylormade Designs
Peppermint Granberg
Katie Nelson
Steph
Show Notes:
Picks of the Week:
Peppermint: Skillshare | Introduction To Portraiture: Techniques For A Perfect Headshot
Katie: Simply Stamps address stamps
Steph: The Myth of the Black Friday Deal
Sponsors:
For the best deal in digital scrapbooking, become a member at TheDailyDigi.com.
Gosh, I hate to be a pest on a Friday morning, but the download here link takes me to last weeks episode #108.
Hi – I haven’t listened yet but have a quick question. If I am in the digi show link, is there a way to get immediately to the daily digi home site? Both the archives and the home buttons just take you to the most recent podcast. Thanks! Off to listen!
At the bottom of each show post is a link to The Daily Digi under the sponsor section. Does that help?
Totally! Thank you – I never noticed it before but figured given how organized this site is, that there was some way!
Btw I love the side bar organization – locating by speaker or topic is fabulous!!! I wish the roundtable would do that too!
Thanks again!
I just wanted to share my approach to saving edited photos. (I too use Lightroom.) My photos are organized exactly like Peppermint’s (photos > YEAR > MONTH) where the original files live. Inside of each month folder I also have a folder called “edited”. When a month is complete and all photos have been edited, I export high resolution copies to this folder. Then, like Katie, I will upload these to Flickr as a backup.
I’m a diehard Lightroom user. I keep one catalog for all my photos and a separate catalog for all my digi supplies. I never keep more than one copy of anything, as that completely defeats the purpose of having such a powerful catalog and editing program like Lightroom. That’s especially important for my photos from the Canon 5D MarkII where I shoot in RAW. The files are very large so it doesn’t make sense to keep multiple copies. Also, I will often develop my photos a few different ways for different uses and/or experimentation. For that I’ll use virtual copies in Lightroom. LR itself only keeps a set of instructions on how those photos are developed and that keeps from duplicating 24meg files over and over. I don’t store anything in JPEG because JPEGs throw out pixels in the process of rendering the edited image. That’s fine for single use, but I’d never re-use a jpeg to do any further edits to it as that would lose more pixels, meaning my photos have less resolution and clarity. Also, every time a jpeg is opened/closed for viewing, it loses more pixels. eeeek…. Instead, I’ll export a jpeg for an upload to a site such as Picasa and/or Facebook (where I keep my “snapshots” albums) or Flickr (where I tend to put my “photos” and artwork and/or scrapbooking pages). For the same reason, I never keep a flattened jpeg version of my artwork/scrapbook pages. I bring photos into PS as smart objects to preserve quality and then keep the layered files as PSDs or TIFFS, catalog in Lightroom and export them as needed at the appropriate size/resolution for the website/forum specs. Those exported/flattened jpegs get tossed after uploading, as they would be redundant. I don’t use Flickr for my backup strategy, but for any photos I export/upload there I use LR’s “published collections.” When the photos are published and sent to Flickr they are automatically sent as rendered jpegs according to my development specs. If you were to use Flickr as a backup strategy, that would serve as your “developed/edited” versions of those photos (at full resolution). Another side benefit of using a published collection is that any comments and/or favoriting people make for those photos on services like Picasa/Google+, Flickr or Facebook are returned to your catalog and stored with the photo in the catalog. That’s a nice way to keep track of these kinds of things, helping with memory keeping and storytelling. My workflow with photos is: (1) Shoot the photos. (2) Import the photos from the camera card into LR daily, leaving the files on the card (it’s part of my “practice” to shoot every day, even if it’s only one photo.) (3) Before a big event or when the card begins to get full I copy those to a special dedicated hard drive called “SOOC” (Straight out of camera). That ensures I have an absolute original in case I hose or lose something down the line. (4) After copying to the SOOC hard drive, I insert the card back into the camera an reformat it. That ensures a reliable card for future use. (I also never delete in camera as that makes the card more prone to errors.) (5) My entire LR catalog and all my photo files are backed up daily to my Crashplan account. (6) I keep a hard drive background backup of all my computer files running and this is swapped out with a second hard drive in my safety deposit once a month. (7) I have a third portable drive I keep sync’d with my files so that I always have a current version to travel with me when I’m taking my laptop. It might sound like a lot, but it’s effortless once set up. I’ve been taking digital photos since about 1991 and so far, I’ve never lost a file or been unable to recover from a computer crash. Those memories are just too precious to take the chance. You can imagine that keeping the number of files on my working hard drive as low as possible is especially critical when there are multiple backups like this. Imagine how long those backups would take if I duplicated the actual files 5 or 6 times!
Wow! Katherine. I enjoyed reading through your entire workflow and agree that once you get your habits down and your system up, things sort of take care of themselves. Waiting for the “but”? Here it is: You mention one myth as fact that I really want to help the world forget. You say “Also, every time a jpeg is opened/closed for viewing, it loses more pixels. eeeek….”
Well, you can open and close them all you want without fear. It is only when you edit them (and possibly when you “save as” in unnamed software) that anything is changed and therefore subject to lose.
Quoting from http://graphicssoft.about.com/od/formatsjpeg/a/jpegmythsfacts.htm (and there are plenty more sources when I Googled “opening and closing jpg loses pixels”):
[Myth] JPEGs lose quality every time they are opened and/or saved.
[Response] False. Simply opening or displaying a JPEG image does not harm the image in any way. Saving a JPEG repeatedly during the same editing session (without ever closing the image) will not accumulate a loss in quality. Copying and renaming a JPEG will not introduce any loss, but some image editors do recompress JPEGs when the Save As command is used. To avoid more loss you should duplicate and rename JPEGs in a file manager rather than using “Save As JPEG” in an editing program.
The rest of your post is encouragement for those of us doing something similar and inspiration for the rest!
Yes, you’re right Joyce. I wasn’t clear. Many people will open a jpeg and do “a little tweak” each time they enter their edit program. For example, this time adjust white balance, close. Next time adjust contrast. Close. Etc. Each time they tweak and close, it looses info. Thanks for clarifying my lousy wording! Another way the jpeg loses quality is when manipulating in PS. For example, they’ll resize it and move it to one spot on the layout. Then later will resize again and move it a bit on the layout. Each time a save is done the jpeg loses quality. That’s especially troublesome if there is an autosave in the background. A few resizes and the jpeg is a complete mess.
Since you are all a wonderful voice for all things digi I just wanted to see where thing are with the 10 x 10 albums and page protectors. I really think that is the perfect size and I don’t want them to be forgotten. Any news?
Lightroom never closes here. I should preface by saying all my photos are not in raw… I edit in lightroom (make virtual copies if I need to, but generally just leave them as edited for my scrapbooking since it is so easy to “start over”). I sort by year and month (or special trip). I keep my photos, scrapbook supplies and genealogy photos all in lightroom. I have tagged supplies (generally think color, pattern, solid paper) and pictures by certain groups of people, topics and if I have scrapped them or not. I use smart folders to help me find photos quickly. I also use folders to pull out photographs that I might want to use in a future layout (about a specific topic) without “moving” them. I use lightroom to put multiple photos on one 4×6 for mini albums. (I mainly digiscrap). I use it to backup my pictures to shutter fly by months. Basically, I live in lightroom.
I really enjoyed this show. Thanks for answering my question. I hadn’t thought of Peppermint’s point that the template percentage rules allow template designers access to have their designs promoted in other stores. I guess that kinda compensates for customers who can’t upload to the designer’s gallery at her own store.
I see Peppermint’s point that the kits have a more obvious visual weight when we see a page. But I also wonder how much of that is a reflection of the kit-centric environment. Consider a store that had 20 designers and 10 of those were template designers. If the market looked like that, would templates be seen as more important?
I liked Katie’s observations about how kit designers and template designers cross promote each other. Could a store that only had template designers be successful?
I also wonder how much of stores’ sales are from templates. For example, if 15% of a store’s designers are template designers, are templates generating 15% of the overall sales? If templates are generating a smaller portion of the sales, perhaps store owners are justified in viewing them as “less important” in regards to gallery rules.
I want (nay! NEED!) to listen but the link is wrong. Help!
Should be fixed now.
Hi girls … I am only halfway through the show, but wanted to make a couple of comments about Lightroom and photo storage. I think there are as many different ways of working with photos as there are scrappers.
For my part, I edit my photos in Photoshop, then import the original and the edited version into Lightroom. I back up my photos to an external hard drive, upload my original/edited photos to Flickr, and my whole hard drive is backed up externally, so I think I am good to go!
I love Lightroom, but tend to use it for its organizing capabilities, rather than its editing/scrapping capabilities.
I think it’s great when paper gals listen to the digi show! I listen to Paperclipping Roundtable, even though it’s aimed at paper scrappers. In fact, I’d love to hear the digi side of their most recent episode: Is Scrapbooking Dead?
Thanks for answering my question last time about the galleries. To answer Steph’s question: A few galleries have moved to 100% store product, some even all current, or mostly current. I enjoyed the discussion about whether a template should be valued at the % that I’ve seen in a few places or whether it should be higher/lower than the kit used to create the layout.
I see the value in it, and I understand the idea of cross promotion. But I hated that on DSD I considered whether I wanted to buy product from this designer or that designer because of the store or lack of store they are associated with, and that stores’s gallery rules. I do feel some loyalty towards stores, but I’m developing a love/hate relationship with all of them. I would think that designers want layouts in their store gallery to encourage people to buy, but maybe store galleries are on their way out the door.
I can’t add to the Lightroom discussion because I rarely edit photos. Yep. I’ll admit it. I’m a mostly SOOC photo user, which might be because I don’t have Lightroom.
thanks for another great digi show – and thanks for introducing the digest podcast too – I’m really enjoying it – I think it would be fun to ask those featured on the digest for an optional ‘pick’ at the end of the show – I love the variety of picks you and your guests share on the digi show – I wouldn’t envisage that you and/or Katie would have one for the digest (although you could share a listener’s pick if there are some ‘spare’ ones) . Kathrine seems to have a great photo workflow – if/when you have a show on that topic perhaps you could include her on that episode.
I forgot to mention that it was fun to have a guest join you for a mail show – thanks!
Hi ladies – just a quick note to let you know that I’m another Digi Show lover (and member) even though I’m not a digital scrapbooker.
I don’t scrapbook. (I mostly make cards and minibooks.) I don’t even have a camera, I exclusively use my phone camera (Galaxy SIII) since my point & shoot died last Christmas. I don’t use Lightroom, Rad Lab, Acdsee, Aperture, or ANYTHING because I don’t see much need to post-process my photos. I haven’t done a single thing with the few items I’ve downloaded from The DigiGame. And I’m 100% pro-Android (go Peppermint!)
But I still LOVE, LOVE, LOVE the DigiShow! Why you ask? Because you guys are kind of like Martha Stewart to me. I have an image in my head that someday I’ll actually digi-scrap, or use Illustrator for fun instead of work, or purchase a “real” DSLR camera, or understand what white balance is, or post process my photos! LOL It’s like living vicariously through you guys to learn of the possibilities for “one day” when the Digi Martha Me comes alive.
There is still a lot in The Digi Show that’s applicable not only to paper scrappers, but just paper creative/crafty people like me. Do I have to say more than DARING GREATLY?!?!?
Just wanted to jump in and say thanks for all you ladies do!
Another great show, and I loved having a 4th voice on a mail show! And now with the Lightroom discussion I’m feeling the need once again upgrade and start organizing more! Love the idea of exporting easily to my online storage!
As for the working mom discussion – in my humble non-professional opinion I think we do our children a disservice when we try to make it seem like we can do it all. This has taken me years to realize! In your industry you are service based. You aren’t doing right by your customers or your family if you provide poor service, and I imagine much of your requests come at night and weekends when people are scrapping more. I work in an office but I have to arrange my schedule and sometimes tell my kids I can’t make it to things depending on the month end deadlines or say the day I process payroll. People aren’t really understanding to their pay being late because little Johnny had a field trip
I’m not able to keep a spotless house, attend all of their events, work full time, work out, prepare healthy meals, document their memories AND maintain my sanity. Something has to give and I try to talk with them about that so they don’t grow up thinking they are flawed if they aren’t perfect like I have and hear many other women lament.
I really related to the busy mom discussion… seems that people expect the impossible these days.
The annoying thing about working from home is that there is a myth that you must have loads more time. Why is that?!
At Scrapbookgraphics, we require that layouts shown in the store itself contain 100% product from the kit being sold. If it’s a template, the supplies must be 100% from Scrapbookgraphics. Over the years we had too many complaints from customers saying, I bought xyz kit for that one piece I saw on that one CT layout and it’s not in the kit. So, this way, there is no confusion on where something comes from. It ensures our customers are happy and protects the designers as well.
However, in the galleries, we don’t limit what is posted, other than prohibiting outside links. We understand that scrappers, even those that primarly call SBG home will shop other places as well and even follow designers from one store to another. So, we only ask that links to products go only to SGB. Other supplies can certainly be credited, and not linked.
I also agree with Steph on the topic of a CT member not scrapping with store product. If the designer cannot use your layout in her store previews, then perhaps it’s not a good fit. The designer deserves layouts that can promote her product in the store and the CT member should get the satisfaction of having their labor of love displayed as well. So, find a template designer that you love at a store you already shop at, or at a store where you CT for another designer. Or, if you really do love that template designer, try to find another designer in that store who is looking for a CT member and help cross-promote both.
As for Lightroom, I store my photos on my hard drive by year, then in folders named date_eventdescription. I only export my photos when I’m ready to use them. Either directly to Photoshop, if I’m ready to scrap. Or, if I’m power scrapping, to folders by layout where they remain until they are pulled into a template. Then they are deleted. I use Lightroom to upload copies to a private Flickr album directly. And, all photos are backed up on EHD and to Crashplan in their original Raw format (or JPG if from my phone). So, I don’t keep multiple copies of anything long term other than the backups. My workflow is one of low maintenance and that’s what’s most important to me right now!
I have to say I love lightroom. I edit my photos in lightroom then I have a folder named LR exports and the year & within that folder I have each month and when I edit & export the photos I place them into the month often with more subfolders of the event e.g. Feb tea party! Then when I am ready to scrapbook the photos are easy to find, edited & ready to scrapbook. I don’t worry about having two copies as harddrives are cheap and I like to know I have an edited version saved and backed up in multiple places.
HI STEP OR KATIE!!!! I have been sending you emails but I don’t think your getting them. it says my account expired in 1969!! lol and so i updated to be sure and then my account was charged. But when i go to members area it doesnt even have anything for me to download—its possible im not going to the right place but it may have to do with the fact that my account expired in 1969!!! I have been listening to the digest and i am biting at the bit to download stuff!
please please please email me back.
I didn’t have any emails from you, I searched in spam too. I did send you an email though. Let me know if you didn’t get it.
Hi could I add to this please and say my mastercard has been charged for the months digi files and when I go to download them it keeps telling me that the account has expired. I have sent three emails over the last week and I have had no reply either so I am assuming they can’t be coming through. I would so appreciate if someone one can get back to me so I can get my downloads as it’s very frustrating.
Could someone let me know if the other emails arrived!
So summer you are not the only one with the problem !sounds as though there is a gremlin in the works somewhere .
Hi Leonie! I’m having my server guy look into my email and see if there is a problem. I sent you an email. Please let me know if you don’t get it.
If you’ve migrated over to the new site, you can click on “contact us” at the top and filling out the form there will open a trouble ticket that I will see, even if I’m not getting your emails.
Thanks Steph I have received your email & have replied to you so I hope it comes through OK. Thanks for fixing the download for me, I don’t know if it was me or you having computer problems but hopefully we are back on track now.
Well that makes me feel way better!! I keep think that i have to be doing something wrong on my end!
Hi Summer, Have you heard anything yet about your account? I still haven’t!
I would like to chime in about the template/kit debate.
Brownie Scraps was a template only store, which closed earlier this year. Most of their templates were CT friendly.
I would venture that if you love using a designer’s templates that you ask if you may use them for CT layouts.
I can see the template causing problems for kit designers if they include elements – some are designed that way and could cause customer confusion.
I tend to use templates and kits from the same store, preferably from the same designer for CT work and when I create challenges for a store CT. But I love the idea of cross-pollination that Katie suggested.
I have to add that I am really going to miss ScrapMatters. Such a friendly place to hang out, with great comments left on layouts, a fabulous team of designers.
Thanks for a super show.
Re: having to remove your camera strap mount whenever you have to put your camera on a tripod, I use this to attach the removable/quick release plate of my tripod to the camera. Basically that plate is always attached to the camera’s tripod mount so that when I need to put it on a tripod, I just unhook it and slap it on the tripod.
It’s made explicitly for Manfrotto, but it’s worth trying it on other tripod mounting plates I think. The convenience of not having to unscrew the attachment and then screwing on your tripod plate is priceless. Plus it saves you time in setting up in case you want to capture something in a jiffy.
Is this the episode where Peppermint talks about the keyword painting tool in LR? (I can’t remember exactly which episode, sorry) Just wanted to say that I tried it and it is AWESOME!!! I’m so excited. Makes tagging so much easier. I have 30,000+ photos in my catalog, and I could go a little crazy with that tool… haha!