Whether you’re an everyday professional or simply a hobby shooter, we can all agree on one thing – spending less time in front of the computer to achieve the same results would be a game changer. Keyboard shortcuts, special photography workflows, and saved presets can all help you achieve greater efficiency in the editing process, helping you to spend more time shooting and less time editing.

Let’s look at a few of the best ways to speed up your photo editing workflow with essential ON1 shortcuts and tips.

Batch Editing

When you’re editing many images from the same shoot, the same base edits are often needed to get started on an image. Rather than starting fresh editing each image, simply apply your base edits to one image and return to the Browse module. Then, select all the images you’d like to apply the same settings to and go to Settings > Paste Settings from Previous Edit.

How it Saves Time: This will copy and paste the settings from your previous edit to match, saving you potentially hours of editing. You can still go in and make individual adjustments to each photo, fine-tuning every image, but this saves you from having to do the boring basic adjustments on each image.

Saving and Using Presets

Presets are an excellent way to save time in your photo editing workflow. A preset is a saved group of edits that can be applied easily with just one click. And once you apply the preset, you can make fine-tuned adjustments to every edit that is applied by the preset.

How it Saves Time: Presets work great for photographers who apply the same adjustments repeatedly since you can save them to apply in just one click. Create a preset once and go back to it time and time again. Keep this tool in your photography editing workflow.

To create a preset, simply edit a photo like normal. Once done, go to Settings > Save Settings as Preset… and select all edits you’d like to save as a preset. Name the preset and press Save. Next time you edit an image, navigate to all the saved presets on the left side of the screen, select your preset, and apply any fine-tuned adjustments as you see fit.

Browse Our Library for Professional Grade Photo Presets

Brilliance AI

Brilliance AI is one of the most convenient editing features for photographers. It uses artificial intelligence to automatically apply local adjustments to your photos, oftentimes resulting in images that can be automatically edited with just this one tool. Of course, each adjustment can be fine-tuned, and you may need to apply additional edits, but this tool can save you hours of legwork when applying local adjustments to your images.

How it Saves Time: Brilliance AI quickly and effectively applies local adjustments, reducing the need for manual editing. This automated process can cut down your editing time significantly, allowing you to focus on creative tweaks rather than basic adjustments.

Super Select AI

Gone are the days of carefully painting with a brush to create precise masks. Super Select AI is a tool that will save you tons of time when creating masks for all different types of adjustments. Select the Super Select AI tool in the left menu bar and click on the subject you want to select. This tool uses artificial intelligence to group different subjects together, ultimately helping you make local adjustments to your images in far less time.

How it Saves Time: Super Select eliminates the tedious task of manually painting masks, saving you a significant amount of time and effort.

Using Effects

Effects are great ways to add powerful edits to your images in just a few clicks. While many of the adjustments you can use in Effects can be applied in other ways, the Effects tab gives you access to over 30 different pre-made adjustments that can do everything from color adjustments to adding a vintage look to your image. If you find yourself constantly using the same effect, you can save it as a preset to apply to all of your images.

How it Saves Time: Using Effects allows you to quickly apply complex edits without manually adjusting multiple settings. By saving frequently used effects as presets, you can streamline your workflow.

Export Presets

Most photographers apply the same export settings time and time again. Why not save your export settings as preset? Next time you go to export your photo, simply select the preset you want to use and click export. This works particularly well for photographers who frequently use two or three different methods to export their images (i.e., print, web, social media, etc.) and may want to switch between different settings often.

How it Saves Time: Rather than having to scroll through the menu each time you want to export an image, save your export settings as preset.

Photo Editing Workflow FAQs

Have photo editing questions? Here are some expert insights from our photography team.

What are some digital photography workflow best practices?

Do:

1. Organize and Import Photos
   • Use consistent naming conventions and folder structures.
   • Import photos into your editing software systematically.
2. Backup Your Files:
   • Regularly backup photos to external drives or cloud storage.
3. Cull and Select Images:
   • Use rating systems or flags to mark your best shots.
4. Apply Base Edits:
   • Start with basic adjustments like exposure and white balance.
   • Utilize batch editing to apply base edits to multiple photos.
5. Use Presets:
   • Save and apply presets for common adjustments and styles.
6. Fine-Tune Adjustments:
   • Make localized adjustments to enhance specific areas.
7. Utilize AI Tools:
   • Use AI-powered tools like ON1 for masking, retouching, and local adjustments.
8. Export and Backup Edited Images:
   • Export images in required formats and resolutions.
   • Backup edited files.
9. Maintain Consistency:
   • Develop a consistent workflow process to improve efficiency.
10. Review and Refine:
    • Periodically review and update your workflow with new tools and techniques.

Don’t:

1. Skip Backup Steps:
   • Avoid neglecting backups; data loss can be devastating.
2. Ignore Organization:
   • Don’t randomly store photos; disorganized files can slow down your workflow.
3. Overlook Basic Edits:
   • Don’t skip foundational edits; they set the stage for a polished final product.
4. Rely Solely on Manual Adjustments:
   • Don’t ignore the efficiency of presets and batch editing.
5. Neglect Fine-Tuning:
   • Don’t overlook detailed adjustments; they bring out the best in your photos.
6. Avoid Consistent Review:
   • Don’t skip regular reviews of your workflow; staying updated with new techniques can save time.

Which is the correct order of photographic workflow?

1. Planning and Shooting:
   • Plan your shoot, including location, lighting, and equipment.
   • Capture your images.
2. Importing:
   • Transfer photos from your camera to your computer.
   • Import photos into your editing software.
3. Organizing:
   • Sort and organize photos into folders or collections.
   • Apply metadata, keywords, and ratings.
4. Culling:
   • Review and select the best photos.
   • Mark or flag photos for editing.
5. Basic Edits:
   • Apply global adjustments like exposure, contrast, and white balance.
   • Use batch editing to apply base edits to multiple photos.
6. Detailed Edits:
   • Make localized adjustments and fine-tune specific areas of the images.
   • Apply creative effects and styles using presets or manual adjustments.
7. Exporting:
   • Export the final images in the desired formats and resolutions.
   • Save export settings as presets for consistency.
8. Backing Up:
   • Backup both original and edited images to external drives or cloud storage.
9. Sharing and Publishing:
   • Share images on social media, websites, or with clients.
   • Print photos if needed.
10. Review and Archive:
    • Review the final edits and archive your project.
    • Organize and store photos for future reference.

Streamline Your Photography Editing Workflow with ON1

Speeding up your workflow by using these tips is a great way to save yourself time and breeze through some of the more boring, repetitive tasks you take on when editing an image. Even if something you do only saves a few seconds, this all adds up over time to create a much faster workflow. The less time you can spend on your menus and adjusting sliders, the easier it will be to edit your images effectively, and the more time you can spend in the field capturing great images.