When I return from a photo shoot, I place the flashcard from my camera into my desktop, I open Lightrom and start to import the photographs.

I created an import preset, which adds metadata and my copyright information into each photograph as they are being imported. I rename each photo by utilizing "Shoot Name Date - Sequence" option starting with the number 1 for the first photo. I place the photos in a folder with the same name: Shoot Name followed by the date followed by the sequence number. I recognize there are many protocols to use in filing and managing photographs. This is what currently works best for me. I like to start the filename with the Shoot Name because this keeps similar photo shoots together. For example, I photograph a lot of baseball games for a variety of teams. By starting each photo filename with the team name and then the date, I can easily keep track of all these team photos in one place. This is also an important time-saver if someone asks to see an old photograph later. "What team? What year?" Easy!

I do convert to the DNG format when I import photographs into Lightroom. To me, there are two advantages that each makes so much sense to do. First, by converting to DNG we save some file space. The conversion actually creates a smaller file and yet does not incorporate any compression. You can't beat that, even with a stick! The second advantge is there is no need to sidecar files now because DNG files incorporate this data into the main file.

I make this process a little easier and try to keep it predictably regimented so I don't forget any important detail. Using my "Typical Import" preset does make this easy.

Once all the photos are into Lightroom, I navigate to the Library module. I press the tab key to provide a bigger area in which to view each photograph. I then double-click on the first photograph. Now I view each photograph one at a time by pressing the right arrow key to advance to the next photo. I mark the keepers by pressing the "p" key. I do not prefer to use the "x" key. I don't have the time to spend worrying about the rejected or inferior photographs. I prefer to focus on the keepers that I will use to post to my website or share with others in a variety of ways. It is the keepers that I am going to use, so I spend my time entirely with these selected photographs.

I also set Auto Advance on under the Photo drop-down menu. This is nice because it automatically advances to the next photograph if you give the photo a flag or a rating.

So it is quick and easy for me to go through an entire shoot simply marking the keepers as a "pick."

Once I finish going through the photographs in this way, I create a collection of the keepers. This is important and helpful if I want to create a slideshow or a web gallery or send them to my printer to have prints printed. I might first edit some of the photos or crop them in the develop module.

Now it is time to create a web gallery or slideshow. This is easy since I already created a collection. The slideshow and web modules make this very easy to do.

The last step is to tell everyone that new photos are posted for viewing. Lightroom makes it simple and easy!