Happy Friday! We just posted the video from the live “Ask Matt Anything” video the other day. The topic was workflow and any questions you have about what apps to use and in what order. The questions were taken from the Event blog post, where I asked you to submit your questions ahead of time. I also went through and wrote the questions I covered below, and grabbed the general time-code for each question in the video (see questions below). So if there’s anything special you want to jump to, that should make it easier. Have a great weekend!

From Cathy Murray: (1:40)
I can’t join you live, and you may think my question is laughable but, as you’ll appreciate, that makes it no less genuine. I stopped upgrading Photoshop at CS5. I’ve never used Lightroom and have no plans to – I like the workflow I’ve developed (sequential as necessity may dictate), I’m not a pro who needs to work at a fast pace (time equals money), and my cataloguing of photos (each of which is saved first as a .psd, with every layer intact) is memory-intensive but otherwise flawless (she blushes). Eleven years’ worth of editing layers, using plugins etc. It works for me, because I can go back and change things as I learn more – and that’s important, I feel. Question: apart from keeping up with digital evolution, which I accept I’ll need to do at some stage, is there any reason why should I change my workflow now?
From Andy and Tellef Kvifte and Others (3:25)
As a RAW editor, I think Capture One does a better job than Lightroom – that’s not to say Lr is redundant (quite yet) I still use it for cataloging and as a window to access my plug-ins.What would be your suggested workflow incorporating Capture One? Could a Capture One and Photo 10 suite (or other plug-in) combination make Lightroom redundant?
From Frances & Michael (11:05)
Any Thoughts on Raw Therapee? Or Photo Ninja
From Steven Reynolds (12:45)
What About Canon DPP 4
From Johan (16:05)
Looking for alternatives to LR  and PS? Affinity?
From Bernard: (17:20)
Is ON1 planning to incorporate a plugin for Capture One Pro anytime soon? Love photo mechanic for browsing and selecting my best or 5 star rating, so my workflow goes to:
1-Mechanic (super fast), 2-Capture1, 3-ON1 or PS and then ON1, 4-Back to Capture1 or Lr
From Heike: (20:35)
Matt, saw you switching forth and back between PS ( CC?) and ACR via the filter menu. In my PS6 for win I don’t see this filter. Is it elsewhere or not availlable in PS 6? At the moment I use smart objects if I need to go back and forth to ACR. Forbids to use crop and retouching tools. So is there a better way?
From Mark: (21:30)
Matt, I have 22,000 pictures in my Aperture database. Love the way its organized but know its not long for this world. Can you give me your thoughts on the best strategies for migrating to another database later this year? Do you know of anyone doing add-ons for Apple’s Photos that would make organizing photos in Photos a good solution. Thanks.
From Sunny and James Kiefer: (22:10)
Is there a timetable or even a plan to eventually include RAW processing into On1?
From Carmen: (23:45)
My husband and I will be shooting stock/travel video & photography in the near future. Also, I just got my first laptop. What can you recommend to keep all the images and videos safely while traveling? I will have my laptop to keep up with basic post editing. Any other thoughts or recommendations are welcome! I want to train myself into a good workflow.
From David Pilasky: (24:45)
Where is the best place to sharpen a photograph? Are the sharpening tools better in one application over another for
screen vs printing?
From Scott Paxton: (26:55)
I am trying to move to capture one from lightroom ( just bought a sony) I am a bit daunted by the catalogs and wondering how to change my workflow.
From Steve Sennott: (28:15)
I have always used Photoshop for my processing I have a friend that keeps telling me that I should be using Lightroom when I looked at Lightroom it appears to be a souped up raw interface, Do you think it’s worth it for people like me to change to Lightroom?
From Marj Baker: (38:40)
I too use PS and have for years. I just don’t like LR’s way of cataloging. It is confusing to me. I have my own folders for what subjects I use often. So I go from PS (the newest) to ON1 mostly. Could you say a few things about PS to ON1 too Matt?
From Mary Lynch: (40:50)
ON1 has a ton of presets and filters to use with Photoshop. Will they ever add actions to ON1?
From Brett Venson: (41:35)
Matt: As a newbie and really trying to get started in the world of photography I would love to hear where should I start with regards to workflow and strategy for cataloging photographs. I must admit there is so much information out their that it is overwhelming.
From Marilyn Kay: (42:50)
For years I’ve used LR to catalog/keyword my images, to crop, to access plug-ins, and to print. But, I rely heavily on NIK software especially their Silver Efex since so much of my work is converted to B&W. I am new to ON1 and would like to learn how ON1 may replace my reliance on LR for cataloging etc. Is this even possible? How do I access plug-ins like NIK via ON1?
From Robert Baldassano: (43:50)
I may be the oddball here in that I do NOT use LR. I first learned Photoshop many years ago and became pretty good at it after I started using the techniques proposed earlier by Dan Margulis. When Nikon came out with Capture NX2, I moved to that because I found it easier to work with, and liked the RAW conversion better than what I got in Photoshop, though I still used Photoshop sometimes for special situations. Well last year I moved to a D810 and CNX2 was no longer viable and CNX-D was a joke, past NEF conversion. So I have now settled on the following workflow, which works for me because I don’t need a subscription to PS or LR. I use CNX-D to create flat 16 bit TIFFs so that I can use Dan Margulis’ Picture Postcard workflow in PSCS6 Extended for which I have a perpetual license. I bypass ACR completely. When necessary, I take my completed file from that process and do further work in On One or the now Google NIK suite, which I was able to get for free. I like the continued improvements that are being made in On One, but often the end result from Picture Postcard Workflow, requires no additional work in any other program. Matt do you have any thoughts on my use of this process as my workflow?
From Michael Anderson: (46:30)
The Olympus M43 bodies like my E-M1 do both focus bracketing and focus stacking in-body. If I take a focus stack of raw images, should I edit them as a batch (noise, micro contrast…etc.) and them merge them in PS or, merge the raw images first and then edit the resulting image?
From Raleigh Harmon: (46:10)
I too have a lot of questions of on1 taking the place of Lightroom. My concerns with On1 are: 1. I can’t seem to have a consistent and stable connection, 2. I can’t use all my presets as I can with LR, 3. we are not ever in verbal contact with someone when we have a burning problem. 3. Will on 1 build a file system similar to LR?
From Hank: (47:00)
I guess if you can discuss a little bit thought processes are when you ascertain what effects filters to use, how much of them (opacity, etc.), and what goes on in your head is you visualize the final product. I’ve watched how you worked out the Your Photo, Our Look, and it just amazes me…
I’m sure that you “play” with the photos before the final “yeah, that’s it!” that is presented in the episode. I guess I am wondering how long it might take you, can you see the results right away in your head before clicking? Do you get “frustrated” as I do when something just doesn’t work? As noted before, I marvel at your relative ease in figuring out the reasoning and logic to using what effects, when, how….
From David Goodell: (52:45)
Hello – will you give us a demo using the box tool in layers to pull out say a flower from one layer and place it in another layer? Thanks
From Horst: (54:20)
Just a short question, how can I increase the visibility or density of dust (e.g. of a herd of mustangs) in any of the mentioned software (PS, LR on1 10).
From Brent: (54:50)
I usually do my RAW edits in Lightroom and then move to PS for running any stylizing plug-ins (on1, NIK, etc.), even when I’m not doing PS edits. More often than not I run the plug-ins as smart filters, since I’m indecisive and want to easily change my mind.
When would you recommend running plug-ins directly from Lightroom, rather than out of PS? When would you/would you not recommend running plug-ins from PS as smart filters?
From Mary Ellyn: (55:35)
I am interested in learning how OnOne can be used as your principle means of cataloging and editing images rather than LR. Currently I am using LR 5 and really don’t want to be a part of the Adobes subscription model in the future. So, I am looking for a robust substitute.
From Dan Milligan: 
Basically, asking about multiple computers
From John Blackwood: (57:10)
Would you discuss keywords, metadata, face recognition and GPS and how you use them in your workflow especially after processing is complete. I find myself adding a lot of keywords and doing face recognition and never really using them. Perhaps if I had more diversity in what I shoot they would be more useful. In any event I would like to hear your thoughts.
From John Norton: (58:10)
I am looking to tighten up my workflow (and to really learn PS CC). So, I start in LR, but I also have PS (and Nik), and ON1. Can you walk through a workflow, especially on a really good shot, say of a heron or animal that has hotspots (not necessarily burned out) behind the animal. I am trying to take the hotspots down so that they don’t distract the eye. Thanks.
From Mary Doug Wright: (58:50)
How do I streamline renaming of image files and tagging so it doesn’t take up so much of my time?
Can you suggest a backup system (for Mac) that tracks what I’ve changed in my photos folder (new images imported, edited files, etc.) so I can just update the changes rather than copying the entire photo folder to several external drives? I will be moving my catalogue off my MBP (just installed a smaller SSD) to several external drives.
From Daniela Constantinescu: (Sounds like Lightroom Tech Support question)
Are we getting a less destructive way to sharpen the photo by using the Dynamic Contrast?
I add the copyright and the location of photo to the map in Lightroom, but after I finish editing the photo it doesn’t have this info in metadata anymore. Is this because we switch from program to program or what is the reason?
From Bill White: (1:00:35)
What do you feel are ON1’s features that make it superior to Photoshop and it’s other competitors?
From Patrick Mullins: (1:03:15)
Basically do I need LR6? In the promotional video for Plus you stated Matt that it would be aimed at those of us who are amateurs not professional photographers (not your exact words) but I am beginning to feel out of my depth here.
From Dana Fisher: (In Effects, there’s a Blur Filter)
My question is this – is there an ~EASY~ way to blur/create blurred effects in Perfect Photo Suite? (For instance – blur out a background to force focus?)
From Stephen Director: (1:05:40)
When is the best time to do noise reduction in the workflow? Does it make a difference if you use noise reduction in Lightroom, On1 or say a plug in like DeNoise? I know some folks recommend doing noise reduction in a program like DeNoise on the RAW file before doing any other post processing. This means subsequent post processing is done on a TIFF or perhaps a PSD file rather than the DNG file itself.
From William Hemmings: (1:06:15)
I notice in most of the videos you are using a laptop (mac).Can a laptop handle all the requirements of required workflow? And what are the two or three most important requirements for a laptop used for on1, PS, LR etc.?
From Annie Omens: (1:07:23)
In PS, what’s the difference between saving a jpeg as a “save as” or “export”- “save to web (legacy)” thanks.
From Verna Slater: (1:07:35)
In Lightroom is there a way to see how many megapixels a photo is without importing it?