Capture One Pro 20: Optimal image management for your workflow

Developing and managing images can often be time-consuming and tedious. Especially if you import and evaluate a lot of photos, intuitive and effective image management is crucial. Capture One Pro 20 offers you some practical innovations in this regard that will help you optimize your workflow. In this guide, I'll show you how to use the new image grading and color grading features efficiently.

Key findings

• Automatic switching to next images after ratings or markings is now possible.
• Keyboard shortcuts enable faster image rating and color marking compared to using the mouse.
• You should decide whether you want to rate or color-code first, as both functions cannot be used at the same time.

Step-by-step guide

Let's start with the basic settings to activate the new functions for your image management.

First, you need to adjust the settings for automatically selecting the next pictures. To do this, navigate to "Select" in the top menu and then select "Select next when". Here you can activate the two options: "Rate image" and "Select color-coded". Both functions are deactivated by default, so check the box to activate the desired function.

This means that if you give a picture a certain star rating, the next picture will be called up automatically. To make the best use of this function, you can use the corresponding keys on your keyboard. If you assign a star with the "1" key, the next image will be selected. Please note that this function only works when using keyboard shortcuts. If you rate with the mouse, the program will not automatically switch to the next image.

Once again, I switch back to the first image to perform the rating more efficiently. You can now rate your pictures using the keyboard - for example, press the "3" key to give the current picture three stars. You will then automatically switch to the next image, which helps you to navigate quickly through your library and rate the images without having to take long breaks.

If you want to set color markers at the same time, you can also do this. Use the small square to make a color marker. Here, too, you will notice that the automatic change to the next images only works if you assign the color using a keyboard shortcut. Press the plus button to accept the image or the minus button to reject the image.

A small challenge may arise if you want to both assign stars and set color markers. If both options are activated in the settings, only either the star rating or the color marking will be applied to the next picture. You must therefore decide beforehand which function you want to use first - either color or rate.

For example, if you decide to set the color marker first, deactivate the option "Select next if star rated". You can now color-code images and then rate them with stars without the program immediately switching to the next image. This flexible handling allows you to make your image rating even more individual.

It works in the same way the other way round: If you want to set the star rating first, deactivate the color marking beforehand. You can then rate directly before selecting a color. This simple setup allows you to better consider your preferences and increase your working speed.

Summary - Capture One Pro 20: Convenient image management

In summary, Capture One Pro 20 offers helpful features for effective image grading and color grading, allowing you to optimize your workflow. Understanding and using these new features correctly will help you to manage your images more efficiently and enjoy your work more.