Workflow How To's
Electronic Delivery
Last Updated: July 15, 2026Do you have products you deliver electronically to your clients? Electronic delivery is now built right into Spectra and Stratus Desktop, using your online Stratus Drive storage. Just a click or two to upload the images and email your client the download link – and you’re done! Here are just a few ways you can...
Rendering Images
Last Updated: July 15, 2026NOTE: This feature is available in the Essential, Professional, and Enterprise versions of both Spectra and Stratus Desktop. Rendering is the process where Spectra/Stratus Desktop builds new images from the changes you’ve made to the images in the software. You may render session images for proofing or preview purposes – such as printing proofs or loading images...
Stage 6 – Archiving Images
Last Updated: July 15, 2026We recommend archiving your images to insure you have a backup in the case of server or hard drive failure. To help automate that process, the software offers several options to facilitate the image archiving process. Archiving Options Archive to CD To burn a CD of images you can either use a third-party CD burning...
Stage 1 – Capturing Images
Last Updated: July 15, 2026The first step in the Digital Workflow is to import your images and create preview files to be used in Spectra/Stratus. Depending on how you shoot your images, there are a number of options. You can import from a camera card or folder, acquire the images using your own capture software, or use the software’s Group...
Stage 7 – Deleting Images
Last Updated: July 15, 2026When you’re sure you no longer need to work with images from a session and they have been archived, you can delete the images from your server. We recommend waiting at least a week or two after the client has completed their order in case you receive more orders. If you need access to the...
Group Capture
Last Updated: July 15, 2026NOTE: This feature is available in the Professional and Enterprise versions of both Spectra and Stratus Desktop. The purpose of the Group Capture feature is to rapidly associate images with your database and then process those images, saving you countless hours of manual processing. The feature is designed to be used when shooting a large number...
Stage 4 – Producing Images
Last Updated: July 15, 2026The next step in the Digital Workflow process is to produce images. There are options in the software to send your image files to your lab via CD or FTP, deliver them electronically, or print them internally. You may move your production orders through different statuses at this stage, Order Entered, Sent to Lab, Order...
Stage 3 – Retouching Images
Last Updated: July 15, 2026Now that you have captured your images and completed your sale, you may need to retouch your images. WHEN I RETOUCH AN IMAGE THROUGH SPECTRA, AM I RETOUCHING THE ORIGINAL FILE? When you use the built-in Retouching feature, the software will make a copy of your original hi-res image and put the copy in the session’s...
Stage 2 – Sales Presentation
Last Updated: July 15, 2026The Present Images stage of the Digital Workflow provides you with the tools you need to prepare and present a slideshow and the session images to your client in a professional way. You can set up and run the presentation and slideshow from the Workflow hub or from the actual session record. Workflow Hub –...
Stage 5 – Uploading Images to Web
Last Updated: July 15, 2026Use the software to upload your images to the web so your customers can view their session images and order prints. You will need an InSpiredByYou.com account in order to upload images. Read more about InSpiredByYou.com on our website. For complete setup instructions go to the InSpiredByYou section of this user guide. To upload images...
Modifying the Digital Workflow for Your Studio
Last Updated: July 15, 2026Remember, you can set up statuses and workflows in the software that suit your studio – there’s no single right way to do it. Work with Spectra/Stratus to find the best way to make the Digital Workflow features function for your studio. Here are some different ways to set up the Digital Workflow. Archive Images...
Setting up Digital Workflow
Last Updated: July 15, 2026Step 1 – Setting up your Company Preferences Begin setting up your digital workflow by opening Maintenance > Preferences > Company (Studio) Preferences. Choose your settings on the Digital and Slideshow tabs: Digital Tab Open the Digital tab in Company (Studio) Preferences. See also: Company (Studio) Preferences – Digital Image Numbers – Decide how you...
Yearbook Workflow and CDs
Last Updated: July 15, 2026NOTE: This feature is available in the Professional and Enterprise versions of both Spectra and Stratus Desktop. You can use Spectra/Stratus to track yearbook selections, prepare the images according to each school’s requirements, and deliver the images to the school(s) you photograph. This topic will cover the required setup for yearbook tracking and describe the recommended...
Adjusting Images in Spectra and myStratus
Last Updated: July 15, 2026The Workflow hub includes some powerful tools for adjusting your images. Use these tools to adjust levels, curves, brightness, contrast, tone, and more. You can save a set of adjustments and apply it to multiple images with just a click! All adjustments are non-destructive and can be applied to your hi-res images before retouching or...
Chroma Key
Last Updated: July 15, 2026NOTE: This feature is available in the Professional and Enterprise versions of both Spectra and Stratus Desktop. Do you photograph clients with a green/blue screen in order to swap in various backgrounds? Spectra/Stratus can help you do just that. Using Green Screen/Chroma Key Select a session on the Workflow hub. Click on a preview image...
Cropping Images
Last Updated: July 15, 2026There are several places in the software that provide the opportunity to crop your images, including the Workflow hub, the Sales Presentation module, and each invoice or production order. The cropping tool is non-destructive and includes optional guides for consistent cropping. HERE’S A FLASH FOR YOU! The cropping tool was completely updated in Spectra and...
Using Composite Templates
Last Updated: July 15, 2026NOTE: This feature is available in the Essential, Professional, and Enterprise versions of both Spectra and Stratus Desktop. Once you have designed or imported some composite templates, you can use them to create custom digital products for your clients. To find out how to design and import templates, refer to the Designing Composite Templates topic. Creating a...
Designing Composite Templates
Last Updated: July 15, 2026NOTE: This feature is available in the Essential, Professional, and Enterprise versions of both Spectra and Stratus Desktop. One of the most common uses for the Digital Template Builder is for designing custom Composite Templates, such as multi-image panels, custom album pages, holiday cards, sports cars, or even vignettes. Easily create custom digital products for clients by simply...
FAQ – Linking with Photoshop™ or Other Imaging Software
Last Updated: July 15, 2026Q: Do Spectra and Stratus Desktop link with Photoshop, Lightroom, or any other imaging software? A: Yes, yes, and yes! Simply set up your preferred photo editing software in Spectra/Stratus Desktop. Then just select an image, click Retouch on the Digital Workflow ribbon, and the software will open the image in your preferred photo editor....
Bulk Image Importer
Last Updated: July 15, 2026NOTE: This feature is available in the Professional and Enterprise versions of both Spectra and Stratus Desktop. The purpose of the Bulk Image Importer feature is to import images from a single source, such as a camera card, that contains images from multiple sessions and quickly import those images into the correct session. This feature is designed...
Syncing Images to Stratus Drive
Last Updated: July 15, 2026NOTE: This feature is available in the Essential, Professional, and Enterprise versions of both Spectra and Stratus Desktop. Each StudioPlus product (Spectra, Stratus, and InSpiredByYou) includes a Stratus Drive account with 5 GB of online storage. One way to use your Stratus Drive is for image storage. For Spectra users, this may simply be one way you...
High School Senior Workflow
Last Updated: July 15, 2026NOTE: This feature is available in the Professional and Enterprise versions of both Spectra and Stratus Desktop. There are many features in Spectra/Stratus that can be used by the high school senior photographer. This article is designed to show you some of the features of the software that are specifically designed for high school senior...
Local Image Caching
Last Updated: July 15, 2026NOTE: This feature is available in the Essential, Professional, and Enterprise versions of Stratus Desktop. Spectra does not include this feature. This page covers the following topics: What is Local Digital Template Image Caching? Where are the locally cached images stored? How to enable Local Digital Template Image Caching? How to set up automatic refreshing of the...