Simplified workflow with Lightroom

[stubbsy]

Note: This is currently a work in progress and I intend to add more content in the coming weeks to flesh this out. It's based on a presentation I did at a recent Sydney MaxiMeet.

I've spent the past few months playing with the latest version of Adobe Lightroom (now at 1.3.1 with v1.4 about to be released). At one year out from it's initial release the product has matured to the stage where it's a viable replacement for a number of programs I previously used (although I must say a fast PC or Mac is necessary). In fact I've now decided to move to LR for near exclusive use to manage my entire image workflow from image import to resize and upload to the web. I'll start by comparing my old workflow to my new one.

Old workflow

• copy images to hard disk using Nikon Transfer (auto launches when CF card inserted)
• import images using iMatch
• cull images in iMatch by tagging potential keepers and moving them to a PP folder
• add keyword tags in iMatch to images in PP folder
• open image in PP folder using photoshop
• PP with PSCS and Nik Color Efex Pro (crop, rotate, wb adjust, dust bunny removal etc)
• Save final PP state as PSD file
• run PSCS action to resize for web, sharpen, add border and description and save as JPG
• upload to SmugMug using the SmugMug site
• at this stage I'll have my original raw file, a PSD version representing my final PP and a JPG version that was uploaded to the web

New Workflow

• copy images to hard disk using Lightroom (auto launches when CF card inserted)
• import images using Lightroom and a base preset I've created (the LR ones are no good IMHO)
• cull images in Lightroom by tagging potential keepers and moving them to a PP folder
• change to PP folder in Lightroom
• add keyword tags in Lightroom to images in PP folder
• PP with lightroom (crop, rotate, wb adjust, dust bunny removal etc). Occasionally I need local rather than global image changes in which case I still use PSCS for that (maybe 2% of shots)
• Choose lightroom Export option. There I use two linked 3rd party LR plugins to automatically resize for web, sharpen, add border, watermark and description then upload to SmugMug
• at this stage I'll have my original raw file with all other details (including my PP history) stored in lightroom

As you can see I have moved from using Nikon Transfer, iMatch, PSCS and Smugmug web upload to a single app (Lightroom) for the bulk of my images. Additionally I no longer need the saved PSD and JPG copies of my image. I'm also finding LR PP much quicker than PSCS and I'm in love with the fact I can go back through the image history state at any time in LR (even after I've quit LR) whereas it's lost in PSCS.

The two LR export plugins I'm using are Jeffrey Friedl's free Upload to SmugMug and Timothy Armes donation ware LR/Mogrigy plugin

There are also Zenfolio, Flickr and Picasa versions of Jeffrey's Export plugin.

[Wocka]

Thx Stubbsy,

I will be very interesting in seeing more of your LR Skills and PP methods.

I have just migrated over to LR from RawShooter. Well I have imported all my images into the library in a date format that is now workable, Eg: Pictures \ 2008 \ 2008-02-14-Description. Now I can copy my LR Catalog to my wife's laptop and she is able to view all of the pictures in date order without the need for the RAW files to be on her HDD as well ( very handy when I have 250GB of baby pictures RAW + TIFF + JPG).

I'm also finding LR slower than RawShooter and keep going back to RS for my deletes and fast PP ability. Maybe I just need to spend more time in LR in order to speed up my PP time.

I'd especially like to see how you go with levels, I can't get the markers to further than 10 or 90.

I had just read about Tim's Mogrify plugin last week, but hadn't gotten around to checking it out. I had just made a PS/CS3 plugin that will resize and batch watermark my logo with help from a user on POTN Forum. But looks like Tim's Plugin will do similar. I'll check that out.

Cheers

[johnd]

Thanks for this Peter. It is very helpful.

One question, do you know if LR handles D300 and D3 NEFs correctly, particularly the removal of CA?

Thanks
John

[Onyx]

Thanks Peter, posting in this thread for later search.

Your presentation at the maxi-meet was mighty useful.

[outtram]

hi peter,

thanks for the insight into your workflow. i am doing a similar workflow.

one aspect i'm not happy with is my initial import and how my raw files look straight out of the camera if i shoot raw and jpeg the jpegs more often than not look better.

would you mind sharing your initial import preset?

totally understand if you dont want to, pm if you dont want to post it to everyone.

cheers Troy

[ATJ]

one aspect i'm not happy with is my initial import and how my raw files look straight out of the camera if i shoot raw and jpeg the jpegs more often than not look better.

Troy,

This is a very common complaint about Lightroom, especially for people coming to LR from raw processing applications other than Adobe applications. Adobe blame Nikon (or Canon) for not divulging their internal code for the raw format. (Nikon software knows what the camera settings were and apply them to the raw image so that it looks the same as the JPEG by default.) Even with a good preset, which is dependent on the camera model (and perhaps individual cameras) and the shooting conditions (lighting, ISO, etc.), it is only possible to get close to what the JPEG looks like. I have some images that no matter how I try, I can't get the raw to have the same colours as the JPEG.

[ATJ]

[*]copy images to hard disk using Lightroom (auto launches when CF card inserted)

As per my post in another thread, I can't use Lightroom to copy the images from the CF card until they fix the backup so that I get to choose the directories into which the backup will be placed.

Other than copying the files to the hard disk, I also can do everything in Lightroom - although I keep finding bugs and other limitations. I still think it has some way to go to be a great product.

[outtram]

thanks peter, maybe i should import into canons software write out meta data to file then import into light room i'll try it tonight and see how i go, it would be more time consuming but so is fixing up every image by hand in light room.

[Wocka]

Stubbsy.

This is an example of LR Levels comapred to CS3 Levels.
I have applied levels in LR, but I just can't seem to get them POP from LR as they do in Photoshop.

The second image has had levels applied in Photoshop. I just wish I could make LR do this sort of thing.

LR Export__________________________CS3 Levels Change Only

[stubbsy]

Stubbsy.

This is an example of LR Levels comapred to CS3 Levels.
I have applied levels in LR, but I just can't seem to get them POP from LR as they do in Photoshop.

Warwick

The trick is to use a preset that gives the starting point you want. I have a few and plan to have a suite of these. As an example below is an image first before PP and then after I've used my PS - Wow (cool) preset on it (on the left) vs the same image with curves and saturation adjustment done in from PSCS (on the right). You can download my presets from HERE then save the unzipped contents to your Adobe\Lightroom\Develop Presets\User Presets folder (to locate the folder go to Develop then right click any User Preset and choose Show in Explorer)

No PP


...

[Alpha_7]

The Patent Pending Stubbsy Wow factor in a preset! I might have a fiddle with this tonight.

[phoenix]

I was hoping someone here could help me with my workflow in lightroom. I pretty much do exactly what was mentioned before. I inport using LR, cull the crap out in LR, then do any PP changes there or in PSCS2 if needed, then export. However, i am on a laptop at the moment and store all my photos on an external drive (i have a LOT of photos). When i import to LR is it faster to import to the internal Hard drive, or the external one? I want to basically do it all from the external one, but i figure it would be pretty slow if i did. Also, does anyone know if LR has an issue with all of my photos on the external HD?

Thanks!

[mickeyjuice]

Lots of people use externals for their LR photos, so it can't be too bad. (I don't, I use internals.)

LR prefers you import to where you're going to leave them, makes life easier.

[ATJ]

I have all my photographs on an external hard disk (Seagate 500GB SATA drive in a USB 2.0 case connected via a USB 2.0 hub) and it is more than fast enough. I haven't compared it to using an internal drive but I doubt it is much slower. Lightroom doesn't seem to care that the drive is external. The added benefit is that while LR is thrashing away building the previews it doesn't affect the performance of my internal drive.

[phoenix]

Thanks guys! I'll try and see how i go this weekend with updating LR with my external HD. I have over 35GB worth of photos so it should be interesting

[ATJ]

I have over 35GB worth of photos so it should be interesting

Only 35GB? I don't think you'll have too many problems. I have over 70GB of D70 photos and over 35GB of D300 photos on my external drive all indexed with Lightroom.

[Wocka]

Stubbsy,

I tested your preset and wondered what was going on. I was then tralling through http://www.lightroomkillertips.com/ and Matt Kloskowski's presets and downloaded a few of his. I then realised the presets were also adjusting the WB as well. I thought you one was just the curves and levels. I have figured it out now.

You must be able to make presets just on a certain part of LR as I have found some on the web that target specific parts of LR only see: http://www.ononesoftware.com/downloads/.

There's plenty of people out there offering free presets.

Thank you for your help.

Cheers

[ATJ]

The presets out there are camera specific and most are shooting conditions specific, too.

[stubbsy]

The presets out there are camera specific and most are shooting conditions specific, too.

Not necessarily Andrew - see my commentary below - it depends what boxes are ticked.

Stubbsy,

I tested your preset and wondered what was going on. I was then tralling through http://www.lightroomkillertips.com/ and Matt Kloskowski's presets and downloaded a few of his. I then realised the presets were also adjusting the WB as well. I thought you one was just the curves and levels. I have figured it out now.

You must be able to make presets just on a certain part of LR as I have found some on the web that target specific parts of LR only see: http://www.ononesoftware.com/downloads/.

There's plenty of people out there offering free presets.

Thank you for your help.

Cheers

Warwick

When a preset is created you choose what bits it applies to. For example THIS modified PS - Neutral preset won't change WB, Lens correction or camera calibration. It was created by unticking those boxes AFTER applying the PS - Neutral preset then clicking the little + in the top right corner of the presets area in LR and choosing the boxes shown in the screenshot. To see it in action install this new preset then change the WB to something crazy on an image and click PS - Neutral (No WB). the WB should not change. Next click PS - Neutral and the WB should change. This is a nifty way to create variations on presets you like - apply them to an image then create a new preset and ensure only the bits you want to keep are ticked.

Finally - if you want to know what a preset will change you can just open it's .lrtemplate file in a text editor and have a look see.

[DVEous]

... Obsolete ...

[ATJ]

... do you know if LR handles D300 and D3 NEFs correctly, particularly the removal of CA?...

Lightroom version 1.3.1 supports both the D300 and D3 NEFs.

It should be noted that while Lightroom does indeed support D300 and D3 NEF files, if you are used to the way they look with CaptureNX, you may be very disappointed with Lightroom's handling of them. I have been told the reason is that Nikon don't publish the internal file format so ACR can only make assumptions.

If I shoot NEF+JPG, the NEF looks identical to the JPG in CaptureNX. When I load them in Lightroom they look vastly different. With some tweaking in LR I can get the NEF to look similar to the JPG in most cases, but I've had some images where the colours are significantly different and I haven't been able to work out how to get them the same.