This Saturday I’m teaching a Lightroom class at Working With Artists in Lakewood, CO. I will be covering Lightroom 1.1 in its entirety. Hope to see some new faces there!
Adobe Photoshop Lightroom
Instructor Nathaniel Coalson, Adobe Certified Expert
Saturday August 25
10am-4pm
$105
More Details and Online Registration Here
A recent question in an email from a client:
“I’ve got a question: one differentiator Apple mentions for their Aperture application is the “RAW-focused workflow from capture to output”. Is that different to Adobe Lightroom, and how does that work with digital printing, wouldn´t I need to convert the picture to the ProPhoto or Adobe RGB gamut anyway before printing?”
My answer:
Aperture and Lightroom are positioned directly the same. Both Lightroom and Aperture are designed to work with RAW files from capture to print. After using both Lightroom and Aperture extensively (as well as CaptureOne Pro and Bibble), I much prefer Lightroom over all the others. And although the Aperture interface is beautiful, when it comes to workflow and image quality, Lightroom is the clear winner, for several reasons: Read more…
1. Capture – digital camera (or film scan)
- For D-SLR, capture in RAW if possible
- If capturing JPG be sure quality, color space and white balance settings are optimal
- Ensure correct exposure and focus – bracket as necessary
2. Ingest – transfer files to computer
- Automate as much as possible
- Adobe Lightroom, Photo Downloader, Bridge etc.
- Rename files on ingestion
- Convert Camera RAW files to Adobe DNG (optional but highly recommended)
- Make a backup immediately
- Reformat card in the camera after confirming transfer and backup
3. Add Metadata
- During ingestion if possible; enhance during editing
- Copyright notice and keywords at minimum
- Camera RAW files will use sidecar files for metadata
- DNG, JPG, PSD and TIF metadata is embedded in the file
4. Review/Edit
- Lightroom, Bridge, Expression Media, iView Media Pro, Elements Organizer
- Sort and compare
- Flagging, Rating, Labeling etc.
- Enhance custom metadata as appropriate
- Make Collections
5. Process Selects
- RAW/DNG converter – do as much processing as possible before conversion
- For JPG originals: Save As PSD before working on the file (never resave over a JPG)
- save Master File (TIF or PSD) at native resolution
6. Work the Master File
- Work on file at native resolution – no resampling until print time
- Crop (if necessary)
- Capture sharpen
- Adjustment Layers: Levels, Curves, Hue & Saturation etc.
- Dodge and burn
- Creative sharpening
- Retouching
7. Prepare for Printing
- Soft-proof and make adjustments – save in Master file
- Resize for print
- Sharpen for Print
8. Print
- Print from Photoshop or Lightroom with color management disabled in printer driver
- Photoshop (or Lightroom) Manages Color; use the same rendering intent used during soft-proofing
- Use correct ICC profile for selected printer/paper combination
- View finished prints in controlled lighting conditions – SoLux bulbs
- Apply protective coating – PremierArt Print Shield
- For canvas prints apply Breathing Color Glamour II Giclee Veneer
- Store prints in poly bags
- Keep out of direct sunlight
9. Share
- Generate slideshows and web galleries using Lightroom or Bridge
10. Backup and Archive
- Keep multiple copies; store permanent archives offsite
- Backups are routinely updated (synchronized); archives are permanent
A question from a client:
“I have 30 years worth of transparencies which I am scanning the best to
import into lightroom. I have read that it is best to save them as tiffs.
Most of my work is for editorial use. My question is what size file should
I save the tiffs as? And should the tiffs be stored in lightroom or would
it be better to save them on DVDs and import jpegs into lightroom?”
My answer:
Martin’s question is: can you change your photos to TIFFs in Lightroom after they have been imported?
My answer: Within Lightroom, you can convert files to TIF (or any of the other supported formats) in two ways: Read more…
From a recent email…
“Question for you…
I downloaded a trial of Lightroom to get a feel for it – like most Adobe programs, it’s not extremely intuitive w/o the help of a professional. Would this be worth the investment if I were (1) taking 40-50+ photos per week and (2) took a class on using it.
And I think this is pretty much equivenlent to Aperture – would you recommend one above the other?”
- End quote
My reply: Read more…
Recently I was able to make a beautiful enlargement to 40×60 inches from an 8.3 MP capture from a Canon 30D using the following method. (Actually, I cropped the image in Lightroom, so I started with a file with an even smaller native resolution of 3128×2085.)
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