My next Adobe Lightroom class will be held in Denver Sat-Sun Oct 27-28. Presented by the Denver Darkroom. Details Here.
Many people ask about soft-proofing in Lightroom. The simple answer: there isn’t any. At least not yet.
However, Lightroom is a color-managed application. So if your monitor is properly calibrated, you can trust what you see on screen – that is, until you need to preview the printed output for a specific printer/paper combination.
For this, you still need to go into Photoshop. My workflow:
1. Perfect the image as much as possible in Lightroom
2. Select the “Edit in photoshop CS3…” command from the Photo menu.
3. In Photoshop, perform sharpening, soft-proofing and make any necessary adjustments for print.
You can then either print the image from Photoshop or go back into Lightroom for printing.
Tip: when you’re done editing the file in Photoshop, make sure to use the Save… command and not Save As… This will update the linked file in the Lightroom database.
I’m getting a lot of inquiries regarding the optimum workflow for sharpening using Lightroom and Photoshop CS3. Here’s what I recommend:
1. When working an image in Lightroom Develop, set the sharpening controls to their default settings by double-clicking the word “Sharpening”. (In all the modules/panels, double clicking the name of the control – not the panel header – will reset them to default values). Note: to fix chromatic aberration, turn sharpening off first.
2. After processing the image for Tone and Color in Develop, TURN SHARPENING OFF IN LIGHTROOM by setting the Amount slider to 0. Then, take the image round-trip into Photoshop for sharpening (and if necessary, selective edits and soft-proofing etc.). To do this most efficiently, use the Edit in Photoshop… command under the Photo menu.
3. In Photoshop, use PhotoKit Sharpener from Pixel Genius to do up to three rounds of sharpening: 1) Capture Sharpen – very gentle, overcomes the loss of sharpness inherent in digitizing an image; 2) Creative Sharpen – can be either global or local; this is the heaviest round of sharpening and is image- and detail-specific; and 3) Output Sharpening – done after all other editing and after resizing image to final print size.
4. You can then take the image round-trip back to Lightroom for printing/presentation etc. or print from Photoshop.
Tip: when you’re done editing the file in Photoshop, make sure to use the Save… command and not Save As… This will update the file in the Lightroom database.
Is Photoshop running sluggishly on your computer? Regardless of your system, these twelve simple steps will help you get the best possible performance from Photoshop:
A digital photography workflow is the sequence of steps you take to capture, process and output your images. An effective workflow is one that you can follow repeatedly and that will save you time and provide the best possible results.
The right workflow for one person may not be appropriate for another due to a variety of factors such as personal preferences and skills, available software, shooting style/subject matter and time requirements. However, the best digital photo workflows share a common set of basic steps. (Each step may be comprised of a number of variables, the details of which are not covered here.)
To develop a workflow that suits you, consider your skill level, equipment (camera and computer), subject matter and your intentions for the final images. Your workflow will evolve as your situation changes over time.
Step 1. Capture
Using your digital camera, capture your photos in either RAW or JPG mode. RAW provides the highest quality but requires processing in the computer. JPG is lower quality but can be viewed and shared (such as in email attachments) right out of the camera. Read more…
Every photograph is unique and each image will require different enhancements to make the photograph look its best. However, there are common criteria to use when evaluating your image to determine what enhancements should be made.
Many of these decisions are subjective and the choices you make should reflect your creative vision of how the image should look. Some enhancements, such as noise reduction and sharpening, are less subjective as there are established standards of technical quality to be considered. For example: in most cases people would agree that digital noise is undesirable. Also, most people would agree that the main subject of the photo should have sharp, crisp edges. Of course, there are exceptions to every rule and the creative decisions you make should be guided by your personal preferences.
When evaluating your image and making creative decisions, start with the biggest changes first and work your way to the smaller “fine-tuning” adjustments. Global edits are changes made to the entire image; Local (or selective) edits are changes made only to specific areas of the image.
Think about the editing to be done and make a plan before starting work. Keep in mind that every step of the workflow affects–and is affected by–every other step. For example, sharpening the image may increase noise; adjusting color may affect apparent contrast, etc. So it may be necessary to go back and forth between steps to perfect the image. 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
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.)
LIST OF BLENDING MODES
From Photoshop CS2 Help
A layer or painting tool’s blending mode determines how its pixels blend with underlying pixels in the image. You can create a variety of special effects using blending modes. Read more…
Question: “Nat, not sure if you have time to answer this but I could use some help. I want to make a JPEG copy of all my RAW files on my hard drive, various folders and subfolders, this would involve changing the files to a smaller file size. Is there a way to do all this in one operation with photoshop CS2 or 3?? I have a lot of photos and have to do it one folder at a time right now. My sense is that PS won’t open multiple folders in one auto operation.”
Answer: You can do this using Photoshop CS2, but it’s not as easy as doing it in Lightroom. I’d recommend you use Lightroom. Read more…
Adobe is continuing their series of free, online seminars about their most important photo-processing software products and techniques for getting the most out of them. More info
Using color management is a critical element of getting your digital photos from capture through print. If you want your prints to look their best you should establish and follow a color-managed workflow.
Color management refers to a system of computer hardware and software working together to translate color from one device to another in a controlled way.
A digital image file contains a defined range of colors, described mathematically. In Photoshop, this is referred to as the file’s Working Space. The most common working spaces are sRGB, Adobe RGB (1998) and ProPhoto (I prefer the latter). Read more…
I recently got a question from a client:
I am looking into having some high-quality scans made from my transparencies, and there are some choices involved, mainly 8 bit vs.16 bit. The vendor’s web site said an 8 bit scan would look just as good to the human eye as the 16 bit scan, at much less cost. Don’t know much about this kind of thing, do you think the 16 bit scan is necessary at almost twice the price?
My answer:
The choice of 8- vs. 16-bit has everything to do with maintaining quality when editing/manipulating the file.
It’s true that – in the end – 8-bit and 16-bit will not look any different, on screen or on a print, BUT (and it’s a big BUT)…. When adjustments are made to any file, such as color or contrast changes, and even sharpening, 16-bit allows much greater headroom before the image starts to degrade from the changes. This is due to the fact that a mathematical description of color in 16-bit contains much more data than an 8-bit description.
An example of problems would be visible bands in a smooth gradient, such as a blue sky. Adjustments to a smooth blue sky in 8-bit will start to break down the image and reveal banding much more than if working in 16-bit.
Following is the current workflow I’m using for the bulk of my digital imaging work. This workflow has been refined from over a decade of image processing, and uses the latest available software.
Raw/DNG Image Workflow, starting from the camera memory card:
If you want to see how an adjustment layer will look at different opacities, apply a gradient with distinct steps on the layer mask. You can then compare varying percentages of strength, and when you are finished, clear the mask and set the adjustment layer opacity to the strength you liked the best. This also works well for fine-tuning composites.
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