On Tool Bar?	Yes
Keyboard Shortcut	0 = No stars 1 = ★ 2 = ★★ 3 = ★★★ 4 = ★★★★ 5 = ★★★★★
Right Click Menu	Photo > Set Rating
Menu on Top of the Screen	Photo > Set Rating
On Thumbnail Border?	Yes
Other & Related Methods	Press the Caps-lock key to engage Auto Advance.

Click on the Image, Not the Cell

Note, when you read . . .

click and hold on a thumbnail,

Click and hold on the . . .

thumbnail inside the cell.

The cell is the gray area around the thumbnail.

Click and hold on the thumbnail inside the cell.

Cell with Thumbnail Inside

Assumption

This tutorial assumes you've just installed Lightroom with all of the defaults in place.

No one else has used the program.

If this is not the case, something may be mentioned that's not visible.

If so, it may be because another user of the program has made a change from the default settings.

Introduction >

7 - Seven Modules

Open Lightroom.

Look in the upper-right corner of Lightroom.

There are seven words.

These are the Lightroom modules.

Module Picker

The Library module is for inputting stuff, such as importing your photographs.

The Develop module is for editing.

The Map module is for using the GPS information that your camera may have recorded.

The other modules re for outputting your photographs.

Library	Develop	Map	Book	Slideshow	Print	Web
Inputting	Editing	GPS	Outputting	Outputting	Outputting	Outputting

Typically, you start in the Library module.

Then, you move to the Develop module.

Have a Look

Click the seven modules, and have a look at each one.

Shortcuts

Remember g e d.

Press the letters to move from:

Library (grid view) → to Library (loupe view) → Develop

Library Module		Develop Module
g	e	d
Grid View	Loupe View

Press g, e, and d, to see how you can travel easily from module to module.

We'll cover the Grid and Loupe views shortly.

Close the Module Picker

If you use the above shortcuts, you may want to close the Module Picker so you have more space for your photographs.

Click the gray triangle at the top of your screen, in the middle, to close the Module Picker.

Auto Hide

If you close the Module Picker, by default, it will reopen if you move your cursor near it.

If you find this annoying, do the following.

1) Right click on the gray triangle at the top of your screen, in the middle, that open-and-closes the Module Picker.

2) Select Manual.

Below, we'll concentrate on the Library and Develop modules.

First, we'll look at a typical Lightroom workflow.

Typical Workflow

Here's a typical workflow using Lightroom.

Skim through it.

Return after you're more familiar with Lightroom.

Let's say you just got back from Yosemite with lots of photographs.

First, go to Set Up Lightroom.

Then, proceed down the workflow below.

You can download a Word document of the text below.

Edit the document to fit your needs and preferences.

Go to My Lightroom Workflow (Word file).

Typical Workflow

Notes

1) Connect your camera (or card reader) to your computer.

Turn your camera on.

By default, Lightroom will open the Import "module."

More: Check Three Settings and Unique Folder Names

If Lightroom doesn't open to the Import module, do the following.

1) Open Lightroom.

2) Press g to make sure you're in the Library module.

3) Click Import in the lower-left corner.

More: Change the Memory Card Setting

2) Click Import.

Lightroom will create a folder in My Pictures or Pictures with your photograph files.

A shortcut to the folder will appear in the Folders panel on the left side of the Library module.

More: Importing Photographs and Importing

Remember, your photograph files are not in Lightroom—even though you imported them into Lightroom.

They're in My Pictures or Pictures.

Lightroom only imports the:

• Shortcuts to the photograph files.

• Metadata from the files.

• Previews, which are the thumbnails created by your camera.

3) Remove the duds now?

You can:

• Remove the duds from Lightroom at this juncture.

• Wait to remove the duds until you make a collection set.

• Keep the duds.

If you choose to remove the duds now, you can create a subfolder called Duds.

Or, you can remove the duds from Lightroom.

To sort the duds from the keepers, you'll flag them.

More: Flag in the Folder

You can remove—or—you can delete.

Know the difference!

Do the following to learn the difference between Remove and Delete.

1) Right click on a thumbnail.

2) Select Delete Photo.

In the Confirm window, you'll see:

• Delete from Disk

• Remove

If you click Remove, the photograph is removed from Lightroom—not from My Pictures or pictures.

If you click Delete from Disk—the photograph is deleted from Lightroom and from My Pictures or Pictures.

3) Click Cancel.

4) Close the Folders panel and open the Collections panel.

You can make Lightroom close the current panel when you open a new panel.

Press and hold Alt, and click on the gray triangle that opens-and-closes the panel.

Or, right click the panel and select Solo Mode.

5) Make a collection set with two collections.

You're going to create a collection set.

Below, there's the collection set, Yosemite.

This collection set contains two collections, Best and Duds.

This assumes you didn't cull out the duds in the Folders panel.

You could also create different collections, such as the subject matter you photographed at Yosemite:

• Climbing

• Flowers

• Trees

• Water

You could combine the above two hierarchies.

Below, Best and Duds are collections sets.

The Best collection set has the subject collections.

Let's create the first example, a collection set with two collections, Best and Duds.

5) Press the + icon in the Collections panel.

a) Select Create a Collection Set.

b) Name the collection set Yosemite, and make sure the Set menu is at None.

c) Press the + icon in the Collections panel.

d) Select Create a Collection.

e) Name the collection Best.

f) Click the Yosemite collection set in the Collections panel to select it.

g) Press the + icon in the Collections panel.

h) Select Create a Collection.

i) Name the collection Duds.

You can now flag the thumbnails, and drag them into the Best folder and the Duds folder.

You can use the folder-flagging methods with collections.

More: Flag in the Folder

You could also use Color Labels to designate which stage a photograph is in your workflow.

For, example, red could be Edit This.

More: Color Labels

Folders used to be:

• For storage.

• For organizing.

With Lightroom:

• Use folders for storage.

• Use collections for organizing.

More: Collections Panel

6) Press e to go to Loupe view.

In Loupe view, the selected thumbnail is enlarged.

More: 1 - The Work Area

7) Press g to go back to Grid view.

If you want to choose the best photograph from several, read on.

If not, jump ahead.

8) Press and hold Ctrl, and click on five of the thumbnails of the same subject.

9) Press n to go to Survey view.

More: Compare View

10) Choose the best one, by clicking the x in the lower-right corner of the rejects.

When you have one photograph left . . .

11) . . . press d to go to the Develop module.

12) Press Ctrl + ' to make a virtual copy.

You can edit the virtual copy, instead of the original.

More: Virtual Copies

13) Edit!

Use the Editing Principles, and use the panels and their tools in this order.

Remember:

• There's no need to save your work because Lightroom automatically and continually saves everything.

• Your original file in My Pictures or Pictures is never changed.

The workflow goes two different ways here: Print or Export.

14) Print

Go to Print Module.

After printing, continue on the workflow.

15) Export

a) Press g to go to Grid view in the Library module.

b) Select one or more thumbnails.

c) Click Export in the lower-left corner of your screen.

d) At the top of the Export window, select Export to: Hard Drive.

You can choose other locations on your computer later.

e) On the left side of the Export window, you can use a preset to configure the values on the right side, such as For E-Mail.

f) Next, select the export destination in the Export Location section.

You've got several of choices.

g) In the File Settings section, you can select the file format.

h) There are four more sections with many settings.

i) If you want to save your settings, click Add in the lower-left corner of the Export window, enter a name, and click Create.

Your preset will appear in the User Presets section on the left side of the Export window.

j) Click Export.

More: Export

16) Delete Older Backups

You may want to periodically delete old backups, as they take up a lot of hard drive space.

Don't delete the most recent backups.

More: Backup the Catalog

Importing Photographs

If you use Adobe Bridge or Picasa, read on.

If you don't use these programs, jump ahead.

Bridge & Picasa Users

As you know, you don't have to import your photographs when using Bridge or Picasa.

When you open these programs, your photographs are "in" the programs already.

Bridge and Picasa are browsers.

They browse to your photograph files in My Pictures or Pictures.

Lightroom is a database.

You have to "tell" Lightroom where your files are located on your computer.

You have to import them.

Importing Means . . .

As described, Lightroom doesn't import your photograph files.

Lightroom imports:

• The locations of the files in My Pictures or Pictures.

• The metadata and previews (thumbnails) from the files.

Again, when you read . . .

import your photographs into Lightroom,

Think . . .

import shortcuts to my files, their metadata, and their previews.

No Duplicates Are Imported

If Lightroom determines that a file already exists in a Lightroom folder, the thumbnail of the duplicate file will be grayed-out in the Import work area.

Check Three Settings

The default Import settings are fine for most photographers.

Check three of the settings, though.

Setting #1 - Both JPEG & Raw Files?

If you're saving both JPEG and raw files on your camera, Lightroom will:

• Import the raw file.

• Add + JPG to the raw file name displayed in Lightroom.

The JPEG file is hidden as a sidecar file.

If you want to edit the JPEG file, press Ctrl + r.

If you want to see both the raw file and the JPEG file in Lightroom, do the following.

1) Go to Edit > Preferences (Windows) or Lightroom > Preferences (Mac).

Or, press Ctrl + ,.

2) Click the General tab.

3) In the Import Options section, in the middle, select Treat JPEG files next to raw files as separate photos.

Setting #2 - Date Folder Names

Lightroom folder names should start with the date the photographs were taken.

If your camera doesn't start folder names with the date, change the setting.

Do the following.

1) Connect your camera to your computer and turn the camera on, or connect a card reader with a card.

2) Press g to make sure you're in the Library module.

3) Click Import in the lower-left corner.

4) Open the Destination panel on the right side.

5) In the Organize menu, select By date.

6) Choose a date format in the Date Format menu.

Setting #3 - Choose the Preview Size

Your photograph files have JPEG previews.

They're embedded in the files, or are in sidecar files.

You can specify how Lightroom creates previews when importing.

Many photographers use the default choice, Minimal.

That's because Lightroom can create a larger preview whenever its required.

Therefore, most photographers can jump ahead.

If you may have special needs, such as clients who need to see huge previews instantly, go to Previews.

Start Small

Don't import hundreds of photographs at first.

Start with about ten.

Experiment with Lightroom before you import everything on your computer.

Open when Memory Card Detected

When you connect your camera or a card reader, by default:, Lightroom will open the Import "module."

Doesn't Open?

If Lightroom doesn't open to Import when you connect a memory card, do the following.

1) Open Lightroom.

2) Press g to make sure you're in the Library module.

3) Click Import in the lower-left corner.

Change the Memory Card Setting

Do the following.

1) Press Ctrl + , to open Preferences.

2) Click the General tab.

3) In the Import Options section, select or deselect Show import dialog when a memory card is detected.

Unique Folder Names

Most cameras create folders beginning with the date of the image capture.

If your folders start with dates, jump ahead.

If your folders don't start with dates, you must be careful when importing folders into Lightroom.

Lightroom can't function when there are two folders with the same name.

Let's say your about to import a folder called Birthday.

You must check to make sure there's no Birthday folder in Lightroom.

If there is, rename it.

Import from a Folder

You may want to import from an existing folder in My Pictures or Pictures.

Include Subfolders

If you want to import subfolders, do one of the following.

• Select Include Subfolders at the top of the File panel

• Right click on a folder, and select Include Subfolders.

Dock Folder

To remove clutter, do one of the following.

• Right click on a folder, and select Dock Folder.

• Double click on a folder.

When you do so, the other folders are hidden.

Windows or Mac?

Choose Windows or Mac.

Windows

1) Click Import in the lower-left corner.

2) On the left side, click the black triangle to open your hard drive (C:).

3) Click the white triangle to open Users.

4) Click the white triangle to open Your Name.

5) Click the white triangle to open My Pictures or Pictures.

6) Click on a folder to select it.

7) Click Import on the lower-right corner.

8) Click Uncheck All.

9) Check about ten of the thumbnails in their upper-left corners.

10) Click Import.

Thumbnails of your photographs appear in the middle of your screen, the work area.

Mac

1) Click Import in the lower-left corner.

2) On the left side, click the black triangle to open your hard drive.

3) Click the white triangle to open Pictures.

4) Click on a folder to select it.

5) Click Import on the lower-right corner.

6) Click Uncheck All.

7) Check about ten of the thumbnails in their upper-left corners.

8) Click Import.

Thumbnails of your photographs appear in the middle of your screen, the work area.

For more about importing, go to Importing.

Library Module >

1 - The Work Area

Look in the upper-right corner of Lightroom, and make sure you're in the Library module.

The work area is located in the middle of your screen.

Click a Thumbnail

The gray area around the thumbnail is called the cell.

Press j repeatedly to cycle through three variations on what appears in the cell.

Click on the thumbnail for one of your photographs.

The cell color changes from a dark gray to a lighter gray.

The thumbnail is selected.

Press / to deselect it.

Cell with Thumbnail Inside

Select All & Deselect All

To select all of the thumbnails, Press Ctrl + a.

To deselect all of the selected thumbnails, press Ctrl + d.

In a Row

To select a contiguous series of thumbnails, do the following.

1) Click the first thumbnail.

2) Press and hold Shift.

3) Click the last thumbnail.

Willy Nilly

To select thumbnails from many different locations, do the following.

1) Press and hold Ctrl.

2) Click the thumbnails.

Most Active Thumbnail

If you select more than one thumbnail, the first one you select is designated as being the most active.

The cell color of the most-active thumbnail will be a lighter shade of gray.

You can synchronize (apply) the editing done on the most-active thumbnail to the active thumbnails.

For example, if you edit the exposure of a photograph, you can apply the same editing to similar photographs.

Most Active

Selected

Not Selected

Move a Thumbnail

To move a thumbnail, do the following.

1) You have to click on the bottom-most folder or bottom-most collection.

Let's say you've clicked on a folder called Paul & John Wedding.

There are several sub-folders under the Paul & John Wedding folder.

You won't be able to move the thumbnails.

You have to click on one of the sub-folders, such as one called Reception.

2) Click and hold on the image, and not the border around the image.

3) Drag it to its new position.

Numbers

The thumbnails are numbered by Lightroom in the upper-left corners of the cells.

Flagged		Press p
Rejected		Press x
Unflagged		Press u

Color Labels

Typically, color labels are used to denote what actions have or have not been performed on photographs.

The default color label captions are their colors.

You can change them to reflect your workflow, such as those below.

Go to Metadata > Color Label Set > Edit.

Red	Unedited
Yellow	Edited
Green	To Photoshop Elements
Blue	To be printed
Purple	Done

Here are ways to apply color labels.

On Tool Bar?	Click triangle at right end of the tool bar to add to the tool bar.
Keyboard Shortcut	Red = 6 Yellow = 7 Green = 8 Blue = 9 Purple = None
Right Click Menu	Yes
Menu on Top of the Screen	Photo > Set Color Label
On Thumbnail Border?	Yes. Press Ctrl + j. Select Show Grid Extras & Expanded Cells at the top. At the bottom, select Include Color Label.
Other & Related Methods	–

Go to Color Labels.

Rotate

You can rotate a photograph using the two gray arrows beneath a thumbnail.

Click on the arrows, even if the photograph doesn't have to be rotated.

Change More than One Thumbnail

If you select more than one thumbnail, and then click one of the features on one of the selected thumbnails, the action is performed on all of the selected thumbnails.

For example, let's say you downloaded photographs from your camera.

You click on the thumbnails for the photographs that are keepers.

Then, you click the flag icon on one of the selected thumbnails.

All of the selected photographs will be flagged.

You've been using the Grid view.

There's also the Loupe view.

Grid View - Press g

Grid & Loupe Views

The above view is called Grid view.

Press e on your keyboard.

The thumbnail you selected enlarges.

This is called Loupe view.

Press g on your keyboard.

Now, you're back in Grid view.

Press d to go to the Develop module.

Library Module		Develop Module
g	e	d
Grid View	Loupe View

Loupe View - Press e

Instead of Pressing g & e

If you press the space bar, you'll go to Loupe view.

Press again, and you'll go to the last magnification that you used.

There are also icons you can click to change the view from Grid to Loupe.

Look on the left end of the tool bar at the bottom of the work area.

Zoom Entire Grid In & Out

In Grid view, you can zoom the entire grid in and out.

To zoom in, press =.

To zoom out, press –.

Change the Cell or Display

You can change the features and information displayed in the cells around the thumbnails.

In Grid view, press j to cycle through the choices.

In Loupe view, press i to do the same.

Change the Preferences for Grid & Loupe Views

Press Ctrl + j to change the preferences of the Grid and Loupe views.

Library Module >

2 - The Tool Bar

Look in the upper-right corner of Lightroom, and make sure you're in the Library module.

There's a tool bar below the work area.

No Tool Bar?

If the tool bar isn't there, press t.

Four Views

There are four icons for views on the left end of the tool bar.

We've looked at the first two, the Grid and Loupe views.

The third icon is for the Compare view.

Compare View

Compare view allows you to pick out a photograph, and then to compare it to others.

Click on a photograph.

Click on the Compare view icon.

The selected photograph appears on the left side.

Click the arrows in the tool bar to change the candidate photograph.

Press the Make Select button in the tool bar to turn the candidate photograph into the Select photograph.

Compare View with Tool Bar

Survey View

Survey view allows you to view several photographs at the same time.

Press g to go to Grid view.

Press and hold Ctrl, and click on some of your photographs.

Next, click the Survey view icon.

The photographs you selected will appear in the work area.

To delete one of them from the Survey view, click the X in the lower-right corner or press /.

Survey View with Tool Bar

Shortcuts for the Four Views

Here are the shortcuts for the four views.

g	Grid View
e	Loupe View
c	Compare View
n	Survey

Tools in the Tool Bars

The tools in the tool bar change depending on the view.

We'll look at the tools when you're in the Grid and Loupe views.

Grid View Tool Bar

Press g on your keyboard to go to Grid view in the Library module.

Painter

Painter Tool

In Grid view, you can use the Painter (spray can icon), to "paint" various attributes, such as a star rating, onto the thumbnails.

Click the Painter icon.

The Painter menu is to the right.

The painter menu has the attributes, the "paint," that you're going to "spray" on the thumbnails.

Select Rating, if it's not selected already.

The rating stars appear to the right of the attribute menu.

There's probably one star, followed by four dots.

Click on the first three positions to turn on three stars.

Next, click and drag the paint-can cursor on some of the thumbnails in the work area.

As you do so, their ratings change to three stars.

Then, click Done in the tool bar.

Sorting

The A/Z icon changes the order of the sort from A to Z to Z to A.

To change the attribute used for sorting, look for Sort.

The attribute after Sort is the sort menu.

Click the default attribute, probably Capture Time, to open the sort menu.

Choose a different attribute to use for sorting, such as Pick (Flag).

Thumbnail Size

Move the slider to change the size of the thumbnails.

Next, we'll look at the tools when you're in the Library module, using the Loupe view.

Other Tools

Click the white triangle at the right end of the tool bar to show the other tools that you would like to use.

Loupe View Tool Bar

Press e on your keyboard to go to Loupe view in the Library module.

The tools here were discussed above.

Go to:

• Flags.

• Star Ratings.

• Rotate.

Other Tools

Click the white triangle at the right end of the tool bar to show the other tools that you would like to use.

Loupe View Tool Bar

Next, we'll start to explore beyond the work area.

Library Module >

3 - Three More Places

Look in the upper-right corner of Lightroom, and make sure you're in the Library module.

Besides appearing in the work area, your selected photograph appears in three more places on your screen.

Place #1 - Navigator Panel

Place #2 - Histogram Panel

Place #3 - Filmstrip

Place #1 - Navigator Panel

The selected photograph appears in the Navigator in the top left corner of your screen.

Navigator Panel

You can change the size of your photograph in the work area by using the zoom bar in the Navigator panel.

Zoom Bar

Click Fit, Fill, and 1:1.

Fit

Fit fits the entire photograph into the workspace.

Fill

Fill fills the work area with the photograph.

The photograph may be cropped.

1:1

1:1 magnifies the photograph to 100%.

1:1, and larger magnifications, may take a moment to be created.

4th Item in the Zoom Bar

The fourth item in the zoom bar is the last magnification that you used.

Zoom Bar menu

Click the two-arrows icon to open the zoom-bar menu.

Zoom Bar Menu

Here are the magnifications as percentages.

1:16	6%
1:8	13%
1:4	25%
1:3	33%
1:2	50%
1:1	100%
2:1	200%
3:1	300%
4:1	400%
8:1	800%
11:1	1100%

Other Ways to Zoom

Go to Zoom.

Box in the Navigator Image

The box in the Navigator image shows the area seen in the work area.

As you enlarge the photograph, the box becomes smaller.

Place the cursor inside the Navigator panel, but not inside the box.

The cursor changes to a + icon.

Click on the image in the Navigator panel.

The box jumps to where you clicked.

Place the cursor on the edge of the box.

The cursor changes to a hand icon.

Click and hold, and drag the box to move around the photograph.

Previews

As you move the cursor, the image in the Navigator panel previews the photograph below the cursor.

The panels and features mentioned below will be described later.

Folders & Collections Panels

The Folders and Collections panels are located on the left side.

If you move the cursor over a folder or a collection, the Navigator panel shows the first photograph in the folder or collection.

Filmstrip

The Filmstrip is located at the bottom of your screen.

If you move the cursor over a thumbnail in the Filmstrip, it is previewed in the Navigator panel.

Presets

In the Develop module, there are presets.

Presets carry out a series of editing actions with a single click.

For example, you can convert color to black-and-white by clicking a preset.

When you move the cursor over a preset, the image in the Navigator panels shows the effect of the preset.

Place #2 - Histogram Panel

The photograph also appears in the Histogram panel in the top right corner.

Histogram Panel

A histogram displays how many pixels there are of each tone.

The vertical axis is the number of pixels.

The horizontal axis are the tones.

Shadows are on the left, midtones in the middle, and highlights, on the right.

The histogram is useful for identifying clipping.

Clipping may occur:

• When photographing, a photograph is underexposed or overexposed.

• When editing, the exposure tools are used too strongly.

We'll cover clipping in the Develop module section.

Place #3 - Filmstrip

At the bottom of your screen, all of the thumbnails in the work area appear in a row in the Filmstrip.

Filmstrip

Smaller/Larger

To make the thumbnails smaller or larger, do the following.

1) Position your cursor over the top of the Filmstrip.

2) The cursor will change to a double arrow.

3) Click, hold, and drag the Filmstrip up or down.

Disappear/Reappear

Click the gray arrow, located at the bottom of your screen in the center, to make the Filmstrip disappear.

Click the gray arrow in the same location to make the Filmstrip reappear.

Or, press F6 to make the Filmstrip disappear and reappear.

See a Photograph Bigger

Place the cursor over a photograph in the Filmstrip to see it enlarged in the Navigator panel.

Selecting

You can select a thumbnail, or several, and using the same methods as those in the work area.

Move a Thumbnail

To move a thumbnail, click and hold, and drag it.

Scrolling

Scroll back-and-forth on the Filmstrip by using the left and right arrow keys.

Auto Hide

If you close the Filmstrip, by default, it will reopen if you move your cursor near it.

If you find this annoying, do the following.

1) Right click on the gray triangle at the bottom of your screen, in the middle, that open-and-closes the Filmstrip.

2) Select Manual.

Before looking at the panels we haven't covered yet, we'll learn how to manage the panels.

Library Module >

4 - Panels in the Library Module

Look at the top right corner of your screen, and make sure you're in the Library module.

We've already looked at two of the panels, the Navigator panel and the Histogram panel.

Before covering the others, let's learn how to manage the panels.

Press Tab

Press the Tab key to make all of the panels disappear on the left and right sides.

Now, you've got more space in the work area in the middle of your screen.

To restore the panels, press Tab again.

Triangles

Look for the triangles on the far left and far right sides of Lightroom.

Click the triangle to hide the panels on the left or right side.

Open & Close a Panel

Click the header of a panel to close it.

Click the panel header again to open the panel.

All Panels Open, or Only One

By default, all of the panels are open.

To move from panel-to-panel, you have to scroll.

If you don't want to scroll, you can set the panels so that only one is open at a time.

Press and hold Alt (Windows) or Option (Mac), and click on the gray triangle or header of the panel.

The panels at the top, Navigator and Histogram, remain open, all of the time, unless you close them.

Next, we'll look at the tools in the panels in more detail.

Library Module >

5 - Library Module Panels on the Left Side

Look in the upper-right corner of Lightroom, and make sure you're in the Library module.

We're now going to look at the panels on the left side of your screen.

1 - Navigator Panel

2 - Catalog Panel

3 - More than One Catalog

4 - Folders versus Collections

5 - Folders Panel

6 - Collections Panel

7 - Publish Services Panel

1 - Navigator Panel

The Navigator panel was discussed previously.

2 - Catalog Panel

The Catalog panel contains your catalog, which is probably in My Pictures or Pictures on your hard drive, in a folder called Lightroom.

There are up to five shortcuts under this catalog.

Shortcut #1 - All Photographs

Click to see all of your photographs

Shortcut #2 - Quick Collection

Use the Quick Collection shortcut to make a temporary collection.

Add Photographs

There are several ways to add photographs to the Quick Collection shortcut.

On Tool Bar?	No
Keyboard Shortcuts	b
Right Click Menu	Select Add to Quick Collection
Menu on Top of the Screen	No
On Thumbnail Border?	Click the tiny circle in the top right corner of the thumbnail. The circle is on the image, not on the gray area.
Other & Related Methods	• Click and hold on a thumbnail or image, and drag it to the Quick Collection shortcut. This can be done in both the Grid and Loupe views.

Delete Photographs

When viewing the Quick Collection, do one of the following to delete a photograph from the Quick Collection.

On Tool Bar?	No
Keyboard Shortcuts	b
Right Click Menu	Select Remove from Quick Collection
Menu on Top of the Screen	No
On Thumbnail Border?	Click the tiny circle in the top right corner of the thumbnail. The circle is on the image, not on the gray area.
Other & Related Methods	–

Show, Save & Clear a Quick Collection

Do the following to show, save, or clear a Quick Collection.

On Tool Bar?	No
Keyboard Shortcuts	Show = Ctrl + b Save = Ctrl + Alt + b Clear = Ctrl + Shift + b
Right Click Menu	Right click on the Quick Collection shortcut in the Catalog panel
Menu on Top of the Screen	Under File
On Thumbnail Border?	–
Other & Related Methods	–

Target Collection

When you're using a target collection, Quick Collection is inoperable.

Shortcut #3 - Previous Import

Click to see your last import.

Shortcut #4 - Already In Catalog

This shortcut appears when you're importing, and some of the photographs have already been imported.

Shortcut #5 - Previous Export As Catalog

This shortcut appears after exporting as a catalog.

3 - More than One Catalog

You can create more catalogs.

For example, you could create a catalog for personal photography, and another, for work-related photograph.

Also, Lightroom operates faster when catalogs contain fewer photographs.

4 - Folders versus Collections

Folders used to be used for two functions.

Photographers used to use folders:

• To store their photographs.

• To organize their photographs.

Now, use folders for only one of the functions.

With Lightroom:

• Use folders to store your photographs.

• Use collections and keywords to organize your photographs.

Folders

The folders you see in the Folders panel in Lightroom are always located on your hard drive, probably in My Pictures or Pictures.

You can create a folder using Lightroom.

You're not creating a folder in Lightroom.

Rather, the folder is created by Lightroom on your hard drive.

Collections

Collections are created in Lightroom and appear only in Lightroom.

Collections are not on your hard drive like folders.

A photograph can only be in one folder, its "home."

A photograph can appear in many collections.

	No	No	No	No
Folder 1	Folder 2	Folder 3	Folder 4	Folder 5

Only in One Folder


Collection A	Collection B	Collection C	Collection D	Collection E

In Many Collections

5 - Folders Panel

Your hard drive is at the top of the Folders panel.

The tiny vertical rectangle on the left end of the shortcut is probably green.

As space is used up, the color changes from green to orange, and then to red.

The amount of memory used, and the total memory, are on the right end of the shortcut.

If you right click on the header, other options appear.

Create a Folder

To create a folder, click the + icon on the Folders panel header.

As mentioned, the folder is created on your hard drive by Lightroom.

The shortcut to the new folder appears in Lightroom, but the folder is located on your hard drive.

Update a Folder

Let's say you have folders for the projects on which you're working.

A month ago, you imported the folder called Climate Change.

Now, you're back from Alaska with polar-bear photographs.

You download them from your camera to the Climate Change folder on your hard drive.

You didn't use Lightroom to do the download from your camera.

There are new photographs in the Climate Change folder on your hard drive—but they're not in the Climate-Change- folder shortcut in Lightroom

So, how can you update the Climate Change folder in Lightroom?.

Do the following.

1) Right click on the Climate Change folder in Lightroom.

2) Select Synchronize Folder.

You can also use this feature if you delete photographs on your hard drive, without using Lightroom.

Lightroom will still have the thumbnails, so you need to update the folder using Lightroom.

Move

You can use Lightroom to move a photograph from one folder to another, or to move a folder.

When you do so, the change is made on your hard drive by Lightroom.

Delete a Photograph

When you delete a photograph from a folder in the Folders panel, you can choose to:

• Delete only the thumbnail from Lightroom.

• Delete the actual photograph from your hard drive.

Delete a Folder

When you delete a folder, the folder is also deleted from your hard drive.

6 - Collections Panel

As mentioned, collections only appear in Lightroom, not on your hard drive.

Do the following to create a collection.

1) Select some thumbnails.

2) Click the + icon on the Collections panel header.

3) Select Create Collection.

Or, instead of the above, press Ctrl + n.

Virtual Copies

If you select Make new virtual copies in the Create-Selection window, duplicates are created.

Go to Virtual Copies.

Collection Sets

You can create a collection of collections, called a collection set.

Do the following to create a collection set.

1) Click the + icon on the Collections panel header.

2) Select Create Collection Set.

Move Collections

To move collections into the collection set, click the collection, hold, and drag it onto the collection set.

Create a New Collection in the Collection Set

To create a new collection in the collection set, do the following.

1) Select the collection set.

2) Click the + icon on the Collections panel header.

3) Select Create Collection.

Rename a Collection

To rename a collection, do the following.

1) Right click on the collection.

2) Select Rename.

3) Enter the new name.

4) Click Rename.

Keep a Collection on Top

If you want to keep a much-used collection on the top of the menu, insert an underscore at the beginning of the collection name.

For example, change Xerxes to _Xerxes.

Three Specialized Collections

There are three specialized collections.

#1 - Target Collection

#2 - Smart Collections

#3 - Module Collections

#1 - Target Collection

Let's say you have a child, Percy, who is about the turn eighteen.

You want to make a poster with eighteen photographs, one for each year of his life.

As you spend hours finding the best photographs, you can have the selected photographs go to a targeted collection.

Do the following.

1) Create a collection called Percy's 18th Birthday.

2) Right click on the collection, and select Set as Target Collection.

3) A + icon will appear beside the name of the collection.

4) Press b to add a thumbnail to the collection.

To stop using the target selection, right click on it, and deselect Set as Target Collection.

When you're using a target collection, the Quick Collection in the Folders panels has a – icon.

#2 - Smart Collections

You can create a collection with certain search criteria.

Then, whenever you open the smart collection, a fresh search is performed for those criteria.

The smart collection is always up-to-date.

Default Smart Collections

There are default smart collections already in Lightroom.

Open Smart Collections and click on these smart collections.

Past Month displays photographs taken during the past month.

Recently Modified displays photographs that have been modified during the past two days.

Right click on a smart collection, and select Edit Smart Collection.

You can see the criteria used to create that smart collection.

Create a Smart Collection

Let's say you publish a blog of restaurant reviews in NYC.

When you import the restaurant photographs, you tag them with keywords.

The keywords are the name of each borough, and restaurant.

The search criteria for the Staten-Island smart collection are the two keywords, Staten Island and restaurant.

When you click the Staten-Island smart collection, all of your Staten Island restaurant photographs appear.

Do the following to create a smart collection.

1) Click the + icon on the Collections panel header.

2) Select Create a Smart Collection.

3) Enter a name for the smart collection.

4) Look for the menu in the Smart Collection window.

It probably has Rating in the menu box.

5) Click the black triangle to open the menu.

6) Select Keywords.

7) In the menu to the middle, leave contains as the choice.

8) In the box to the right, enter Staten Island, restaurant.

9) If you want to add other search criteria, click the + button.

10) Click Create.

Now, whenever you add the two keywords, Staten Island and restaurant to a thumbnail, that thumbnail automatically appears in the smart collection.

We'll cover keywords later.

No Moving Thumbnails by Dragging

You can't sort a smart collection by dragging a thumbnail from one location to another in Grid view.

#3 - Module Collections

When using the Slideshow, Print, and Web, modules, you can create collections specific to those modules.

7 - Publish Services

You can use the Publish Services panel to upload photographs to Facebook, Flickr, and SmugMug.

Next, we'll look at the panels on the right side.

Library Module >

6 - Library Module Panels on the Right Side

Look in the upper-right corner of Lightroom, and make sure you're in the Library module.

We're now going to look at the panels on the right side of your screen.

1 - Histogram Panel

2 - Quick Develop Panel

3 - Two Keyword Panels:

1 - Histogram Panel

The basics of the Histogram panel were discussed previously.

2 - Quick Develop Panel

What?

What's the Quick Develop panel doing in the Library module?

Shouldn't it be in the Develop panel?

Some photographers use the Quick Develop panel for quick editing while they're reviewing their work.

Many photographers ignore the Quick Develop panel.

You may want to jump ahead to the next panel, Keywording.

Click the Black Triangles

Click the black triangles in the panel to show more tools.

Press Alt

If you press Alt:

• The Clarity tool changes to the Sharpening too.

• The Vibrance tool changes to the saturation tool.

Two Major Differences

There are two major differences between Quick Develop and the Develop module.

Difference #1 - No Numbers

The tools in the Quick develop panel don't have numbers—while those in the Develop module do.

In the Quick Develop panel, the tools don't have any numbers.

When using the Exposure tool:

• Clicking the single-arrow button makes a change of 1/3 stop.

• Clicking the double-arrow button makes a change of 1.0, a full stop.

When using the other tools, the values change as follows.

• Clicking the single-arrow button makes a change of 5.

• Clicking the double-arrow button makes a change of 20.

Difference #2 - Relational

Let's say you changed the exposure of Sunset A by 1.0.

You then changed the exposure of Sunset B by 2.0.

Sunset A	1.0
Sunset B	2.0

You now want to lighten both of them.

You select both of them, and change their exposures by 1.0.

1.0 of exposure is added to the previous exposure values.

Sunset A	1.0 + 1.0 = 2.0
Sunset B	2.0 + 1.0 = 3.0

Here's a summary.

	Previous Edit	Change	Result
Sunset A	1.0	1.0	2.0
Sunset B	2.0	1.0	3.0

Above, in Quick Develop, the change is added to the previous change.

The relationship between the previous exposure change is maintained.

In the Develop module, if you change the exposure of the two photographs by 1.0, the two photographs are changed to 1.0.

The previous exposure changes are ignored in the Develop module.

	Previous Edit	Change	Result
Sunset A	1.0	1.0	1.0
Sunset B	2.0	1.0	1.0

Resetting

There's a Reset All button.

To reset an individual tool, double click the name of the tool.

Sync Metadata & Sync Settings

Sync Metadata and Sync Settings, the two buttons in the lower-right corner, will be covered in the Develop module.

3 - Two Keyword Panels

Organize with Keywords

Three Types of Keywords

Two Keyword Panels

Retrieve Photographs Using Keywords

Apply Keywords When Importing

Delete Keywords

Design a Keyword Hierarchy

Keyword Workflow

Esoteric Keyword Stuff

Keyword Plug-ins

Organize with Keywords

Photographers used to rely on a hierarchy of folders for organizing.

With Lightroom, collections are now used to organize photographs.

A second method for organizing is to use keywords.

Keywords are also called tags.

Three Types of Keywords

There are three types of keywords:

1) Content of a photograph

2) Life of a photograph

3) Workflow tracking

Keyword Type #1 -

Content of a Photograph

Most of your keywords will be about the content of your photographs.

Journalists write the who, what, where, when, and why of a story.

The same questions can guide your choice of keywords that describe the content of your photographs.

Keyword Type #2 -

Life of a Photograph

You can also use keywords record the "life" of your photographs.

What has the photograph "done."

You can create keywords for the "events" in your photographs life.

Was a photograph:

• Exhibited?

• Printed 20" by 24"?

• Stored in box #32?

• Licensed to so-and-so?

• Published by XYZ?

• Sent to Aunt Louise?

Keyword Type #3 -

Workflow Tracking

You can keep track of where a photograph is in your workflow with keywords.

For example, you could have a keyword rfp, ready-for-printing.

Click rfp, and all of the photographs ready-for-printing will appear.

Two Keyword Panels

There are two keyword panels, Keywording and Keyword List.

They perform one or more of these actions:

• Add a new keyword and apply it to photographs

• Apply an existing keyword to photographs

• Display all of your keywords

• Remove a keyword from photographs

• Delete a keyword from Lightroom

As you can see below, their functions overlap—confusingly.

	Keywording Panel	Keyword List Panel
Add a new keyword & apply it to photographs	• Enter in field	• Click plus icon • Right click & select
Apply an existing keyword to photographs	• Click the keyword • Drag it to the photographs • Drag photographs to it	• Click the left box • Right click & select
Display all of your keywords	• No	• Yes
Remove a keyword from photographs	• Highlight it, right click it, & select Cut	• Deselect the white checkmark • Right click & select
Delete a keyword from Lightroom	• No	• Click minus icon • Right click & select

As you use keywords, the functions of the two panels will become more clear.

Let's look at the first keyword panel.

Keywording Panel

Go to the Library module, in Grid view.

Open the Keywording panel.

There are three sections.

Open the sections by clicking the tiny black triangles.

Section #1 - Keyword Tags

Make sure the menu at the top of this section is set to Enter Keywords.

There are two fields.

The one on top is larger than the field below.

If the photograph already has keywords, they appear in the larger field.

The smaller field is for adding new keywords.

To add a new keyword:

1) Make a virtual copy of a photograph for experimentation.

2) Enter a keyword in the smaller field.

3) Press Enter.

The keyword shifts to the larger field.

The keyword icon appears on the thumbnail.

4) Insert a comma, and then add a second keyword.

Always use commas between keywords.

3) Press Enter.

Section #2 - Keyword Suggestions

Lightroom suggests keywords in this section.

The suggestions are based on the keywords applied to the photograph, and to other photographs taken at about the same time.

Click on a suggested keyword to apply it to the selected photographs.

Section #3 - Keyword Set

Keyword sets make it easier to apply keywords.

If you've just imported photographs of a wedding, open the wedding keyword set.

You won't have to wade through unrelated keywords.

Lightroom provides three sets: Outdoor, Portrait, and Wedding.

There's also a Recently Used set.

Let's say you've been editing photographs of hawks flying in thermals.

You've applied keywords to the hawk photographs.

These keywords are now in Recently Used.

You can save them as a separate set.

Do the following.

1) Go to the Keyword Set section of the Keywording panel.

2) select Save Current Settings As New Preset in the menu.

3) Enter the name for the keyword set.

4) Click Create.

Keyword List Panel

The Keyword List panel contains all of the keywords that you've created.

To add a keyword "under" another keyword (a "sub" keyword), right click on the keyword, and select Create New Keyword Inside "x."

Retrieve Photographs Using Keywords

There are two main ways to retrieve photographs using keywords.

Retrieval Method #1 - Library Filter

The Library Filter is above the work area.

If you don't see it, press \.

Do the following.

1) Click Text.

2) Change Any Searchable Field to Keywords.

3) Change the selection in the next menu, as needed.

4) Enter keywords.

5) Click None to collapse the Library Filter.

Retrieval Method #2 - Keyword List Panel

Open the the Keyword List panel, and click a keyword.

Apply Keywords When Importing

Keywords can be applied when you import photographs.

In the Import window, open the Add During Import panel and enter keywords.

Delete Keywords

To delete a keyword, do the following.

1) Go to the Keyword List panel.

2) Select the unwanted keyword.

3) Click the minus icon at the top of the panel.

Note that all of the keywords in the hierarchy below the unwanted keyword will also be deleted.

For example, if you delete Solar System, below, all of the keywords below it will be deleted.

Universe

Milky Way

Solar System

Mercury

Venus

Earth

United States

NYC

{New York City}

{Big Apple}

Mars

Jupiter

Uranus

Neptune

Purge Unused Keywords

At the top of your screen, go to Metadata > Purge Unused Keywords.

Design a Keyword Hierarchy

Spend some time thinking about a hierarchy of keyword categories, subcategories, and keywords.

What words will come to mind—a year from now—when you're searching for a photograph?

You may want to create the hierarchy in a text file which can be imported into Lightroom.

The Excel worksheet below . . .

Excel Worksheet

. . . looks like this when imported into Lightroom.

Keyword Spreadsheet in Lightroom

Note how the keywords are alphabetized.

The sequence of the planets from the sun wasn't maintained.

To order keywords, you can number them.

Keyword Spreadsheet in Lightroom with Numbers

Create the Hierarchy

You can use a text editor, such as Notepad (Windows) or Textedit (Mac).

However, use Excel.

Excel is part of Microsoft Office (Windows) and iWork (Mac).

If you don't have Excel, download OpenOffice, a free open-source suite of programs.

There are several advantages.

You can:

• Format text by size and color.

• Create borders around cells.

• Drag text from one cell to another.

• Go to the Data tab and click Remove Duplicates.

• Go to the Review tab and click Spelling.

Do the following.

1) Open a new spreadsheet.

2) Create a hierarchy of keywords.

3) Save the file as a .txt file.

4) In Lightroom, at the top of your screen, go to Metadata > Import Keywords.

"Special Effects"

You can use curly brackets {} to denote synonyms.

In the above example, {New York City} and {Big Apple} are synonyms for the keyword NYC.

Use brackets [] to prevent a keyword from being exported.

For example, you may not want to export keywords of the names of people.

Look for Existing Lists

You may be able to download free keyword lists related to your photographic area of interest.

For example, a travel photographer could search for:

Lightroom keyword list library catalog travel photography import.

Nick Potter offers several keyword lists for a voluntary donation.

If you're listing your work with a stock agency, download their keyword list.

You can buy a keyword lists for Lightroom, such as Controlled Vocabulary and Keyword Catalog.

Keyword Workflow

Adapt the following steps to your needs.

1) When importing, apply the keywords that apply to all of the photographs.

2) Go to grid view in the Library module.

3) After import, you may sort the photographs into collections.

As you do so, apply the keywords related to the collections.

4) Open each collection—or—click Previous Import in the Catalog panel—and look for distinctive photographs needing more unique keywords.

Esoteric Keyword Stuff

"Alien" Keywords

If you import photographs from sources other than your camera, the files may have keywords.

These keywords may appear in Lightroom along with your keywords.

All of the Above

When you apply a keyword to a photograph, all of the keywords above it in the hierarchy are also applied.

For example, let's say you apply the NYC keyword.

Universe

Milky Way

Solar System

Mercury

Venus

Earth

United States

NYC

{New York City}

{Big Apple}

Mars

Jupiter

Uranus

Neptune

In the interest of having less clutter, only the NYC keyword you've applied is shown.

But, all of the keywords above it, are applied as well.

Universe

Milky Way

Solar System

Mercury

Venus

Earth

United States

NYC

{New York City}

{Big Apple}

Mars

Jupiter

Uranus

Neptune

The keywords further up in the hierarchy have been applied by Lightroom, but are not visible.

These hidden keywords are active when you search with keywords, however.

To see the hidden keywords, go to the Keywording panel.

Open the menu at the top of the panel.

Select Keywords and Containing Keywords instead of Enter Keywords.

But, you can't enter keywords where you could before, the larger field on top.

You have to enter them in the smaller field.

Synonyms

Synonyms in Lightroom are a time saver.

You take a keyword, such as NYC.

You attach synonyms to the keyword, such as New York City and Big Apple.

Universe

Milky Way

Solar System

Mercury

Venus

Earth

United States

NYC

{New York City}

{Big Apple}

Mars

Jupiter

Uranus

Neptune

Now, whenever you apply NYC to your photographs, the synonyms are applied automatically.

Click NYC, and you get NYC as well as New York City and Big Apple.

Transfer Photographs

From an Old Keyword to a New Keyword

Let's say you want to transfer photographs with the keyword NYC to a new key word, New York City.

Do the following.

1) Go to the Library module in Grid view.

2) Open the Keyword List panel.

3) Locate the keyword that you want to transfer to another keyword, such as NYC.

Transfer Keywords

4) Make sure the white checkmark is selected on the left side.

5) Move the cursor to the right side and click the white arrow that appears.

All of the photographs with the NYC keyword appear in work area.

6) Press Ctrl + a to select all of the photographs.

7) Move your cursor over the new keyword, New York City, and click the empty checkbox on the left side to apply the new keyword.

8) Go back to the NYC keyword, and click the white checkmark on the left side to un-apply the keyword to the photographs.

Keyword Plug-ins

There are plug-ins for keywords, such as:

Adobe - Photoshop Lightroom 3: Plug-ins

Jeffrey Friedl's Blog » Jeffrey's Lightroom Goodies (Plugins and Tools)

4 - Metadata Panel

Metadata is data:

• Recorded by the camera when you take a photograph.

• Added when you import photographs, such as adding contact and copyright information.

• Added at any time, such as a caption.

Camera Metadata

Look for the menu at the top left of the panel.

It's set to the Default menu.

If you want to see more camera metadata, select EXIF.

Create a Metadata Preset

For Contact & Copyright Information

You can create a metadata preset for your contact and copyright information.

Then, you can apply the preset to:

• All of the photographs you're importing.

• Photographs in the Library module in Grid view.

Create a Metadata Preset

Do the following.

1) Go to the Library module, and open the Metadata panel.

2) Select Edit Presets in the Preset menu.

Preset Menu

3) In the Edit Metadata Presets window, select IPTC Copyright.

4) Enter your copyright information.

The tick box on the right end of the field is selected automatically.

The easiest way to enter the copyright symbol (©) is to copy it from elsewhere, and paste it into the field.

5) In the Edit Metadata Presets window, select IPTC Creator.

6) Enter your contact information.

Again, the tick box on the right end of the field is selected automatically.

7) At the top of the Edit Metadata Presets window, open the Preset menu, and select Save Current Settings as New Preset.

Save Current Settings as New Preset

8) Enter a name for the preset, and click Create.

9) At the bottom right of the Edit Metadata Presets windows, click Done.

Apply the Metadata Preset

There are two methods to apply the metadata presets.

Apply Method #1 - Importing

When importing photographs, open the Apply During Import panel, and select your metadata preset.

Apply Method #2 - Library Module

In the Library module, in Grid view, select photographs.

Open the Metadata panel, and select your metadata preset.

Go to Metadata.

5 - Comments Panel

You can use the Publish Services panel on the left side to upload photographs to Facebook, Flickr, and SmugMug.

Use the Comments panel, on the right side, to:

• Post your own comments.

• Read comments posted by others.

Next, we'll look at the second module, the Develop module.

Develop Module >

1 - Editing Principles

Reminder

As mentioned, Lightroom never changes the pixels of your photograph files.

When you're editing a photograph, Lightroom continually stores the editing instructions in the metadata file of the photograph.

When you export the photograph, Lightroom renders the exported version of the photograph.

The pixels in the exported version are changed.

The pixels of the original photograph are not changed.

KISS

Keep it simple, at first.

Mathew Carey Lea (1823-1897) made the suggestion in 1868, and it still applies today.

A Manual of Photography: Intended as a Text Book for Beginners and a Book of Reference for Advanced Photographers (1868)

To Develop Better, Develop a Workflow

Scattered editing isn't as good as editing done step-by-step.

Start with the Typical Workflow, and adapt it to your needs.

Global → Local → Global

Generally, you do global edits first.

Global edits affect the entire photograph, such as exposure and color.

Then, you do local edits, such as burning and dodging.

Then, you return to two global edits, noise reduction and sharpening.

White Balance → Exposure → Color

Typically, you set the white balance first.

Then, you adjust the exposure.

Adjusting the exposure can change the color.

So, cycle back and have a look at the color after adjusting the exposure.

Panel & Tool Order

The next section covers the order that you use the panels and their tools.

Comparison Is Essential

We have poor memories for exposure, contrast, and color differences.

Therefore, it's essential to compare before-and-after views of the photograph after you've made a change.

Use the following three methods.

Method #1 is the best one.

Method #1 - Undo & Redo

You can use keyboard commands to undo and redo your editing.

As mentioned, this is the best comparison method.

You can toggle between your previous edit and the current edit.

Windows

To undo the last edit, press Ctrl + z.

To redo the last edit, press Ctrl + y.

Mac

To undo the last edit, press Cmd + z.

To redo the last edit, press Cmd + Shift + y.

Method #2 - Turn Off Icon

There's a turn-off icon on most of the tools and panels.

Click the icon to toggle between turning off—and turning on—the editing that you did with a tool or panel.

Unfortunately—when you turn off a panel—all of your editing done with the panel is turned off—not just the last edit.

If you're using the Five Tools panel . . .

Five Tools Panel

. . . look for the tiny turn-off icon in the lower-left corner of the tool that you're using.

Turn Off Icon

The Crop tool doesn't have a turn-off icon.

The Basic panel doesn't have a turn-off icon, either.

The other panels do, on the left side of their tabs.

Turn Off Icons on the Panels

Method #3 - Press Y or \

Press Y

Press y to see your original photograph next to your edited photograph.

Press y again to see just your edited photograph.

Press \

Press \ to see your original photograph.

Press \ again to see your edited photograph.

Feedback Loop

You've added a powerful feedback loop to your endeavors behind the camera.

By editing, you become a better photographer.

Develop Module >

2 - Editing Order

Look at the top right corner of your screen, and make sure you're in the Develop module.

Typically, the panels and tools are used in the following order.

Panel	Section	Tool
Global Editing (Affects Entire Photograph)
Basic	White Balance	WB Menu ↓ Sliders (If needed)
Basic	Tone	Exposure (All tones) ↓ Contrast (Convert grays to black & white) ↓ Highlights (Reduce) ↓ Shadows (Add fill light) ↓ Whites (Little used) ↓ Blacks (Increase structure, depth)
Tone Curve		Use if fine-tuning is needed.
Basic	White Balance	Double check color after adjusting the exposure tools above.
Basic	Presence	As needed: Clarity Vibrance Saturation
Local Editing (Affects Small Areas)
Basic	Bar on the Top	As needed: Crop Overlay Spot Removal Red Eye Correction Graduated Filter Adjustment Brush
Back to Global Editing (Affects Entire Photograph)
Detail		As needed: Sharpening Noise Reduction
Reward: Press y to compare the original and edited versions.

Print this out for when you're editing.

Let's look at the panels on the right side in general.

Develop Module >

3 - Panels in the Develop Module

Look at the top right corner of your screen, and make sure you're in the Develop module.

Review Panels

To review how to manage panels, go to Press Tab.

Basic Panel

This is the Basic panel.

Basic Panel

Move from Tool to Tool

You can move from tool to tool by clicking.

Or, you can do the following.

You can press , to move up.

Press . to move down.

Likewise, you can do the same with the < and > keys.

Up	Down
,	.
<	>

Four Ways to Change the Tool Values

There are four ways you can change the tool values.

Change #1 - Drag the Slider

Click on the slider of the tool, hold, and drag.

Change #2 - Scrubby Slider

Position the cursor over the value of the tool.

The cursor will change to a finger with two arrows.

Click, hold, and move your mouse to the left and right.

Change #3 - Keyboard Shortcuts

Click on the name of the tool, and press + and –.

Change #4 - Highlight & ↑ ↓

Highlight the tool value, and press the up and down arrows.

Press Shift to Increase Strength

To change the values by a greater amount, press and hold Shift first.

Reset the Tool Values

One Tool

To reset only one tool in a panel, double click the name of the tool.

All Tools in the Panel

To reset all of the tool values in the panel, do one of the following.

• Click Reset at the bottom of the tool panel.

Reset at the bottom of the tool panel.

• If there's no Reset button, double click the name of the sub-panel, such as WB, Tone, or Presence.

Avoid the Big Reset Button

Don't click Reset in the lower-right corner of your screen.

If you do, all editing is removed.

Reset in the lower-right corner of your screen. Don't click it!

Brush Size & Feathering

Some of the tools use brushes.

You can use the sliders to change the brush size and feathering.

Or, press [ or ], to change the size.

The scroll wheel on your mouse will do so, as well.

To change the feathering, press:

• Shift + [.

• Shift + ].

Let's start with the panels on the right side of the Develop module.

Develop Module >

4 - White Balance Section

Look in the upper-right corner of Lightroom, and make sure you're in the Develop module.

We're now going to look at the White Balance section of the Basic panel.

Basic Panel: White Balance Section

Review White Balance

To review the topic, go to White Balance.

Preset Menu

You can adjust the white balance by using presets on the menu to the right of WB.

The choices for non-raw file formats are limited, as these files have been already processed by the camera.

White Balance Selector

You can adjust the white balance by using the White Balance Selector tool.

Click on the tool.

As you move the cursor, look for an area with the least amount of color.

That's an area that should be gray, but isn't perfectly gray.

There are two "helps."

Help #1 - Loupe

The Loupe, a window, travels next to the cursor.

The view in the Loupe is a magnification of the area under the cursor.

Click when:

• The pixels have the least amount of color.

• The RGB values, at the bottom, are similar.

Help #2 - Preview

The image in the Navigator panel previews the white balance wherever you move the cursor.

Temperature & Tint Sliders

Use the two sliders to fine tune the white balance.

The Temperature slider has a range from blue to red

It's used for:

• Tungsten lighting.

• Warming or cooling the color.

The Tint slider has a range from green to magenta.

It's used for:

• Florescent lighting, which is greenish.

• Skin tones.

Reset

Double click WB to reset the white balance back to As Shot.

Develop Module >

5 - Tone Section

Look in the upper-right corner of Lightroom, and make sure you're in the Develop module.

We're now going to look at the Tone section of the Basic panel.

Basic Panel: Tone Section

The Tone section is for adjusting the exposure and contrast.

Shadows / Midtones / Highlights

You need to look at a photograph and see the:

• Shadows.

• Midtones.

• Highlights.

It's easy.

But, most people have had little practice doing so.

When you're about to edit a photograph . . .

. . . ignore the subject.

Instead, look . . .

. . . at the shadows, midtones, and highlights.

You'll be better able to compare what's happening in these areas if you look for them first.

Auto

If you're new to editing, click the Auto button so you have more of an idea of what you can do.

As described, compare the original version and the Auto version.

Do one of the following.

• Windows: Press Ctrl + z and then Ctrl + y.

• Mac: Cmd + z and then Cmd + Shift + z

• Press y.

• Press \.

Undo Auto

To undo what Auto did, double click Tone, to the left of Auto.

Use the tools in the following order, as needed.

Exposure

A photograph that's too bright or dark can be rescued here.

A JPEG version of the same photograph is not as amenable to the same amount of correction as a raw file.

The slider uses Exposure Value, which is like using exposure compensation on your camera.

The Exposure slider creates a linear adjustment.

All of the pixels are brightened or darkened equally.

If you move the slider too far, you'll clip the photograph.

Clipping is the under- or overexposure of a photograph.

Beginners may want to jump ahead.

Return to the clipping section later.

Clipping

Clipping means areas in the photograph are completely black or completely white.

You would probably want to:

• Lighten the black areas.

• Darken the white areas.

For example, let's say the sky is clipped.

The photograph would look better if the sky was darker.

But, you can't easily darken the sky.

There's nothing there—no pixels—to darken.

That's the trouble with clipping.

Clipping can occur when:

• You take the photograph at the wrong exposure setting.

• You move a slider too far when editing with Lightroom.

Let's look at each clipping situation.

Exposure Clipping

If a scene has shadows and bright areas, clipping may occur.

There are two ways to check for clipping.

Check #1 - LCD Screen

On many cameras, clipped areas "blink" on the LCD screen immediately after exposure.

Check #2 - Histogram

Most cameras can display a histogram of the the photograph.

If there's a spike on the left or right ends of the graph, clipping is present.

Editing Clipping

As mentioned, if you move a slider too far, the image may become clipped.

Histogram Review

The histogram at the top-right corner represents the number of pixels in each brightness level.

Number of Pixels

The y-axis, the vertical axis, is the number of pixels.

Brightness Levels

The x-axis is the brightness levels.

There are 256 of them.

The brightness level of 0 denotes underexposure—clipping.

There's no image information there.

From 1 to 254, the brightness levels go from shadows to midtones to highlights.

255 denotes overexposure—clipping.

There's no image information there.

0	No Pixels: Underexposure/Clipping
1 - 254	Pixels: Shadows to Midtones to Highlights
255	No Pixels: Underexposure/Clipping

Color Channels

A photograph is composed of red, green, and blue channels.

You can clip only one or two of these channels, or all three.

The colors below appear in the histogram.

Red	Red
Green	Green
Blue	Blue
White	All 3 Colors
Cyan	Blue + Green
Magenta	Red + Blue
Yellow	Red + Green

How to Tell if Clipping Is Present

There are three ways to identify clipping.

Method #1 - Spikes

If the photograph is clipped, a spike will appear on the left or right ends of the histogram.

A spike on the left end means a portion of the photograph is underexposed—clipped.

A spike on the right end means the photograph is overexposure—clipped.

Left Spike	Underexposure/Clipping
Right Spike	Overexposure/Clipping

Method #2 - Triangles

There's a triangle in each upper corner of the histogram that changes color if clipping is present.

The shadow triangle, on the left, is black if there's no clipping.

The highlight triangle, on the right, is white if there's no clipping.

If one of the triangles is colored, click it.

Shadow clipping, underexposure, shows as blue areas on the photograph.

Highlight clipping, overexposure, shows as red areas on the photograph.

Method #3 - Alt or Option Key

While using the sliders (except Contrast), press and hold Alt (Windows) or Option (Mac).

Here's a chart of what you'll see when you use the sliders while pressing and holding Alt (Windows) or Option (Mac).

Exposure	Black: No Clipping White or Colors: Clipping
Contrast	Not applicable
Highlights	Black: No Clipping White or Colors: Clipping
Shadows	White: No Clipping Black or Colors: Clipping
Whites	Black: No Clipping White or Colors: Clipping
Blacks	White: No Clipping Black or Colors: Clipping

Prevent Clipping with Your Camera

When you're photographing, check the LCD screen after pressing the shutter release.

Over- or underexposed areas will blink on many cameras.

If an area is small and unimportant, ignore the warning.

But, for example, if large portions of a sky are blinking, use exposure compensation to reduce the amount of light reaching the sensor.

Or, use a two-stop graduated neutral density filter.

You can also check for clipping by looking for left- or right-edge spikes on the histogram on your camera.

Contrast

The Contrast slider adjusts . . . the contrast.

The Contrast slider applies an s-curve around the midpoint of the tones

This is a non-linear adjustment.

The pixels are not adjusted evenly.

Pixels are darkened below the midpoint, and are brightened above

Highlights

Use this slider to add tone to a too bright area.

If all three color layers are clipped, Highlights can't function.

If only one or two color layers are clipped, Highlights may be useful.

Shadows

This slider will make underexposed shadows brighter without lightening the darkest blacks in the image.

Whites

This slider moves more of the highlights to pure white.

Blacks

This slider moves more of the shadows to pure black.

Increasing the value can give photographs more structure or depth.

Summary of the Sliders

Exposure	Brightness
Contrast	Contrast
Highlights	Reduce overexposure
Shadows	Reduce underexposure
Whites	Little used
Blacks	Add structure, depth

Reset

Double click the name of a slider to reset it to the default setting.

Double click Tone to reset all of the sliders.

Develop Module >

6 - Presence Section

Look in the upper-right corner of Lightroom, and make sure you're in the Develop module.

We're now going to look at the Presence section at the bottom of the Basic panel.

Basic Panel: Presence Section

Clarity

Most often, you won't use Clarity on the Basic panel.

Instead, you'll use it with the Adjustment Brush tool.

Technically, Clarity increases or decreases midtone contrast.

The contrast change is due to sharpening.

In practice, think of Clarity as increasing or decreasing emphasis.

For example:

• Increase Clarity—increase emphasis—on the eyes in a portrait.

• Decrease Clarity—decrease emphasis—on a distracting background.

When using Clarity, click 1:1 in the Navigator panel in the top left corner of your screen.

When Clarity is too strong, you'll see halos on the edges in the photograph.

An edge is where there's a changed in tone or color.

Saturation Definition

Saturation is adjusted with the tools below.

Think of saturation as being the vividness/richness of colors.

Technically, saturation is the amount of gray in a color.

Vibrance

Vibrance increases the saturation of colors that are not already saturated.

It also ignores skin tones, because you generally don't want to increase their saturation.

Saturation

Saturation increases the saturation of all colors equally, whether the colors are saturated or not.

< Vibrance, > Saturation

The already-saturated colors in a photograph can be emphasized by decreasing Vibrance and increasing saturation.

Develop Module >

7 - Five Tools on Top of the Basic Panel

Look in the upper-right corner of Lightroom, and make sure you're in the Develop module.

We're now going to look at the five tools located in the top of the Basic panel.

Five Tools

Here they are.

	Crop Overlay
	Spot Removal
	Red-eye Correction
	Graduated Filter
	Adjustment Brush

The following features are common to the five tools.

Tool Overlays

The tools create overlays showing where the tool was used.

The overlays allow you to locate previous editing, so you can refine it.

Depending on the tool, the overlays are circles, ovals, lines, and pins.

Pins are a circle with something in the middle.

An active pin has a black dot, an inactive pin has a gray dot.

If needed, you'll do the following.

1) Click on the tool.

2) Click the overlay that needs some more editing.

3) Refine the previous editing.

Hide the Overlays

The overlays may become distracting.

To toggle between showing and hiding the overlays, do one of the following.

• Press h.

• Select an overlay preference in the tool bar.

Turn Off Icon

You can turn off the effects created by the tool.

Toggle the icon in the lower-left corner of the panel on and off.

Delete a Single Overlay

To delete a single overlay, i.e. the editing the overlay represents, do the following.

1) Click on the overlay.

2) Press Delete.

Remove All Editing Done by a Tool

Reset at the bottom of the tool panel.

Click Reset in the tool panel to remove the editing done with a tool.

Reset in the lower-right corner of your screen. Don't click it!

Don't click Reset in the lower-right corner of your screen.

If you do, all editing is removed.

Close

Click Close in the tool panel to close the panel.

Let's look at the five tools.

Tool #1 - Crop Overlay

Tool #2 - Spot Removal

Tool #3 - Red Eye Correction

Tool #4 - Graduated Filter

Tool #5 - Adjustment Brush

Develop Module >

7 - Five Tools on Top of the Basic Panel >

Tool #1 - Crop Overlay

Crop Overlay

Click the dashed-rectangle icon to open the Crop panel.

Overlay

By default, a tic-tac-toe grid is displayed on the photograph.

Use this overlay to apply the rule of thirds when cropping.

Place subjects of interest along the lines of the grid, or at points where the lines intersect.

While this is called the rule of thirds, but it's only a guideline.

To hide the grid, press Ctrl + Shift + h.

Press o to cycle through the overlays below.

• Grid

• Thirds

• Diagonal

• Triangle

• Golden ratio

• Golden spiral

Padlock Icon

The padlock icon is used to toggle between using only a certain aspect ratio, and allowing any aspect ratio.

Aspect Ratio Tool

You can drag out a box that has a certain aspect ratio.

First, let's look at aspect ratios.

Aspect Ratios

Many digital SLR cameras use an aspect ratio of 3/2.

The 3/2 aspect ratio is rectangular.

The width is 3, and the height is 2.

4 x 6 inch and 8 x 12 inch prints have the same aspect ratio, 3/2.

When printed as an 8 x 10 inch print, the photograph is cropped.

That's because the aspect ratio of the 8 x 10 inch print is 2.5/2, not 3/2.

Many point-and-shoot cameras use an aspect ratio of 4/3.

This aspect ratio is less rectangular than the 3/2 ratio.

When printing point-and-shoot photographs, the images will usually be cropped.

A few labs offer 4 x 5.33 inch prints, which have the 4/3 aspect ratio.

To Use an Aspect Ratio when Cropping

Open the menu to the left of the padlock icon, and select an aspect ratio.

The 4/3 aspect ratio isn't on the menu.

If you need to use this ratio, select Enter Custom on the menu.

Enter 3 and 4 as the aspect ratio values.

Next, click the Crop Frame tool icon.

Adjustments

Portrait (Vertical) or Landscape (Horizontal)

To switch between portrait (vertical) or landscape (horizontal), press x.

Move the Photograph

To move the photograph inside the crop box, click and hold inside the crop box, and drag.

Change the Shape of the Crop Box

To change the shape of the crop box, place the cursor over an edge or a corner.

Then, click and hold, and drag the edge or corner of the crop box to change its shape.

Straighten the Photograph

To straighten the photograph, place the cursor on the outside of the crop box near a corner.

Then, click and hold, and drag.

You can also use the Straighten tool, below.

Free Hand Crop

Unlock the padlock icon.

Click, hold, and drag on the photograph to create a crop box with any shape.

Straighten Tool

Click the Straighten tool icon.

Click and hold, and drag out a line on your photograph where the horizon should be located.

You can also use the slider to rotate the photograph.

Develop Module >

7 - Five Tools on Top of the Basic Panel >

Tool #2 - Spot Removal

Spot Removal

Two Modes: Heal & Clone

By default, the tool is in Heal mode.

Heal mode samples the area outside the brush, and blends it with the area inside the brush.

The Clone mode samples an area outside the brush, and pastes it into the area inside the brush.

Heal	Blends like a painter mixing two colors on a palette
Clone	Pastes like a painter using a paint roller on a wall

Try the Heal mode first.

If there's subject matter nearby that will blend incorrectly, use the Clone mode.

Use Both at the Same Time

You can switch between Heal and Clone to see which one works the best.

Use one mode, and then click on the other mode in the panel.

Or, right click on the circle and select the other in the contextual menu.

Two Methods for Heal or Clone

First, two definitions.

You're going to create two circles.

Where you click, a heal circle or a clone circle will appear.

A second circle will then appear, with a thicker border.

This second cricle is the sampled area.

To reposition the circles, click and hold on the circle, and drag.

Method #1 - Click Method

This method is like the Spot Healing brush in Photoshop Elements.

Do the following.

1) Use the bracket keys, [ and ], to make the brush slightly larger than the area to be retouched.

2) Position the brush carefully, and click.

3) If the editing is poor, click and hold on the thicker white circle, the sample-area circle, and reposition it.

Method #2 - Click, Hold, & Drag Method

Do the following.

1) Use the bracket keys, [ and ], to make the brush slightly larger than the area to be retouched.

2) Position the brush carefully, click and hold, and drag outward.

3) Position the sample-area circle in the optimum location.

Develop Module >

7 - Five Tools on Top of the Basic Panel >

Tool #3 - Red-eye Correction

Red Eye Correction

Do the following.

1) Position the cursor on the red area, click and hold, and drag outward to cover the red area.

You can use the bracket keys, [ and ], to adjust the size.

2) Release the mouse button.

3) If needed, adjust Pupil Size and Darkness in the Red Eye Correction panel.

Develop Module >

7 - Five Tools on Top of the Basic Panel >

Tool #4 - Graduated Filter

Graduated Filter

You can use the Graduated Filter to fade an effect from full strength to zero.

For example, let's say you want to darken a sky.

Move the Exposure slider to the left.

Click and hold at the top of the photograph.

Drag down to the horizon line.

Release the mouse button.

The darken-sky effect will be strongest at the top.

The effect will fade to zero at the horizon line.

Do the following.

1) Do one of the following:

• Choose a preset from the menu to the right of Effect.

• Make an adjustment with the sliders.

You can't enter the optimum value.

You haven't made the gradient yet.

So, neither you or Lightroom knows what the effect is going to look like.

Therefore, enter a value greater than what you think you should.

You'll adjust the intensity of the effect after you've brushed it on your photograph.

2) Click and hold on the photograph where you want the effect to be strongest.

3) Drag to where you want the effect to be zero.

If you move the mouse to the left or right, you can tilt the effect.

If you press and hold Shift, and then drag out the gradient, it won't tilt.

4) Release the mouse.

After you've made the gradient, adjust the intensity of the effect.

Two Ways to Adjust the Intensity

There are two ways you can adjust the intensity of the effect.

Way #1 - Slider

Use the tool slider to adjust the intensity of the effect.

Way #2 - Arrow Keys

Press the left-and-right arrow keys.

Add More Effects

You can add more effects to the gradient.

If the pin doesn't have a black dot, click on it to make the pin active.

Then, use more sliders.

Refinements

The pin is the circle with a black dot inside.

Invert the Gradient

Press the apostrophe key, ', to flip the gradient's beginning and end.

This is handy if you drag out the gradient in the wrong direction.

Move the Effect

You can move the pin to move the entire gradient.

Click and hold on the pin, and drag.

Change the Beginning & End

You can modify where the gradient begins or ends.

Click and hold on one of the outer two lines, and drag.

Rotate the Gradient

You can rotate the effect.

Click and hold on the line that runs through the pin, and drag.

Add a New Gradient

If you want to make another gradient, click New in the Graduated Filter panel.

Or, press Enter.

Develop Module >

7 - Five Tools on Top of the Basic Panel >

Tool #5 - Adjustment Brush

Adjustment Brush

You can use the Adjustment Brush to edit locally.

For example, if the shadow on your subject's face is too dark, lighten it with the Adjustment Brush.

Do the following.

1) Do one of the following:

• Choose a preset from the menu to the right of Effect.

• Make an adjustment with the sliders.

As described with the Graduated Filter, you can't enter the optimum value.

You haven't made the "selection" yet with the brush.

So, neither you or Lightroom knows what the effect is going to look like.

Therefore, enter a value greater than what you think you should.

Then, you'll adjust the intensity of the effect after you've brushed it on your photograph.

2) Click and hold, and brush on the photograph where you want the effect.

3) Release the mouse.

Mistakes

If you make a mistake when brushing, press Ctrl + z to undo the last brush work.

Or, press and hold Alt, and brush over the mistake.

After you've completed the brushing, adjust the intensity of the effect.

Three Ways to Adjust the Intensity

There are three ways you can adjust the intensity of the effect.

Way #1 - Slider

Use the tool slider to adjust the intensity of the effect.

Way #2 - Arrow Keys

Press the left-and-right arrow keys.

Way #3 - Drag Left & Right on the Pin

Do the following.

1) If the pin doesn't have a black dot, click on it to make the pin active.

2) Position the cursor over the pin.

3) Click and hold.

The cursor changes to two arrows.

4) Drag left and right.

Add More Effects

You can add more effects to the area you brushed.

If the pin doesn't have a black dot, click on it to make the pin active.

Then, use more sliders.

Paint with a Color

You can "dip" the adjustment brush into any color.

1) Click the color box to the right of Shadows.

Color Box

. . . and the Select a Color window appears.

Select a Color Window

Go to Select a Color Window.

What's Masking?

When you brush, Lightroom creates a mask where you're not brushing.

This mask blocks the effect.

Let's say you've set the Exposure slider to +1.0.

When you click and hold, and drag the brush, Lightroom creates a mask where you haven't brushed.

The mask blocks the +1.0 change.

Where you've brushed, the +1.0 change is "visible."

Where you haven't brushed, the +1.0 change remains "hidden" by the mask.

Use Auto Mask

When you click and hold, and drag the brush, you're creating a mask all by yourself.

Lightroom can help you.

Select Auto Mask near the bottom of the Adjustment Brush panel.

Auto Mask continually samples the tone and color where you're brushing.

Auto Mask continually masks all other tones and colors.

Let's say you're brushing on a blue sky.

When you inadvertently brush the green leaves in the trees, Auto Mask will prevent the green leaves from being affected.

Show the Mask

If you place the cursor on the pin, the edited area will show in red.

The non-red area is masked.

If you would like to have the red area on all of the time, select Show Selected Mask Overlay in the tool bar.

Or, press o to toggle between hide and show.

To change the color of the red area, press Shift + o repeatedly.

Add a New Adjustment

If you want to make another adjustment, click New in the Adjustment Brush panel.

Or, press Enter.

Develop Module >

8 - Tone Curve Panel

Most photographers use the Tone Curve panel to tweak the contrast.

The heavy lifting is done with the Basics panel.

You may want to do the same.

However, some photographers use the Tone Curves panel for everything.

So, experiment.

Two Versions

The Tone Curve panel has two versions.

You'll probably use version #2 more than version #1.

To switch between the two versions, click the Point Curve icon in the lower-right corner of the panel.

Point Curve Icon

Version #1 - Point Curve

Tone Curve Panel - Point Curve

Version #2 - Sliders

Tone Curve Panel - Sliders

The Tone Curve Graph

Let's explore the tone-curve graph.

Before You Do Anything

When you first open the Tone Curve panel, you see a white straight line.

This curve represents your unchanged photograph file.

The curve isn't a histogram.

It doesn't represent the actual tonal values of your photograph.

After You Do Something

After you move the curve, it represents the change in the tonal value.

Note

Lightroom may apply default changes when importing a photograph.

If it does so, the curve may not be a straight line.

The Two Axes

Bottom Axis

The horizontal axis of the graph is the original tonal values of the file.

Side Axis

The vertical axis of the graph is the changed tonal values of the file.

Horizontal axis	Original tonal values
Vertical axis	Changed tonal values

Changed Tonal Values

Original Tonal Values

Four Regions

The Tone Curve panel divides the tonal values of a photograph into four regions:

• Highlights

• Lights

• Darks

• Shadows

Highlights

Lights

Darks

Shadows

Shadows Darks Lights Highlights

Changing the Curve

When you change the curve, the tonal values change from their original values.

Move a Single Point

When you move a single point on the curve up, that tone becomes brighter.

When you move a single point on the curve down, that tone becomes darker.

Up	Brighter
Down	Darker

Try It

Click on the white line, hold, and drag it up-and-down.

Some of the tonal values of your photograph become brighter and darker.

Reset

To reset to a linear curve, do the following.

1) Right click (Windows) or Ctrl + click (Mac) on the graph.

2) Select Flatten Curve or Reset All.

Change the Slope

When the slope of the curve changes.

If the slope is steeper, there's more contrast.

If the slope is shallower, there's less contrast.

Steeper slope	More contrast
Shallower slope	Less contrast

Try It

Look for the Point Curve menu in the lower-right corner of the Tone Curve panel.

Point Curve Menu

Open the menu and click Medium Contrast or Strong Contrast.

When the slope changes, the contrast changes.

Reset

Again, to reset to a linear curve, do the following.

1) Right click (Windows) or Ctrl + click (Mac) on the graph.

2) Select Flatten Curve or Reset All.

Change the Tone Curve

Move the sliders.

Tone Curve Sliders

No Sliders?

If you don't see the sliders, click the Point Curve icon in the lower-right corner of the Tone Curve panel.

Point Curve Icon

Compare!

Look at the before version of your photograph, and the after version.

Click the Turn Off icon repeatedly.

The icon is located in the upper-left corner of the Tone Curve panel.

Turn Off Icon

Reset

To reset a single slider, double click the name of the slider.

To rest all of the sliders, double click Region.

Another Way to Reset

Right click (Windows) or Ctrl + click (Mac) on the graph, and make a selection from the reset menu.

Three Other Ways to Change the Curve

There are three other ways you can adjust the curve.

Way #1 - Click & Drag the Curve

Click on the curve, hold the mouse button down, and drag up-and-down.

Way #2 - Targeted Adjustment Tool

The Targeted Adjustment tool is located in the upper-left corner of the Tone Curve panel.

Targeted Adjustment Tool

Do the following.

1) Click the tool.

2) Click on your photograph, hold, and drag, up-and-down.

The area that you clicked on, and other similar areas, are adjusted.

Done

When you're finished with the Targeted Adjustment tool, click Done.

The Done button is located below and to the right of your photograph.

Done Button

Way #3 - Points on the Curve

You used the Point Curve menu above.

If you see the sliders . . .

Tone Curve Sliders

. . . click the Point Curve icon in the lower-right corner of the Tone Curve panel.

Point Curve Icon

Then, in the point Curve menu, select Linear, Medium Contrast, or Strong Contrast.

Linear Curve

If you selected Linear, click on the curve to create a control point, a tiny white circle on the curve.

Then, click and hold on the control point, and drag up-and-down.

Medium Contrast & Strong Contrast Curves

Click and hold on a control point, the tiny white circle on the curve.

Then, drag up-and-down.

Click on he curve to create more control points.

Delete a Control Point

To delete a control point, do the following.

1) Right click (Windows) or Ctrl + click (Mac) on the control point.

2) Select Delete Control Point.

Reset

To reset to a linear curve, do the following.

1) Right click (Windows) or Ctrl + click (Mac) on the graph.

2) Select Flatten Curve.

Contrast & Saturation

Occasionally, when you change the contrast, the color saturation may change adversely.

If so, use the Vibrance and Saturation sliders in the Basic panel to return the saturation to your liking.

Vibrance only affects colors that are not already saturated.

Saturation affects all colors.

Even More Control

There are three sliders, split controls, at the bottom of the graph.

Move these sliders to change the size of the four regions.

To reset one of these sliders, double click the slider.

Clipping

Avoid extreme changes, as clipping my result.

If you haven't already, go to the Histogram panel and to Clipping.

Develop Module >

9 - HSL / Color / B&W Panel

Look in the upper-right corner of Lightroom, and make sure you're in the Develop module.

We're now going to look at the HSL / Color / B&W panel.

HSL / Color / B&W Panel

The panel has three sections:

HSL Section

Color Section

B&W Section

Let's look at each section.

HSL Section

A color that you see in a photograph is composed of three components.

• Hue

• Saturation

• Luminance

Therefore, the HSL section has a sub-section for each of the three components.

Click one of the sections.

Or, click All to see all of the sub-sections at once.

HSL Section

Let's look at the three sub-sections.

Sub-section #1 - Hue

Hue is another word for color.

Drag

Drag the sliders to change the colors.

Hue Sub-section

Click-and-Drag

You can also click-and-drag on the photograph.

Do the following.

1) Click the target-part-of-a-photograph icon in the upper-left corner of the sub-section.

Target Part of a Photograph Icon

2) On a color in the photograph, click, hold, and drag up-and-down.

The color you selected will be modified.

3) Click the Done button when you're finished.

The button is located below the photograph on the right end.

Done Button

Sub-section #2 - Saturation

Saturation is the amount of gray in a color.

Think of it as being the vividness/richness of a color.

Drag the sliders to change the saturation.

You can also select a color on the photograph, as described above.

Saturation Sub-section

Sub-section #3 - Luminance

Luminance is the brightness of the tones.

Think of it as being the black-and-white component of color.

You may have encountered the term luminosity in other programs.

Luminance is synonymous with luminance.

Drag the sliders to change the luminance.

You can also select a color on the photograph, as described above.

Luminance Sub-section

Color Section

The Color section is a variation of the HSL section.

There's no target-part-of-a-photograph icon for dragging on a color in the photograph.

Color Section

B&W Section

You can use the B&W section to tweak black-and-white photographs.

Go to Convert to B&W.

B&W Section

Develop Module >

10 - Split Toning Panel

Go to Toning & Split Toning.

Develop Module >

11 - Detail Panel

Sharpening & Noise Reduction

We're now going to look at the Detail panel in the Develop module.

There are two sections:

• Sharpening

• Noise reduction

Before discussing sharpening and noise reduction, we'll look at three steps to do first.

3 Steps:

Noise Reduction Section

Detail Panel

3 Steps

1:1 Magnification

In the Navigator panel, in the upper-left corner of your screen, click the 1:1 icon.

1:1 Magnification Icon

Sharpening and noise reduction are best seen at the 1:1 magnification.

1:1 is the same as 100% magnification.

Preview Window

Use the preview window to evaluate the settings you apply.

If the view in the preview window isn't 1:1, a warning icon is seen in the upper-left corner of the section.

Click the icon to go to a 1:1 magnification.

There are two ways to move the image in the preview window.

Method #1

Click, hold, and drag, the image in the preview window.

Method #2

1) Click the preview-window icon in the upper-left corner of the panel.

Preview Window Icon

2) Move the cursor on your photograph—in the work area—not on the small image in the preview window.

3) Click when you've found a good area for judging sharpening or noise reduction.

Make a Virtual Copy

Make a virtual copy.

Press Ctrl + '.

You can add sharpening or noise reduction to the virtual copy.

Sharpening Section

Noise Reduction Section

Sharpening Section

Beginners

Beginners—come back later!

If you're a beginner, you may want to use the sharpening presets when you're exporting or printing.

Sharpening is complex.

More Advanced Lightroom Users

As you know, your photograph is "built" from tiny square blocks—pixels.

If the world was made from . . .

• Blocks

• Composed of vertical and horizontal lines

. . . sharpening would not be needed.

Rectangle on the Left

Below, the rectangle on the left is displayed appropriately.

It's sharp.

The vertical and horizontal lines of the rectangle—match up with—the vertical and horizontal lines of the pixels.

You can see a sharp rectangle because the building blocks—the pixels—are like the subject—the rectangle.

Rectangle on the Right

The rectangle on the right doesn't have vertical and horizontal lines.

It's not sharp.

The non-vertical and non-horizontal lines of the rectangle—don't match up with—the vertical and horizontal lines of the pixels.

Summary

Most of the time, you're photographing subjects that are not vertical and horizontal.

The world is more about curves than it is about verticals and horizontals.

Yet, you're recording and displaying this curvy world using vertical-and-horizontal pixels.

That's the problem that sharpening fixes.

How Do We Make Curves Look Sharp?

Sharpening uses an optical illusion to make subjects without vertical and horizontal lines, look sharper.

The trick is accomplished by increasing the contrast along edges.

An edge is where there's a change in tone, like the image below.

The image below doesn't look sharp.

Sharpening Section

The contrast along the edge below was increased with sharpening.

Your web browser may make the difference less evident.

Sharpening Section

How do you do the above with a photograph?

Presets

There are two sharpening presets in the Presets panel on the left side of your screen.

The presets will help you to get a feel for sharpening values.

Open the Presets panel, and click Lightroom Presets.

Scroll down to near the bottom of the presets list.

Sharpening Presets

Click on the first one, the Scenic preset.

Note how the sharpening slider values change in the Sharpening section on the right side of your screen.

Click on the Faces preset.

The values change.

Landscapes require more Detail; portraits, less.

Trees and rocks look better with more Detail; cheeks and noses, with less.

Scenic Preset Values

Faces Preset Values

Reminders

Remember, sharpening is done where there's an edge in your photograph.

An edge is where there's a change in tone or color.

A foggy landscape has few edges.

A dilapidated barn has lots of edges.

What sharpening does to an edge is to increase the contrast on both side of the edge.

What Values Do You Enter?

The values are determined largely by the edges and the output medium.

Edges

The nature of the edges in a photograph help determine the sharpening values that you enter.

A foggy landscape has few edges.

A dilapidated barn has lots of edges.

They require different sharpening values.

Output Medium

The sharpening values that you set vary depending on the output media.

If you're editing a photograph for a website, what you see on your monitor is what you need.

If you're printing, experiment.

A glowing monitor is very different medium than a piece of paper.

Generally, enter stronger sharpening values for printing.

Often, glossy papers require less sharpening than matte paper.

Whew!

As mentioned, sharpening is complex.

Sharpening Robot?

Let's imagine there's a sharpening robot, Edgie.

Edgie boots up when you go to the Detail panel.

Edgie searches your photograph.

When you're setting the values below, Edgie:

• Looks for the edges in your photograph.

• Makes changes to the edges according to your instructions.

What are Amount, Radius, Detail, and Masking?

Amount

When you change the Amount value, Edgie changes the amount of contrast along the edges.

Zero is no sharpening.

150 is maximum sharpening.

Use lower values for photographs with less need for sharpening, such as a portrait of a baby.

Use higher values where there's a need for more sharpening, such as the tattoo on the babys mother's arm.

Raw Files Have Never Been Sharpened, JPEG Files Have

When sharpening a raw file, Amount defaults to 25.

Whereas, a JPEG files starts off with an Amount value of zero.

Amount starts off at 40 for raw files because they haven't been sharpened by the camera, as are a JPEG files.

Amount Visual Aid

Press and hold Alt when changing the Amount value.

The possibly distracting color is removed.

Radius

When you change the Radius value, Edgie changes the width of the contrast increase.

The values range from .5 to 3.

Use lower values for photographs with fine edges, such as a wicker chair.

Use higher values where the edges are wider, such as a portrait.

Radius Visual Aid

Sharpening can be hard to see.

Press and hold Alt when changing the Radius value.

The edges being sharpened are white.

Detail

Edgie uses Detail to reduce the halos that may appear along edges.

Oddly:

• A value of zero suppresses the halos the most.

• A value of 100 does no halo suppression.

Detail Visual Aid

Press and hold Alt when changing the Detail value.

The Halos may be easier to see.

Masking

Masking varies where sharpening is done.

When at zero, Edgie sharpens the entire photograph.

As you increase the Masking value, Edgie restricts sharpening to more pronounced edges.

Masking appears to be similar to Threshold in Photoshop Elements.

Masking Visual Aid

Press and hold Alt when changing the masking value.

White areas are being sharpened.

Black areas are not being sharpened.

They're masked.

Compare View

Use the before-and-after view of your photograph as you're using the above controls.

Press y.

Local Sharpening

You can use the Adjustment Brush tool to apply sharpening to parts of a photograph.

For example, you could make the eyes more prominent on a portrait by sharpening them.

Noise Reduction Section

Noise Reduction Section

After you press the shutter release, the photons that landed on your camera's sensor are converted into electrons.

The electrons are then amplified.

When you increase the ISO setting, you're turning up the volume.

At high ISO settings—high volumes—noise becomes more evident.

Noise appears in your photograph as:

• Graininess, black-and-white specs that shouldn't be there.

This is called luminance noise in Lightroom.

• Pink and green specs that shouldn't be there.

This is called color noise in Lightroom.

Noise is most visible in shadows and in even toned/colored areas.

To reduce noise, do the following.

1) Move the image in the preview window to display an area with noise.

Luminance Noise

2) Move the Luminance slider to the right to reduce graininess.

3) Use the Detail slider to manage the luminance noise threshold.

You have to balance detail and noise.

Higher Value	More detail	More noise
Lower Value	Less detail	Less noise

4) The Contrast slider adjusts luminance contrast.

Use for very noisy photos.

You have to balance contrast and smoothness.

Higher Value	More contrast	Blotches/mottling
Lower Value	Less contrast	Smoother

Color Noise

5) Move the Color slider to reduce color noise.

6) Use the Detail slider to manage the color noise threshold.

Higher Value	Preserves thin colored areas	More color speckles
Lower Value	More color bleeding	Fewer color speckles

Develop Module >

12 - Other Panels on the Right Side

Let's look—briefly—at the other panels on the right side of the Develop Module.

There are three panels.

Lens Correction Panel

Effects Panel

Camera Calibration Panel

Lens Corrections Panel

Lenses may create the three errors below.

The Lens Corrections panel can make corrections automatically.

Error #1 - Distortion

Lenses, especially wide-angle lenses, create distortion.

Architecture

The distortion is evident when photographing architecture.

Let's say you're photographing in Rockefeller Center.

You point your camera up, and photograph the buildings.

The buildings appear to get smaller.

Their lines converge.

This is perspective distortion.

Landscapes

Distortion may appear in a landscape as a curved horizon line.

Horizons are not curved unless you're high enough to see the curvature of the earth!

Caution with Portraits

Use a focal length of 70mm to 100mm with most digital SLR cameras.

Don't use other focal lengths, especially wide angle.

Don't use the Lens Corrections panel without checking if the corrections are desired.

Error #2 - Chromatic Aberration

Lenses may produce chromatic aberration.

This occurs when the colors in a scene are not uniformly focused on the sensor.

If the red light is not focused on the sensor, a red fringe may appear along edges of color or tone in the photograph.

Error #3 - Vignetting

Lenses, especially wide-angle lenses, may not project an image on the sensor with uniform brightness.

The corners may be darkened, vignetted.

If any of the above errors are present, read on.

Profile

By default, the Lens Corrections panel is set to Profile.

Select Enable Profile Corrections to automatically make corrections based on the camera, lens, and focal length that you used.

You can tweak the corrections with the sliders.

Manual

Click Manual if you want to make all corrections manually.

Use Both

You can start with Profile, and can then make further corrections in Manual.

Effects Panel

You can add two effects with this panel.

Effect #1 - Post-crop Vignetting

Vignetting darkens or lightens the edges of a photograph.

Post-crop vignetting maintains the effect even if you crop the photograph later.

Style

There are three styles.

Highlight Priority is similar to the Recovery slider in the basic panel.

Color Priority reduces color shifts in the darkened areas of the photograph.

Paint Overlay blends the photograph with black or white.

Vignette Choices

Amount

You can choose the tone of the vignette.

Midpoint

The Midpoint slider adjusts the size of the vignetted area.

Roundness

You can shift the shape of the vignette from circular to oval to rectangular.

Feather

Feathering is the degree to which the vignette fades along its inner perimeter.

Highlights

You can brighten and darken highlights when using a dark vignette with the Highlight Priority or Color Priority styles.

Effect #2 - Grain

Grain simulates the grain of high-ISO films such as Tri-x.

The three sliders, Amount, Size, and Roughness, are self-explanatory.

Camera Calibration Panel

Your camera develops the raw information from the sensor into a JPEG.

You can select several developing styles, such as:

• Neutral

• Standard

• Landscape

• Vivid

• Portrait

When you open a raw file in Lightroom, you can apply the above settings to the file using this panel.

Develop Module >

13 - Develop Module Panels on the Left Side

Let's look at the panels on the left side of the Develop module.

There are four panels.

Presets Panel

Presets

A preset is a stored series of editing instructions.

Open the Presets panel.

There are two sections: Adobe Presets and User Presets.

Adobe Presets

Adobe has included many presets here.

User Presets

You can create your own presets.

They're stored in this section.

Previewing the Effect of a Preset

If it isn't open already, open the Adobe Presets section.

Then, move your cursor up-and-down the presets.

Watch how the effect of each preset is previewed in the Navigator panel.

Try Out a Preset

Do the following.

1) Press Ctrl + ' to create a virtual copy of one of your photographs.

2) Click one of the presets.

Download More Presets

You can download free and low-cost presets for Lightroom.

Do the following.

1) Download the preset or presets.

2) Let's say the preset or presets are in a folder called Sparkle & Fog.

If the preset or presets are not already in a folder:

a) Create a folder with an appropriate name.

b) Drag the presets into the folder.

3) In Lightroom, open Preferences (Windows: Edit > Preferences, Mac: Lightroom > Preferences).

4) Click the Presets tab at the top of the window.

5) Click Show Lightroom Presets Folder.

This command doesn't take you all the way to the folder.

6) Navigate further following this pathway:

Lightroom > Develop Presets

7) Open the Develop Presets folder.

You'll see two folders: Lightroom Presets and User Presets.

8) Go to the Sparkle & Fog folder and copy it.

9) Go to the Develop Presets folder and paste the Sparkle & Fog folder.

Or, instead of copying and pasting, drag the Sparkle & Fog folder into the Develop Presets folder.

10) Close and restart Lightroom.

The Sparkle & Fog presets appear in the Presets panel along with Adobe Presets and User Presets.

Create a Preset

Why

You can create a preset.

Let's say you've spent some time restoring the color on a 1960s photograph.

You can save the editing instructions in a preset.

Then, a year from now, you don't have to:

• Remember what you did.

• Redo all of the editing steps.

All you have to do is click the 1960s Color Fix preset that you created.

Do It

Do the following.

1) Edit a photograph.

2) On the left side of your screen, click the plus icon at the top of the Presets panel.

The New Develop Preset window opens.

3) Enter a name for your preset, such as 1960s Color Fix.

By default, 1960s Color Fix will be saved to the User Presets section of the Presets panel.

4) In the New Develop Preset window:

• Deselect the editing instructions that you don't want included in 1960s Color Fix.

• Select the editing instructions that you want included in 1960s Color Fix.

5) Click Create.

6) To use the preset, close and restart Lightroom.

Snapshots Panel

When you create a snapshot, all of the editing that you've done is stored in that snapshot.

You can:

• Save many versions of a photograph as snapshots.

• You can return to any of these snapshots at any time.

Example

Let's say you're editing a portrait of a pop star called Avarice.

Avarice - Basic

You set the exposure, contrast, and color.

You retouch her face.

Then, you make a snapshot.

You name it Avarice - Basic.

Avarice - Sultry

Rolling Stone calls up and buys the photograph for their cover.

You re-edit the portrait to make the singer more sultry.

You make another snapshot.

You name it Avarice - Sultry.

Avarice - Sweetie Pie

Then, Good Housekeeping buys the photograph.

You open the Snapshots panel and click on the Avarice - Basic snapshot.

You edit the portrait to make the singer look more like the girl-next-door.

You make a third snapshot: Avarice - Sweetie Pie.

Make a Snapshot

Do the following.

1) Click the plus icon in the Snapshots panel.

2) Enter a descriptive name.

Snapshots are arranged alphabetically.

If you want to arrange them in the order that they were created, start the title with a number.

3) Click Create.

Look at a Snapshot

Move your cursor over the snapshot to see it in the Navigator panel.

Snapshots Versus Virtual Copies

Snapshots and virtual copies both store your editing instructions.

The advantage of a virtual copy is:

• Having a thumbnail.

• Being able to easily see it in the Library module.*

• Being able to place it in collections separate from the original.

* In the Library module, you can switch the thumbnail to a snapshot.

Do the following.

1) Right click the thumbnail.

2) Select Develop Settings.

3) Select a snapshot.

History Panel

The History panel records every editing step.

When you open the History panel, the last editing step is on top of the stack.

All of the other editing steps are below.

Each step displays the values applied with the step.

Look at a Step

Move your cursor over the history steps to see them in the Navigator panel.

Clear All

If you click the x at the top of the History panel, all of the steps will be deleted.

Clear All

All of the editing instructions remain, but are no longer accessible.

Before deleting, you may want to create snapshots for any steps that you want to retain.

Four Uses

The History panel has four uses.

The fourth use, Copy History Step Settings to Before, is probably the one you'll use the most.

Use #1 - Notes

The History panel is like having notes taken automatically.

You can see what you did.

Use #2 - Delete Editing Steps

Let's say you come to an editing "fork in the road."

The left fork is realistic editing.

The right fork is surrealistic editing.

You decide to turn right toward Dali-land.

You don't make a virtual copy.

Ten minutes later, you say "Oooops!"

The surrealistic "editing road" turned out to be a dead end.

So, you:

1) Open the History panel.

2) Scroll down to the last step before you started doing surrealistic editing.

3) Close the History panel.

You're back to just before you started down the wrong road.

When you do your next edit, the surrealist editing steps will be deleted.

Too Bad

Unfortunately, you can't:

• Delete a single editing step.

• Move an editing step.

Use #3 - Create a Snapshot

If you right click on a step, you can create a snapshot.

Use #4 -

Copy History Step Settings to Before

If you right click on a step, you can click Copy History Step Settings to Before.

Huh?

When you click on the Before/After View icon below your photograph, the before image is the original photograph.

Before/After View Icon

Often, you may be more interested in using a later editing step as your before image.

For example, let's say you converted a photograph to black-and-white.

You'll want to compare subsequent edits to the black-and-white version, not to the original color photograph.

Do the following.

1) Open the History panel.

2) Right click on the black-and-white conversion step.

3) Click Copy History Step Settings to Before.

4) Click the Before/After icon.

The before image is now the black-and-white version

Of course, you could create a virtual copy after you do the black-and-white conversion step.

Collections Panel

The Collections panel is the same as the one in the Library module.

Export >

Export

Rendering

Export

Burn Full-Sized JPEGs Preset

For E-Mail Preset

Windows: E-mailing More than One Photograph

Rendering

When you export a photograph, the processing instructions that have been stored in the Lightroom database, are executed.

The exported photograph is rendered.

Your original file remains untouched.

The editing instructions are performed on the exported file.

Export

1) Press g to go to Grid view in the Library module.

2) Select one or more thumbnails.

3) Click Export in the lower-left corner of your screen.

4) At the top of the Export window, select Export to: Hard Drive.

You can choose other locations on your computer later.

Export to Hard Drive

5) On the left side of the Export window, you can use a preset to configure the values on the right side.

The For E-Mail preset is described below.

Here, no presets are used.

Export Presets

6) Next, select the export destination in the Export Location section.

Export Location Section

You've got several of choices.

Export Location Menu

7) In the File Settings section, you can select the file format.

File Settings Section

The TIFF file format has three compression options.

• No compression

• LZW (Lempel-Ziv-Welch) compression

• Zip compression

With memory being so plentiful, don't bother using compression.

8) There are four more sections with many settings.

Other Export Setting Sections

9) If you want to save your settings, click Add in the lower-left corner of the Export window, enter a name, and click Create.

Your preset will appear in the User Presets section on the left side of the Export window.

Add User Export Preset

10) Click Export.

Burn Full-Sized JPEGs Preset

If you're taking or sending photograph files to a lab, or elsewhere, you can use the Burn Full-Sized JPEGs export preset.

Do the following.

1) Press g to go to the Library module, and select one or more thumbnails.

2) Click Export in the lower-left corner to open the Export window.

3) On the left side, click the black arrow to open Lightroom Presets.

4) Click Burn Full-Sized JPEGs.

5) At the top of the Export window, select CD/DVD or Hard Drive.

The default is CD/DVD.

6) If you selected Hard Drive, select a destination in the Export Location section.

7) Click Export in the lower-right corner.

The photograph will be exported to the designated folder.

You can also go to File > Export with Preset > Burn Full-Sized JPEGs.

However, this is only for burning to a CD or DVD.

For E-Mail Preset

Many e-mail programs will automatically make your photograph files smaller for faster transmission.

If your e-mail program doesn't, or if you want to choose the quality and size, use the For E-Mail export preset.

Do the following.

1) Press g to go to the Library module, and select one or more thumbnails.

2) Click Export in the lower-left corner to open the Export window.

3) On the left side, click the black arrow to open Lightroom Presets.

4) Click For E-Mail.

5) At the top of the Export window, select CD/DVD or Hard Drive.

The default is Hard Drive.

6) If you selected Hard Drive, select a destination in the Export Location section.

7) Click Export in the lower-right corner.

The photographs will be exported to the designated folder.

You can also go to File > Export with Preset > For E-Mail.

More than One Photograph

MapiMailer Email Export Plugin for Lightroom

The MapiMailer Export Plugin is a complete rewrite my popular MapiMailer export post-processing action for Windows users. It solves the problem that prevents Windows users from exporting more than one image to their email application.

When you export using the MapiMailer plugin, it will attach as many images as you select to a new blank email, ready to be sent by your default Windows email program.

Steve Sutherland

Print Module >

1 - Set Up

Do the following to set up Lightroom and your printer.

Windows Print Set Up

Mac Print Set Up

Windows Print Set Up

There are four tasks.

Task #1 - Basics

1) Go to the Print module.

2) Click the Page Setup button in the lower-left corner of your screen.

The Page Set Up button goes to your printer.

A better name for the button would be Printer Set Up.

3) Select your printer in the Name menu.

4) Select a paper size in the Size menu.

5) Select an orientation, Portrait or Landscape.

The next task is performed in the window that's already open.

Task #2 - More Options

6) Click the Properties or Preferences button in the above window, the Page Setup window.

This opens a second window with more options.

7) Select the paper type, print quality, and any other settings pertinent to your print.

You may have to navigate to some of the settings:

• Via an Advanced Settings button.

• By using tabs at the top of the window.

The next task is performed in the window that's already open.

8) Click OK to close the windows.

Task #3 - Turn Off Color Management

By the Printer

8) You'll probably be selecting a printer profile below.

If so, look for the color management section in the open window.

The section may be called by another name.

You may have to refer to the printer manual in order to locate the section.

In the section, turn off the color management by the printer.

Lightroom will do the color management instead.

9) Click OK or Save.

The next task is performed with a Lightroom panel, not a window.

Task #4 - Select the Printer Profile

1) Go to the Print module.

2) Click the Print Job panel on the lower-right side of your screen.

3) Use the Profile menu to select the profile for the printer and paper that you're using.

For example—if you're using an Epson 3880 printer and Epson Premium Luster paper—select Epson Stylus Pro 3880_3885_38890 PremiumLusterPhotoPaper.

Printer Profile Menu

If the there's no profile for the your printer and the paper you're using, use a profile for your printer and a similar paper.

Or, better, download the proper profile from the website of the printer or paper manufacturer.

Go to Printer Profiles.

Mac Print Set Up

There are four tasks.

Task #1 - Basics

1) Go to the Print module.

2) Click the Page Setup button in the lower-left corner of your screen.

The Page Set Up button goes to your printer.

3) Select a printer in the Format For menu.

Select Any Printer in the Format For menu if you want to apply the settings below to all of your printers.

4) Select a paper size in the Paper Size menu.

5) Select an orientation, Portrait or Landscape.

Leave the Scale at 100%.

Let Lightroom scale (change the size) the photograph to avoid unexpected sizing.

6) Click Save.

Task #2 - Print Settings Button

7) Click the Printer Settings button in the lower-left corner of your screen.

The Print Settings button also goes to your printer.

8) Select your printer.

9) Use the pop-up menu below the Presets menu to select the paper type, quality, and any other settings pertinent to your print.

The next task is performed in the window that's already open.

Task #3 - Turn Off Color Management

By the Printer

10) You'll probably be selecting a printer profile below.

If so, look for the color management section in the open window.

The section may be called by another name.

You may have to refer to the printer manual in order to locate the section.

In the section, turn off the color management by the printer.

Lightroom will do the color management instead.

The next task is performed with a Lightroom panel, not a window.

11) If you want to save your printer settings as a preset, select Save As from the Presets menu.

You can have multiple presets for your printer.

12) Click Save.

The next task is performed with a Lightroom panel, not a window.

Task #4 - Select the Printer Profile

1) Go to the Print module.

2) Click the Print Job panel on the lower-right side of your screen.

3) Use the Profile menu to select the profile for the printer and paper that you're using.

For example—if you're using an Epson 3880 printer and Epson Premium Luster paper—select Epson Stylus Pro 3880_3885_38890 PremiumLusterPhotoPaper.

Printer Profile Menu

If the there's no profile for the your printer and the paper you're using, use a profile for your printer and a similar paper.

Or, better, download the proper profile from the website of the printer or paper manufacturer.

Go to Printer Profiles.

Print Module >

2 - Print Module Panels on the Left Side

Select a Photograph

Click on a thumbnail in the filmstrip at the bottom of your screen.

Info Overlay

Information is displayed in the upper-left corner of the work area:

• Page number

• Paper size

• Printer

If this display is distracting, press i on your keyboard.

Preview Panel

Preview Panel

The Preview panel displays the layout of a template selected in the Template Browser panel.

Template Browser Panel

The Template Browser panel has print-layout templates.

There are two default sections.

The first section contains Lightroom templates.

The second section is for user-defined templates.

Preview a Template

To preview a template in the Preview panel, move the cursor over the name of a template in the Template Browser panel.

Create a Template

To create a user-defined template, do the following.

1) Select a Lightroom template that's similar to your desired template.

2) Modify the template using the options in the panels on the right side of your screen.

3) Click the + icon in the Template Browser panel tab on the left side of your screen.

4) Rename the template from Untitled Template, and select a folder, such as the default folder, User Templates.

Collections Panel

The Collections panel displays your collections.

If needed, you can create a collection of the photographs that you're printing.

Print Module >

3 - Print Module Panels on the Right Side

Layout Style Panel

Template Structure

Image Settings Panel

The Panels Change, Too

Layout Panel

Guides Panel

Rulers, Grid & Guides Panel

Cells Panel

Page Panel

Print Job Panel

Layout Style Panel

The Layout Style panel displays the layout style of the template that you've selected.

There are three layout styles.

You don't need to select one of these layout styles.

Rather, the layout style is determined by the template that you've selected.

Click on different templates to see how the layout style changes according to the template.

Again, this panel just displays the layout style of a template.

You don't have to do anything in this panel.

If you do click on one of the layout styles, the template you lasted used with that layout style is displayed.

Here are the three layout styles.

Layout Style #1 - Single Image/Contact Sheet

The Single Image/Contact Sheet layout style lets you print one or more photographs at the same size.

Layout Style #2 - Picture Package

The Picture Package layout style lets you print one photograph with different sizes.

School and wedding photographers use this style to provide different sizes for the same photograph.

Layout Style #3 - Custom Package

The Custom Package layout style lets you print more than one photograph with different sizes.

	Single Image/ Contact Sheet	Picture Package	Custom Package
One Photograph		•
One or More Photographs	•		•
One Size	•
Different Sizes		•	•

Template Structure

Before going to the next panel, let's look at the structure of the templates.

Adobe

A: Vertical Cell Spacing, B: Cell Width, C: Margin,

D: Cell Height, E: Horizontal Cell Spacing

Your photograph appears inside a window on the template called a cell.

If there's just one photograph, the cell is separated from the edge of the paper by margins.

If there are several cells:

• The cells are separated from each other by horizontal and vertical spacing between the cells.

Spacing is between cells.

• The grid of cells is separated from the edge of the paper by margins.

Margins are between a cell or cells and the edge of the print.

Now, let's look at the Image Settings panel.

Image Settings Panel

The Image Settings panel is used to determine how to fill the cell or cells.

Let's use pancake making as an analogy.

The Image Settings panel is how the batter, the photograph, is poured on the griddle, then cell.

The options in the Image Settings panel will vary depending on the layout style of a the selected template.

Zoom To Fill

Single Image/

Contact Sheet

Picture
Package

Custom

Package

•

When Zoom To Fill is selected, the cell is filled completely.

If necessary, the photograph is cropped.

You can reposition the cropped photograph within the cell.

Press and hold Ctrl (Windows) or Cmd (Mac), and drag.

If Zoom To Fill is not selected, blank spaces fill the areas where the aspect ratios of the photograph and the cell don't match.

Rotate To Fit

Single Image/

Contact Sheet

Picture
Package

Custom

Package

•

When Rotate To Fit is selected, the photograph is rotated to produce the largest image that fits in the cell.

Repeat One Photo Per Page

Single Image/

Contact Sheet

Picture
Package

Custom

Package

•

If you select Repeat One Photo Per Page, a single photograph is repeated in each cell on a multi-cell template.

Stroke Border

Single Image/

Contact Sheet

Picture
Package

Custom

Package

•

Stroke Border adds a border of the specified width and color inside the cell.

The photograph is reduced in size to make space for the border.

The size of the cell doesn't change.

Photo Border

Single Image/

Contact Sheet

Picture
Package

Custom

Package

•

Photo Border adds a border of the chosen width inside each cell.

The photograph is reduced in size to make space for the border.

The size of the cell doesn't change.

Inner Stroke

Single Image/

Contact Sheet

Picture
Package

Custom

Package

•

Inner Stroke is similar to Stroke Border.

It adds a border of the specified width and color inside the cell.

The photograph is reduced in size to make space for the border.

The size of the cell doesn't change.

The Panels Change, Too

Above, the options in the Image Settings panel change depending on which of three layout styles is being used by a template.

Similarly:

• When the layout style is Single Image/Contact Sheet, the Layout and Guides panels appear.

• When the layout styles are Picture Package or Custom Package, the Rulers, Grids & Guides panel and the Cells panel appear.

	Single Image/ Contact Sheet	Picture Package	Custom Package
Layouts Panel	•
Guides Panel	•
Rulers, Grids & Guides Panel		•	•
Cells Panel		•	•

Layout Panel

Layout Panel

When using a template with the layout style of Single Image/Contact Sheet, you can specify the following.

Margins = Borders

The margins are the borders around the photograph.

Rows & Columns

These two settings determine the number of photographs displayed, and their positions.

Cell Size = Your Photograph

The cell is the photograph.

The dimensions of the cell are those of the photograph.

Persnickety Value Entry

The above values affect each other.

When you change one of the values in the Layout panel, it may affect the other values.

Therefore, you may not be able to set one of the values properly.

If so, continue setting the other values.

Then, return to the recalcitrant value.

You should be able to set it now.

Full Frame Values for 8.5" x 11" Paper

Full frame means the entire photograph is seen.

The borders won't be even, all-the-way-around.

Here are the values when using:

• 8.5" x 11" paper.

• A digital SLR camera or a typical point-and-shoot camera.

Digital SLR: Landscape Orientation

Left	.25
Right	.25
Top	.75
Bottom	.75
Cell Height	7
Cell Width	10.5

Digital SLR: Portrait Orientation

Left	.75
Right	.75
Top	.25
Bottom	.25
Cell Height	10.5
Cell Width	7

Point-and-shoot: Landscape Orientation

Left	.25
Right	.25
Top	.31
Bottom	.31
Cell Height	7.88
Cell Width	10.5

Point-and-shoot: Portrait Orientation

Left	.31
Right	.31
Top	.25
Bottom	.25
Cell Height	10.5
Cell Width	7.88

Determining Margins & Cell Dimensions

You can download the Excel spreadsheet below.

You enter certain values, and the spreadsheet computes the other values for you.

Excel is part of Microsoft Office (Windows) and iWork (Mac).

You may be able to open it with OpenOffice, a free open-source suite of programs.

Spreadsheet_to_Determine Layout_Panel_Values.xlsx

Spreadsheet to Determine Layout Panel Values

Guides Panel

Guides Panel

If you're using a template with the layout style of Single Image/Contact Sheet, you can show the following guides:

• Rulers

• Page bleeds

• Margins and gutters

• Image cells

• Dimensions

Rulers, Grid & Guides Panel

Rulers, Grid & Guides Panel

When using a template with the layout styles of Picture Package or Custom Package, you can use the Rulers, Grid & Guides panel to set the:

• Ruler units.

• Snap feature.

• Guides.

Cells Panel

Cells Panel

When using a template with the layout styles of Picture Package or Custom Package, you can use the Cells panel to add:

• Cells.

• Pages.

• Guides.

Page Panel

Page Panel

The Page panel is always present.

You can specify the background color and other items to be printed with the photograph.

Print Job Panel

Print Job Panel

The Print Job panel is always present.

You use the Print Job panel to set five features.

Feature #1 - Print To

Print Job Panel: Print To

You can select:

• Print to Printer.

• Print to JPEG File.

Use the Print to JPEG File option to create JPEG files to send to a lab.

Do the following.

1) Create a folder in My Pictures or Pictures, or on your Desktop, for the files that will be sent to a lab.

2) Select Print to JPEG File.

3) Make any needed adjustments in the Print Job panel.

The Print button has changed to Print to File.

5) Click the Print to File button in the lower-right corner of your screen.

6) Choose the destination folder for the JPEG files that you created above.

7) Click Save.

Feature #2 - Draft Mode Printing

Print Job Panel: Draft Mode Printing

Select Draft Mode Printing for contact sheets and low-quality work prints.

The previews cached by Lightroom are used for printing.

If previews have not been created, the thumbnails are used for printing, resulting in even lower quality prints.

Some options in the Print Job panel are not available when using Draft Mode Printing.

Features #3 & #4 - Resolution & Sharpening

Print Job Panel: Resolution & Sharpening

You can set the resolution and sharpening.

The default print resolution and sharpening settings are often the best.

Go Resolution.

Go to Sharpening.

Feature #5 - Color Management

Print Job Panel: Color Management

You can adjust the color management.

For a complete discussion of color management, go to Color Management.

Printer Profiles

Use the Profile menu to select the profile for the paper that you're using.

Go to Printer Profiles.

Rendering Intent

Your printer can print most colors.

The colors that it can print are called in-gamut colors.

Your printer can't print some colors.

The colors that your printer can't print are out-of-gamut colors.

Colors That CAN Be Printed	In-gamut Colors
Colors That CAN'T Be Printed	Out-of-gamut colors

Rendering intents manipulate the out-of-gamut colors to make them become "in-gamut."

Use the Rendering Intent menu to select either Perceptual or Relative.

Perceptual Rendering Intent

The perceptual rendering intent is the default option.

Use it when printing a photograph with many out-of-gamut colors.

The perceptual rendering intent attempts to preserve the relationship between all of the colors in your photograph.

Out-of-gamut colors are shifted into the in-gamut color range.

The in-gamut colors are also shifted.

Therefore, the colors in your photograph are changed slightly.

While the colors change, their relationship to each other is maintained.

Relative Rendering Intent

Use the relative rendering intent when there are few out-of-gamut colors.

The relative rendering intent preserves all in-gamut colors.

They do not change.

The out-of gamut colors do change.

The relative rendering intent changes them to the closest in-gamut color.

Summary

	In-gamut Colors	Out-of-gamut Colors	Best If There Are . . .
Perceptual	Shifted	Shifted into In-gamut Colors	Many Out-of-gamut Colors
Relative	Preserved	Changed to Nearest In-gamut Color	Few Out-of-gamut Colors

Try Both

If you're not certain which rendering intent is the best for a photograph, print it with both rendering intents.

Then, compare the prints.

Go to Rendering Intents.

Print Module >

4 - Print Buttons

Print Buttons

Print Button

If you click the Print button, the printer window will open.

You can check the settings.

Print One Button

If you click the Print One button, the print job is sent to the printer.

Print Module >

5 - Printing Workflow

Here's a typical printing workflow.

Set Up

1) Set up Lightroom for your printer and paper.

Go to 1 - Set Up.

You'll select your printer.

You'll select the paper's:

• Type.

• Size.

• Orientation: Portrait or landscape

• Profile.

Select Photograph(s)

2) Select a photograph or photographs to be printed.

Library Module

In the Library module, select a photograph or photographs.

You can select more than one thumbnail by pressing and holding the Ctrl (Windows) or Cmd (Mac) key.

Develop Module

If you're in the Develop module and go to the Print module, the photograph that you were editing will be the one to be printed.

Print Module

In the Print module, click on a collection in the Collections panel on the left side of your screen.

Then, select a photograph or photographs in the Filmstrip.

Go to the Print Module

3) If you're not already there, go to the Print module.

Select a Template

4) Select a template in the Template Browser panel on the left side of your screen.

As you move the cursor over the templates, each template is displayed in the Preview panel.

Update or Save the Template

6) If you modify the template, and are likely to use the same settings again, choose one of the two options below.

Option #1 - Update the Template

Right click on the template, and select Update with Current Settings.

Option #2 - Save the Template

With a New Name

a) Click the + icon in the Template Browser panel tab on the left side of your screen.

b) Rename the template from Untitled Template, and select a folder, such as the default folder, User Templates.

Print

7) Click the Print button in the lower-right corner of your screen.

Resources

Go to Printing.

Print Module >

6 - Printing Tips

Here are some printing tips specific to Lightroom.

For general printing topics, go to Printing.

Full Frame Values for 8.5" x 11" Paper

Determining Margins & Cell Dimensions

Make Four Test Prints on One Piece of Paper

Prints Are Too Dark

Draft Mode Printing

Print Photo Information on the Print

Full Frame Values for 8.5" x 11" Paper

Full frame means the entire photograph is seen.

The borders won't be even, all-the-way-around.

Here are the values when using:

• 8.5" x 11" paper.

• A digital SLR camera or a typical point-and-shoot camera.

Digital SLR: Landscape Orientation

Left	.25
Right	.25
Top	.75
Bottom	.75
Cell Height	7
Cell Width	10.5

Digital SLR: Portrait Orientation

Left	.75
Right	.75
Top	.25
Bottom	.25
Cell Height	10.5
Cell Width	7

Point-and-shoot: Landscape Orientation

Left	.25
Right	.25
Top	.31
Bottom	.31
Cell Height	7.88
Cell Width	10.5

Point-and-shoot: Portrait Orientation

Left	.31
Right	.31
Top	.25
Bottom	.25
Cell Height	10.5
Cell Width	7.88

Determining Margins & Cell Dimensions

You can download the Excel spreadsheet below.

You enter certain values, and the spreadsheet computes the other values for you.

Excel is part of Microsoft Office (Windows) and iWork (Mac).

You may be able to open it with OpenOffice, a free open-source suite of programs.

Spreadsheet_to_Determine Layout_Panel_Values.xlsx

Spreadsheet to Determine Layout Panel Values

Make Four Test Prints on One Piece of Paper

If you're not sure what's the best exposure, color, and so forth, make a single test print with four variations.

Follow the example in Prints Are Too Dark below.

The example uses Brightness as the variable.

Substitute the adjustment that you need to compare.

Prints Are Too Dark

If your prints are consistently too dark, increase the Brightness value in the Basic panel.

You'll print—on one sheet of paper:

• The original photograph.

• Three other versions with different Brightness values.

Below, we'll say the Brightness value for your photograph is 50.

Insert the actual Brightness value for your photograph where you see 50 below.

In the Develop Module

+ 30

1) Press Ctrl + ' to make a virtual copy of your photograph.

2) Increase the Brightness by 30.

The new value is 80: 50 + 30 = 80.

+ 20

3) Click on the thumbnail of the original photograph in the Filmstrip at the bottom of your screen.

4) Press Ctrl + ' to make a virtual copy of your photograph.

5) Increase the Brightness by 20.

The new value is 70: 50 + 20 = 70.

+ 10

6) Click on the thumbnail of the original photograph in the Filmstrip at the bottom of your screen.

7) Press Ctrl + ' to make a virtual copy of your photograph.

8) Increase the Brightness by 10.

The new value is 60: 50 + 10 = 60.

In the Filmstrip, you now have:

• The original photograph.

• Three virtual copies with increasing Brightness values.

Original & Three Virtual Copies

Select all Four

9) Press and hold Ctrl, and click all four thumbnails.

All Four Selected in the Filmstrip

In the Print Module

10) Go to the Template Browser panel on the left side of your screen.

11) Under Lightroom Templates, select the 2 X 2 Cells template.

You can now print your original photograph—and the three versions—on one piece of paper.

Original & Three Virtual Copies with Different Brightness Values

12) Print.

13) Then:

• Look at the print under lighting that's similar to the lighting under which it will be displayed.

• Determine which Brightness value is optimum.

This value is a good starting point for printing your other photographs.

Draft Mode Printing

Work prints are low-quality prints used for:

• Layouts.

• Selecting the best shot.

• Deciding the sequence in a book or on a gallery wall.

You'll save ink, and the prints will come out of your printer faster.

Go to the Print Job panel on the right side of your screen.

Select Draft Mode Printing.

Draft Mode may have enough quality for contact sheets.

Print Photo Information on the Print

You can print information from the metadata of a photograph on the print.

For example, you can include the caption of the photograph on the print.

Go to the Page panel on the right side of your screen.

Select Photo Info.

Photo Info

Choose what you want to print from the menu, and change the font size.

Print to a JPEG File

Let's say you have used a template with three photographs.

You need a hundred prints.

An online photo lab is cheaper than making the prints yourself.

How do you send the three-photograph layout to the online lab?

Go the Print Job panel.

You'll see:

Print to Printer

Select JPEG File in the menu instead of Printer.

Print to JPEG

The Print button changes to Print to File.

When you click the Print to File button, you can choose a folder to send the JPEGs of your three-photograph layout.

Borderless Prints

Borders are called margins in Lightroom.

To print with no margins, do the following.

Windows

Mac

Two Notes

Windows

Page Setup Button

1) Click the Page Setup button in the lower-left corner of your screen.

The Page Set Up button goes to your printer.

A better name for the button would be Printer Set Up.

2) Select your printer in the Name menu.

3) Select a paper size in the Size menu.

If it's listed, select the paper size with (borderless) or No Margins after the paper size.

4) Select an orientation, Portrait or Landscape.

Properties or Preferences Button in the Window

5) Click the Properties or Preferences button in the above window, the Page Setup window.

This opens a second window with more options.

This window varies depending on which printer you're using.

6) Select borderless printing.

You may have to hunt for the borderless option.

7) Click OK to close the windows.

In the Lightroom Print Module

8) Go the Layout panel on the right side of your screen.

a) Set all of the margins to 0.

b) Under Page Grid, set both Row and Column to 1.

c) Set the cell size to the width and height of your paper.

9) If your photograph and the paper have different aspect ratios, you may still see a border.

If so, do the following.

a) Go to Image Settings.

b) Select Zoom to Fill.

Part of the photograph will be cropped.

You can move the image around.

Click and hold on the photograph, and drag.

Mac

1) Click the Printer Settings button in the lower-left corner of your screen.

The Print Settings button goes to your printer.

2) Select your printer.

3) Use the pop-up menu below the Presets menu to select borderless printing.

4) Go the Layout panel on the right side of your screen.

a) Set all of the margins to 0.

b) Under Page Grid, set both Row and Column to 1.

c) Set the cell size to the width and height of your paper.

5) If your photograph and the paper have different aspect ratios, you may still see a border.

If so, do the following.

a) Go to Image Settings.

b) Select Zoom to Fill.

Two Notes

Note #1

Your printer may not support borderless printing on all paper sizes.

Note #2

Your printer may have borderless-printing settings that enlarge the photograph automatically.

For example, Epson has two options.

Click the Expansion button.

There are two options:

• Auto Expand

• Retain Size

Auto Expand is the default option.

The printer will enlarge the photograph automatically.

You can choose three Expansion sizes:

• Min

• Mid

• Max

If you choose the Retain Size option, you enlarge the photograph.

Colored Background

The default color of the background on your prints is white.

For example, if you're using a template with three photographs, the area around the photographs will be white.

You can change the background color.

Go the Page panel.

Select Page Background Color.

Page Background Color

Click the color box and click to choose a color.

Color Box

The borders, margins in Lightroom-speak, will still be white.

You may want to eliminate the borders/margins.

Go to Borderless Printing.

Watermarks

Go to Watermarks.

More >

Change & Reset the Develop Module Defaults

Change

The settings in the Develop module are defaults.

If needed, you an change the default settings.

The new user default settings will be applied to your photographs.

You can revert back to the Lightroom defaults at any time.

Do the following.

1) Press d to go to the Develop module.

2) Press the Reset button in the lower-right corner.

3) Adjust the settings.

4) Press and hold Alt.

5) The Reset button will change to Set Default.

6) Click Set Default.

Reset

To return to the Lightroom default settings, do the following.

1) Press and hold Shift.

5) The Reset button will change to Reset (Adobe).

6) Click Reset (Adobe).

More >

Color in Lightroom

Choosing Colors

Choose a Color Space When You Export

Lightroom Color Spaces

Choosing Colors

Most of the time, you use sliders to change colors.

However, when using the Adjustment Brush and the Split Toning panel, you may need to choose a particular color.

Click the Color box . . .

Color Box

. . . and the Select a Color window appears.

Select a Color Window

If you haven't already, go to Select a Color Window.

X Axis (Horizontal)

The x axis, the horizontal axis, is the hue.

As you click from left-to-right, the hue changes.

The values go from 0 to 359.

Y Axis (Vertical)

Saturation is on the y axis, the vertical axis.

A hue is more saturated at the top, and less saturated further down.

The values go from 100% (most saturation) to 0% (least saturation).

HSL Color Model

The color you see is based on the HSL color model.

A color model is a mathematical and visual representation of color.

Think of a color model as being like a color "language."

You can do okay with baby talk, i.e., clicking until you find a color you like.

To do better, learn to "read" the color languages, the color models, that Lightroom uses.

RGB & HSL

As mentioned, Lightroom uses the HSL color model.

It also uses part of the RGB color model.

Let's start with RGB.

RGB

The RGB color model uses red, green, and blue.

Lightroom expresses the RGB color values as percentages.

In other programs, such as Photoshop Elements, the values go from 0 to 255.

Explore RGB Color in Lightroom

You can explore RGB color in Lightroom with the White Balance Selector.

White Balance Selector

Do the following.

1) In the Library module, select a colorful photograph.

2) Go to the Develop module.

3) Click the White Balance Selector in the Basic panel.

4) Move the tool around your photograph.

5) Note how the percentages for each color change as you move the tool around.

Let's say you're exploring the RGB colors of this clown photograph.

When you move the cursor on the red nose:

Of course, red increases.

Blue and green, decrease.

Red	↑
Blue & green	↓

Red and cyan (blue/green) are opposite colors.

So, when one goes up, the other, goes down.

Next, let's look at the HSL color model.

HSL

HSL stands for:

• Hue

• Saturation

• Luminance

Hue

Hue is another word for color.

The HSL color model is depicted as a sphere with 360 degrees.

As you travel around the sphere, the hue changes.

Red is at 0 degrees.

The other major colors are spaced every 60 degrees.

0°	Red
60°	Yellow
90°	Green
120°	Cyan (Blue/green)
180°	Blue
240°	Magenta

Red Yellow Green Cyan Blue Magenta

Lightroom modified the HSL color model.

The program:

• Added Orange and Purple.

• Changed Cyan to Aqua.

So, there are now eight major colors.

They're spaced every 45 degrees.

0°	Red
45°	Orange
90°	Yellow
135°	Green
180°	Aqua
225°	Blue
270°	Purple
315°	Magenta

Red Orange Yellow Green Aqua Blue Purple Magenta

Saturation

Saturation is the amount of gray in a color.

Think of it as being the vividness/richness of a color.

In the HSL sphere, saturation changes as you move from the center point to the surface.

Luminance

Luminance is the brightness of the tones.

Think of it as being the black-and-white component of color.

Choose a Color Space When You Export

When you export a photograph from Lightroom, you can choose the color space for the JPEG file.

• sRGB

• Adobe RGB

• ProPhoto RGB/gamma 1.8

Because most monitors, printers, and online labs use sRGB, you'll probably want to select sRGB.

Lightroom Color Spaces

This section is for those curious about how Lightroom handles and displays color.

You can be an advanced and proficient Lightroom user without reading what follows.

How Is Color Recorded by Your Camera?

Color is recorded in black-and-white by your camera sensor.

Huh?

There are millions of photosites on the sensor in your camera.

Photosites are minuscule cups that collect photons.

Each photosite is covered with a filter: red, green, or blue.

When you press the shutter release, no color is recorded by the photosites.

The photosites only record the brightness levels coming through the red, green, and blue filters.

How Is the Color Created?

JPEG File Format

If you're using the JPEG file format, the camera firmware uses the brightness levels to determine the color of each pixel.

This process is called interpolation or demosaicing.

Raw Files

If you're shooting raw files, the above process occurs when you're using the Develop module in Lightroom.

How Is Color Handled & Displayed?

Color spaces are used to handle and display colors.

Think of a color space as being like a recipe for the color.

The sRGB color space is the most common.

Your camera was set by default to the sRGB color space.

Adobe RGB is another color space.

It has more colors than sRGB.

That's good.

But, only a few monitors can display Adobe RGB.

Lightroom Uses ProPhoto RGB

Lightroom uses the ProPhoto RGB color space.

This color space has more colors than sRGB or Adobe RGB.

That's good.

ProPhoto RGB can handle every color that your camera can record.

Two Versions

Lightroom uses two versions of the ProPhoto RGB color space.

The gamma differs between them.

Gamma values greater than 1.0 spread out the tones in a file so it corresponds more to human vision.

Go to Gamma Explained.

Version #1 - Linear Gamma (1.0)

When you're editing a raw file in the Develop module, Lightroom is using the ProPhoto RGB color space with a linear gamma (1.0).

Raw files have a gamma of 1.0.

So, it's appropriate that the color space used by Lightroom has the same gamma as do raw files.

Version #2 - sRGB Gamma (2.2)

Lightroom displays your photographs using the the ProPhoto RGB color space, but with the same gamma as sRGB.

The sRGB gamma value is 2.2, but is linear (gamma 1.0) in the shadows.

The ProPhoto RGB/sRGB gamma 2.2 color space is often referred to as the Melissa RGB color space.

It's named after Melissa Gaul, a Lightroom developer.

More >

Color Labels

Typically, color labels are used to denote what actions have been performed on photographs.

The default color label captions are their colors.

You can change them to reflect your workflow.

Red	Unedited
Yellow	Edited
Green	To Photoshop Elements
Blue	To be printed
Purple	Done

See the chart below for a summary of the ways you can set the color labels on thumbnails.

Auto Advance

When setting color labels, use Auto Advance.

Press the Caps Lock key.

Then, when you flag a thumbnail, the next thumbnail is automatically selected.

Remember to turn off the Caps Lock key when finished!

Color Labels Chart

On Tool Bar?	Click triangle at right end of the tool bar to add to the tool bar.
Keyboard Shortcuts	Red = 6 Yellow = 7 Green = 8 Blue = 9 Purple = None
Right Click Menu	Yes
Menu on Top of the Screen	Photo > Set Color Label
On Thumbnail Border?	Yes. Press Ctrl + j. Select Show Grid Extras & Expanded Cells at the top. At the bottom, select Include Color Label.
Other & Related Methods	–

More >

Color Space

Lightroom uses the ProPhoto RGB color space.

You can't change this color space.

While Photoshop supports the ProPhoto RGB color space, Photoshop Elements doesn't.

The closest color space is sRGB.

Check each program as follows.

Check Photoshop Elements for sRGB

Make sure Photoshop Elements is set to sRGB.

Do the following in Photoshop Elements.

1) Go to Edit > Color Settings.

2) Select Always Optimize Colors for Computer Screens.

Check Lightroom's Export Color Space

Do the following in Lightroom.

1) Go to Edit > Preferences (Windows) or Lightroom > Preferences (Mac).

Or, press Ctrl + ,.

2) Click the External Editor tab.

3) Set Color Space to sRGB, the closest match to the ProPhoto RGB color space used in Lightroom.

BTW—Gamma

The gamma of ProPhoto RGB is 1.8

In Lightroom, the gamma for ProPhoto RGB is 1.0.

This is the same gamma as raw files.

Go to Gamma Explained.

More >

Compare Original to Edited Version

The comparison views below compare the original photograph to the edited version.

The original photograph is the before view.

The edited version is the after view.

Before: B&W, After: Cyanotype Preset

Comparison View Tool Bar Icons

Click the tool-bar icon below to cycle through the before-and-after views.

There's a menu to the right of the button with the different views.

Cycle

To return to the after view, click the Loupe view icon or press d.

Loupe View

You can also use these keyboard shortcuts.

Keyboard Shortcuts

Toggle

To toggle between before-and-after views, press \.

Split Left & Right

To see the left half as the before view, and the right half as the after view, press y.

Press y again to return to the after view.

Split Top & Bottom

Use Alt + y to see the top half as the before view, and the bottom half as the after view.

Press Alt + y again to return to the after view.

Two Entire Photographs

Press Shift + y to see the entire photograph twice, the before version on the left, and the after version on the right.

Press Shift + y again to return to the after view.

Keyboard Shortcuts Summary

\	Toggle between before & after
y	Split left & right
Alt + y	Split top & bottom
Shift + y	Two entire photographs, side-by-side

When Creating a B&W Version

When you're creating a black-and-white version of a photograph, you adjust the colors to adjust the grays.

Use one of the comparison views to see both, the colors in the original photograph, and the grays in the black-and-white version.

Before: Color, After: B&W

Copy History Step Settings to Before

What if you need to compare the current edit—with an earlier edit—not with the original?

For example, let's say you're editing a headshot.

You've done ten edits.

You're now adjusting the skin tone.

After doing all that editing, you probably don't want to use the original as the before view.

Do the following.

1) Open the History panel on the left side of your screen.

2) Right click on the history step that you would like to use as the new before.

3) Select Copy History Step Settings to Before.

Copy History Step Settings to Before

More >

Edit in Photoshop Elements

If Lightroom doesn't do something that Photoshop Elements can do, edit the photograph in Photoshop Elements.

Lightroom automatically designates Photoshop Elements as the default external editing program if it's installed on your computer.

Set the External Editing Preferences

Send to Photoshop Elements

Saving in Photoshop Elements

Layers & Lightroom

PSD File Format: Maximize Compatibility

Set the External Editing Preferences

Before editing in Photoshop Elements, do the following in Lightroom.

1) Go to Edit > Preferences (Windows) or Lightroom > Preferences (Mac).

Or, press Ctrl + ,.

2) Click the External Editor tab.

3) Set File Format to TIFF or PSD.

The tiff file format is somewhat more universal than the psd file format.

If you select PSD, read PSD File Format: Maximize Compatibility below.

4) Set Color Space to sRGB, the closest match to the ProPhoto RGB color space used in Lightroom.

5) Set Bit Depth to 8 bits/component.

If you select 16 bits, the editing tools are limited in Photoshop Elements.

6) Set Resolution to the ppi that you typically use, such as 300.

7) By default, Lightroom will append -Edit to the file name.

To change, look for the Edit Externally File Naming section at the bottom of the window.

Open the Template menu, and select Edit.

Change {Filename}-Edit to {Filename}-Edit PSE, for example.

Send to Photoshop Elements

To edit a photograph in Photoshop Elements, do the following.

1) Select a photograph in Lightroom.

2) Go to Photo > Edit In > Edit in Adobe Photoshop Elements, or press Ctrl + e.

3) There are three choices in the Edit in Adobe Photoshop Elements window.

You'll probably want to use the first choice.

1st Choice - Edit a Copy

With Lightroom Adjustments

A copy of the Lightroom-edited photograph will open in Photoshop Elements.

The editing that you've done with Lightroom will be preserved in Photoshop Elements.

The following two choices are not available with raw files.

2nd Choice - Edit a Copy

A copy of the photograph will open in Photoshop Elements.

The editing that you've done with Lightroom will be discarded in Photoshop Elements.

3rd Choice - Edit Original

A copy isn't made.

The original file opens in Photoshop Elements.

The editing that you've done with Lightroom will not appear.

Raw Files

You may expect a raw file, coming from Lightroom, to open in the Raw Converter in Photoshop Elements.

However, the raw file has already been converted in Lightroom.

Therefore, it opens directly into Photoshop Elements.

Saving in Photoshop Elements

Save the file after it opens in Photoshop Elements.

Do the following.

1) Press Ctrl + s.

The Save As window will open.

2) Click Save.

A window will open:

File DSC_12345-Edit already exists. Do want to replace it?

DSC_12345-Edit is the file that Lightroom created to be sent to Photoshop Elements.

3) Click Yes.

The file is saved back to Lightroom.

By default, Lightroom will:

• Append -Edit to the file name.

• Stack the edited file with the original file.

The edited file is placed on the top of the stack.

Save as You Edit

Save periodically as you edit the file.

Just press Ctrl + s.

No windows will open, as the link back to Lightroom has already been established.

Don't Change the Name or Format

If you use the Save As command, and change the name or format of the file, the link back to Lightroom is lost.

The file is not saved back to Lightroom.

The file is saved to where the original file is located in My Pictures or Pictures.

Layers & Lightroom

Lightroom doesn't support layers.

So, when you save a file with layers back to Lightroom, the layers are temporarily flattened by Lightroom.

Later, if you want to reopen the file with the layers, select Edit Original.

The file will then open in Photoshop Elements with its layers intact.

Make sure you select the edited version, DSC_12345-Edit, not the original raw file, DSC_1234.

PSD File Format:

Maximize Compatibility

For Lightroom to be able to display Photoshop files (psd), Maximize Compatibility must be selected.

Maximize Compatibility is the default setting.

Check to see if you've been saving psd files with the Maximize Compatibility option selected.

This is the default setting.

In Photoshop Elements, go to File > Preferences (Windows) or Photoshop Elements > Preferences (Mac).

Click, on the left side, Saving Files.

Look for Maximize Compatibility menu in the center of the screen.

Always should be selected.

More > E-mail

Lightroom's E-mail Preset

Lightroom has an e-mail preset in the Export window.

It's a two step process.

Step #1

The resized photographs are sent to a folder on your desktop.

Step #2

You go to your e-mail client and attach the photographs to an e-mail message.

You may be able to do the above with one click.

One Click, With a Plug-in

A plug-in is a program that works in tandem with Lightroom.

There may be plug-ins available for your e-mail client.

With a plug-in, thumbnails that you select in Lightroom will be automatically attached to a blank e-mail message.

Plug-ins for Common E-mail Clients

Gmail	LR2/Gmail
Apple Mail	Send by Mail
Thunderbird	Scroll down to: b_gossweiler on 16 May 2011, 5:52 pm

Search for Plug-ins for Your E-mail Client

There are probably more plug-ins for the above e-mail clients, and for those not listed.

Search for your e-mail client Lightroom plug-in.

More About Plug-ins

Presets & Plug-ins

More >

Flags

A flagged thumbnail often is considered to be a keeper, and a non-flagged or rejected thumbnail is a dud.

You can use flags to:

• Remove the duds from Lightroom.

But, they're still in My Pictures or Pictures.

• Delete the duds from Lightroom and from My Pictures or Pictures.

• Move them to a sub-folder, such as, Others.

Local Only, Not Global

Flagging done in a folder in the Folders panel only appears in that folder—and in a collection set—but not in a collection.

Flagging done in a collection only appears in that collection—not in a folder—and not in the collection set.

	Folder	Collection Set	Collection
Flagging done in a folder appears:	Here	Here	Not Here
Flagging done in a collection appears:	Not Here	Not Here	Here

Flag in the Folder

You can flag in a collection.

But, if you flag in the folder containing the thumbnails, you can easily create a sub-folder for the duds.

Flag Filter Confusion

We'll be using the flag filter to select only the unflagged or rejected thumbnails.

The settings for the three flag icons below are confusing at first.

Here's a summary of the settings.

Refer back to it as you read below.

Here are the three flag icons.

Flag Icons in the Filter Bar under Attribute

You can click more than one of the flag icons.

Below, we're just clicking one at a time.

Here's what they do.

	1st Flag Icon	Middle Flag Icon	3rd Flag Icon
Off Position
	Unflagged	Unflagged	Unflagged
On Position
	Flagged	Unflagged	Rejected

Three Flagging Methods

The first method uses the Painter tool.

You press p or x in the second method.

The third method allows you to make several passes over your thumbnails, winnowing them down to the very best.

Flagging Method #1 - Painter Tool

Flagging Method #2 - P/X/U

Flagging Method #3 - Refine Photos

Flagging Method #1 - Painter Tool

1) Press g to make sure you're in the Library module.

2) Click on the folder containing the thumbnails in the Folders panel.

3) In the Tool bar, under the thumbnails, click the Painter tool.

Painter Tool in the Tool Bar

4) On the menu to the right of the painter tool, select Flag.

5) By default, the next menu to the right is set at Flagged.

Change it to Rejected.

6) Click and hold, and drag the cursor on the duds.

Black flags will appear in the upper-left corner of the cells.

7) Click Done in the tool bar.

Four Options

You have four options for the duds.

You can sort, remove, delete, or move, the duds.

Option #1 - Sort

Option #2 - Remove

Option #3 - Delete

Option #4 - Move

You can keep the duds where they are.

But, you can sort them.

In the Tool bar below the thumbnails, do the following.

1) Look for the Sort icon.

Sort Icon

2) On the menu to the right of the Sort icon, select Pick.

The rejected thumbnails are now the last thumbnails to appear in the work area.

You can remove the rejected thumbnails from Lightroom.

They're not deleted from My Pictures or Pictures.

Do the following.

1) Click Attribute in the Filter bar above the thumbnails.

2) Click the last flag icon.

Last Flag Icon

You'll see only the rejected thumbnails.

The last flag icon toggles between showing Any Flag Status and Rejected Photos Only.

3) Press Ctrl + a to select all of the rejected thumbnails.

4) Right click on one of the thumbnails, and select Delete Photo.

5) Click Remove.

Don't click Delete from Disk.

The rejected thumbnails are:

• Removed from Lightroom.

• Still in My Pictures or Pictures.

6) Click None in the Filter bar.

You can remove the rejected thumbnails from Lightroom—and—from My Pictures or Pictures.

Do the following.

1) Click Attribute in the Filter bar above the thumbnails.

2) Click the last flag icon.

Last Flag Icon

You'll see only the rejected thumbnails.

The last flag icon toggles between showing Any Flag Status and Rejected Photos Only.

3) Press Ctrl + a to select all of the rejected thumbnails.

4) Right click on one of the thumbnails, and select Delete Photo.

5) After a pause to double check yourself, click Delete from Disk.

The rejected thumbnails are:

• Removed from Lightroom.

• Deleted from My Pictures or Pictures.

6) Click None in the Filter bar.

Let's say your thumbnails are in a folder called 2010_12_20.

You'll create two subfolders, Best and Duds.

2010_12_20

Best

Duds

Do the following.

Best Subfolder

1) In the Folders panel, click on the folder 2010_12_20 to select it.

2) Click the + icon in the Folders panel, and select Add Subfolder.

3) Name the subfolder as Best.

Duds Subfolder

4) In the Folders panel, click on the folder 2010_12_20 to select it.

5) Click the + icon in the Folders panel, and select Add Subfolder.

6) Name the subfolder as Duds.

Move the Rejects to the Duds Subfolder

7) Click Attribute in the Filter bar above the thumbnails.

8) Click the last flag icon.

Last Flag Icon

You'll see only the rejected thumbnails.

The last flag icon toggles between showing Any Flag Status and Rejected Photos Only.

9) Click the black triangle to the left of the 2010_12_20 folder, to show the Duds subfolder.

10) Press Ctrl + a to select all of the rejected thumbnails.

11) Click on one of the thumbnails and hold, and drag the thumbnails onto the Duds subfolder.

Move the Keepers to the Best Subfolder

12) Click Attribute in the Filter bar above the thumbnails.

13) Click the middle flag icon.

Middle Flag Icon

You'll see only the unflagged thumbnails.

The middle flag icon toggles between showing Any Flag Status and Unflagged Photos Only.

If you used the second flagging method below, click the first flag icon to show the flagged thumbnails.

14) Click the black triangle to the left of the 2010_12_20 folder, to show the Best subfolder.

15) Press Ctrl + a to select all of the thumbnails.

16) Click on one of the thumbnails and hold, and drag the thumbnails onto the Best subfolder.

17) Click None in the Filter bar.

If you click on:

• 2010_12_20, you'll see all of the thumbnails.

• Best, you'll see your best thumbnails.

• Duds, you'll see your duds.

Flagging Method #2 - P/X/U

You press p or x with this method.

Step #1 - Flagging

1) Press g to make sure you're in the Library module.

2) Click on the folder containing the thumbnails in the Folders panel.

3) Press the Caps Lock key to engage Auto Advance.

Auto Advance automatically clicks the next thumbnail for you, speeding your travel through the thumbnails.

4) Click the first thumbnail.

5) Press p or x.

p = Flag (Keeper)

x = Reject

Press u to undo p or x.

6) Continue flagging or rejecting your thumbnails.

7) When you're finished, press the Caps Lock to turn it off!

Step #2 - Ctrl + Backspace or Cmd + Delete

You can remove or delete the duds easily.

Press Ctrl + Backspace (Windows) or Cmd + Delete (Mac).

If you click Remove in the Confirm window, the rejected thumbnails will be:

• Removed from Lightroom.

• Still in My Pictures or Pictures.

If you click Delete from Disk, in the Confirm window, all of the rejected thumbnails will be:

• Removed from Lightroom.

• Deleted from My Pictures or Pictures.

You can also sort or move the duds, as described above.

Flagging Method #3 - Refine Photos

This method allows you to make repeated passes over your thumbnails.

Pass #1

Flag your thumbnails with the Painter tool or by pressing p.

Then, go to Library > Refine Photos.

If you click Refine:

• The unmarked thumbnails are changed to rejected.

• The flagged thumbnails are changed to unmarked.

Pass #2

The duds from the first pass are now marked as rejected.

The best thumbnails, flagged during the first pass, are now back to being unmarked.

You can now go through them again to flag the best-of-the-best.

Flag Chart

On Tool Bar?	Yes
Keyboard Shortcuts	p = Flag x = Reject u = Unflag ` = Toggle between flagged & unflagged (The key is located above the Tab key.)
Right Click Menu	Yes
Menu on Top of the Screen	Photo > Set Flag
On Thumbnail Border?	Yes
Other & Related Methods	• Press Ctrl + Up Arrow & Press Ctrl + Down Arrow to change the flagging. • Press the Caps-lock key to engage Auto Advance. • To delete the rejected thumbnails, press Ctrl + Backspace (Mac: Delete). • Go to Library > Refine Photos to change all unflagged thumbnails to rejects, and all flagged thumbnails to unflagged.

More >

Importing

For the basics of importing, go to Importing Photographs.

Import from iPhoto to Lightroom

By Dragging into the Library Module Work Area

By Dragging onto the Lightroom Icon

Import from iPhoto to Lightroom

Your photographs, in iPhoto, are not easily accessed by Lightroom.

The original files, and their edited versions can be imported with some effort.

You'll loose any Events.

Keywords associated with raw files won't transfer, as these keywords are stored in sidecar files, and are not embedded in the raw file.

Getting to Your iPhoto Images – Snow Leopard Update Gene McCullagh

Moving Your Images From iPhoto to Lightroom Gene McCullagh

Import by Dragging

Into the Library Module Work Area

You can import a folders or photographs by dragging them onto the work area in the Library module.

Import by Dragging

Onto the Lightroom Icon

You can import a folder or photographs by dragging them onto the work area in the Library module.

Windows users should use the Lightroom icon on the Desktop, not the icon at the bottom of the screen.

Mac users should use the Lightroom icon in the Dock.

More >

Import the Organizer Catalog

Photoshop Elements have the Organizer (Mac Photoshop Elements 9.0 only).

You can import the Organizer catalog from Windows versions of Photoshop Elements 6.0 through 9.0, and the Mac version of 9.0.

Two Cautions

Caution #1 - Five File Formats Only

Lightroom only operates with five file formats.

You can't import the bmp, pdf, and other file formats.

You can't import Photoshop Elements creations, either.

You can import these only these file formats:

• JPEG

• TIFF

• Raw

• DNG

• PSD

As described in detail below, your psd files must have been saved in Photoshop Elements with the Maximize Compatibility option selected.

Caution #2 - Varied Results

People who have imported their Photoshop Elements catalogs into Lightroom report varied results.

Photographs

The photographs transfer, except:

• Photographs that were designated as Missing Files in the Organizer.

Go to File > Reconnect > All Missing Files.

• Photoshop files (psd) that were saved without Maximize Compatibility selected.

Maximize Compatibility is the default setting.

Check to see if you've been saving psd files with the Maximize Compatibility option selected.

Go to File > Preferences > Saving Files.

Look for Maximize Compatibility menu in the center of the screen.

Collections & Albums

Not all of your collections or albums may be imported, and those that are imported, may not be intact.

You can add a keyword tag to the photographs in a collection or album, designating the collection or album.

For example, the photographs in Sri Lanka could be tagged with c_Sri_Lanka.

Then in Lightroom, filter using c_Sri_Lanka as the attribute.

Place the resulting group of photographs in the Sri Lanka collection or album.

Keyword Tags

Write Them First

Your keyword tags won't import unless you write them to the actual photographs.

In databases like the Organizer and Lightroom, keyword tags are stored separately from the photographs.

You have to write the keyword tags to the actual photographs.

Go to File > Write Keyword Tag and Properties Info to Photos.

Hierarchy

Your hierarchy of keyword tags may be not be imported intact.

psedbtool

Consider using John Ellis' psedbtool for writing the keyword tags.

Version Sets & Stacks

Version sets are not supported by Lightroom.

When imported, they may or may not be converted to stacks.

Stacks created in Photoshop Elements may or may not persist when imported into Lightroom.

Rotations

If you rotated photographs in the Organizer, the rotations may not persist in Lightroom.

Notes Won't be Imported

In the Organizer, in the Properties pane or panel, there's a Notes box.

Text entered into the Notes box won't be imported into Lightroom.

Import the Organizer Catalog

Do the following the Organizer.

1) Go to File > Backup Catalog.

2) Go to File > Reconnect > All Missing Files.

Then, do the followig in Lightroom.

Lightroom 2

Go to one of the following:

• File > Import From Photoshop Elements 5 And Earlier

• File > Upgrade Photoshop Elements 6 Catalog

Lightroom 3

Go to File > Upgrade Photoshop Elements Catalog.

Resources

Migrating your catalog to Lightroom John R. Ellis

More >

iPhoto to Lightroom

The Good and the Bad

Good

iPhoto is handy for:

• Quick and simple edits.

• E-mailing.

• Using other tools in iLife.

• Moving pictures to your iPod and iPad.

Bad

iPhoto is clumsy when you're using Lightroom.

iPhoto and Lightroom are databases.

They can't "talk" to each together.

Therefore, there's no easy way to use both.

There are two scenarios below.

Read about them and choose the one that fits your needs.

Caution

Before you perform an action on thousands of files, experiment with just a few.

Stop Using iPhoto

Keep Using iPhoto

Stop Using iPhoto

The following was adapted from Moving Your Images From iPhoto to Lightroom by Gene McCullagh.

You'll import all of your photographs from iPhoto to Lightroom, and won't use iPhoto thereafter.

Import the Masters & Modified Folders

iPhoto keeps your original files in a folder called Masters.

You'll import the files from the Masters folder.

When you edit a file in iPhoto, the edited version is saved to a folder called Modified.

If you want to keep the edited versions, you'll import them from the Modified folder.

Import Events

The following doesn't apply to events that were made automatically by iPhoto when you imported photographs.

The events discussed below are those created by you.

Let's say you created an event in iPhoto called Galapagos.

The Galapagos files are still in the Masters and Modified folders.

The Galapagos event is virtual.

It exists only in the iPhoto database.

There's no folder called Galapagos.

So, if you want to preserve the Galapagos event, you'll export it from iPhoto to your Desktop.

From the Desktop, you'll import the album into Lightroom.

Does the Metadata Transfer, Too?

EXIF, Yes

The EXIF metadata (date, time, exposure, etc.) will accompany your iPhoto files on their trip to Lightroom.

That's because EXIF metadata is part of the JPEG file.

IPTC, No

IPTC metadata (keywords, tags, captions, etc.) won't transfer because iPhoto stores this IPTC metadata separate from the JPEG file.

Import #1: Files from the Masters Folder

Do the following.

1) Go to Finder > MacIntoshHD > Users > Pictures > iPhoto Library.

Clicking iPhoto Library will simply open iPhoto.

Instead . . .

2) Right click the iPhoto Library.

Can't right click with your mouse?

Press and hold Ctrl, and click your mouse button.

3) Click Show Package Contents.

You're in the iPhoto Library.

The important folders are Masters and Modified, mentioned above.

The files in these folders are arranged as follows.

Year > Month/Day/Year

4) Right click on the Masters folder, and click Make Alias.

An alias is a shortcut to something, in this case, the Masters folder.

5) Drag the Masters alias to your Desktop.

6) Open Lightroom and click Import in the lower-left corner.

7) On the left side of the Import window, hunt for the Masters alias that's located under Desktop.

You have to hunt for the Masters alias because there are no files in the alias.

Do the following.

a) In the top-left corner, click Select a source.

b) Click Other Destination.

c) Navigate to the Desktop and click the Masters alias.

Lightroom now knows where to get the files.

8) Lightroom now needs to know whether to copy or move the files.

At the top of the Import window, select Copy.

The files will be copied to a new location, and will be added to your Lightroom catalog.

If you were to select Add, Lightroom wouldn't be able to get to the files hidden in the iPhoto Library.

If you were to select Move, iPhoto would be emptied of its files.

You want to keep iPhoto as it is for a while.

So, again, select Copy.

9) By default, Lightroom will copy the files to a folder called Masters in Pictures.

You may want to import the files into a folder called iPhoto, for example.

10) Click Import in the lower-right corner.

Import #2: Files from the Modified Folder

Repeat the above steps, but with the Modified folder instead of the masters folder.

Export Your Events

As mentioned, the following doesn't apply to events that were made automatically by iPhoto when you imported photographs.

The events discussed below are those created by you.

As described, the events in iPhoto are virtual.

There's no folder in the iPhoto library full of the photographs that are in the event that you created.

Do the following.

Let's say to created an event called Granny Drinks a Smoothie.

In iPhoto

1) Create a folder in Pictures called iPhoto Events.

Again, this for events that you created, not the events that iPhoto created when you downloaded photographs.

2) Open the event that you created, Granny Drinks a Smoothie.

3) Create a folder in the iPhoto Events folder called Granny Drinks a Smoothie

4) Export the photographs in the event to the Granny-Drinks-a-Smoothie folder.

In Lightroom

5) Import the Granny-Drinks-a-Smoothie folder into Lightroom.

6) Create a collection with the same name as the event.

Note

The files will be duplicated.

The files will be located in the Masters and Modified folders, as well as in the Granny-Drinks-a-Smoothie folder.

Keep Using iPhoto

Use this method if you want to import some of your photographs from iPhoto to Lightroom.

Do the following.

1) In iPhoto, export the photographs to your Desktop.

2) In Lightroom, import the photographs.

3) If you want to return the edited photographs to iPhoto, rename the files.

Append -LR-edited to the file names.

4) In Lightroom, export the photographs to your Desktop.

5) In iPhoto, import the photographs from the Desktop.

The edited photographs will appear in an Event with today's date.

The original photographs are in an older event.

You can merge the edited photographs with the original photographs, if you wish.

Drag the new Event onto the Event in which the original photographs are located, to merge the two.

Go to View > Sort Photos > By Title.

The masters and edited photographs will be side-by-side.

More >

Lightroom File Locations on Your Computer

The Lightroom files and folders below are common to all computer operating systems.

Catalog File	Lightroom 3 Catalog.lrcat
Lock File	Lightroom 3 Catalog.lrcat.lock
Previews & Data Folder	Lightroom 3 Catalog Previews.lrdata
Preferences File	Lightroom 3 Preferences.agprefs
Preset Files	End with .lrtemplate

The lock file prevents your data from being overwritten.

The locations below are from Adobe Photoshop Lightroom 3 preferences file and other file locations.

Windows 7

Vista

Mac

Windows 7

If you can't find the files or folders below on your computer, go to Hidden Files & Folders.

The file or folder you're looking for may be hidden.

	Windows 7
Catalog Files & Folders	C: > User > username > My Pictures > Lightroom
Backup Files	C: > User > username > My Pictures > Lightroom > Backups
Preferences File	C: > User > username > AppData > Roaming > Adobe > Lightroom > Preferences
Preset Files & Folders	C: > User > username > AppData > Roaming > Adobe > Lightroom
Plug-ins	C: > Users > username > AppData > Roaming > Adobe > Lightroom > Modules

Vista

If you can't find the files or folders below on your computer, go to Hidden Files & Folders.

The file or folder you're looking for may be hidden.

	Vista
Catalog Files & Folders	C: > User > username > Pictures > Lightroom
Backup Files	C: > Documents and Settings > username > My Documents > My Pictures > Lightroom > Backups
Preferences File	C: > User > username > AppData > Roaming > Adobe > Lightroom > Preferences
Preset Files & Folders	C: > User > username > AppData > Roaming > Adobe > Lightroom
Plug-ins	C: > Users > username > AppData > Roaming > Adobe > Lightroom > Modules

XP

If you can't find the files or folders below on your computer, go to Hidden Files & Folders.

The file or folder you're looking for may be hidden.

	XP
Catalog Files & Folders	C: > Documents and Settings > username > My Documents > My Pictures > Lightroom
Backup Files	C: > Documents and Settings > username > My Documents > My Pictures > Lightroom > Backups
Preferences File	C: > Documents and Settings > username > Application Data > Adobe > Lightroom > Preferences
Preset Files & Folders	C: > User > username > AppData > Roaming > Adobe > Lightroom
Plug-ins	C: > Documents and Settings > All Users > Application Data > Adobe > Lightroom > Modules

Mac

	Mac
Catalog Files & Folders	Pictures > Lightroom
Backup Files	Pictures > Lightroom > Backups
Preferences File	Library > Preferences
Preset Files & Folders	Library > Application Support > Adobe > Lightroom
Plug-ins	Library > Application Support > Adobe > Lightroom > Modules

More >

Presets & Plug-ins

Presets versus Plug-ins

Change a Preset Preference

Download:

Download Presets

Download Plug-ins

Create a Develop Preset

Install:

Presets versus Plug-ins

Presets do the work you don't want to do in Lightroom.

Plug-ins do the work that you can't do with Lightroom.

Let's mix editing with cooking.

When:

• You're editing—you're chopping with a knife.

That's a lot of work.

• When you use a preset to do some editing—you're using a food processor.

That's easier.

• When you use a plug-in to send your files to Flickr—you're calling up the sushi-take-out place.

Lightroom can't make sushi.

It needs a plug-in.

Presets

A preset is a saved set of Lightroom instructions.

If you use the same editing steps repeatedly (chopping), you can make a preset (food processor).

The preset will do the many steps with one click.

In the Library module, you can create metadata presets.

IIn the Develop module, there are develop presets.

The Export window has presets, too.

To use a preset, just click on it.

Plug-ins

Plug-ins are programs that operate outside of the Lightroom program (at the sushi-take-out place).

When you start a plug-in, it does the following.

1) Gets a file from Lightroom.

2) Performs an action on the file, such as adding a watermark.

3) Sends the file back to Lightroom, or to another location, such as Flickr.

Go to File > Plug-in Manager to see what plug-ins are already installed for use with Lightroom.

Change a Preset Preference

If you're taking your Lightroom catalog from computer to computer using an external hard drive, read on.

If not, jump ahead.

Your presets—the ones you created or downloaded—won't travel with you.

That's because they're stored, by default, in a location distant from your Lightroom catalog.

Windows 7: C: > User > username > AppData > Roaming > Adobe > Lightroom

Vista: C: > User > username > AppData > Roaming > Adobe > Lightroom

XP: C: > User > username > AppData > Roaming > Adobe > Lightroom

Mac: Library > Preferences

You can store them in the Lightroom folder with the Lightroom catalog, in the Lightroom Settings folder.

Windows 7: C: > User > username > My Pictures > Lightroom > Lightroom Settings

Vista: C: > User > username > Pictures > Lightroom > Lightroom Settings

XP: C: > Documents and Settings > username > My Documents > My Pictures > Lightroom > Lightroom Settings

Mac: Pictures > Lightroom > Lightroom Settings

Then—wherever your catalog goes—so do your presets.

Do the following.

1) Go to Edit > Preferences (Windows) or Lightroom > Preferences (Mac).

Or, press Ctrl + ,.

2) Click the Presets tab.

3) In the Location section, in the middle, select Store presets with catalog.

If you already have presets in the distant location, and you want to store them near the catalog, do the following.

1) Go to the distant default location.

2) Cut and paste the presets or preset folders.

3) Go to the folder where your catalog is located, and paste the presets into the appropriate folders in the Lightroom Settings folder.

4) Close and restart Lightroom.

Download

Download Presets

Google Search: Lightroom + presets

Lightroom Exchange Adobe

Lightroom Killer Tips

Photographer's toolbox

PresetsHeaven

Presetting Lightroom Flickr group

Download Plug-ins

Google Search: Lightroom + plug-ins

Akvis

Jeffrey’s Lightroom Goodies (Plugins and Tools) Jeffrey Friedl, including Metadata Wrangler

Lightroom Exchange Adobe

onOne Software

The Photo Geek

Photographer's Toolbox Including various versions of LrMogrify

Nik Software

Create a Develop Preset

Do the following.

11) Press d to go to the Develop module.

2) Do some editing.

3) Open the Presets panel on the left side.

4) Click the + icon to open the New Develop Preset window.

5) Enter a name for the preset.

6) Select the folder, such as the default, User Presets.

7) Click Select None at the bottom of the window.

8) Select only the settings specific to the editing you did.

9) Click OK.

Change a Preset

Do the following.

1) Open the Presets panel and click the preset.

2) Change the settings.

3) Right-click on the preset in the Presets panel and select Update with Current Settings.

Read a Preset

You can open a preset file to see the settings.

When you click a preset, the settings in the Develop module are changed to the settings in the preset file.

Ansel Adams 2.lrtemplate from Bryan Wheeler's

27 Free Lightroom Presets

Click Photograph to Enlarge

To read a preset, do the following.

Windows

1) Go to where your presets are stored.

Easy Way

Go to Edit > Preferences.

Click the Presets tab.

Click Show Lightroom Presets Folder.

The presets are probably in the Develop Presets folder or in the Local Adjustments Presets folder.

Harder Way

By default, presets are stored in the location below.

If you can't find the folders below on your computer, go to Hidden Files & Folders.

Windows 7: C: > User > username > AppData > Roaming > Adobe > Lightroom

Vista: C: > User > username > AppData > Roaming > Adobe > Lightroom

XP: C: > User > username > AppData > Roaming > Adobe > Lightroom

If you changed the default location, the presets are in the location below.

Windows 7: C: > User > username > My Pictures > Lightroom > Lightroom Settings

Vista: C: > User > username > Pictures > Lightroom > Lightroom Settings

XP: C: > Documents and Settings > username > My Documents > My Pictures > Lightroom > Lightroom Settings

The presets are probably in the Develop Presets folder or in the Local Adjustments Presets folder.

2) Copy the preset and paste in on your Desktop.

3) Open Notepad.

To do so, do one of the following.

a) Click the Start button in the lower-left corner of your screen.

b) In the Search box, type Notepad, and then, in the list of results, double-click Notepad.

Or . . .

a) Click the Start button in the lower-left corner of your screen.

b) Navigate to Notepad via the path below.

Programs > Accessories > Notepad

4) Drag the preset from your Desktop on to the Notepad window.

Mac

Go to where your presets are stored.

Easy Way

a) Go to Lightroom > Preferences.

b) Click the Presets tab.

c) Click Show Lightroom Presets Folder.

The presets are probably in the Develop Presets folder or in the Local Adjustments Presets folder.

d) Double click the preset file.

Harder Way

a) Go to Applications and double click TextEdit.

b) Press Cmd + o.

c) Navigate to the preset file.

By default, presets are stored in the location below.

Mac: Library > Preferences

If you changed the default location, the presets are in the location below.

Mac: Pictures > Lightroom > Lightroom Settings

The presets are probably in the Develop Presets folder or in the Local Adjustments Presets folder.

d) Double click the preset file.

Install

Preset Installation

If you've downloaded a preset, or a folder of presets, follow the instructions provided by the preset source.

Or, if the preset uses the features of the Basic panel, do the following.

Note, Adjustment Brush presets are placed in the Local Adjustments Presets folder.

The location of the folder is described here.

1) Press d to go to the Develop module and open the Presets panel on the left side.

2) Right click on the panel, and select New Folder.

3) Enter a name for the folder, such as the name of the downloaded preset, and click Create.

4) Right click on the new folder, and select Import.

5) Navigate to the downloaded preset, select it, and click Import.

Or, navigate to the downloaded folder full of presets, press Ctrl + a, and click Import.

Plug-in Installation

Plug-ins come with installation instructions.

GGenerally, do the following.

Let's say you want to install a plug-in called easy-autochrome.

1) Follow the instructions as to where the plug-in should be installed./p>

You may create a folder, called Plug-ins, in which to store the plug-ins you download.

This folder could be in the Lightroom folder in My pictures or Pictures.

Or, locate and use one of the existing locations below.

If there's no Modules folder, create one.

If you're using Windows, and can't find the folders below on your computer, go to Hidden Files & Folders.

XP: C: > Documents and Settings > All Users > Application Data > Adobe > Lightroom > Modules

Vista: C: > Users > username > AppData > Roaming > Adobe > Lightroom > Modules

Windows 7: C: > Users > username > AppData > Roaming > Adobe > Lightroom > Modules

Mac: Library > Application Support > Adobe > Lightroom > Modules

2) Download the easy-autochrome plug-in, which is probably a zip file.

3) Unzip the zip file.

There's a folder (Windows) or a module package (Mac) inside the zip file with the file name extension .lrplugin.

The folder/module package contains a file called Info.lua.

That's the actual lug-in.

However, you handle the entire folder, not the Info.lua file.

4) Copy the easy-autochrome.lrplugin folder/module package (Ctrl + c).

5) Open the folder specified in the plug-in instructions.

6) Paste (Ctrl + v).

The easy-autochrome.lrplugin folder/module package is now in the folder.

Now, you have to "tell" Lightroom about the new plug-in.

7) Go to File > Plug-in Manager, and click Add.

8) Navigate to your Plug-ins folder, select easy-autochrome.lrplugin, and click OK.

9) You may be prompted to update the catalog.

10) The plug-in may be located:

• At File > Plug-in Extras.

• In the Export window.

More >

Previews

Import Preferences

Display Preferences

Render Previews after Importing

Automatically Discard 1:1 Previews after 30 Days

Import Preferences

Your photograph files have JPEG previews.

They're embedded in the files, or are in sidecar files.

You can specify how Lightroom creates previews when importing.

There are four choices.

As you go from Choice #1 to Choice #4:

• Importing takes longer.

• The space occupied on your hard drive by the previews increases.

The import-speed and hard-drive space differences are small between the first three choices.

Choice #4, 1:1, slows importing substantially, and takes up a lot of hard drive space.

Many photographers use the default choice, Minimal.

That's because Lightroom can create a larger preview whenever its required.

Choice #1 - Minimal

Lightroom creates a small preview from the existing embedded/sidecar preview.

Choice #2 - Embedded & Sidecar

Lightroom makes the best possible preview from the existing embedded/sidecar preview on the memory card.

Color Management

The above two choices are not color managed.

The two choices below are color managed using the ProPhoto RGB color space.

Choice #3 - Standard

The Standard preview is what you see when you click Fit on the zoom bar in the Loupe view.

Choice #4 - 1:1

1:1 previews are what you see in the Develop module when you click 1:1 (100%).

1:1 previews display sharpening and noise reduction.

Choose One of the Four Choices

When you're importing some files, do the following.

1) You've done one of the following.

• You've connected your camera to your computer, and have turned it on.

• You've connected a card reader with a card.

• You've selected a folder to import.

2) Press g to make sure you're in the Library module.

3) Click Import in the lower-left corner.

4) Open the File Handling panel on the right side.

5) Choose one of the following on the Renders Previews menu.

• Minimal

• Embedded & Sidecar

• Standard

• 1:1

6) Finish the import process.

Display Preferences

You can set the size and quality of the previews that Lightroom displays.

Use the size and quality that corresponds to your monitor's specification and to your needs.

Do the following.

1) Go to Edit > Catalog Settings (Windows) or Lightroom > Catalog Settings (Mac).

Or, press Ctrl + Alt + ,.

2) Click the File Handling tab.

3) Choose the preview size and the review quality.

• For Standard Preview Size, the default setting, 1440, is fine for most monitors.

If you have a very large monitor, try 2048.

• For Preview Quality, the default setting, Medium, is fine for most monitors.

If you have a very large monitor, try High.

All three quality levels are in the upper range of JPEG quality.

Render Previews after Importing

If you don't want to wait for Lightroom to render previews, do the following.

1) Press Ctrl + a to select all of the thumbnails in a folder or collection.

2) Go to Library > Previews > Render 1:1 Previews.

3) Do something else for a while while Lightroom works.

Automatically Discard

1:1 Previews after 30 Days

As mentioned, 1:1 previews take up a lot of space on your hard drive.

By default, Lightroom deletes 1:1 previews after thirty days.

Automatically Discard 1:1 Previews after 30 Days

To change the setting, go to Edit > Catalog Settings (Windows) or Lightroom > Catalog Settings (Mac).

Or, press Ctrl + Alt + ,.

Then, click the File Handling tab.

More >

Resources

Adobe

Photoshop Lightroom Help and Support

Book Authors

Look for books by:

• Martin Evening

• Scott Kelby

• Sean McCormack

• Chris Orwig

Also, go to Best Adobe Lightroom Books for Photographers.

Other

Elemental Plugin

The Elemental plugin helps Photoshop Elements (PSE) version 6 onwards integrate with Lightroom in a similar fashion to Photoshop. It enables PhotoMerge, Open as Layers, Smart Objects, and more directly from Lightroom.

Jeffrey’s Lightroom Goodies (Plugins and Tools) Jeffrey Friedl

Blogs & Websites

Inside Lightroom Richard Earney

Lightroom Blog Sean McCormack

Lightroom Killer Tips Matt Kloskowski

Lightroom on Flickr

More >

Select a Color Window

Most of the time, you use sliders to change colors.

However, when using the Adjustment Brush and the Split Toning panel, you may need to choose a particular color.

Click the Color box . . .

Color Box

. . . and the Select a Color window appears.

Select a Color Window

Like a Graph

Think of the window as being like a graph.

X Axis (Horizontal)

The x axis, the horizontal axis, is the hue.

As you click from left-to-right, the hue changes.

The values go from 0 to 359.

Y Axis (Vertical)

Saturation is on the y axis, the vertical axis.

Hues are more saturated at the top, and less saturated further down.

The values go from 100% (most saturation) to 0% (least saturation).

Click to Choose

Click on the chart.

The hue/saturation combination that you clicked on appears in the upper-right corner of the window.

Other Ways to Select

You can click on the tiny white square, hold, and drag.

Or, use the arrow keys on your keyboard to move the square.

You can use the two tools at the bottom of the window to change the hue and the saturation.

To change the hue:

1) Place the cursor on the value to the right of the H.

2) Click, hold, and drag left-and-right.

Saturation has a slider.

Choosing Colors from Outside the Window

You can choose a color from elsewhere on your screen.

Do the following.

1) Click inside the window, and hold.

2) Move the cursor to the color that you would like to select.

3) Release the mouse button.

Close the Window

Click the x to close the window.

More >

Set Up Lightroom

1 - Backup the Catalog

2 - Catalog Settings

3 - Preferences

4 - The _In_Lightroom Folder

5 - Import Set Up

1 - Backup the Catalog

If your Lightroom catalog becomes corrupted, you're in trouble.

Back it up every time Lightroom closes.

If you haven't already, go to Backup the Catalog.

2 - Catalog Settings

Go to Edit > Catalog Settings (Windows) or Lightroom > Catalog Settings (Mac).

Or, press Ctrl + Alt + ,.

General Tab

In the Backup section, consider changing the default to Every time Lightroom exits.

File Handling Tab

Standard Preview Size & Preview Quality

You can set the size and quality of the previews that Lightroom displays.

Use the size and quality that corresponds to your monitor's specification and to your needs.

Do the following.

1) Go to Edit > Catalog Settings (Windows) or Lightroom > Catalog Settings (Mac).

Or, press Ctrl + Alt + ,.

2) Click the File Handling tab.

3) Choose the preview size and the review quality.

• For Standard Preview Size, the default setting, 1440, is fine for most monitors.

If you have a very large monitor, try 2048.

• For Preview Quality, the default setting, Medium, is fine for most monitors.

If you have a very large monitor, try High.

All three quality levels are in the upper range of JPEG quality.

Automatically Discard 1:1 Previews

1:1 previews are large.

Therefore, the default setting, After 30 Days, will conserve your hard drive space.

Metadata Tab

The default metadata settings are fine for most photographers.

3 - Preferences

Go to Edit > Preferences (Windows) or Lightroom > Preferences (Mac).

Or, press Ctrl + ,.

General Tab

• Deselect the splash screen if you wish.

The splash screen is the credit window that appears briefly when you open Lightroom.

• By default, Automatically check for updates is selected.

• By default, Lightroom will open in the Import "module" when you attach a memory card to your computer.

If you don't want Lightroom to do so, deselect Show import dialog when a memory card is detected.

• If you're saving both JPEG and raw files on your camera, Lightroom will:

• Import the raw file.

• Add + JPG to the raw file name displayed in Lightroom.

The JPEG file is hidden as a sidecar file.

If you want to edit the JPEG file, press Ctrl + r.

If you want to see both the raw file and the JPEG file in Lightroom, do the following.

1) Go to Edit > Preferences (Windows) or Lightroom > Preferences (Mac).

Or, press Ctrl + ,.

2) Click the General tab.

3) In the Import Options section, in the middle, select Treat JPEG files next to raw files as separate photos.

Presets Tab

The default preset settings are fine for most photographers.

However, if you're taking your Lightroom catalog from computer to computer using an external hard drive, read on.

Your presets—the ones you created or downloaded—won't travel with you.

That's because they're stored, by default, in a location distant from your Lightroom catalog.

Windows 7: C: > User > username > AppData > Roaming > Adobe > Lightroom

Vista: C: > User > username > AppData > Roaming > Adobe > Lightroom

XP: C: > User > username > AppData > Roaming > Adobe > Lightroom

Mac: Library > Preferences

You can store them in the Lightroom folder with the Lightroom catalog, in the Lightroom Settings folder.

Windows 7: C: > User > username > My Pictures > Lightroom > Lightroom Settings

Vista: C: > User > username > Pictures > Lightroom > Lightroom Settings

XP: C: > Documents and Settings > username > My Documents > My Pictures > Lightroom > Lightroom Settings

Mac: Pictures > Lightroom > Lightroom Settings

Then—wherever your catalog goes—so do your presets.

Do the following.

1) Go to Edit > Preferences (Windows) or Lightroom > Preferences (Mac).

Or, press Ctrl + ,.

2) Click the Presets tab.

3) In the Location section, in the middle, select Store presets with catalog.

If you already have presets in the distant location, and you want to store them near the catalog, do the following.

1) Go to the distant default location.

2) Cut and paste the presets or preset folders.

3) Go to the folder where your catalog is located, and paste the presets into the appropriate folders in the Lightroom Settings folder.

4) Close and restart Lightroom.

External Editing Tab

Lightroom automatically senses the presence of Photoshop or Photoshop Elements on your computer.

Set the external editor preferences.

• Select the file format that you're familiar with.

If you use programs other than Photoshop or Photoshop Elements, consider using the TIFF file format.

Also, while most labs want JPEGS, and a few labs can handle TIFFs, very labs want to work with PSDs.

• Set the color space to the one you're using in Photoshop or Photoshop Elements.

• If you're using Photoshop Elements, set the bit depth to 8 bits.

• Set the resolution to the value you use in Photoshop or Photoshop Elements.

External Editor Preferences

File Handling Tab

The default file handling settings are fine for most photographers.

Interface Tab

• Select Zoom clicked to center.

Then, wherever you click, that will become the center point of the photograph when zooming.

Zoom clicked point to center

4 - The _In_Lightroom Folder

Your photographs are probably located in My Pictures or Pictures.

You can import all of them into Lightroom.

However, you may want to import them more slowly.

If so, create a folder in My Pictures or Pictures called _In_Lightroom.

The underscore, _, at the beginning of the folder name keeps the folder on top of the list.

Let's say you want to import a folder called 2010 12 20 into Lightroom.

Drag the 2010 12 20 folder in to the _In_Lightroom folder.

Then, go to Lightroom and import the 2010 12 20 folder.

Now, when you go to My Pictures or Pictures, you know which folders have been imported into Lightroom, and which ones have not.

5 - Import Set Up

Do the following when you import some photographs into Lightroom.

Your photograph files have JPEG previews.

They're embedded in the files, or are in sidecar files.

You can specify how Lightroom creates previews when importing.

There are four choices.

As you go from Choice #1 to Choice #4:

• Importing takes longer.

• The space occupied on your hard drive by the previews increases.

The import-speed and hard-drive space differences are small between the first three choices.

Choice #4, 1:1, slows importing substantially, and takes up a lot of hard drive space.

Many photographers use the default choice, Minimal.

That's because Lightroom can create a larger preview whenever its required.

Choice #1 - Minimal

Lightroom creates a small preview from the existing embedded/sidecar preview.

Choice #2 - Embedded & Sidecar

Lightroom makes the best possible preview from the existing embedded/sidecar preview on the memory card.

Color Management

The above two choices are not color managed.

The two choices below are color managed using the ProPhoto RGB color space.

Choice #3 - Standard

The Standard preview is what you see when you click Fit on the zoom bar in the Loupe view.

Choice #4 - 1:1

1:1 previews are what you see in the Develop module when you click 1:1 (100%).

1:1 previews display sharpening and noise reduction.

Choose One of the Four Choices

When you're importing some files, do the following.

1) You've done one of the following.

• You've connected your camera to your computer, and have turned it on.

• You've connected a card reader with a card.

• You've selected a folder to import.

2) Press g to make sure you're in the Library module.

3) Click Import in the lower-left corner.

4) Open the File Handling panel on the right side.

5) Choose one of the following on the Renders Previews menu.

• Minimal

• Embedded & Sidecar

• Standard

• 1:1

6) Finish the import process.

More >

Shortcuts

Here are the most useful shortcuts.

Many are single letters.

Others require you to press and hold Ctrl (Mac: Cmd), while pressing a letter.

Press Ctrl + ?, to see the shortcuts for the module you're using.

For all of the shortcuts, go to Adobe Photoshop Lightroom 3 Keyboard Shortcuts.

Modules

Views

Hide & Show Stuff

Change the Thumbnail Features/Information

Darken the Area Around Image

Zoom Entire Grid In & Out

Modules

g	Library Module: Grid View
e	Library Module: Loupe View
d	Develop Module

Back to the Shortcuts Menu

Views

g	Grid
e	Loupe
c	Compare
n	Survey

Back to the Shortcuts Menu

Hide & Show Stuff

Press the shortcut to toggle back-and-forth.

Full Screen	Press f to cycle: Normal → Full Screen w/Menu Bar → Full Screen
Module Picker	F5
All Panels	Shift + Tab
Left & Right Panels	Tab
Left Panel	F7
Right Panel	F8
Tool Bar	t
Filmstrip	F6

Back to the Shortcuts Menu

Change the Thumbnail Features/Information

You can change the features and information displayed around the thumbnails.

Grid View	j
Loupe View	i

Back to the Shortcuts Menu

Darken the Area Around Image

Press L to darken the area around the image.

You can cycle from gray, to dark gray, to black.

Back to the Shortcuts Menu

Selecting Thumbnails

Ctrl + a	Select All
Press & Hold Shift	Select a contiguous series of thumbnails.
Press & Hold Ctrl	Select non-contiguous thumbnails.

Go to Click a Thumbnail.

Back to the Shortcuts Menu

Flags

On Tool Bar?	Yes
Keyboard Shortcut	p = Flag x = Reject u = Unflag
Right Click Menu	Yes
Menu on Top of the Screen	Photo > Set Flag
On Thumbnail Border?	Yes
Other & Related Methods	• Press Ctrl + Up Arrow & Press Ctrl + Down Arrow to change the flagging. • Press the Caps-lock key to engage Auto Advance. • To delete the rejected thumbnails, press Ctrl + Backspace (Mac: Delete). • Go to Library > Refine Photos to change all unflagged thumbnails to rejects, and all flagged thumbnails to unflagged.

Go to Flags.

Back to the Shortcuts Menu

Star Ratings

On Tool Bar?	Yes
Keyboard Shortcut	0 = No stars 1 = ★ 2 = ★★t 3 = ★★★ 4 = ★★★★ 5 = ★★★★★
Right Click Menu	Yes
Menu on Top of the Screen	Photo > Set Rating
On Thumbnail Border?	Yes
Other & Related Methods	Press the Caps-lock key to engage Auto Advance.

Go to Star Ratings.

Back to the Shortcuts Menu

Color Labels

On Tool Bar?	Click triangle at right end of the tool bar to add to the tool bar.
Keyboard Shortcut	Red = 6 Yellow = 7 Green = 8 Blue = 9 Purple = None
Right Click Menu	Yes
Menu on Top of the Screen	Photo > Set Color Label
On Thumbnail Border?	Yes. Press Ctrl + j. Select Show Grid Extras & Expanded Cells at the top. At the bottom, select Include Color Label.
Other & Related Methods	–

Go to Color Labels.

Back to the Shortcuts Menu

Stacks

On Tool Bar?	No
Keyboard Shortcuts	Ctrl + g
Right Click Menu	Select Stacking > Group into Stack
Menu on Top of the Screen	Photo > Stacking
On Thumbnail Border?	No
Other & Related Methods	• Open & collapse stacks: s • To change the thumbnail on top of the stack: Select the new thumbnail & press Shift + s • Move a thumbnail up or down a stack: Shift + [ or Shift + ]. • Unstack: Shift + Ctrl + g

Go to Stacks.

Back to the Shortcuts Menu

Magnification (Zoom)

On Tool Bar?	Yes
Keyboard Shortcuts	Zoom in: Ctrl + = Zoom out: Ctrl + –
Right Click Menu	No
Menu on Top of the Screen	View > Zoom In & Out
On Thumbnail Border?	No
Other & Related Methods	To toggle between Fit & the last magnification used: • Press the spacebar • Press z • Double click on a thumbnail to enlarge to Fit, and then single click it to toggle between Fit & the last magnification used

Go to Zoom.

Back to the Shortcuts Menu

Zoom Entire Grid In & Out

Zoom In	=
Zoom Out	–

Back to the Shortcuts Menu

More >

Speed Up Lightroom

1 - Computer

2 - Backup the Catalog

3 - How to Go to . . .

4 - Speed Up Importing

5 - Preview Display

6 - Render Previews

7 - Save More Camera Raw Cache Settings

1 - Computer

Adobe

For the minimum computer requirements, go to system requirements | Adobe Photoshop Lightroom 3.

Processor

A faster processor (CPU, chip) is beneficial.

RAM

More installed physical memory (RAM) will also speed up Lightroom.

Don't confuse RAM memory with hard drive "memory."

The size of RAM memory is measured in gigabytes (GB), and the speed, in megahertz (MHz).

RAM memory comes in different "flavors," such as SDRAM, DDR2, and DDR.

RAM modules are called DIMMs.

Desktop computers have at least four DIMM slots, and laptops have at least two.

If you're using 32-bit Windows 7, 3 GB appears to be the maximum that can be used by Lightroom.

Check to make sure you're using the latest driver for your graphics card.

To see the specifications of your computer, and the hardware, do the following.

Windows 7

1) Click the Windows icon in the lower-left corner of your screen.

2) In the Search box, enter System Configuration.

3) Click System Configuration in the search results.

The System Summary describes the processor and the Installed Physical Memory (RAM).

4) To see the graphics card, double click Components, and then double click Display.

Mac

Go to Apple Menu > About This Mac > More Info.

Also

Try the Crucial's System Scanner and Memory Advisor™ tools.

2 - Backup the Catalog

If your Lightroom catalog becomes corrupted, you'll save a lot of time if you've been consistently backing it up.

If you haven't already, go to Backup the Catalog.

You'll need to go to Preferences and to Catalog settings.

3 - How to Go to . . .

. . . Preferences

Go to Edit > Preferences (Windows) or Lightroom > Preferences (Mac).

Or, press Ctrl + ,.

. . . Catalog Settings

Go to Edit > Catalog Settings (Windows) or Lightroom > Catalog Settings (Mac).

Or, press Ctrl + Alt + ,.

4 - Speed Up Importing

To speed up importing, do the following when you import some photographs into Lightroom.

Your photograph files have JPEG previews.

They're embedded in the files, or are in sidecar files.

You can specify how Lightroom creates previews when importing.

There are four choices.

As you go from Choice #1 to Choice #4:

• Importing takes longer.

• The space occupied on your hard drive by the previews increases.

The import-speed and hard-drive space differences are small between the first three choices.

Choice #4, 1:1, slows importing substantially, and takes up a lot of hard drive space.

Many photographers use the default choice, Minimal.

That's because Lightroom can create a larger preview whenever its required.

Choice #1 - Minimal

Lightroom creates a small preview from the existing embedded/sidecar preview.

Choice #2 - Embedded & Sidecar

Lightroom makes the best possible preview from the existing embedded/sidecar preview on the memory card.

Color Management

The above two choices are not color managed.

The two choices below are color managed using the ProPhoto RGB color space.

Choice #3 - Standard

The Standard preview is what you see when you click Fit on the zoom bar in the Loupe view.

Choice #4 - 1:1

1:1 previews are what you see in the Develop module when you click 1:1 (100%).

1:1 previews display sharpening and noise reduction.

Choose One of the Four Choices

When you're importing some files, do the following.

1) You've done one of the following.

• You've connected your camera to your computer, and have turned it on.

• You've connected a card reader with a card.

• You've selected a folder to import.

2) Press g to make sure you're in the Library module.

3) Click Import in the lower-left corner.

4) Open the File Handling panel on the right side.

5) Choose one of the following on the Renders Previews menu.

• Minimal

• Embedded & Sidecar

• Standard

• 1:1

6) Finish the import process.

5 - Preview Display

You can set the size and quality of the previews that Lightroom displays.

Use the size and quality that corresponds to your monitor's specification and to your needs.

Do the following.

1) Go to Edit > Catalog Settings (Windows) or Lightroom > Catalog Settings (Mac).

Or, press Ctrl + Alt + ,.

2) Click the File Handling tab.

3) Choose the preview size and the review quality.

• For Standard Preview Size, the default setting, 1440, is fine for most monitors.

If you have a very large monitor, try 2048.

• For Preview Quality, the default setting, Medium, is fine for most monitors.

If you have a very large monitor, try High.

All three quality levels are in the upper range of JPEG quality.

6 - Render Previews

As described, you can speed up importing by having Lightroom create Minimal previews.

The downside to this choice is that Lightroom will have to make larger previews when you're editing.

Lightroom will display a Loading notice.

You can have Lightroom render all of the previews while you do something else.

Do the following.

1) Select the thumbnails.

2) Go to Library > Previews.

3) Select either Standard or 1:1 previews.

Library > Previews

7 - Save More Camera Raw Cache Settings

The preview of a raw file that Lightroom creates in the Library module is rendered from the JPEG preview in the sidecar file associated with the raw file.

When you go to the Develop module, Lightroom creates a higher-quality preview from the actual raw file—not from the JPEG preview.

The rendering of this better preview takes some time.

The cache file that stores these previews is, by default, only 1 GB.

If you increase the size, Lightroom can store more previews.

When you go to the Develop module, the preview will be more likely to be ready and waiting in the cache folder.

Do the following.

1) Go to Edit > Preferences (Windows) or Lightroom > Preferences (Mac).

Or, press Ctrl + ,.

2) Select the File Handling tab.

3) Increase the size of the camera raw cache.

Camera Raw Cache Settings

More >

Stacks

You can stack related thumbnails.

The term stack is from when photographer's stacked slides on light tables.

By stacking thumbnails, you clear space in the work area.

You can make stacks in collections as well as folders.

Create a Stack

Select the thumbnails, and then create the stack by doing one of the following.

On Tool Bar?	No
Keyboard Shortcuts	Ctrl + g
Right Click Menu	Select Stacking > Group into Stack
Menu on Top of the Screen	Photo > Stacking
On Thumbnail Border?	No
Other & Related Methods	• Open & collapse stacks: s • To change the thumbnail on top of the stack: Select the new thumbnail & press Shift + s • Move a thumbnail up or down a stack: Shift + [ or Shift + ]. • Unstack: Shift + Ctrl + g

Open & Collapse a Stack

After creating a stack, a white rectangle appears in the upper-left corner of the thumbnail at the top of the stack.

The rectangle contains the number of thumbnails in the stack.

To open or collapse the stack, click the white rectangle, or press s.

More Options

There are more options in the above chart under Other.

There are even more options when you go to Photo > Stacking.

Compare & Survey Views

You can use the Compare and Survey views to edit the order of the images in a stack.

More >

Star Ratings

Typically, star ratings are used to rate the quality of photographs.

See the chart below for a summary of the ways you can set the star ratings.

Auto Advance

When setting star ratings, use Auto Advance.

Press the Caps Lock key.

Then, when you set a star rating, the next thumbnail is automatically selected.

Remember to turn off the Caps Lock key when finished!

Star Ratings Chart

On Tool Bar?	Yes
Keyboard Shortcuts	0 = No stars 1 = ★ 2 = ★★t 3 = ★★★ 4 = ★★★★ 5 = ★★★★★
Right Click Menu	Yes
Menu on Top of the Screen	Photo > Set Rating
On Thumbnail Border?	Yes
Other & Related Methods	Press the Caps-lock key to engage Auto Advance.

More >

Troubleshooting

Adobe Documents

General Solutions:

1 - Check for Updates

2 - Restart

3 - Turn Off Anti-virus Software

4 - Test a New Catalog

5 - Rename the Presets Folder

6 - Rename the Preferences File

Specific Solutions:

1 - Lightroom Won't Open after Crash

2 - Raw Files

3 - Printing

None of the Above Worked

If Lightroom misbehaves, try the following, in order.

Adobe Documents

From the troubleshooting section:

• Adobe Photoshop Lightroom 3 preferences file and other file locations

• Navigator panel keyboard shortcut does not work in Lightroom (Mac OS, Windows 7, Windows Vista)

• Photoshop Lightroom 3 or 2 doesn't start

• System errors and freezes - Troubleshooting - Mac OS 10.x

• System errors and freezes - Troubleshooting - Windows

• Warning: "...all comments and ratings will be lost..." displays when republishing to Flickr from Lightroom 3

General Solutions

1 - Check for Updates

1) Go to Help > Check for Updates.

2 - Restart

1) Close Lightroom.

2) In the Back Up Catalog window, make sure the two functions below are selected.

Two Selections

3) Click Backup.

4) If that doesn't help, shut down your computer, restart it, and open Lightroom.

3 - Turn Off Anti-virus Software

If you're using a Windows computer, the anti-virus software may create a problem with Lightroom.

Try disabling your anti-virus software.

If this solves the problem, exclude the Lightroom folder located in My Pictures or Pictures from the anti-virus software.

You may also have to exclude the folder containing the photograph files that are in Lightroom.

4 - Test a New Catalog

1) Go to File > New Catalog.

2) Import a few photographs into the new catalog, and test various functions.

3) If the new catalog functions properly, then the problem is a corrupted catalog.

Do the following.

1) Close Lightroom.

2) Go to My Pictures or Pictures > Lightroom, and rename Lightroom 3 Catalog.lrcat.

For example, rename it as Lightroom 3 Catalog_bad.lrcat.

3) Go to where your backup of the catalog is located, select it, and copy it (Ctrl + c).

By default, the backup of your Lightroom catalog is located at My Pictures or Pictures > Lightroom > Backups.

You may have changed the default so that you're backing up to an external hard drive.

4) Go to My Pictures or Pictures > Lightroom, and paste it (Ctrl + v).

5) Double click the file to open Lightroom.

5 - Rename the Presets Folder

A preset may have become corrupted.

Or, did you recently create, or download, a preset?

If so, the new preset may be causing the problem.

1) Close Lightroom.

2) Locate the Presets folder.

The folder is either in the default location, or it is stored with the Lightroom catalog if you selected that option.

Go to Change a Preset Preference.

3) Rename the Presets folder.

For example, append _qwerty to its name.

Append _qwerty

4) Restart Lightroom.

If the problem is now solved, do the following.

1) Close Lightroom.

2) Go to the location of the Presets_qwerty folder.

3) Lightroom probably created a new Presets folder.

Make sure its empty, and delete it.

New Develop Presets Folder

4) Rename Presets_qwerty back to Presets.

5) Delete the new preset.

6) Open Lightroom.

6 - Rename the Preferences File

The preferences file may create problems with Lightroom.

Because you'll have to redo your preferences, you may want to record what they are.

Go to:

• Edit > Preferences (Windows) or Lightroom > Preferences (Mac).

Or, press Ctrl + ,.

• Edit > Catalog Settings (Windows) or Lightroom > Catalog Settings (Mac).

Or, press Ctrl + Alt + ,.

Then, do the following.

1) Close Lightroom.

2) Navigate to the preferences file.

If you can't find the folders below on your computer, go to Hidden Files & Folders.

XP: C: > Documents and Settings > [username] > Application Data > Adobe > Lightroom > Preferences > Lightroom Preferences.agprefs

Vista: C: > Users > username > AppData > Roaming > Adobe > Lightroom > Preferences > Lightroom Preferences.agprefs

Windows 7: C: > Users > username > AppData > Roaming > Adobe > Lightroom > Preferences > Lightroom Preferences.agprefs

Mac: Library > Preferences > com.adobe.Lightroom.plist

3) Rename the preferences file.

For example, append _old to its name.

4) Restart Lightroom.

If the problem is now solved, delete the renamed preferences file, if you wish.

If the problem isn't solved, delete the new preferences file, and rename the old one back to its original name.

Specific Solutions

1 - Lightroom Won't Open after Crash

Lightroom creates a "lock" file when it opens.

Lightroom 3 Catalog.lrcat.lock

When the program closes, the lock file is deleted.

If Lightroom, or your computer crash, the lock file may still be present, preventing Lightroom from opening.

If Lightroom or your computer crashed, and Lightroom won't open, do the following to check for the lock file.

1) Go to My Pictures or Pictures > Lightroom.

2) Delete Lightroom 3 Catalog.lrcat.lock.

Make sure you delete the lock file, not your catalog!

2 - Raw Files

If you're using Photoshop or Photoshop Elements, make sure you're using the latest version of the Adobe Raw Converter that's compatible with your version of Photoshop/Photoshop Elements.

Go to Adobe Updates.

3 - Printing

Your print driver may have become corrupted, or may be out-of-date.

Go to the website of your printer manufacturer and download the print driver or an updated version.

None of the Above Worked

If Lightroom is still acting out, go to Resources.

More >

Updates from Adobe

Adobe has released Lightroom 3.2.

Lightroom 3.2 Windows

Lightroom 3.2 Mac

More >

Virtual Copies

Make a virtual copy of a photograph if you want to retain the original.

You can also create virtual copies with different editing, such as a black-and-white version.

Lightroom doesn't duplicate the actual photograph.

Instead, it creates another editing instruction file for the photograph.

There are several ways you can create a virtual copy.

On Tool Bar?	No
Keyboard Shortcuts	Ctrl + '
Right Click Menu	Create Virtual Copy
Menu on Top of the Screen	Photo > Create Virtual Copy
On Thumbnail Border?	No
Other & Related Methods	When you create a new collection, you can select Create a Virtual Copy.

Which Is Which?

The virtual copy has the white corner.

How can you tell which thumbnail is the original, and which is the virtual copy?

Look in the lower-left corner of the two thumbnails.

The lower-left corner of virtual copy is folded back.

If you don't see the white corner, press j until you do.

Lightroom Makes a Stack

When you make a virtual copy, Lightroom automatically stacks the original and the virtual copy.

Compare & Survey Views

If you have several virtual copies in the stack, use the Compare and Survey views to compare them.

More >Zoom

Navigator Panel: Zoom Bar

Grid & Loupe Views Sliders

Zoom Click Point to Center

Shortcuts

There are many ways to zoom.

Navigator Panel: Zoom Bar

You can change the size of your photograph in the work area by using the zoom bar in the Navigator panel.

Zoom Bar

Fit, Fill, 1:1, & 2:1

Click Fit, Fill, 1:1, and 2:1.

Fit fits the entire photograph into the workspace.

Fill fills the work area with the photograph that may be cropped.

1:1 magnifies the photograph to 100%.

2:1 magnifies the photograph to 200%.

1:1, and larger magnifications, may take a moment to be created.

Fit	Fit to work area
Fill	Fill work area
1:1	100%
2:1	200%

More Magnifications

Open the zoom-bar menu by clicking the up-down-arrow icon at the end of the zoom bar.

Click a magnification to enlarge your photograph.

If you're in Grid view, the view changes to Loupe view.

The magnification you selected from the zoom-bar menu becomes the fourth choice on the zoom bar.

Grid & Loupe Views: Sliders

Grid View

In Grid view you can use the slider in the tool bar to change the size of the thumbnails.

Double click a thumbnail to go to Loupe view with Fit as the magnification.

Loupe View

In Loupe view, add the zoom slider to the tool bar.

Click the white triangle on the left end of the tool bar, and select Zoom.

Zoom Click Point to Center

By default, Lightroom enlarges a photograph from the center of the photograph.

Let's say you photographed Mount Everest, and the mountain is in the center.

No matter where you click on the scene, the mountain will be in the center.

But, what if you want to zoom in on the base camp?

You want the base camp to become the new "center" of the photograph.

Do the following to change the default setting.

1) Go to File > Preferences (Windows) or Lightroom > Preferences (Mac).

2) Click the Interface tab.

3) At the bottom under Tweaks, select Zoom clicked point to center.

Zoom clicked point to center

Shortcuts

On Tool Bar?	Yes
Keyboard Shortcuts	Zoom in: Ctrl + = Zoom out: Ctrl + –
Right Click Menu	No
Menu on Top of the Screen	View > Zoom In & Out
On Thumbnail Border?	No
Other & Related Methods	To toggle between Fit & the last magnification used: • Press the spacebar • Press z • Double click on a thumbnail to enlarge to Fit, and then single click it to toggle between Fit & the last magnification used

Topic Tutorials >

Convert to B&W

To convert a color photograph to black-and-white, go to the Develop module, and do the following.

There are four "stops" on the way to a black-and-white photograph.

Stop #1 - Basic Panel

1) In the Basic panel, select Black & White.

This setting desaturates the colors.

In most cases, the photograph will need more work.

Stop #2 - HSL/Color/B&W Panel

2) Go to the HSL/Color/B&W panel, and click the B&W section.

3) Click Auto at the bottom.

B&W Section

You can set Lightroom to apply the Auto adjustment whenever you click Black & White in the Basic Panel.

Go to Edit > Preferences (Windows) or Lightroom > Preferences (Mac).

Click the Presets tab, and select Apply auto mix when first converting to black and white.

Preferences > Presets

Stop #3 - Basic Panel

4) Return to the Basic panel.

5) Use the tools to further adjust the tonal values of the photograph.

Stop #4 - HSL/Color/B&W Panel

6) Return to the B&W section in the HSL/Color/B&W panel.

7) Adjust the tones of individual colors.

While the photograph you see is black-and-white, the photograph's file retains the color information.

Let's say you're editing a landscape—that had a blue sky—before you clicked Black & White.

Do the following.

a) Click the target-part-of-a-photograph icon in the upper-left corner of the sub-section.

Target Part of a Photograph Icon

b) On the formerly-blue sky, click, hold, and drag up-and-down.

The tone of the formerly-blue sky will be modified.

c) Click the Done button when you're finished.

The button is located below the photograph on the right end.

Done Button

Note

Let's say you're editing a black-and-white photograph that you didn't convert from color.

The photograph's file may not have color information.

If so, you won't be able to modify the tones by modifying the colors.

Toning & Split Toning

You can add a faint coloration to a black-and-white photograph.

Even though this involves color, the term toning is used.

Split Toning Panel

Typically, when toning, you add color only to the shadows.

Go to the Split Toning panel in the Develop module, and do the following.

1) Click the color box to the right of Shadows.

Color Box

2) Click on a color in the "spectrum."

You can use the two tools at the bottom of the window to change the hue and the saturation.

Saturation has a slider.

To change the hue, place the cursor on the H, click, hold, and drag left-and-right.

You can also click and hold on the tiny white box in the spectrum, and drag.

3) Click the x to close the window.

4) You can further refine the hue and saturation with the Shadow sliders.

The Hue slider changes the color.

The Saturation slider adjusts the amount of the color.

5) Experiment with adding color to the highlights using that section.

6) Use the Balance slider to change the toning amounts in the highlights and shadows.

Presets

There are many presets for black-and-white photographs.

Go to the Presets panel on the left side of your screen in the develop module.

Topic Tutorials >

Retouch a Face

Camouflage

Retouching is camouflage.

You don't have to achieve perfection, especially the further away your efforts are from the eyes, and to a lesser extent, the mouth.

People will be looking at the photograph, not examining it, as you do.

They won't be looking at it up close, at a magnification of 200%.

Sensitivity

Be sensitive to over-retouching.

If Uncle Moe has had a mole on his cheek for seventy years—and you remove it—his family may wonder where the mole went.

Ask the subject of the portrait before you do major surgery.

Ask: "What are your good features?"

The person may then list what's wrong, if something is of concern.

You may be surprised.

What you think should be done, is not wanted.

What you don't think needs doing, is wanted by the person.

Purpose, & Love & Money

Retouching is guided by the following.

Purpose

What are you trying to communicate to the viewer of the photograph?

A portrait of the captain of a lobster boat, at the helm, will be retouched one way.

When she's getting married, the retouching will be done differently.

Love & Money

How much time are you going to spend on retouching?

The first five minutes of work may create a 75% improvement.

Do you want to spend thirty or more minutes to bring the photograph up to a 95% improvement level?

The amount of time beyond five minutes is often determined by:

• Your relationship to the person in the photograph

• How much the person is paying you.

Age & Sex

Your retouching may vary depending on the age and sex of the person.

Zoom

Use the Navigator panel to enlarge areas that you're retouching.

It's a lot easier to see what you're doing.

Remember, if your brush strays a little too far, the mistake probably won't be apparent when viewing the photograph at smaller magnifications.

Occasionally, when retouching at high magnifications, the retouching won't look good when viewed with the rest of the photograph.

Let's say you magnify the eyes on a portrait.

You lighten them.

Isolated from the rest of the face, the lighter eyes look good.

But, when you reduce the magnification to see the entire face, the eyes are now too light in relation to the face.

So, go back-and-forth with the magnification to check your retouching.

Hand Tool

Do the following to move the magnified photograph.

If the cursor is a hand, click on the screen, hold, and drag.

If you're using a brush, press and hold the space bar to change to the hand cursor.

In the Navigator panel, click and hold on the white box, and drag.

Global Editing First

Edit the entire portrait as you would any photograph.

However, portraits often have less contrast and less saturated color than other subjects.

Local Retouching

Next, you'll work locally with the Spot Removal brush and the Adjustment Brush.

Spot Removal: Blemishes

In the Develop module, click the Spot Removal icon.

Use Spot Removal to remove blemishes and the like.

Spot Removal

Adjustment Brush

In the Develop module, click the Adjustment Brush icon.

Adjustment Brush

Presets

Click the Adjustment Brush preset menu icon.

You may see another preset instead of Exposure.

Adjustment Brush Menu Icon

Here's the menu of the presets for the Adjustment Brush.

Adjustment Brush Presets Menu

After you click one of the presets, you can modify it by moving the sliders.

The five presets at the bottom have default values.

The default values for the presets are below.

To restore the default values, do the following.

1) Go to Edit > Preferences (Windows) or Lightroom > Preferences (Mac).

2) Click Restore all default Develop settings.

	Exposure	Brightness	Contrast	Saturation	Clarity	Sharpness
Burn	-.32	0	0	0	0	0
Dodge	.23	0	0	0	0	0
Iris Enhance	.69	0	0	70	0	66
Soften Skin	0	0	0	0	-100	25
Teeth Whitening	-.41	0	0	-63	0	0

Brush Settings

You can change the brush settings.

You'll probably want to:

• Use feathering.

• Reduce the effect by lowering Density.

For example, use 50 where less editing is needed, and 75, when a stronger effect is required.

• Select Auto Mask to keep the brushing within bounds.

If the skin tones vary too much, deselect Auto Mask to prevent uneven retouching.

You can save the above settings as an A brush and a B brush.

If you need to erase some retouching, click Erase and brush.

Eyes

The eyes are the most important part of a portrait.

They're often poorly lighted.

Use the Dodge preset, if needed.

Use the Iris Enhance preset to add color to the eyes.

Use the Sharpen preset to make the eyes stand out more.

Smooth Skin

Use the Clarity and Soften Skin presets to blur the skin.

Avoid blurring the eyes, tip of the nose, and mouth.

Lines & Wrinkles

Lines and wrinkles with shadows can be improved by lightening the shadows with the Dodge preset.

Discolorations

Discolorations include bags under the eyes, large liver spots, rosacea, and the like.

Slight color changes may be hard to see.

Press y to see a before-and-after view.

There are three tactics.

Tactic #1 - Dodge

Hide discolorations by lightening them with the Dodge preset.

Tactic #2 - Desaturate

Click the Saturation preset.

Then, drag the Saturation slider to a minus value.

Brush the discolored area.

Tactic #3 - Brush with the Opposite Color

This tactic is good for too-rosy cheeks, rosacea, and the like.

Green cancels magenta (pink).

You'll brush green on the magenta areas to reduce their color.

Do the following.

1) Click the Color preset.

2) Click the color box.

Color Box

3) Click in the green area of the "spectrum."

4) Click and hold on the tiny white box, and drag it it to this position: H 120% and S 50%.

H is hue, and S is saturation.

Also try cyan, which reduces red.

For cyan, set the hue to 180%, and the saturation to 50%.

Select a Color Window

5) Click the x to close the window.

6) Change the brush settings.

a) Set both the Flow and Density to 25.

You'll vary the Density value often if the discoloration isn't evenly colored.

b) Deselect Auto Mask.

7) Below your photograph, deselect Show Selected Mask Overlay.

If you don't, you'll see the orange mask color as you brush.

Deselect Show Selected Mask Overlay

8) Brush the magenta areas with green, or brush the red areas if you're using cyan.

9) Because the effect is subtle, click the Turn off brush adjustments icon in the lower-left corner of the panel.

Toggle it repeatedly to evaluate.

Turn Off Brush Adjustments Icon

Or, as mentioned, press y to see a before-and-after view.

Presets & Plug-ins

If you haven't already, go to Presets & Plug-ins.

Presets

You can download retouching-related presets.

Here's the Google search for Lightroom + Retouching + presets.

Download a preset, and go to Install.

Plug-ins

Plug-ins are available for retouching.

A plug-in is a program that works along side of Lightroom.

The program gets the photograph from Lightroom, processes it, and then sends it back to Lightroom.

Have a look at Portraiture and Portrait Professional.

Download a plug-in, and go to Install.

Topic Tutorials >

Spot Color

(B&W with Some Color)

Original

Finished

If you want your photograph to be black-and-white, with a small area in color, do the following.

Convert to B&W

1) Go to the Develop module.

2) Select the Adjustment Brush.

3) Double click Effect to zero the settings.

4) Change Saturation to -100.

5) In the Brush section:

• Click A.

• Change Size to a huge brush.

• Change Feathering to 0.

• Deselect Auto Mask.

6) Below your photograph, deselect Show Selected Mask Overlay.

Deselect Show Selected Mask Overlay

7) Brush everywhere on your photograph.

Converted to B&W

Improve the B&W Conversion

8) Simply changing the Saturation to -100 usually creates a lackluster black-and-white photograph.8) Adjust Exposure, Brightness, and Contrast, as needed.

Improved B&W Conversion

Restore Color

9) In the Navigator panel, magnify the photograph so the area-that-you-want-to-be-in-color fills the screen.

To move the photograph around, press and hold on the photograph, and drag.

Or, click and hold on the white rectangle in the Navigator panel, and drag.

10) In the Brush section:

• Click Erase.

• Change Size to a value appropriate to the part of the photograph that you want to be in color.

• Change Feathering to 75 or thereabouts.

• Select Auto Mask if there's a color or tonal difference between—the area-that-you-want-to-be-in-color—and the area-that-you-want-to-remain-black-and-white.

Auto Mask will help you to confine your brushing only on the area-that-you-want-to-be-in-color.

11) Below your photograph, select Show Selected Mask Overlay.

You'll see the orange mask color where you brushed.

Select Show Selected Mask Overlay

12) Brush where you want the color to be.

If You Used Auto Mask, Check for Flaws

13) If you used Auto Mask, check for flaws.

Inside the Colored Area

Flaws appear as black-and-white specs.

Or, if you're using the orange mask overlay, the flaws are orange.

To correct, use the Erase brush.

In the B&W Area

If the flaw is in the black-and-white area, use the A brush to correct.

Topic Tutorials >

Toning & Split Toning

You need a black-and-white photograph.

If you have a color photograph, go to Convert to B&W.

Presets

There are presets for toning black-and-white photographs.

Go to the Presets panel on the left side of your screen in the Develop module.

Toning & Split Toning

You can add a faint coloration to a black-and-white photograph.

Even though this involves color, the term toning is used.

Typically, you add color only to the shadows, not to the midtones or highlights.

Split toning is where you add one color to the shadows, and add a second color to the highlights.

Split Toning Panel

No Sliders?

If you don't see the sliders, click the tiny black triangles in the panel.

Toning the Shadows

Go to the Split Toning panel in the Develop module, and do the following.

1) Click the color box to the right of Shadows.

Color Box

The Select a Color window appears.

Select a Color Window

2) Select a color.

If you haven't already, go to Select a Color Window.

4) You can further refine the hue and saturation with the Shadow sliders.

Split Toning

1) Do the above steps.

2) Repeat the above steps in the Highlights section.

3) Use the Balance slider to change the toning amounts in the highlights and shadows.

Save as a Preset

You can save your toning effect as a preset.

Do the following.

1) On the left side of your screen, click the plus icon at the top of the Presets panel.

The New Develop Preset window opens.

2) Enter a name for your preset.

By default, it will be saved to the User Presets section of the Presets panel.

3) Click Check None at the bottom of the window.

4) Select Split Toning in the middle of the window.

5) Click Create.

6) To use the preset, close and restart Lightroom.

On Tool Bar?	Yes
Keyboard Shortcut	p = Flag u = Unflag x = Reject
Right Click Menu	Yes
Menu on Top of the Screen	Photo > Set Flag
On Thumbnail Border?	Yes
Other & Related Methods	• Press Ctrl + Up Arrow & Press Ctrl + Down Arrow to change. • Press the Caps-lock key to engage Auto Advance. • To delete the rejected thumbnails, press Ctrl + Backspace (Mac: Delete). • Go to Library > Refine Photos to change all unflagged thumbnails to rejects, and all flagged thumbnails to unflagged.