DPChallenge: A Digital Photography Contest You are not logged in. (log in or register
 

DPChallenge Forums >> Hardware and Software >> Lightroom Process
Pages:  
Showing posts 1 - 13 of 13, (reverse)
AuthorThread
06/04/2008 09:35:42 PM · #1
I have just gotten Lightroom and am wondering if you guys can let me know how you use it. How does it factor in your work process. I shoot in Jpeg but am also starting to shoot in RAW. What is Lightroom best used for. Is it your first port of call in the processing procedure. Looking forward to your comments.
06/04/2008 10:17:57 PM · #2
I started using Lightroom about 2 months ago. I run all of my RAW files through it as my first step in post-processing. I initially go through it to weed out the good from the bad, etc. It's great for recovering highlights and shadows, and I've also been *very* satisfied with noise reduction capabilities. I find that I do about 85%-90% of my processing is done in Lightroom, with very little additional processing done in PS.
06/05/2008 12:47:40 AM · #3
Here's my LR workflow

1) Import files into LR, renaming files, adding keywords, and copyright as it does so. I used to also convert to DNG but after having my blue ribbon taken away here at DPC I now just have it leave the file as is.
2) Add keywords to any photos that need additional tags
3) Mark all photos with the 'Red' color label indicating that they are unprocessed.
4) Take a 1st pass through the photos marking obvious rejects (use the 'X' key in Loupe mode to mark the files). Then delete the rejects
5) take another pass through the photos rating them with a 1-5 stars using the keyboard keys 1-5
6) I then filter on 4 stars or greater, select them all and then use Compare mode to select my favorite
7) Switch to Develop mode Crop then adjust WB, Exposure, Contrast, Vibrance, Curves, and Sharpness (occasionally I will also mess with HSL)
8) If needed type CTRL-E to load photo in Photoshop for more editing
9) Change color label for this photo to 'Yellow' for processed
10) Select any other similar photos and sync them with this final photo. Sync for crop/exposure/etc.
11) Tweak any of the photos for crop or exposure if the sync didn't quite work
12) Mark all of the sync photos with the color label "Yellow"
13) Select top photos and click Export and resize and convert to JPG


06/05/2008 01:55:35 AM · #4
Originally posted by Moose408:

Here's my LR workflow

1) Import files into LR, renaming files, adding keywords, and copyright as it does so. I used to also convert to DNG but after having my blue ribbon taken away here at DPC I now just have it leave the file as is.
2) Add keywords to any photos that need additional tags


Hey Moose, I'm not sure how much of step 1 and 2 you omitted in "leave the file as is", if that means just the DNG convert, or the whole thing. Reason I mention it is because GeneralE told me the other day just renaming the image is grounds for DQ. Anything that alters the image in anyway. He did not tell me if merely marking it as read-only was against the rules.

Just wanted to point that out, shoot safe!
06/05/2008 02:34:11 AM · #5
Thanks Moose, I will go through you process and see how this works for me. And thanks Togtog, but I always keep a folder with originals that I dont touch at all (very paranoid about that).
06/05/2008 02:56:02 AM · #6
Originally posted by togtog:

Originally posted by Moose408:

Here's my LR workflow

1) Import files into LR, renaming files, adding keywords, and copyright as it does so. I used to also convert to DNG but after having my blue ribbon taken away here at DPC I now just have it leave the file as is.
2) Add keywords to any photos that need additional tags


Hey Moose, I'm not sure how much of step 1 and 2 you omitted in "leave the file as is", if that means just the DNG convert, or the whole thing. Reason I mention it is because GeneralE told me the other day just renaming the image is grounds for DQ. Anything that alters the image in anyway. He did not tell me if merely marking it as read-only was against the rules.

Just wanted to point that out, shoot safe!


I do rename, but that's not altering the image, that's just altering the filename. I could rename it back to the name in the camera before submitting it for verification and there would be no way to know. Seems kinda silly.
06/05/2008 03:08:02 AM · #7
So just out of interest. If you alter the filename isn't that tantamount to it no longer being the original. I thought that I have read other threads where some programes did someting similar and SC no longer recognise them as the original file even though it hasn't changed the picture.
06/05/2008 03:10:05 AM · #8
From this Thread

Originally posted by GeneralE:

Originally posted by togtog:

Originally posted by GeneralE:

Originally posted by togtog:

I suppose I can make copies of what I use for DPC and just rename them as such so they don't get intermixed and lost without tags :)

...Don't re-name them either. Just put a copy of the file from the camera card into a separate folder, and keep track that way.

Why don't rename them?

Because then they are no longer "original, exactly as they come from the camera" ...

06/05/2008 09:43:08 AM · #9
Originally posted by Monique64:

I always keep a folder with originals that I dont touch at all (very paranoid about that).

Me too. I dump the camera card into a folder organized by date on one drive (separate subfolders created every month), then copy those files into subject folders/subfolders on another drive (vacations, out and about, DPC, etc.). That way I always have the originals as a master backup (and for validation as well)

I then import to Lightroom from the subject folders using the copy in place option, and proceed from there to tag, sort and select images before developing. In sorting, I only use nos. 0 (no good), 1 (potential) and 2 (keeper) with an occasional 3 (best of the subject). I save 4s and 5s for portfolio shots and prints, which make those ratings pretty rare in my collection (and easier to find using the start filters).

Develop mode is pretty intuitive; I just work from top to bottom through the various adjustment tools in the right panels, using those adjustments called for by the image. Occasionally I will rollover the presets in the left panel to see what they do to the image and if I like what I see, start my develop adjustments from there (but be careful when doing so for a DPC basic challenge, since some of those presets add illegal things like vignetting to the image).

Message edited by author 2008-06-05 09:44:53.
06/05/2008 01:24:29 PM · #10
I asked the SC about file renaming and here was the response.

Originally posted by Moose408:

Ideally, you should avoid making any changes to your original files, but I'm 99% sure that renaming a RAW file will have no effect. However, depending on the method you use, it's possible that renaming a JPEG file will alter the EXIF, depending on whether you rename via the OS or via an editing/importing app - the latter being much more likely to cause problems.

If you've got a specific workflow you want us to verify, please send us the original and renamed files, and we'll be able to check whether your method will cause problems or not.


Message edited by author 2008-06-05 13:25:11.
06/05/2008 01:28:51 PM · #11
Originally posted by EstimatedEyes:

I then import to Lightroom from the subject folders using the copy in place option...


If you use the copy in place option you are actually pointing at the master file, it doesn't make another copy. Is that what you intend?
06/05/2008 01:34:27 PM · #12
Originally posted by Moose408:

I asked the SC about file renaming and here was the response.


Heh-heh! Great minds think alike!

I pinged the SC myself, and got much the same response.
06/05/2008 03:18:32 PM · #13
Originally posted by Moose408:

Originally posted by EstimatedEyes:

I then import to Lightroom from the subject folders using the copy in place option...


If you use the copy in place option you are actually pointing at the master file, it doesn't make another copy. Is that what you intend?

Yes, though my master file (as far as Lightroom is concerned) is the file sitting in my subject folder. The original file is sitting untouched on another drive that LR knows nothing about.
Pages:  
Current Server Time: 03/28/2024 04:35:24 AM

Please log in or register to post to the forums.


Home - Challenges - Community - League - Photos - Cameras - Lenses - Learn - Prints! - Help - Terms of Use - Privacy - Top ^
DPChallenge, and website content and design, Copyright © 2001-2024 Challenging Technologies, LLC.
All digital photo copyrights belong to the photographers and may not be used without permission.
Current Server Time: 03/28/2024 04:35:25 AM EDT.