Category: Ask Tim Grey

Today’s Question: Would you recommend using both Lightroom Classic AND Photoshop for someone who is new to it all?

Tim’s Quick Answer: I recommend first making sure that you are able to confidently make full use of Lightroom Classic for organizing and optimizing your photos before you start to learn to use Photoshop to supplement your workflow for optimizing photos.

More Detail: Photoshop is a remarkably powerful application for applying a wide variety of adjustments to your photos. However, it is also a bit complicated, and can be a little overwhelming to those who are just getting started.

Therefore, I recommend first making sure you fully understand how to use Lightroom Classic for organizing and optimizing your photos. Then I think you’ll be in a better position to add Photoshop to your workflow, to go beyond the capabilities of Lightroom Classic.

In particular I consider Photoshop to be superior to Lightroom Classic when it comes to image cleanup, targeted adjustments, composite imaging, and creative effects. That means you don’t need to know every single feature of Photoshop to be able to significantly improve your photos. However, because Photoshop is a little complicated, I suggest making sure your basic workflow is mastered before adding Photoshop to the mix.

Because Lightroom Classic is only available as part of a subscription, such as the Photography Plan (https://timgrey.me/ccplans), when you have access to Lightroom Classic you’ll already have access to Photoshop. I recommend starting with Lightroom Classic, making sure you understand how the catalog works and how to organize and optimize your photos. Then, when you feel ready, you can add Photoshop to your workflow to maximize your ability to improve your photos.

Today’s Question: I often save images as JPEGs to send by email or post on social media. Up until now this has been straightforward, but since the recent update to Photoshop the only options for Save As are PSD, TIFF and JPEG2000. Any idea what is going on?

Tim’s Quick Answer: This is a new “feature” in the 22.4 version of Photoshop. Instead of choosing Save As from the menu, you can select the new Save a Copy command, which will enable the other file formats supported by Photoshop, including JPEG.

More Detail: When you choose the Save As command in Photoshop, you can of course specify the folder location, filename, and file format to be used to save a copy of the current image. However, with the latest update to Photoshop when you use the Save As command you will only be able to select a file format that supports all features or settings for the current image.

For example, the JPEG file format does not support layers, nor does it support 16-bit per channel images. So, if you were working with a 16-bit per channel image with multiple layers, the Save As dialog would not show JPEG as an option. In this case you would want to save as a TIFF or PSD file, for example, in order to preserve the layers for the image.

If you specifically want to save a copy of the image in a different file format for some other purpose, you can use the new “Save a Copy” command on the File menu to overcome this new limitation. When you use the “Save a Copy” command you’ll be able to choose from any supported file format, even if all features used for the current image will not be retained. For example, if you opted for the JPEG file format the resulting JPEG would be in the 8-bit per channel mode and would not contain any layers.

The idea is that Photoshop is trying to help ensure that you don’t accidentally save an image in a file format that doesn’t support some of the features in the current file. The “Save a Copy” command is intended as a way to specifically choose a format even though some features may be lost in that copy.

Of course, it is worth noting that you can preserve special features such as layers in the primary version of the image, and then save an additional copy for a different purpose, such as when you want to create a JPEG for sending via email or sharing online.

Today’s Question: Do you prefer bringing photos directly into Lightroom Classic from the memory card or downloading to the hard drive and then add to Lightroom Classic?

Tim’s Quick Answer: I prefer (and recommend) importing photos into Lightroom Classic directly from the media card on which the photos were captured. This provides a streamlined workflow that helps ensure that new photos are brought into the review process more quickly.

More Detail: In my view it makes the most sense to import photos into your Lightroom Classic catalog directly from the media card on which the photos were captured. I realize some photographers prefer to download their images to their hard drive first, often because they will perform an initial review of their photos to delete outtakes before importing into Lightroom Classic.

However, to me downloading outside of Lightroom Classic creates a more convoluted workflow and also creates the risk that you may forget to later import some of your photos into your Lightroom Classic catalog.

I prefer to keep my workflow streamlined and make full use of the many features within the import dialog. That includes making a backup second copy of the photos being imported onto a separate hard drive from where I’m downloading the originals. This provides a quick backup that provides more confidence should you need to reformat the media card right away to capture additional photos.

Especially when it comes to organizing your photos, I think it is a good idea to keep the workflow as simple as possible, without complications that can lead to confusion. Plus, Lightroom Classic has a variety of helpful features both for importing your photos and reviewing your photos to identify favorites and outtakes.

Today’s Question: I have a full hard drive and am getting a new one. I always use Lightroom Classic. What is the best way to move my pictures (all under Pictures) to a new external hard drive?

Tim’s Quick Answer: I recommend using the “Export as Catalog” command in this case, because doing so will help minimize confusion or errors in the overall process of this migration.

More Detail: There are, of course, a variety of approaches you could take when upgrading your photo storage to a new and larger hard drive. You could create a new empty folder on the new drive from within Lightroom Classic, for example, and then move photos and folders to that new folder. However, this can sometimes be problematic, especially if there are any issues moving any of the photos.

Instead, the “Export as Catalog” command can help streamline this process. This command enables you to copy all photos in your entire catalog to a new storage location. It also results in a new catalog, which isn’t really necessary, but can be helpful in terms of transferring photos to a different storage location without the risk of any photos or folders becoming disconnected from the catalog.

To use the “Export as Catalog” approach, start by going to the menu and choosing Edit > Select None, so that no photos are selected. With the “Export as Catalog” command you need to either select all photos or no photos in order to export all. Selecting all images can be problematic because you might, for example, have a filter set that causes only a portion of your photos to be displayed.

With none of your photos selected, you can then go to the File menu and choose the “Export as Catalog” command. In the dialog that appears, navigate to the external hard drive that you want to migrate your photos to. In the Save As field at the top of the dialog, enter a name for the new storage structure. The name you enter will be used as a main parent folder for all of the folders containing your photos and catalog. That name will also be used for the new catalog being created as part of this process.

The key to getting your photos copied to the new hard drive is to turn on the “Export negative files” checkbox. This is perhaps the most poorly named checkbox in any Adobe software application (and one of these days I would love to meet the person who decided on this name). The “Export negative files” checkbox actually means “Export source photos”. In other words, this is what enables you to copy your photos to the new location along with the new catalog. Click the Export Catalog button to initiate the process.

When the export is complete, quit Lightroom Classic and navigate to the external hard drive through your operating system. If you prefer to have the catalog on an internal hard drive, you can locate the folder that contains the “LRCAT” catalog file as well as all of the supporting files, and move the folder containing the catalog files to the desired location on your internal hard drive.

You can double-click the “LRCAT” file (the file with the “.lrcat” filename extension) to launch Lightroom Classic with that catalog. Once you have confirmed that everything is in order and have backed up the external hard drive that now contains your photos, you can delete the original photos on your internal hard drive.

From that point forward, just be sure to only use the new catalog that was created as part of this process, treating any copies of your prior catalog as purely a backup copy.

Today’s Question: If I accidentally moved some photos on the hard drive outside of Lightroom Classic, if I just move them back will Lightroom find them again?

Tim’s Quick Answer: Yes, if you accidentally move photos outside of Lightroom Classic so they appear missing within the catalog, as long as the photos are put back in the same folder and those photos retain the same filenames, Lightroom Classic will no longer show those photos as missing.

More Detail: Lightroom Classic manages photos through the use of a catalog, which keeps track of the filename and folder location of each photo. If you make changes to the filenames or folder structure for your photos, those photos will show as missing within Lightroom Classic.

In Lightroom Classic when a photo is missing it simply means that the photo can’t be found in the expected folder location with the expected filename. This could be a simple matter of an external hard drive being disconnected from the computer, for example. Of course, if you move (or rename) photos or folders outside of Lightroom Classic, that will cause confusion within the catalog with photos appearing as missing.

In this situation, you can indeed simply move the photos back to where Lightroom Classic is expecting them. As soon as the photos are back in the correct folder with the correct filenames, the photos will no longer appear as missing within the Lightroom Classic catalog.

It is also possible to simply reconnect missing folders or photos within Lightroom Classic. But if you know you’ve moved photos outside of Lightroom Classic, you can just move them back to where they belong, and make sure to remember that when you want to move or rename photos or folders that should always be done from within Lightroom Classic.

Today’s Question: Other than the lighter weight and being more expensive, what are advantages of carbon fiber versus aluminum tripod?

Tim’s Quick Answer: A carbon fiber tripod will provide a lighter weight while offering equal or better stiffness, will generally dampen vibrations better, and is very durable. The primary disadvantage, of course, is that a carbon fiber tripod will be significantly more expensive than a comparable aluminum tripod.

More Detail: Carbon fiber offers an excellent ratio of strength to weight. So, while carbon fiber is often described as being a lightweight material, that doesn’t tell the full story. The real benefit in my mind is that carbon fiber is able to provide a strong and sturdy platform for your camera even at a low weight.

An aluminum tripod can be made to be just as sturdy as a carbon fiber, but with equal strength and sturdiness the aluminum tripod will be heavier. An aluminum tripod that is as lightweight as a comparable carbon fiber tripod will not be as strong or stable. For example, I’m sure every photographer has seen a lightweight travel tripod that is not sturdy at all and can’t support heavy camera gear.

Carbon fiber will also dampen vibrations better than aluminum, which in some cases can help ensure sharper photos. In addition, carbon fiber is more resistant to corrosion than aluminum.

Needless to say, all other things being equal, a carbon fiber tripod is going to be more expensive (and sometimes much more expensive) that a similar aluminum tripod. And just because a tripod is made of carbon fiber does not mean it is a great tripod.

If you’re not comfortable spending more money for a carbon fiber tripod, you can absolutely find an aluminum tripod that will serve your needs very well. But if you are comfortable spending more, carbon fiber does provide benefits compared to aluminum.

Today’s Question: If you label folders primarily based on travel locations, what do you do for random shooting instances, such as perhaps something local?

Tim’s Quick Answer: When I capture photos that don’t really fit into my normal folder structure for organizing photos, I use a separate folder structure that suits that type of photography. That could include, for example, a general “Snapshots” folder for more casual photos I capture randomly in various scenarios.

More Detail: As a general rule I recommend that photographers use a folder structure based on the way they think about their images, that is relatively simple and easy to implement, and that is consistent.

For me that generally means creating folders for individual trips, since typically my photography involves travel. For other photographers the folder structure might be based on client name or even by date.

Of course, regardless of the strategy you generally use for defining your folder structure, there are bound to be exceptions. If you’re not careful about how you deal with those exceptions, your folder structure and overall organization can turn into a bit of a mess.

Most of my folders containing photos are defined based on the location I was traveling to or a general reference to a trip. For example, that might mean “Italy 2019” for a trip to Italy in 2019, or “Cross-Country Road Trip 2011” for my drive from Seattle to New York.

I will often also capture images that don’t involve traveling to a particular location, or that don’t have a particular theme. For example, I might capture photos randomly when exploring around town or out on a bike ride. There’s no need to have a folder for each individual outing in this type of situation, as that would only create clutter.

So, I use a hybrid structure where photos that are captured somewhat randomly when not on a photo trip or without a particular theme. I tend to think of these types of photos as “snapshots” rather than “real” photo, and so I use a “Snapshots” folder for this purpose. You could even create a folder such as this for each calendar year, depending how many photos you might put into this folder structure.

The point is that it is perfectly fine to have photos that are exceptions to your normal folder structure, as long as you define an alternate folder structure for those exceptions that will still provide a streamlined and organized way of managing those photographic exceptions.

Today’s Question: How do you expose for scenes with bright sky and darker land if you don’t use a variable ND [neutral density] filter?

Tim’s Quick Answer: For high contrast scenes I prefer to use bracketed exposures that I will later blend into a high dynamic range (HDR) image, rather than using a graduated split neutral density (ND) filter.

More Detail: It is somewhat common to have a situation where there is a wider range of tonal values in a scene than a camera is able to capture in a single normal exposure. That means that without dealing with the high contrast in some way, you’ll end up with a photo that has lost detail in the highlights, in the shadows, or both.

There are two basic ways you can overcome this issue. The first is to use a graduated split neutral density filter. This is a filter that is darker on one side and more clear on the other side, with a smooth gradation in between. This type of filter enables you to hold back some of the light for the bright sky, for example, while not holding back any of the light in the darker foreground.

The problem with a graduated split neutral density filter is that the gradation often won’t provide an appropriate transition for the foreground versus the sky. For example, if you have a tree or other object extending above the horizon, the top of the tree would appear darker than the bottom of the tree due to the effect of the graduated filter. That can look rather artificial and distracting in the photo.

Instead, I prefer to create a high dynamic range (HDR) image in situations like this. I simply make use of automatic exposure bracketing (AEB) with two stops of separation between the individual exposures in the sequence. I can then assemble those bracketed exposures into a single image representing the full tonal range of the scene, using software such as Lightroom Classic, Camera Raw in Photoshop, or Aurora HDR (https://timgrey.me/aurora). This approach provides much greater control and flexibility compared to the use of a graduated split neutral density filter.

Today’s Question: I have 10 catalogs in Lightroom Classic. Can I get them all in one catalog?

Tim’s Quick Answer: Yes, you can indeed merge multiple catalogs into a single primary catalog, so that the primary catalog becomes your only catalog for managing photos with Lightroom Classic.

More Detail: The basic concept of merging catalogs in Lightroom Classic is relatively straightforward. You start by opening the catalog that you want to have as your primary (or only) catalog in Lightroom Classic. Then go to the menu and choose File > Import from Another Catalog.

In the dialog that appears you can navigate to the location where the other catalog is located and select it for import. I recommend using the option to add the photos where they are currently stored, rather than copying the photos as part of this process. You can then move photos and folders as needed after you have merged your catalogs.

Of course, it is possible that some of your catalogs may be from an older version of Lightroom Classic, in which case those catalogs will need to be upgraded first. You can upgrade an outdated catalog by simply opening it with the current version of Lightroom Classic and following the prompts. I also recommend making sure that the catalogs you intend to merge are in good condition, such as ideally not having any missing photos, before you merge into a primary catalog.

I cover the process of merging catalogs, as well as cleaning up a variety of other organizational and workflow issues, in my comprehensive course on “Cleaning Up Your Mess in Lightroom Classic”. You can get more information about this course on the GreyLearning website here:

https://www.greylearning.com/courses/lightroom-mess

Today’s Question: Can you just drag the photos into any folder you want in Lightroom Classic?

Tim’s Quick Answer: Yes, you can drag-and-drop to move photos in your Lightroom Classic catalog from one folder to another, and those changes will be reflected on your hard drive. In fact, it is important that photos or folders only be moved or renamed within Lightroom Classic, as doing so directly through your operating system will cause Lightroom Classic to lose track of the photos updated outside the catalog.

More Detail: One of the most important “rules” to follow when it comes to managing your photos in Lightroom Classic is that updates to your images or folder structure should be made within Lightroom Classic, not directly through your operating system or other software. This is especially important when it comes to moving or renaming photos or folders.

Within Lightroom Classic you can drag-and-drop to move selected photos to a different folder. You can also drag-and-drop a folder to move it into a different folder. And if needed, you can create a new folder in order to re-organize your photos or folders.

If you click the plus (+) symbol to the right of the Folders heading on the left panel in the Library module, you can choose “Add Folder” from the popup. In the dialog that appears, navigate to the location where you want to create a new folder. Then click the “New Folder” button at the bottom of the dialog. Enter a name for the new folder and click the Create button. Then click the Choose button, and the new folder will appear on the Folders list.

You can then continue dragging and dropping photos as needed to improve your organizational structure. You can also right-click on a folder and choose the option to rename the folder or rename photos by selecting them and choosing Library > Rename Photos from the menu. And again, just be sure that all of this work is done within your Lightroom Classic catalog, so Lightroom won’t lose track of your photos and folders.