Today’s Question: When I “finish” post-processing an image in Lightroom Classic and print it, I want to lock that image down so that if I decide to go back and re-edit later changes to the original image (not a virtual copy) it, the “print” copy is not affected. I essentially want a version that I can go back and re-print for sale while maintaining the option open to reprocess other versions of the file. Is this possible and if so, how?
Tim’s Quick Answer: Yes, you can preserve a copy of the image as a print-ready file and add that back to your Lightroom Classic catalog for future reference. You could use the Export feature in Lightroom Classic for this purpose, or simply save the derivative image if you’ll be using Photoshop to prepare the image for printing.
More Detail: If you want to preserve the print version of an image so it can easily be reprinted exactly the same way later, it can be helpful to create a derivative image for this purpose. If you’re using Lightroom Classic to manage your photos, you may want to add that derivative image back to the catalog to help you manage the print versions of your images.
If you’re finalizing the image in Lightroom Classic, you can simply export a copy of the photo and add it back to the catalog as part of that process. To get started, select the image and click the Export button at the bottom of the left panel in the Library module. In the Export dialog you can select “Same folder as original photo” from the “Export To” popup to save the image alongside the original, with the “Put in Subfolder” checkbox turned off. Then turn on the “Add to This Catalog” checkbox, so the derivative copy will be added to the catalog as well.
In the File Settings section I recommend setting the image format popup to TIFF, with ZIP selected for Compression. In the Image Sizing section I recommend turning off the “Resize to Fit” checkbox so the image will maintain full resolution, unless you want to resize for a specific output size.
You can configure the other settings based on your personal preferences, and then click the Export button to create the derivative image that will be added to the catalog. You can then add the image to a collection, assign a keyword, or otherwise manage it as a derivative image for future printing.
If you’re using Photoshop as part of your workflow for preparing an image for print, you can simply send the original image to Photoshop by selecting Photo > Edit In > Edit In Adobe Photoshop from the menu. Adjust the photo for output, such as by resizing and sharpening, and then save the updated file and close it. That image will then be in Lightroom Classic alongside the original, so you can manage that derivative for future printing.
