Ask Tim Grey

Today’s Question: As a follow-up to your question about working with layer masks in Photoshop, isn’t it easier to create those masks in Camera Raw [or Lightroom Classic]?

Tim’s Quick Answer: Yes, I would say that it is absolutely easier to create masks in Camera Raw (or Lightroom) compared to Photoshop. However, Photoshop offers greater control and flexibility (along with greater complexity).

More Detail: Targeted adjustments are those that only affect a specific area of an image rather than the entire image. This often involves a mask that serves as a stencil, identifying which portion of the image should be affected by an adjustment.

The more recent tools for masking in Camera Raw, Lightroom Classic, and Lightroom provide relatively easy methods of creating masks for various areas of a photo. These features can still be a bit complicated, but overall they are far easier to use than the related selection and layer masking features in Photoshop.

The benefit of using the more complex features in Photoshop is that they are more powerful, enabling you to create more precise layer masks that you can refine in a variety of ways to improve them. In Camera Raw, Lightroom Classic, and Lightroom, you don’t have as much control. For example, you can’t apply variable feathering to a mask with as much flexibility and control as you can in Photoshop.

None of this is to say that you can’t create excellent masks for targeted adjustments in Camera Raw and Lightroom. It is just that in some cases you may find that you’re not able to refine the mask quite as well as you’d like. In those cases, Photoshop provides more powerful options. And for those who are very comfortable using Photoshop, they may prefer to work exclusively in Photoshop for targeted adjustments, so they always have access to the more powerful tools available there.

Today’s Question: I have a lot of old poor quality photos I’d like to delete. When I reject them in Lightroom Classic and use the Delete Rejected Photos command, it says they cannot be moved to the trash. Why? Should I just delete them from Lightroom Classic instead of deleting them from the disk?

Tim’s Quick Answer: This is generally an issue with the hard drive format, but in this case I recommend deleting the photos rather than just removing them from the catalog and leaving them on the hard drive. Just be absolutely sure you want to permanently delete the photos first.

More Detail: In most cases if you’re not able to move photos (or other files) to the trash on a computer running MacOS, it is because the hard drive is not formatted with a file system that supports the trash. It is not necessary to make use of the trash, however, as long as you’re absolutely sure you want to permanently delete the photos. You can allow the photos to be deleted without going to the trash.

I do not recommend choosing the “Remove from Lightroom” option, as this will leave the source files on your hard drive but remove them from your Lightroom Classic workflow. That means they’re taking up space and adding clutter, but that you won’t ever see them in Lightroom Classic.

Today’s Question: In Photoshop how can I create a mask that is the opposite of an existing mask? For example, I’ve created a mask for a bird in flight, but now I want to apply different adjustments only to the sky. Can I duplicate an inverted copy of the bird mask?

Tim’s Quick Answer: Yes, you can use an existing layer mask in Photoshop as the basis of a new mask that is the opposite, such as for a mask for a subject versus the background. One option is to load a selection based on the mask, invert that selection, and then create the new mask based on that inverted selection.

More Detail: There are (of course) multiple ways you can approach just about any task in Photoshop, and creating an inverted copy of a mask is no different.

The approach I tend to use is to load a selection based on the existing mask, invert it, and then create the new mask. To do so, you can hold the Ctrl key on Windows or the Command key on Macintosh while clicking on the applicable layer mask on the Layers panel. This will load a selection based on that mask.

You can then invert the selection by choosing Select > Inverse from the menu. This selection represents the opposite of the mask you originally loaded as a selection. You can then create the new layer mask based on the current selection, either by creating a new adjustment layer that will have a mask matching the current selection automatically, or by selecting an image layer or layer group and clicking the “Add Layer Mask” button (the circle in a rectangle icon) at the bottom of the Layers panel.

Today’s Question: Why am I starting to see this small almost unusable new window when I try to import images into Lightroom Classic?

Tim’s Quick Answer: The smaller Import dialog in Lightroom Classic can be expanded to the larger format by clicking the downward-pointing triangle button at the bottom-left of the small Import dialog or by pressing the backslash (\) key on the keyboard.

More Detail: One of the lesser-known features of the Import dialog in Lightroom Classic is that you can reduce the size of the dialog so it only displays a small number of key controls. If you accidentally switch to this dialog without even knowing it is an option, it can understandably be confusing.

You can switch between he small and large versions of the Import dialog by clicking the button with the triangle icon at the bottom-left corner of the Import dialog. That icon will point upward when you are viewing the larger version of the Import dialog and will point downward with the smaller version. You can also press the backslash (\) key to switch between the two. In most cases I suspect those who inadvertently switched between these Import dialog options pressed the backslash key without realizing it.

I don’t personally find the smaller version of the Import dialog to be all that helpful, because it doesn’t include all the options I like to confirm before initiating an import. I also don’t find it particularly helpful to have a smaller Import dialog to begin with. But if you prefer (or would like to get familiar with) the smaller version of the Import dialog, just press the backslash key while the Import dialog is up to switch between the two options.

Today’s Question: Regarding the use of Camera Raw to process a JPEG image, how do you actually get the image to open in Camera Raw? When I open a JPEG in Photoshop it doesn’t bring up Camera Raw.

Tim’s Quick Answer: If you enable support for JPEG/HEIC or TIFF files in the Camera Raw preferences, opening an image in Photoshop will cause it to open in Camera Raw. You can also use the Camera Raw filter to process non-raw images in Photoshop.

More Detail: While Camera Raw is primarily aimed at processing raw captures to open in Photoshop, you can also process JPEG, HEIC, and TIFF images with Camera Raw.

Many photographers may find the option to use Camera Raw as a filter as a more streamlined option. You can select an image layer on the Layers panel in Photoshop (and duplicate that layer or convert to a Smart Object if you prefer) and then choose Filter > Camera Raw Filter to process that layer using the Camera Raw filter. This isn’t entirely the same as Camera Raw, but it does provide most of the features with a more streamlined workflow.

You can also configure Photoshop to automatically open JPEG/HEIC or TIFF images with Camera Raw through the File Handling tab of the Camera Raw Preferences dialog. You can access this dialog in Photoshop by going to the Edit menu on Windows or the Photoshop menu on Macintosh and then choosing Preferences (Windows) or Settings (Macintosh) followed by Camera Raw. In Camera Raw you can click the gear icon toward the top-right of the interface to bring up Camera Raw Preferences.

On the File Handling tab of the Camera Raw Preferences dialog in the File Format Handling section you’ll find popups for JPEG/HEIC and TIFF. If you want all images to open with Camera Raw you can choose the “Automatically open all…” option. If you only want to open non-raw images that have previously been processed with Camera Raw you can choose “Automatically Open… with Settings”. If you don’t want to open the images in Camera Raw you can choose “Disable… Support”. Note that these popup options will also reflect the JPEG/HEIC or TIFF file format for the respective popups.

Based on the setting you have selected, JPEG, HEIC, and TIFF images can then be processed with Camera Raw when you open them with Photoshop (or via Adobe Bridge to Photoshop).

Today’s Question: When a JPEG image having sRGB (or other) embedded profile is opened into Camera Raw, it appears that the image’s profile is automatically converted to Camera Raw’s working space. Is this true, and is there a workaround?

Tim’s Quick Answer: If you process a JPEG image with Camera Raw, the resulting image will indeed have the color space and bit depth modified based on the current settings in Camera Raw. You need to change the Workflow settings in the Camera Raw Preferences dialog to avoid these changes.

More Detail: If you have a JPEG image in the sRGB (or similar) color space profile, I don’t generally recommend converting the profile for the image. I also don’t recommend converting a JPEG image from 8-bit per channel to 16-bit per channel, which Camera Raw will also do by default. If you were to convert to 16-bit per channel, you would need to save the image in a different format, as JPEG only supports 8-bit per channel.

The settings for how or whether these changes are made in Camera Raw are controlled by the Workflow settings in the Camera Raw Preferences dialog. While in Camera Raw, for example, you can click the text summary below the preview image that indicates the current settings for the conversion. That will bring up the Camera Raw Preferences dialog with the Workflow tab selected. In the Color Space section, you can choose the desired color space profile (such as sRGB) and the bit depth (such as 8 Bits/Component).

It is important to keep in mind that the new settings will become the default settings for images that have not previously been processed with Camera Raw. Therefore, if you were to later process a raw capture you would want to be sure to change the bit depth to 16 Bits/Component and the color space to ProPhoto RGB (or your preferred working space profile).

The key thing to keep in mind is that if you choose to make use of the ability to process JPEG, HEIC, and TIFF images with Camera Raw, the output settings for Camera Raw will apply equally to those images, just as when processing raw captures.

Today’s Question: I was hoping I could find a way to back up the Lightroom Classic catalog but to also include the original photo files too. Is that doable?

Tim’s Quick Answer: Yes, you can back up both the Lightroom Classic catalog and all photos by using the “Export as Catalog” command.

More Detail: Lightroom Classic includes an option to back up the catalog that contains the information about your photos but doesn’t include a feature for backing up your actual photos. You will therefore need to use a separate workflow for backing up your photos.

However, there is a way to back up your Lightroom Classic catalog along with all the source photos referenced in that catalog using the “Export as Catalog” command. The caveat of this approach is that there isn’t an incremental option available. In other words, if you wanted to update an existing backup your only option would be to run through the (very) time-consuming process again.

That said, this can be a very effective way of creating a complete backup of all your photos and information contained in the Lightroom Classic catalog.

To get started, navigate to the “All Photographs” collection in the Catalog section of the left panel in the Library module. Make sure the Library Filter bar above the grid view display is set to “None”, so that all images are displayed. Then go to the menu and choose Select > None so that none of the photos are selected. This will ensure that all photos get exported, even though you haven’t selected any.

Next, go to the menu and choose File > Export as Catalog. In the dialog that appears, navigate to a location (such as an external hard drive) that contains enough storage space for your catalog and all photos. Enter a meaningful name in the “Save As” field, and make absolutely sure that the “Export negative files” checkbox is turned on. This will cause the source files to be copied, along with a copy of the catalog. You can also turn on the “Include available previews” checkbox if you want the previews included so they don’t need to be generated later.

With the settings configured, click the Export Catalog button. This will initiate the process of creating a duplicate copy of the current catalog, and copying all photos to the designated location as well. Note that your existing folder structure will be maintained with the backup copy you are exporting.

Note that “Backing Up Your Photos” is the subject of one of the classes I’ll be teaching at next week’s Lightroom Virtual Summit 2025. You can sign up for a free pass (and learn about the benefits of upgrading to a VIP Pass) here:

https://timgrey.krtra.com/t/WBNmS5VZolXc

Today’s Question: I look forward to experimenting with the new Dust Removal functionality in Camera Raw. I occasionally see dust specks that I know are on the sensor, and they appear as sharply defined spots in the image. But I also frequently get diffuse spots, usually visible only in skies and other plain fields, and my suspicion is that these are caused by dust on one of the physical lens elements, possibly internal to the lens. These are more pronounced with smaller apertures. Does the Dust Removal tool help with both scenarios? And does it help with dust that appears in digital scans from film?

Tim’s Quick Answer: Yes, the Dust feature for Distraction Removal in Camera Raw does clean up both relatively sharp and relatively diffuse dust spots that appear in an image.

More Detail: Dust spots in an image are almost exclusively caused by dust on the image sensor, which is to say dust that attaches to the filter in front of the physical sensor in the camera. Dust on a lens element is not likely to result in what we would classify as a dust spot, though dust on a lens can result in bright orbs in the image caused by the refraction of light.

The difference between relatively crisp versus diffuse dust spots generally relates exclusively to lens aperture. In addition to affecting depth of field, the lens aperture affects depth of focus at the image sensor. Thus, when the lens is stopped down dust spots will appear sharper and when the lens aperture is more open the dust spots will appear less sharp.

Fortunately, in both cases my testing has shown that the Dust feature for Distraction Removal in Camera Raw does a great job identifying and removing these spots. This is especially true for spots that appear in relatively clean areas of an image, such as the sky, because those spots stand out more readily in those areas.

And as I’ve stated previously, I fully expect that the Dust feature will be added to other Adobe applications, including both versions of the Lightroom desktop applications. I have no idea when this might happen, but I’m confident that it will, as Adobe has a good history of maintaining parity across their professional tools for photo editing.

Today’s Question: I have occasionally been getting a warning from Lightroom Classic. After editing a raw file (NEF), an exclamation mark appears on the thumbnails. When I click on the exclamation mark, a message appears that says “Lightroom has encountered problems reading this photo. You will not be able to make adjustments to the photo.” However, I can go back and make additional adjustments. What is the meaning of the warning? What can I do to avoid or correct the warning?

Tim’s Quick Answer: This warning generally indicates there is a problem with the source file, such as that it has become corrupted. It is therefore important to ensure you have a good backup, and to test the storage device the problem photos are on.

More Detail: I have seen periodic indications that the error message in question has appeared in error, with the files being perfectly fine. However, I strongly recommend assuming there may be a hardware issue causing this problem.

The most likely explanation for the error is that the file has been corrupted, or that there is a hardware problem causing intermittent issues. In either case I would be concerned that the source files could become damaged.

First, make sure you have a reliable backup of all your photos, so you can recover from that backup should a photo become corrupted. I would also use the error checking option in your operating system for the drive. This is found on the Tools tab in the Properties dialog for the hard drive on Windows, or with the Disk Utility application on Macintosh.

You can also test the source file using other software, such as to open the file directly in Photoshop. However, just because the file can be opened with other software doesn’t mean there isn’t a problem.

My personal approach is to not trust any drive that has caused me to question it more than once. A single error could be a fluke. But if there is more than one error, I assume the drive is experiencing a problem and I replace it. I’d rather spend a little extra money and do a little extra work rather than risk the loss of an entire hard drive. And again, this type of situation is a reminder of the importance of having more than one backup, and ideally an offsite (such as online) backup.

You can learn more about my workflow for backing up photos from my GreyLearning Ultimate Event on “Backing Up Your Photos”, which can be found on the GreyLearning website here:

https://www.greylearning.com/courses/greylearning-ultimate-event-backing-up-your-photos-may-2023

Today’s Question: If Lightroom Classic identifies an image as a duplicate in the Import dialog, is there a way in Lightroom Classic to find the duplicate? Sometimes my structure gets a little confused so it’s useful to find the “original” and move it to the right place.

Tim’s Quick Answer: There isn’t an automatic way to identify the duplicate image in Lightroom Classic, so I recommend importing the duplicate and then sorting all photos by capture time to locate the cause of the duplication.

More Detail: Lightroom Classic lacks a feature for automatically locating duplicate images, other than to indicate that an image is a duplicate as part of the import process. When an image is excluded from import due to being identified as a duplicate, however, the duplicate that is already in the catalog isn’t identified.

You could potentially track down the duplicate that is already in the catalog by searching by filename or by date, for example. But I find it is generally easier to track down duplicates by sorting the images based on capture time. This requires that the duplicates both be in the catalog, so to use this approach you would need to import images with the “Don’t Import Suspected Duplicates” checkbox turned off in the File Handling section of the right panel in the Import dialog.

Once the duplicate images are added to the catalog, you can browse them by navigating to the “Previous Import” collection in the Catalog section of the left panel in the Library module. Select one of the images you believe is a duplicate, and then select the “All Photographs” collection in the Catalog section of the left panel. In the grid view set the Sort popup on the toolbar below the image preview area to “Capture Time”. This will cause any duplicate images to appear adjacent to the selected image.

In this way you can relatively quickly identify duplicate images visually, confirming the duplication by evaluating metadata details such as capture time and filename. You can determine where a specific image file is located by viewing the Folder field in metadata, or by right-clicking an image and choosing “Go to Folder in Library” from the popup menu. You can then review metadata updates such as star ratings and keywords to determine which image should be kept versus discarded and perform any other updates such as to move photos to a different folder location.