Author: Tim Grey

Today’s Question: If I edit a photo from Lightroom Classic using Photoshop, and then bring it back into Lightroom Classic it is a TIFF file, and the file size is huge. Is there anything I can do to make it smaller? Also, should I combine layers before saving/closing in Photoshop?

Tim’s Quick Answer: While there are ways you can reduce the size of a TIFF file, I don’t generally recommend taking steps that will significantly reduce the size of a TIFF file that has been created as a derivative image based on a raw capture.

More Detail: I can certainly appreciate that photographers might be surprised (or even shocked) at the difference in file size between a raw capture and a TIFF (or PSD) image created based on that raw capture.

To begin with, all other things being equal a TIFF image will have a file size that is about three times larger than the raw capture it was created from. That is in large part because most raw captures only contain image data for a single color value for each pixel, while a rendered image such as a TIFF file will have all three color values (red, green, and blue) for all pixels. There are some other variables here that affect the file sizes, but the point is that a TIFF image will be approximately three times larger than the raw capture it was created from.

In addition, if you’ve created a TIFF image via Photoshop you may have used various layers as part of your work in Photoshop, which can also increase the file size. Additional image layers in particular can increase the file size considerably, but layer masks can also have an impact. Adjustment layers are of minimal impact.

While flattening the layers in an image will help reduce the file size, I do not recommend flattening what amounts to the master version of your image. Rather, I recommend keeping all layers intact to provide maximum flexibility in your workflow. You could also reduce the bit depth from 16-bits per channel to 8-bits per channel, but I do not recommend this due to the risk of posterization (the loss of smooth gradations of tone and color).

You can be sure that ZIP compression is enabled when using the TIFF format for images sent from Lightroom Classic to Photoshop. In the Preferences dialog in Lightroom Classic you can go to the External Editing tab, where you’ll find the file settings in the “Edit in Adobe Photoshop” section. I do recommend using the TIFF file format here, and making sure the Compression popup is set to “ZIP” rather than “None”.

Ultimately, processing a raw capture to a derivative image as a TIFF or PSD image will result in a file that is considerably larger than the original raw capture. However, I consider it to be worth the larger file size to be able to take advantage of the powerful tools in Photoshop and to preserve your work as layers for maximum flexibility.

Today’s Question: You referred to a DNG file as a raw capture, but I thought DNG was something that you converted a raw capture to as an alternative. What is it exactly that makes a raw capture “raw”?

Tim’s Quick Answer: A raw capture is a file that contains the data gathered by the image sensor in a digital camera, which generally means a file that contains image data that has not been demosaiced. An Adobe DNG (Digital Negative) file created by a camera or created by converting a raw capture to DNG could also be considered a raw file.

More Detail: Using raw capture helps ensure optimal image quality both by avoiding alteration of the original capture data and maintaining high-bit data. I therefore highly recommend using the raw capture format in your camera (if available) rather than other options such as JPEG capture. Using Adobe DNG in supported cameras qualifies as being a raw capture in this context.

Part of what makes a raw (including DNG) capture “raw” is that the original capture data is not processed. Most digital cameras use an image sensor that does not capture full color for all pixels. For example, with a Bayer pattern image sensor for every four photo sites (pixels) on the image sensor there will be one red pixel, two green pixels, and one blue pixel.

When the raw capture is processed the image data is interpolated to calculate the “missing” color values for each pixel. A non-raw image format (such as JPEG or TIFF) is demosaiced, meaning the full-color pixel values have been calculated.

Based on all this, if your camera offers a DNG capture option instead of or in addition to a proprietary raw capture format, I would feel perfectly comfortable making use of DNG as a raw capture format. However, if the camera also offers a proprietary capture format, it is important to note that you could lose access to certain camera-specific features that are only available when using the software from the camera manufacturer to process a proprietary raw capture.

Today’s Question: I am confused. In my camera I have set the mode to monochrome, the image is saved as DNG [Adobe Digital Negative, a raw capture format]. In the preview the image is displayed in monochrome. But in Camera Raw and Photoshop it is a color image. How can I call up and edit the monochrome image embedded in the DNG?

Tim’s Quick Answer: In this context the DNG file is a raw capture, and therefore in-camera adjustments will not be applied to the photo. The preview you’re seeing on the camera is from the embedded JPEG image, which can’t easily be extracted and will be of lower resolution than the original capture.

More Detail: With a raw capture (including when using DNG as a capture format) the vast majority of available in-camera adjustments will not be applied to the raw capture. For example, adjusting the color (or converting to black and white), enhancing contrast, and various other adjustments, will only affect the JPEG preview embedded in the original capture, but won’t be applied to the actual raw capture data.

In other words, with a raw capture you can think of the in-camera adjustments as providing a sense of what the final image might look like after you optimize it on the computer, but the adjustments will not affect the original capture. When capturing photos with a standard image format, such as JPEG, the original image is altered by the camera permanently. So, for example, if you capture a JPEG image in black and white, you can’t revert to a color original because in this case the original doesn’t contain color.

It is technically possible to extract the JPEG preview from a DNG file, using a tool such as ExifTool (https://exiftool.org). However, this is not a simple task, and the extracted preview would be a reduced resolution image compared to the original capture.

My recommendation is to continue using raw capture (including DNG as a raw capture format), but to save your adjustments for after the capture. If setting your camera to black and white is helpful in your photographic process, that’s absolutely fine. Just be sure you are aware that you’ll need to apply adjustments to the image on your computer after the capture to achieve a result similar to what you saw on your camera’s LCD display.

Today’s Question: Is there a way to make a 1:1 duplicate of a file in Lightroom Classic?

Tim’s Quick Answer: Yes, you can make an exact duplicate of a source image in Lightroom Classic by using a bit of trick with the Export feature, essentially exporting a copy of the image and adding it back to the catalog.

More Detail: By using a specific combination of settings in the Export dialog in Lightroom Classic you can create a copy of an image in the same folder as the image selected for export and add that copy back to the catalog.

To get started, select the photo you want to duplicate in this way. Then click the Export button at the bottom of the left panel in the Library module to bring up the Export dialog.

In the Export Location section of the Export dialog set the destination to the location where you want to save the derivative image you’re creating via the export. For example, you could set the Export To popup to “Same folder as original photo” to save the exported copy to the same folder as the original you’ve selected. In this case make sure the “Put in Subfolder” checkbox is turned off. However, you can save the new derivative image to any location you’d like.

Be sure to also turn on the “Add to This Catalog” checkbox in the Export Location section, so the exported image will be added to the catalog. This will enable you to manage that derivative copy using your normal workflow.

If you’re saving the exported copy to the same folder as the original image, you’ll need to rename the copy as well. To do so turn on the “Rename To” checkbox in the File Naming section of the export dialog. You can then use a preset from the popup as a starting point. Choose “Edit” from that same popup if you want to customize the settings for renaming, such as by using the original filename along with custom text you can define, such as to add the word “Copy” to the end of the filename.

In the File Settings section you can choose the file type you want to use for the exported copy. If you’re truly making an exact copy of the source image, you will want to choose “Original” from the Image Format popup so the copy will be the same file type as the original. This will also disable the in the Image Sizing, Output Sharpening, Metadata, and Watermarking sections, since you’re making a copy of the source file without modification in this case.

After configuring the settings for the export, you can click the Export dialog and the new image will be created and saved based on the settings you selected.

Today’s Question: If apply edits to a virtual copy in Lightroom Classic and then save it as a TIFF or JPEG, will I have a complete copy or just another virtual copy?

Tim’s Quick Answer: If you generated a TIFF or JPEG image based on a virtual copy in Lightroom Classic, you would indeed be creating an actual TIFF or JPEG file, not another virtual copy.

More Detail: A virtual copy in Lightroom Classic is really just a second reference to a raw capture. When you apply adjustments to a raw capture you aren’t altering the source capture file. Rather, you’re effectively saving metadata associated with the original capture. Creating a virtual copy is simply a process of creating an additional set of metadata for the same source capture.

Creating a TIFF or JPEG copy based on a source image generally involves using the export feature in Lightroom Classic. When you export a photo, you’re making an additional derivative image file, not simply creating a new virtual copy. The fact that you selected a virtual copy as the source image for the export isn’t a factor. Exporting a virtual copy is effectively the same as exporting the original raw capture, for example. In both cases a new derivative image file is created based on the original capture, just based on potentially different settings for the original versus the virtual copy.

Of course, when you export a file in this way, the resulting image will be based on the source image. With a virtual copy that means the exported image will match the appearance of the virtual copy. So, for example, if the original capture was in color, but you converted the virtual copy to black and white, exporting based on the original would produce a color derivative image, while exporting the virtual copy would result in a black and white derivative image.

Today’s Question: When traveling, it would be nice to have the same Keyword List, Develop Presets, and Metadata Presets in Lightroom Classic on my laptop as I have on my desktop computer. I know you can copy the Keyword List, but can you also copy your Develop Presets and Metadata Presets?

Tim’s Quick Answer: Yes, you can copy the Keyword List, the Develop module presets, and your metadata presets to another computer so they are available in Lightroom Classic on both computers.

More Detail: You can export all keywords from the Keyword List in Lightroom Classic and then import that list into Lightroom Classic on another computer. To do so first export the Keyword List by going to the Library module and choosing Metadata > Keywords > Include Keyword Tag Options from the menu. In the dialog that appears navigate to a convenient location for saving the list, enter a meaningful name in the “Save As” field, and click the Save button.

You can then copy the exported file to your other computer and import the list into Lightroom Classic by choosing Metadata > Import Keywords from the menu. Navigate to the location where you saved the file, select the file, and click the Choose button. All keywords from the imported file will then appear in the Keyword List on the right panel in the Library module.

For the Develop presets you can export individual presets or copy the contents of the presets folder. To export individual Develop module presets right-click on the name of the preset in the Presets list on the left panel and choose “Export” from the popup that appears. The resulting XMP sidecar files can then be copied to the applicable folder for the Develop presets as outlined below.

To copy all Develop presets or to copy metadata templates first go to the Preferences dialog in Lightroom Classic by choosing Edit > Preferences on Windows or Lightroom Classic > Preferences on Macintosh. Go to the Presets tab, where you can click on the “Show Lightroom Develop Presets” button to open a window in your operating system where the Develop module presets are stored, or the “Show All Other Lighroom Presets” button to bring up a window for the other presets.

For the Develop module presets you’ll want to copy the “Settings” folder to transfer presets you’ve created directly within Lightroom Classic, and the “ImportedSettings” folder to transfer presets you imported into Lightroom Classic, perhaps having obtained presets from someone else.

For the metadata presets you’ll need to open the Lightroom folder that is highlighted in the windows that opened when you clicked the button in the Preferences dialog. You can then copy the “Metadata Presets” folder to your other computer.

On the destination computer use the same process of clicking the button in the Preferences dialog to reveal the preset storage location and put the folders into the same structure as they were on the source computer. Restart Lightroom Classic on the destination computer, and you’ll have your presets available.

Today’s Question: While working in the Develop module [in Lightroom Classic], is there any way to see the information that is displayed in the Library module (lens, focal length, exposure, etc.) without having to switch back and forth between the modules?

Tim’s Quick Answer: Yes, you can display the information overlay on the image in the Develop module of Lightroom Classic by pressing the letter “I” on the keyboard to cycle through the information options. You can configure which information is displayed in the View Options dialog.

More Detail: In Lightroom Classic you can display an information overlay on an image in the loupe view, and you can configure two different options for which information is displayed. Pressing the letter “I” on the keyboard will cycle you between the three options, which are information #1, information #1, and no overlay display.

To configure the information overlay options, choose View > View Options from the menu while working from either the Library module or the Develop module. If you selected the menu command while in the Library module, be sure to select the Loupe View tab from the top of the dialog.

You can then configure the three metadata options for both “Loupe Info 1” and “Loupe Info 2”. The option selected from the first of the three popups will appear in a larger font than the other two, so you may want to select what you consider to be the more important metadata value from that popup.

So, for example, you might configure the settings for Loupe Info 1 to include “File Name and Copy Name”, “Capture Date/Time”, and “Camera + Lens”.. You might set Loupe Info 2 to include “File Name and Copy Name”, “Exposure Settings”, and “Title”. The options you select depend on what information is most helpful for you to view, and which metadata fields you tend to update. For example, if you don’t add text to the Title field in metadata there’s no sense adding that to the information overlay.

Once you’ve configured the info overlay settings the way you’d like them, you can close the View Options dialog. From that point forward you can cycle through the info overlay displays by pressing the letter “I” on the keyboard while working in either the Develop module or the Library module.

Today’s Question: You have recommended creating a separate catalog for Lightroom Classic while traveling and then merging that catalog with your main catalog when you get home. When traveling recently I wanted to share a collection of wedding photos with guests the day after. However, I couldn’t sync the collection with Adobe Cloud unless I disabled sync for my main catalog. I used my SmugMug plugin instead. Are there any other methods you would suggest? Also, any collections I create while on the road are not copied over to my main catalog. Do you have any suggestions for how to re-create those collections?

Tim’s Quick Answer: Both issues can be avoided if you bring your main catalog with you when you travel, but there are other options available as well.

More Detail: While it is indeed possible to use a separate catalog when traveling and then merge that catalog with your primary catalog when you return home, it can be helpful and convenient to instead travel with your primary catalog.

For example, a laptop has been my primary computer for about twenty years, (I don’t even own a desktop computer). Therefore, I keep my Lightroom Classic catalog on my laptop, so that the catalog is always with me. This eliminates the need to merge catalogs later, and also means that all features are readily available, including cloud-based synchronization that can only be enabled for a single catalog at a time.

If you want to be able to work from a desktop computer at home and a laptop computer when traveling, you can also keep your catalog on an external hard drive. You can then connect that hard drive to whichever computer you’re using at the time and open the catalog directly from the external drive.

If you prefer to use a separate catalog when traveling, the cloud-based synchronization will still be an issue. I don’t recommend switching between different catalogs for synchronization, because that can lead to confusion and duplication of images that are synchronized. In this scenario I would suggest using an online service such as SmugMug when you need to share images online from your traveling catalog.

If you’re working with a traveling catalog, you can absolutely bring collections and all other features of Lightroom Classic into your primary catalog when you return home. You just need to be sure to use the “Import from Another Catalog” command to merge the catalogs, so that all information about your photos will be reflected in the primary catalog.