Category: Ask Tim Grey

Today’s Question: With the ability to select people automatically in Photoshop as well as in Camera Raw [or Lightroom Classic], do you recommend selecting people when processing the raw image in Camera Raw or after opening the image in Photoshop?

Tim’s Quick Answer: If you’re using Camera Raw (rather than Lightroom Classic) with Photoshop, I generally prefer to apply targeted adjustments in Photoshop rather than Camera Raw for greater workflow flexibility.

More Detail: There are tools for automatically selecting people (or specific portions of people) in Photoshop, Camera Raw, Lightroom Classic, and Lightroom, and they all produce similar (and generally good) results. Whether you select people in Photoshop or Camera Raw (or Lightroom Classic or Lightroom) depends in part on your workflow preferences.

If you’re using Camera Raw and Photoshop, it is common to only process a single image once in Camera Raw and then work exclusively in Photoshop after that. Because of that, I generally prefer to apply targeted adjustments in Photoshop rather than Camera Raw. That way, you can always return to the targeted adjustment in Photoshop later rather than having to start over with the raw capture if you wanted to make a change to a targeted adjustment.

Note, by the way, that you can use the new option for selecting people with the Object Selection tool in Photoshop. With an image opening people open, and the Object Selection tool active, click the “Select people” button on the Options bar. This will bring up a dialog where you can choose a person and then click on the applicable buttons for the portions of the person you want to select. Then click the Apply button, and you’ll have a selection that you can use as the basis of a targeted adjustment with an adjustment layer, for example.

By creating the selection and targeted adjustment in Photoshop rather than Camera Raw, you have more flexibility in terms of refining those adjustments, as long as you work with adjustment layers and include those layers when saving the image. Later you can open the layered image and refine the layer mask or the adjustment settings for your targeted adjustment.

Note that for Lightroom Classic and Lightroom users, because you can easily return to any image to refine your adjustments, there’s no need to send the image to Photoshop to take advantage of the people selection feature. You can simply use the People option for the masking feature to apply targeted adjustments involving people.

Today’s Question: I sent an image to Photoshop with ‘edit in’ command, did a little work, then saved and it goes back to Lightroom Classic. Then “Edit in” to Photoshop again, did major work with lots of layers and actions, but it wrote over the original when I saved it back to Lightroom with the Save command. I really wanted both copies because they were significantly different. How can I do that?

Tim’s Quick Answer: If you want an additional copy of a TIFF (or other non-raw file format) when sending an image to Photoshop from Lightroom Classic, you need to choose one of the “Edit a Copy” options in the dialog that appears.

More Detail: When you send a non-raw image from Lightroom Classic to Photoshop, you’re asked whether you want to edit a copy of the selected image or the original image you’ve selected for editing. The dialog with these options is not shown when you send a raw capture to Photoshop, because in that case the derivative image that is created will be saved based on the settings you have established on the External Editing tab of the Preferences dialog in Lightroom Classic.

When you send a non-raw file, such as a TIFF from Lightroom Classic to Photoshop, you have three options for how to handle the file, which are shown in a dialog that appears after choosing the “Edit In” command.

If you choose “Edit a Copy with Lightroom Adjustments”, you will create an additional copy of the selected image. Note, however, that if the selected image contained layers from Photoshop, those layers will be flattened in the copy in order to apply the adjustments from the Develop module in Lightroom Classic.

If you choose “Edit a Copy”, all layers and other attributes of the selected image will be retained, with a copy of that file being created. In order to support this, however, while you’re working in Photoshop any adjustments you had applied in Lightroom Classic after the source image was created in Photoshop will not be visible while you’re working in Photoshop.

For example, if you convert a color TIFF image to black and white in Lightroom Classic, when you send the image to Photoshop with the “Edit a Copy” option, while you’re in Photoshop the image will appear in color. However after you’ve performed your work in Photoshop and saved and closed the image, it will appear in black and white again when you get back to Lightroom Classic.

The third option for the “Edit In” command in this context is “Edit Original”. This means you are opening the source image in Photoshop without making a copy. Therefore, if you started with only one copy of that image, after working with it in Photoshop you’ll still only have one copy. This could cause you to lose some information from the original, such as if you applied a destructive crop in Photoshop.

So, if you want to retain both the original file and a new derivative copy when sending an image from Lightroom Classic to Photoshop, be sure to choose one of the “Edit a Copy” options. If you want to avoid making an additional derivative copy of the image, you can choose “Edit Original”. Just be sure you understand what the impact of choosing one option or the other will be.

Today’s Question: With respect to the [April 10th] question/answer [about deleting previews in Lightroom Classic], if previews are deleted to recapture disk space, does metadata still remain with the photos so that using search criteria, one could still locate the photo and restore the preview?

Tim’s Quick Answer: Yes, discarding previews in Lightroom Classic will not cause any metadata to be lost, either in the catalog or in the source files on your hard drive. Discarding previews simply clears the image from the cache, and a preview will be built again the next time you browse the photos.

More Detail: The Standard and 1:1 previews in Lightroom Classic are simply a cache to enable faster browsing of photos, and as such there is no serious harm caused by discarding previews. The only drawback to discarding previews is that the next time you browse the affected photos there will be a brief delay in rendering the preview. That generally results in a preview that looks a bit soft at first, and then improves in quality once the preview is built.

Discarding previews will not remove any metadata from the Lightroom Classic catalog, nor will it cause metadata saved to the source images to be lost. That includes both metadata saved to standard image formats such as JPEG and TIFF, as well as metadata saved to XMP sidecar files for proprietary raw captures.

Therefore, it is perfectly safe to discard previews for selected photos (or even all photos in the catalog) by selecting the applicable photos and going to the menu and choosing Library > Previews > Discard Standard and 1:1 Previews. It is even safe to delete the previews file associated with your catalog to quickly free up a large amount of storage space, though I don’t recommend doing so unless you’re confident you are very familiar with which files in the catalog folder are critical and which are safe to delete.

Today’s Question: When I photograph in Raw+JPEG and import the photos to Lightroom Classic, it only imports the raw file, but not the JPEG file. Is there a way to import both files?

Tim’s Quick Answer: Yes, you can import both images for Raw+JPEG captures by turning on the “Treat JPEG files next to raw files as separate photos” checkbox in Preferences.

More Detail: I feel I should hasten to point out that I don’t recommend using Raw+JPEG capture when using Lightroom Classic to manage your photos. Lightroom Classic will generate a JPEG preview based on the raw capture that is used for faster performance outside the Develop module (where the source image is used). In my view there isn’t any advantage to having the additional clutter of a JPEG for every raw capture. If you need a JPEG for sharing, for example, you can export based on the raw capture.

If you do prefer to use Raw+JPEG, by default during import Lightroom Classic will download both files, but will only add the raw capture to the catalog. You can import both images for Raw+JPEG pairs by turning on the “Treat JPEG files next to raw files as separate photos” checkbox on the General tab of the Preferences dialog.

For Raw+JPEG captures that were previously imported without the JPEG files being added to the catalog, you can add those images with the Synchronize Folder command. Start by right-clicking on the applicable folder in the Folders list on the left panel in the Library module, choosing “Synchronize Folder” from the popup menu.

In the Synchronize Folder dialog, turn on the “Import new photos” checkbox and make sure the “Remove missing photos from catalog” and “Scan for metadata updates” checkboxes are turned off. I also recommend turning on the “Show import dialog before importing” checkbox so you can adjust the import settings as needed. Then click the Synchronize button, and if you opted to have the Import dialog appear adjust the settings there and click the Import button.

Today’s Question: I’m going to be traveling without internet access for a couple weeks. I want to be sure I won’t lose access to Lightroom Classic and Photoshop along the way. How long can I be offline before I lose access to these applications?

Tim’s Quick Answer: If you have an Adobe Creative Cloud plan with an annual commitment (even if you’re paying monthly) you have 129 days of offline access. For month-to-month plans (without an annual commitment) the grace period is limited to 30 days or less.

More Detail: Adobe requires that your license for Creative Cloud applications be validated periodically to confirm you have an active subscription. The software will check every 30 days and then will warn you if validation wasn’t possible. At that point you will then have a 99-day grace period before the software is unavailable or feature limited. This adds up to up to 129 days of offline use if you are on a plan with an annual commitment rather than a month-to-month plan.

With month-to-month plans the grace period is only 30 days. That grace period may also be further limited by other factors, such as where you purchased the software.

To maximize your offline access, you’ll want to validate your license with Adobe. My understanding is that the only way to do this (and therefore reset the clock for maximum offline access) is to sign out of the Creative Cloud application, and then sign in again.

You can read more details about offline access for Adobe applications on their website here:

https://helpx.adobe.com/creative-cloud/kb/internet-connection-creative-cloud-apps.html

Today’s Question: When working with Adobe Camera Raw (ACR) I attempted to Save an image using the “Save a Copy” command. My intent was to save image as a JPEG but that option wasn’t available. I then attempted to Print but the Print command was not available. Is it possible the problem lies with the fact that I used the HDR [High Dynamic Range] option while in ACR?

Tim’s Quick Answer: The specific issue here is that the file is in the 32-bit per channel bit depth, which is an option for high dynamic range (HDR) images. Converting the image to 16-bit per channel after processing will enable the features that aren’t supported for 32-bit per channel images.

More Detail: By default, when you assemble an HDR image from a set of bracketed exposures in Camera Raw, the result will be a 16-bit per channel image. However, you can generate a 32-bit per channel HDR image by turning on the “Enable HDR editing by default for HDR photos” checkbox on the Defaults tab of the Camera Raw Preferences dialog.

A 32-bit per channel image is a true HDR image, but by default in Camera Raw when you create an HDR image the tone-mapping step is applied as part of that process, resulting in a 16-bit per channel image. But if you enable HDR processing, the result will be a 32-bit per channel image.

Converting an HDR as a 32-bit per channel image gives you the option to perform the tone-mapping with other tools, such as the Image > Adjustments > HDR Toning command in Photoshop, a variety of plug-ins, for example. However, in general I don’t consider this type of workflow to be advantageous for processing HDR images, because Camera Raw already provides great tools for optimizing those photos.

Therefore, unless you have a specific reason for wanting to work with 32-bit per channel images, I suggest turning off the HDR checkbox in the Camera Raw Preferences dialog and rendering your HDR images as 16-bit per channel images instead. Note that as long as you’re happy with how the 32-bit image had been processed, you can also convert it to 16-bit per channel in Photoshop by choosing Image > Mode > 16 Bits/Channel from the menu.

Today’s Question: There are two ways to send an image to Topaz Photo AI from Lightroom Classic. With the Edit In command a TIFF file is created. With the Plug-in Extras command the raw file is sent to Topaz and a DNG file is created. I either don’t see or, more importantly, understand why one method is that much better or preferable than the other. Am I missing anything here?

Tim’s Quick Answer: The two reasons to opt for the plug-in route are to achieve (at least in theory) higher image quality and to end up with a smaller file size.

More Detail: With certain plug-ins for Lightroom Classic you are able to send the raw capture to the plug-in, rather than having Lightroom Classic generate a derivative file (such as a TIFF) first.

The key principle here is that there is an advantage (at least in theory) to having software process the raw capture rather than rendering the raw to a standard image file format first. This enables the software to process the original raw data, rather than being based on how Lightroom Classic rendered the data.

This advantage is largely theoretical, by virtue of the fact that raw-processing software in general has improved significantly, and that there is generally only a modest benefit to applying adjustments as part of processing the raw capture rather than applying those adjustments after the raw capture has been rendered. Therefore I would say that sending the raw capture is a best practice, but it isn’t likely to result in any difference you can clearly see in the processed image.

The more impactful issue relates to the file format used in this particular example. If you use the Edit In command to send the image to Topaz Photo AI, the result will be a TIFF file that will typically be several times larger than the DNG file that is created when you use the Plug-in Extras command. That can add up to significant additional storage consumption if you process a large number of images with the plug-in.

Of course, if you later send the DNG file to Photoshop, you’ll end up creating another file with a different file format (such as TIFF), which would result in even more storage space being consumed compared to simply generating a TIFF in the first place and editing that same TIFF in Photoshop without creating a derivative copy.

Today’s Question: Is there a way to apply a Develop preset to multiple photos at one time in Lightroom Classic?

Tim’s Quick Answer: Yes, you can apply a Develop preset to multiple photos by using Quick Develop in the Library module or by synchronizing adjustments in the Develop module.

More Detail: If you want to apply a Develop preset to multiple images in Lightroom Classic, there are several ways to go about it. You could, of course, apply the preset by choosing it from the Develop Settings popup in the Apply During Import section of the right panel in the Import dialog.

If you want to apply a preset to multiple images after import, you can do so in either the Library or Develop modules.

In the Library module you can select multiple photos in the grid view display, then choose the desired preset from the Saved Preset popup in the Quick Develop section of the right panel. This will apply the preset to all selected images (as long as you’re in the grid view) just as though you had applied the preset in the Develop module.

It is also possible to apply the same preset to multiple selected photos in the Develop module by using the synchronization feature. Start by selecting multiple images on the filmstrip, and then turn on the Auto Sync feature by clicking the toggle control (it looks like a light switch) on the left side of the Sync button at the bottom of the right panel. Doing so will change the button to “Auto Sync”, and you can turn off Auto Sync using the toggle control again.

With the Auto Sync feature enabled you can apply a preset (and any other adjustments you’d like) and the adjustments will be applied to all selected images. I do recommend turning off Auto Sync when you’re done, just to avoid a situation where you don’t realize it is enabled and you think you’re only applying adjustments to a single image.

Today’s Question: Your mention of applying Auto during import in Lightroom Classic reminded me of an issue I’ve run into. If I apply Auto to an image after import, the adjustment is no longer available. But if I apply Auto as part of a preset during import, after the import the Auto adjustment is available, and clicking it causes the appearance of the image to change. What’s going on here?

Tim’s Quick Answer: This behavior is a known issue in Lightroom Classic, and my understanding is that this is due to how the images are processed during import versus after import.

More Detail: When you apply the Auto adjustment during import (by including the “Auto Settings” adjustment when creating a preset that you apply during import) that adjustment will still be available for images after they have been import, and applying Auto after import will generally result in different adjustment settings than were assigned at import.

My understanding is that this behavior is due to Lightroom Classic using the embedded preview when applying Auto during import, versus evaluating the source image (such as a raw capture) when applying a preset after import. My assumption that this is done to speed performance, and therefore that it may not be an issue that will be fixed. In other words, it may not be considered a bug by Adobe.

I generally treat the Auto adjustment as simply providing an updated look for a photo based on an analysis of the image. In other words, when I apply Auto I consider it to be just providing a better starting point for the image preview, and I will then refine all adjustments for the image based on how I want to interpret the image. However, if you want to update the Auto adjustment after applying it with a preset on import, you would need to apply Auto again after the import.

Today’s Question: I have noticed as I import photos into Lightroom Classic the images initially appear better exposed, with the display shows “loading”, and as it finishes the photo automatically gets darker. Any idea why?

Tim’s Quick Answer: This behavior is caused by Lightroom Classic initially showing the embedded preview from the camera, then updating to the preview generated by Lightroom Classic. You can likely improve the results by applying a preset during import, such as one including the Auto adjustment.

More Detail: When you initially import photos into Lightroom Classic (or when there otherwise is not a preview built by Lightroom Classic) you will initially see the embedded preview for the image. This is the preview generated by your camera and can include any adjustments you had applied in-camera. For example, in many cases cameras enable you to apply adjustments to boost the contrast or saturation of photos, among other options.

While Lightroom Classic will initially show you the embedded preview in these cases, that preview will be replaced by a Standard preview generated by Lightroom Classic whenever you browse photos that don’t already have a Standard preview. Because the Standard preview is generated by Lightroom Classic without taking into account any adjustments applied in-camera, the Standard preview can look different from the camera’s preview.

The Standard preview in Lightroom Classic does take into account any adjustments that have been applied in the Develop module, of course. When importing new photos you obviously won’t have applied adjustments in the Develop module, but you can apply a preset during import to apply adjustments that will impact the Standard previews.

For example, you could create a preset in the Develop module that includes the “Auto Settings” option, so that the Auto adjustment will be applied as part of the import. You can also include any other adjustments you’d like to apply to images upon import. For example, I apply Lens Corrections, Clarity, and Vibrance as part of the preset I typically apply to photos during import.

Applying a preset during import can help improve the initial preview for your images, especially for situations where you had adjustments applied in the camera that won’t be applicable in Lightroom Classic. And, of course, you can also apply the same preset to images after import to update those photos with the same adjustments.