Ask Tim Grey

Today’s Question: Does the “Create Saved Print” tab in the Print module do the same thing [as exporting from Lightroom Classic and adding the exported image back to the catalog]?

Tim’s Quick Answer: No. A saved print in Lightroom Classic preserves the print layout, but that does not create a new file that has all the adjustments applied. Rather, the saved project is a collection with a reference to the source images used for the print layout.

More Detail: Today’s question is a follow-up to the question from February 12th, where the photographer who asked the question wanted to “lock in” the adjustments applied to an image for a print as a separate derivative image. My recommendation was to export a copy of the original and add that exported image back to the catalog by turning on the “Add to This Catalog” checkbox in the Export dialog.

When you create a saved print in the Print module, you’re preserving the print layout (via a collection) while maintaining a reference to the image(s) used in the print layout. This does not create a derivative image with the adjustments applied. In fact, if you were to modify the source image that was included in a saved print and then returned to the saved print, the changes to the original would be reflected in the print layout.

For example, let’s assume you saved a print that included only one image that was in color. Then you go to the source image that was used in the saved print layout and convert it to black and white. At that point if you return to the saved print, the layout will show the image in black and white rather than color.

So, a saved print is really just a way to preserve a specific print layout, not to create a derivative copy of an image that has the adjustments previously applied “baked in” to that image.

Today’s Question: If I need to replace the external hard drive that I am using for Time Machine because it is full, is there a way to move those backups to the new hard drive so that I can maintain all my backups on one drive?

Tim’s Quick Answer: Yes, you can migrate to a new and larger hard drive for Time Machine (for MacOS users) by disabling the backup, copying the backups to the new drive, and adding the new drive to Time Machine and enabling automatic backups again.

More Detail: Because the Time Machine backup maintains multiple versions of the files you back up, it can consume considerable storage space over time. For this reason, I generally recommend using a hard drive that has at least double the capacity of the drive you’re backing up with Time Machine. For example, if you have a 2TB internal hard drive you’re backing up with Time Machine, I recommend using a 4TB hard drive for that backup.

Note, however, that just because the Time Machine drive gets full doesn’t mean you need to replace it. If the date range for available backups shown in the Time Machine settings in System Settings goes back far enough for you to be comfortable, you can just continue using the current drive. Time Machine will automatically delete older backups as needed. The only reason to upgrade to a larger hard drive for Time Machine is if the backups don’t go back as far as you would like them to due to a lack of adequate storage space.

If you need to migrate to a larger hard drive, you could simply add the new drive in Time Machine, but that would not retain the historical backups on the same drive. So before adding the new drive to Time Machine, you’ll need to take a couple of other steps first.

Start by disabling the automatic backup, so that changes aren’t being made while you copy the files. To do so, go to System Settings, choose General from the left panel, and then choose Time Machine from the right panel. Click the Options button and set the Backup Frequency popup to Manually. Click Done to apply the change.

Next, copy the contents of the existing Time Machine drive to the new drive. Once that copy has finished, click the plus (+) button at the bottom of the Time Machine settings in System Settings and add the new drive as a backup drive in Time Machine. Then to back to the Options dialog and enable automatic backups. I recommend using the “Automatically Every Hour” setting for the automatic backup.

You can then continue using the new drive as your Time Machine backup drive, including the ability to go back in Time Machine to files that had originally been backed up using the prior hard drive.

Today’s Question: I read with interest your post on digitizing analog photos. There’s a company called “Negative Supply” that has a lot of products (on the B&H website) which look like they’ll do a decent job. Any insight or comments on this do-it-yourself sort of approach, other than the time involved?

Tim’s Quick Answer: You can most certainly scan your own photos rather than using a service such as ScanMyPhotos (https://www.timgreyphoto.com/scan). The main drawback is of course the time you’ll spend scanning the images, the need to buy some additional gear, and the precision that can be required in setting up your camera to photograph the slides or negatives.

More Detail: If you want to scan your film images yourself rather than pay someone else to do that work, there are certainly options available. The three basic categories of hardware for this purpose are film scanners, flatbed scanners, and accessories that enable you to photograph the slides and negatives.

The products from Negative Supply (https://bhpho.to/4gwULCg) revolve around the latter option, where you use your camera to photograph the slides or negatives. This involves an illumination source to backlight the slides and negatives, a mount to hold the film perfectly flat, and a stand to mount your camera above the film you’re photographing. You could also use a tripod for this purpose, but this does make it a little more challenging to get the camera lined up properly. That said, this is absolutely a viable approach, and many photographers have used variations on this type of setup to digitize their analog originals.

I prefer the use of a dedicated film scanner, in part because this makes it much easier to scan images with minimal effort, and the scan quality is generally very good. One scanner I’ve had the opportunity to test and got good results with is the Plustek OpticFilm 8200i film scanner (https://bhpho.to/3qIfxdX). There are other options, though not as many as there had been in the earlier days of the transition from film to digital.

Many flatbed scanners also support scanning slides and negatives, but this is generally not my preferred solution. In many cases the quality is not as good as can be achieved with other means, and it can be a little more labor-intensive to get properly aligned scans. That said, a flatbed scanner that supports scanning transparencies via a built-in backlight does provide a relatively economical solution to scanning slides and negatives. I just prefer to use a dedicated film scanner, using a flatbed only when scanning photo prints and documents.

Today’s Question: I went to the Creative Cloud application and under recent updates I have 2 versions of Photoshop: version 26.3 and version 25.12.1. I have no idea why. Can you help explain why and what I should do?

Tim’s Quick Answer: You have two different versions of Photoshop installed, which in this case is an indication that when you installed version 26 of Photoshop you did not uninstall the older version. Once you’re confident that the latest version is working properly, you can uninstall the older version.

More Detail: When there is a new major release (a whole number version number without a decimal) of Photoshop (or other Adobe applications) it won’t simply update the existing version, but rather will install alongside the prior version. So, for example, when version 26 is installed it is added alongside version 25 unless you choose to uninstall version 25.

I actually recommend keeping the prior version of Adobe applications when installing a new major release, so it is easier to go back to the earlier version should you run into any problems with the new version. Once you are confident that the new version is working properly, however, you can uninstall the older version.

To uninstall an older version of an application, go to the Creative Cloud application (where you install updates) and choose Apps from the toolbar along the left side of the window. Then, on the “Installed apps” panel at the far right, locate the product you want to remove, such as Photoshop in this case.

Hover the mouse pointer over the name of the application, and click on the ellipsis (three dots) that appears to the right, choosing “Other versions” from the popup menu. This will bring up a dialog with a list of available earlier versions. You can click the “Uninstall” button to the right of any version you want to remove. In this case, for example, you could leave version 26.3 installed, but uninstall version 25.12.1.

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.

Today’s Question: What settings do you recommend when having slides scanned such as with the ScanMyPhotos service you recommended in your recent video?

Tim’s Quick Answer: I recommend having your slides scanned at 4,000 pixel per inch resolution. If you want to maximize image quality I recommend saving the images as TIFF files. If you’re simply digitizing to preserve photo memories, then saving as JPEG is perfectly fine.

More Detail: When scanning slides or negatives, I recommend using the highest optical resolution available for the scanner. In the case of the ScanMyPhotos service (https://www.timgreyphoto.com/scan), that means 4,000 pixel per inch scanning. Note that for prints I typically scan at 600 dpi, because prints don’t contain as much information as film images.

As noted in the video I recently shared, in my case the slides I was having scanned date back to my early days in photography, and so they don’t represent my best work. As such, I was perfectly happy to have the scanned images saved as JPEG files so they wouldn’t consume as much storage. However, if you anticipate printing the images or otherwise want to ensure maximum quality, I recommend saving the images as TIFF files.

If you missed my video about digitizing your analog photos, you can find it on my “Tim Grey TV” channel on YouTube here:

https://youtu.be/d8N7dNBl2tA

Today’s Question: I am reworking an older file that I took several years ago. I really like the image but there are some red artifacts in the unprocessed raw file that I can’t seem to correct. Is it normal to have artifacts in an unprocessed raw file?

Tim’s Quick Answer: The color fringing you’re seeing are chromatic aberrations and can be corrected using the Lens Corrections adjustments in Lightroom Classic or the Optics adjustments in Camera Raw or Lightroom.

More Detail: Chromatic aberrations are a type of visible artifact caused by certain lenses, particularly wide-angle lenses and lenses of relatively low quality. Fortunately, these artifacts can generally be corrected somewhat easily.

The first step is to turn on the “Remove Chromatic Aberration” checkbox on the Profile tab under Lens Corrections or Optics. I generally find this provides a good solution about half the time, and when it doesn’t resolve the issue, you can switch to the Manual tab.

On the Manual tab you can increase the value for the Amount sliders for Purple and Green, depending on which colors are present. These sliders affect the strength of the correction being applied to reduce the appearance of chromatic aberrations.

You can also use the two slider handles to adjust the Purple Hue and Green Hue ranges as needed. You want to expand the range enough to cover the full range of colors seen in the chromatic aberrations, but not so much that the effect impacts surrounding colors. For example, if you expand the Green Hue range to extend too far into blue, it could affect areas of sky.

By carefully balancing the strength of the effect for each color along with the range of color values being affected, in most cases you can greatly reduce the appearance of the chromatic aberrations. With many images that will translate to a complete correction without any color artifacts remaining.

Today’s Question: What is the best configuration to use the same Lightroom Classic catalog on two computers? Do I need to move the catalog to an external hard drive?

Tim’s Quick Answer: Yes, if you want to be able to access the same Lightroom Classic catalog on more than one computer, my recommendation is to keep the catalog on an external hard drive. For convenience, I suggest keeping the catalog on the same external hard drive where your photos are stored.

More Detail: The core architecture of Lightroom Classic does not support storing the catalog on a network volume, which limits your options when it comes to accessing your catalog from more than one computer. While it is feasible to store the catalog on a cloud-based storage platform such as Dropbox or OneDrive, I don’t recommend doing so because of the risk of corruption or a lack complete synchronization.

Therefore, if you want to be able to access a single catalog on more than one computer, the approach I recommend is to store the catalog on an external hard drive along with your photos. You can then connect that external hard drive to any computer with Lightroom Classic and open the catalog from the external hard drive.

If you want to take this approach, first quit Lightroom Classic so the catalog won’t be in use. Then copy the folder that contains your catalog and related files to the external hard drive. Once the folder is copied, rename the original to indicate it is now just a backup copy, such as by adding “Backup” to the beginning of the folder name.

You can then double-click the catalog file (with the .lrcat filename extension) from the folder on your external hard drive to open that catalog in Lightroom Classic. Windows users should note that they’ll need to be sure the external hard drive retains the same drive letter on each computer, so Lightroom Classic can find them where they are expected.

Today’s Question: One thing I’ve never understood is all the stacking for HDR. I’ve done that and it’s cool and all but in normal conditions I simple take two exposures one for the darks and one for the light and then blend them. What is the purpose of taking more than two shots when you can capture all the darks and lights with two?

Tim’s Quick Answer: For high dynamic range (HDR) images you only need enough exposures to cover the full range of light from the darkest shadows to the brightest highlights. If two exposures are enough, there’s no need to capture more.

More Detail: You can most certainly assemble two exposures into an HDR image, or even just blend the two images with a layer mask in Photoshop. However, more often than not I find that in situations where a single exposure won’t cover the full range of contrast in a scene, two exposures isn’t quite enough either.

To start with, I recommend separating exposures for HDR by two stops. If you separate by more than two stops, you may not have enough overlap in the tonal range for the exposures, causing problems for the final HDR image. You can separate exposures by less than two stops, but there’s no benefit to doing so.

Another consideration is that it is often easiest to use automatic exposure bracketing (AEB) to capture the exposures for an HDR image, in part to enable you to have those exposures captured in a short a time period as possible to avoid changes between exposures in the scene you’re photographing. Most cameras default to three exposures for bracketing, though many cameras offer additional options such as to bracket five, seven, or nine exposures.

I often capture bracketed exposures in sets of five images, just to provide some insurance with the bracketing, and to avoid needing to frequently change the camera settings to capture a different number of bracketed exposures. But if you end up with more bracketed exposures than you really need, you can exclude the unnecessary exposures when assembling an HDR image or even delete the exposures you don’t need.