Ask Tim Grey

Today’s Question: Is there a way to add the image rotation buttons to the toolbar in the Develop module in Lightroom Classic? I don’t understand why the buttons for rotating photos in 90-degree increments are only available in the Library module.

Tim’s Quick Answer: While you can’t add the rotation buttons to the toolbar in the Develop module, you can use menu commands or keyboard shortcuts to rotate a photo in 90-degree increments while in the Develop module.

More Detail: I too have always found it a little odd that the buttons for rotating a photo in 90-degree increments are available on the toolbar in the Library module but not in the Develop module. Fortunately, there are still options you can rotate the current image while working in the Develop module.

To begin with, you can use a keyboard shortcut to rotate the current image in the Develop module or the Library module. Hold the Ctrl key on Windows or the Command key on Macintosh, and then press the left square bracket key ([) to rotate counterclockwise and the right square bracket key (]) to rotate clockwise.

You can also use menu commands. From the menu bar you can choose Photo > Rotate Left or Photo > Rotate Right. Another option is to right-click on the image. If you right-click on the main preview image in the Develop module you can choose Transform > Rotate Left or Transform > Rotate Right from the popup menu. If you right-click on a thumbnail on the filmstrip you can simply choose Rotate Left or Rotate Right from the popup menu.

While the toolbar below the image preview area in the Develop module can be customized by choosing which items to include or exclude, unfortunately the image rotation buttons are not among the available options for the toolbar when working in the Develop module.

Today’s Question: I recently found an old (85-90 years old) photograph that I would like to keep in storage and protect. It seems to be printed on a slightly thicker paper and from the fading around the edge looks like it had been in a frame. It’s otherwise in surprisingly good condition. I know there are archival sleeves out there but I’m not sure if that’s the best option and what specifics I should be looking for.

Tim’s Quick Answer: The very first thing I would do is make a digital copy of the photo to preserve the image. I would then store the original print in an archival acid-free container that will prevent exposure to light and store the container in a relatively cool and dry location.

More Detail: While you certainly want to preserve the original print in this situation, I also think it is important to further preserve the image itself by creating a digital copy. This can be done with a digital camera, ideally using a copy stand with two lights positioned at a 45-degree angle to avoid glare.

To preserve the original print the key is to ensure optimal conditions to avoid deterioration of the print. To begin with, I recommend using acid-free containers designed for preserving photos. This can include special sleeves for the print itself, for example, along with a box to help further protect the print. Both should be acid-free to help prevent damage to the print.

Ideally the print would then be stored in a relatively cool and dry place. That means a temperature of around the lower range of room temperature, or about 68 degrees Fahrenheit. The humidity should be relatively low at around 30% to 50% relative humidity.

While there are a variety of sources of products designed to safely store photographic prints you want to preserve, I’ve found a good range of products available from Gaylord Archival, which you can find here:

https://www.gaylord.com/c/Preservation

Just be sure that the items you choose are acid-free and designed for photo preservation. You may also find the information on this page from the Library of Congress to be helpful:

https://www.loc.gov/preservation/care/photo.html

Today’s Question: If in Lightroom Classic I go to File > Open Catalog on the menu and navigate to the folder where my catalog and back-ups are stored, I can see old catalogs. I am happy with my current catalog. If I right click on an old one, I am offered the chance to delete it. Is there anything wrong with deleting it from here?

Tim’s Quick Answer: There isn’t anything inherently wrong with deleting files from what amounts to the “File > Open” dialog, but in general I recommend deleting old catalogs through the operating system. I also recommend moving all files associated with old catalogs to a temporary backup folder rather than deleting them, at least for a period of time.

More Detail: In many software applications, including Lightroom Classic, it is possible to delete files from within the “File > Open” dialog. However, I generally recommend performing this type of file maintenance work through the operating system.

When you have an older catalog that you don’t need, such as the original catalog that an updated catalog version was based on, you can certainly delete that old catalog. The two key things to keep in mind are that you want to be certain the older catalog isn’t needed, and that you may want to move the associated files to a temporary location in the short term just to better confirm that there wasn’t any reason to retain the older files.

The primary file for a Lightroom Classic catalog has a filename extension of “LRCAT”, as in “Lightroom Catalog”. In addition, however, there will be a series of “helper” files that will have a similar base filename. It is important to carefully review those filenames to ensure you know exactly which files can be safely removed.

For example, the file containing the previews for your images will have the same base filename as the catalog file, with the text “Previews” appended to that name. This file will also have a filename extension of “LRDATA” rather than “LRCAT”. If the catalog file was called “Lightroom Classic v11 Catalog.lrcat”, for example, the previews file would be called “Lightroom Classic v11 Catalog Previews.lrdata”.

All files that have the exact same base filename will relate to the catalog file with that same base filename. To help ensure you don’t accidentally delete a file that you really need, I again recommend moving the files you would otherwise delete into a temporary folder. You can create that folder in the same folder as the primary catalog, and then when you’re certain that Lightroom Classic is behaving normally and you’re confident the files can be deleted, you can delete that temporary folder to free up the disk space consumed by those files.

Today’s Question: I’m curious, other than the likely very rare instance of wanting to remove “location info” from the metadata of an image file, why would photographers want to remove metadata [when exporting photos from Lightroom Classic]?

Tim’s Quick Answer: While the primary reason to want to exclude some metadata from photos you’ll be sharing digitally would be for privacy protection, there are certainly other situations where photographers may prefer not to disclose all the information included in the metadata for their photos.

More Detail: Today’s question was a follow up to an earlier question about including metadata in derivative copies of photos created when you export an image from Lightroom Classic. As noted in that answer, there are options for minimizing the metadata included with exported photos.

For example, there are options to include “Copyright Info Only” or “Copyright & Contact Info Only”, which will obviously cause minimal metadata to be included in those exported copies of photos. There are also checkboxes for “Remove Person Info” and “Remove Location Info”, which enable you to exclude these details even when you have selected the “All Metadata” option in the Export dialog.

The options to exclude information about people included in the photo and location details are obviously focused on privacy. For example, if you captured images in your home studio you may not want others to be able to determine your address. Similarly, if you have photographed a model and identified them with a person-based keyword, you may not want their identity information included in metadata when you share copies of your photos.

These examples are relatively common and somewhat obvious, of course. But you may want to exclude metadata more broadly to exclude keywords that could contain sensitive information about the subject matter. Some photographers prefer to exclude camera metadata so that the details of the equipment and camera settings won’t be available in those exported copies of photos.

In some respects, the desire to exclude metadata in this fashion depends in part on the personal preferences of the photographer as well as the type of subject matter included in their photos. When in doubt, of course, it is perhaps better to exclude metadata as a general rule when exporting copies of photos, only including the metadata when it is necessary for the purpose of sharing the photos. Also, while a very minor factor, excluding metadata will make the files slightly smaller, which can be of modest benefit for images shared online.

Today’s Question: What is the easiest way to search for photos based on a keyword in Lightroom Classic? I’ve been using the Text filter option, but I feel that there must be a better way.

Tim’s Quick Answer: I think the very best way to quickly filter images based on a specific keyword in Lightroom Classic is to click on the arrow to the right of the keyword you want to search for in the Keyword List section of the right panel in the Library module.

More Detail: The Keyword List can be helpful for applying keywords to images without the risk of typing the keyword wrong, by simply turning on the applicable checkbox for the keyword you want to apply to the current image. You can also use the Keyword List to create and edit keywords. What many photographers don’t realize, however, is that you can filter images based on keyword using the Keyword List.

When you hover your mouse over a keyword within the Keyword List on the right panel in the Library module a right-pointing arrow will appear to the far right of the keyword, next to the count that shows how many images in the catalog have that keyword assigned. If you click on that arrow a filter will be applied so that you are viewing all images that have the applicable keyword in metadata.

Lightroom Classic will automatically switch to the “All Photographs” collection found in the Catalog section of the left panel in the Library module when you click the arrow associated with a keyword on the Keyword List. A filter will also be set on the Metadata tab of the Library Filter bar above the grid view display for the keyword.

If you want to browse only the photos with the selected keyword in a particular location you can first make sure that the search criteria for the Library Filter bar are locked. At the top-right of the Library Filter bar you’ll see a padlock icon. If the padlock appears open click on the icon so that the padlock appears closed. That will lock the criteria so that when you switch to a different location you’ll still only be viewing photos that match the criteria, meaning photos that have the selected keyword assigned to them.

I find this approach much faster and more flexible than using the Text option on the Library Filter bar, or selecting a keyword manually on the Metadata tab of the Library Filter bar.

Today’s Question: During your presentation hosted by B&H Photo you demonstrated how you assign a red color label to folders that contain photos you still need to review. I was wondering if you use any other color labels for folders for different purposes in your workflow.

Tim’s Quick Answer: The primary color label I use for folders is the red label, which signifies a folder containing photos I still need to review. When I’m working on a project related to a particular folder or collection, I will sometimes use other colors to indicate the status in the context of the project.

More Detail: I assign a red color label to new photos being imported into my Lightroom Classic catalog to identify the photos I’ve not yet reviewed to decide if they are favorites or outtakes. To help ensure I don’t forget that a given folder contains such photos, I assign a red color label to the folder once I’ve imported new photos into a folder. You can assign a color label to a folder (or collection) in Lightroom Classic by right-clicking and choosing “Add Color Label to Folder” (or Collection) followed by the desired color.

As noted above, I use a red color label for a folder that contains photos I still need to review. When I’m working on a project involving particular photos I will often use a yellow color label to indicate that the project is in progress, and then a green color label to indicate it is completed. These color label assignments are a little more ambiguous, because I don’t often find that I need additional color labels for this purpose.

I do encourage photographers to consider how they might be able to improve their workflow by assigning color labels to folders or collections. If you find that you want to mark the status of a folder or collection or have something of a visual reminder that some work needs to be done within that folder or collection, the color labels can be very helpful.

I’m sure some photographers could find reasons to use perhaps all (or most) of the five color label options for folders and collections in Lightroom Classic. If so, you can come up with definitions for each color label to use for those purposes, so you’ll have a consistent approach to incorporating this helpful feature in your workflow.

Today’s Question: I understand your discussion about transferring photos from an iPhone to a computer, especially where you suggest deleting all the photos from the phone. I am wondering if it is possible to transfer photos from a computer to an iPhone. My thought is to transfer all the phone photos to the computer; delete, save, process them; delete them from the phone; and then copy a few back to the iPhone. Can that be done?

Tim’s Quick Answer: Yes, this can be done. You could simply synchronize collections from Lightroom Classic so they are available as albums in the Lightroom mobile app, or you could synchronize folders that contain copies of selected photos directly to your smartphone.

More Detail: As I’ve addressed previously, I prefer to treat my smartphone as a normal camera in the context of my photos, and so I periodically download all photos from my iPhone, import them into my Lightroom Classic catalog, and then delete the source photos from the iPhone.

Naturally, I would like to have some photos available for sharing and other purposes on my phone, so I synchronize selected images for this purpose.

One option is to simply enable synchronization for the collections that contain photos you want to make available on your smartphone. To enable synchronization for a collection in Lightroom Classic you turn on the checkbox to the left of the collection name on the left panel in the Library module. That will cause the photos to be synchronized to your Adobe Creative Cloud account, so that they will then also be available as albums representing the collections in the Lightroom mobile app.

My personal preference is to synchronize folders of derivative photos directly to my smartphone. I export copies of photos as JPEG images at a reduced resolution to an appropriately named folder, with that folder used as the album name on my iPhone within the Photos app. I put those folders in the Pictures folder, which is the default location for synchronizing photos from a computer to an iPhone.

With folders containing the photos I want to synchronize back to my iPhone, I then enable those specific folders for synchronization. You could also enable the option to synchronize all photos in the Pictures folder, but I prefer to enable specific folders.

For Macintosh users you can find your iPhone on the left panel of a Finder window when you have your iPhone plugged in to the computer. Windows users can use the iTunes application. In either case you can then go to the Photos tab for synchronization settings and choose which folders of photos you want to have synchronized to your iPhone.

With this approach, whenever you add photos to one of the folders that has synchronization enabled those photos will be synchronized to your iPhone whenever you synchronize with your computer again.

Today’s Question: We recently attended your preconference workshop on Photoshop at the NECCC conference in Amherst. You told us about how to use the Pen tool to create and save a path which would then be used by the Healing Brush, a very useful feature especially for removing telephone lines. I understand how to create a path, but my notes are incomplete on how you saved and applied it for the healing brush. Do you have any instructions for that operation?

Tim’s Quick Answer: When you need to clean an area of a photo along a straight or curved line (such as for power lines), using the Pen tool to define a path that can then be stroked with an image-cleanup tool such as the Spot Healing Brush can provide an excellent solution.

More Detail: The Pen tool in Photoshop enables you to define a path comprised of straight or curved lines. After selecting the Pen tool from the toolbar, make sure the popup on the Options bar is set to Path. You can then click to define anchor points that will be connected with a straight line, or click and drag to add anchor points that will form a Bezier curve connected to the previous anchor point. When you click and drag the direction you drag will determine the angle that the curve exits from the anchor point, and the distance away from the anchor point that you drag determines how far down the curve the apex will be.

For image cleanup you will obviously want to define the path along the area that needs to be cleaned up. For example, you could click to add an anchor point where a power line enters the frame on the left side of the photo. You could then click-and-hold at the right edge of the photo where the power line exits. Drag with the mouse down to refine the curve so it follows the path of the line you want to clean up.

Once you have defined the path for your image cleanup work, you can use one of the image cleanup tools to remove the blemish defined by that path. I typically use the Spot Healing Brush tool for this purpose, with the Type setting on the Options bar set to Content-Aware.

Next, go to the Paths panel, which you can bring up by choosing Window > Paths from the menu. Select the desired image cleanup tool from the toolbar, such as the Spot Healing Brush tool. I recommend creating a new empty image layer to contain the cleanup pixels if you haven’t already been working on a separate image cleanup layer. Configure the settings for the cleanup tool on the Options bar as needed for the cleanup work.

You can then use the active cleanup tool to stroke the path you defined, so that the area of the image defined by the path will be cleaned up. To automatically stroke the path with the current tool, click the second button (the icon has a solid outline of a circle that is not filled in). The active tool will follow the shape of the path, which in this case will cause the area of the image defined by that path to be cleaned up. You can then delete the path by clicking the trash can icon at the bottom-right of the Paths panel.

Today’s Question: You recently addressed cropping to fit a standard print size. But how do you deal with a situation where the image isn’t long enough on one side and you can’t crop further? Is there an easy way to extend the image to fit the intended crop size?

Tim’s Quick Answer: Yes, you can extend the frame of a photo relatively easily in many cases using a helpful technique in Photoshop. This involves duplicating and flipping an area near the edge of the frame, to provide a good match for pixels for extending the size of the image.

More Detail: As long as the edge of the image you want to extend doesn’t contain too many objects that would stand out if they were duplicated, you can use a very simple technique in Photoshop to extend the frame of an image.

Start by using the Rectangular Marquee tool to select an area on the side of the image that needs to be extended. For example, if you want to extend the left side of the image you would select an area on the left side of the frame that covers the entire height of the image. Make sure the selection is at least as big as the extension you need to create. When in doubt, make the selection larger than you need, as you can always crop the image later.

With the selection active, make sure the applicable image layer is selected on the Layers panel, which you can do by clicking on the thumbnail for that layer. In many cases, for example, that would probably be the Background image layer.

Now you can duplicate the selected pixels by going to the menu and choosing Layer > New > Layer via Copy. Because a selection is active, only those selected pixels will be duplicated to the new layer.

To get a (relatively) seamless match between the existing image and the new image layer, you want the pixels from the outer edge on both layers to align with each other. Since the new layer is going to be moved outward to provide an extension of the image, that means the layer needs to be flipped. In this case the image is being extended horizontally, so from the menu you can choose Edit > Transform > Flip Horizontal. If you are extending the image vertically you would choose Flip Vertical from that menu.

You can then select the Move tool and drag the new layer outward until the edges of the image match. In this example that means dragging the new layer to the left until the right edge of the new layer aligns with the left layer of the image, with the top and bottom edges lined up as well. At this point, of course, you won’t be able to see the new layer when it is dragged out of the existing image area.

After dragging the new layer into position, you can reveal all the hidden pixels by choosing Image > Reveal All from the menu. At this point you can obviously crop the image to get it back down to the specific output size you needed, if applicable.

You could certainly use other techniques, such as first extending the canvas with the Image > Canvas Size command. You could then create a selection of the added area and use the Edit > Content-Aware Fill command to fill in the new empty pixel area in an intelligent way.

However, I find that in most cases duplicating pixels in the image as outlined above provides at least a great starting point. You can then use image cleanup tools as needed to clean up any obvious areas of duplication or odd shapes that resulted from the duplicated and flipped pixels.

Today’s Question: You mentioned the info overlay for the loupe view in Lightroom Classic in your answer about cropped dimensions for a photo. I never knew about that feature and wonder if you could explain how to configure and use it and whether you have any recommended settings for this display.

Tim’s Quick Answer: The info overlay for the loupe view in Lightroom Classic can indeed be helpful. You can configure the display options in the View Options dialog, and then cycle through the two info overlay displays or no overlay at all by pressing the letter “I” on the keyboard.

More Detail: The info overlay is available in the loupe view display for both the Library module and the Develop module in Lightroom Classic. You can obviously have the info overlay turned off, or you can cycle through two different configurations for the info overlay. The letter “I” on the keyboard can be used to cycle through the first overlay configuration, the second configuration, or to turn off the display.

To configure the display options, start by choosing View > View Options from the menu. On the Loupe View tab you’ll find sections for “Loupe info 1” and “Loupe info 2”, which are the two overlay options that you can configure independent of each other.

Which information you choose to display obviously depends on what information you find most helpful. The overlay presents one line of information at a relatively large size, and two lines below that at a smaller size.

My personal preference is to have the file name for the current photo displayed on top for reference, so I set “File Name and Copy Name” for the first popup, and usually set this for both of the two info overlay configurations. Note that the “Copy Name” portion refers to the name you have assigned (or that was assigned automatically) to a virtual copy. In other words, when viewing a virtual copy both the file name for the source image and the copy name for the virtual copy will be displayed.

I tend to prefer to know the date and time of capture, as well as the general exposure settings. I therefore set the second and third popup for the first info overlay to “Capture Date/Time” and “Exposure and ISO”. For the second info overlay configuration I keep the same options set for the first two popups and set the third popup to “Camera + Lens Setting”. This latter option displays the camera model, the focal length used, and the specific lens used.

There are certainly other options that many photographers may find helpful among the various metadata fields you can display as part of the info overlay. I encourage you to look at the list of options available for the popups in the Library View Options dialog, and find the configuration settings that are most helpful for your specific needs.