[George Stark Participant Posts: 72]

Adobe Lightroom & Adobe Camera Raw

on: April 1, 2022 at 6:49 pm

Seeking Lightroom Classic Printing Workflow Advise …..

Like many photographers I process my RAW files in the Lightroom Develop module but I still find myself moving to Photoshop for final touches…. using layers for color adjustments, burning and dodging, various local adjustments.

When complete in Photoshop I consider this the “Master File” and I move back to Lightroom for printing.

This is the area where I could use the advise from those who print with Lightroom Classic….

I open the “Master File” in the develop module and initiate soft proofing .

I make a virtual soft proof copy of the “Master File” and try to make my soft proofing adjustments for the paper I’m using… while comparing the soft proof against the “Master File”. Then make the print.

Now if the print were perfect at this point… No problem…. but generally I find something to fix… be it color..or cloning out something I missed.. etc

I always feel I should make the adjustment to the “Master File” so I move back to Photoshop where I have access to the original layers. Make my changes and then back to lightroom for another print try.

Sometimes it looks like the original virtual soft proof copy  automatically updates the changes made to the “Master File” in Photoshop but I swear sometimes it does not……Are the virtual copies of the Master suppose to autoupdate the the changes made in Photoshop?

It gets somewhat confusing here as well because a lot of Lightroom warnings start showing up about the file changed in outside application ….should you overwrite…etc start to appear…. I assume the file should be overwritten?… But confused as to why it asks.

Should I just delete the original soft proof copy for said paper and start fresh with a new soft proof copy of the updated “Master File” ?

If I make soft proof copies of different papers I end up with 2 to 4 different ones and along with the “Master File” it seems a little messy … is there a way to keep things neat yet together?… I guess I could stack them but just checking to see if I’m missing something which I usually am..

Bottom Line…

As I mentioned I’m curious how the expert printers in this forum who use Lightroom Classic and Photoshop manage their workflow.

Thanks and Cheers

George

[Andrew Rodney Participant Posts: 416]

Re: Printing Workflow With Lightroom Classic

Reply #1 on: April 1, 2022 at 7:41 pm

I do all my parametric edits in LR. Then all pixel editing outside that is done in Photoshop that can’t be done in LR (using layers, blend modes, complex cloning, etc). I draw a line here between the two for the master. Back in LR, I’ll set up a soft proof and make a Proof Copy (VC) based on that VC if find I want some minor global adjustments for the print. Then I print. The VC is now ‘edited‘ with parametric edits just for the output, based on the profile and rendering intent. Capture and output sharpening is done in LR. Keeping track, I’ll just use metadata (say comments field or color lables) and a smart collection for Proof Copies.

Author “Color Management for Photographers" & "Photoshop CC Color Management" (pluralsight.com)”

[George Stark Participant Posts: 72]

Re: Printing Workflow With Lightroom Classic

Reply #2 on: April 1, 2022 at 8:24 pm

Perfect..

Thanks for taking time out to reply….

I like where you draw the line…. In order for me to do that I have to gain the discipline to absolutely be sure the “Master File” is finished in Photoshop before returning to Lightroom for printing. So that all thats left is the smaller corrections for soft proofing and print.

Cheers

George

[Mark D Segal Silver Member Posts: 951]

Re: Printing Workflow With Lightroom Classic

Reply #3 on: April 1, 2022 at 9:48 pm

Your workflow is needlessly complicated.

Firstly, I would forget about the concept of a master file. It’s not necessary if you make Lightroom the primary fulcrum of your work. Everything you do to a file in LR is saved in the history track which, unlike Photoshop is always preserved and workable; you can always back-track and you can always make a virtual copy from any stage in the editing process.

Secondly, I recommend several basic rules governing the workflow: (1) do as much as you possibly can in Lightroom under softproof bespoke to the paper you intend to print with. (If you need to repurpose it later, that’s easy.) (2) Then if you need to work in Photoshop trigger “Edit In Photoshop”, make whatever edits there you need, save the file without touching the name, and it will reopen as a TIFF or PSD in Lightroom. Before you do that, make sure you won’t need Photoshop again. (3) If the TIFF/PSD needs any final tweaks before printing do them in Lightroom under softproof. Then print – from Lightroom. (4) If you open this same file again in Photoshop and make any changes, they will be picked-up in Lightroom. (5) If you make further changes to that file in Lightroom they will not be picked-up in Photoshop. Stick with Lightroom as much as possible.

[George Stark Participant Posts: 72]

Re: Printing Workflow With Lightroom Classic

Reply #4 on: April 2, 2022 at 12:56 am

Ha… I love it Mark… You tell it like it is…  “Your workflow is needlessly complicated”

Thats why I’m here.  I do feel my workflow needs updating….but I’m conflicted.  Photoshop to me offers more precision for many of my local adjustments… though Lightroom continues to improve  especially with the new masking features and I will make a concentrated effort to make better use of Lightroom and try to avoid using Photoshop as much as I do now…

Thanks for your input!

[Mark D Segal Silver Member Posts: 951]

Re: Printing Workflow With Lightroom Classic

Reply #5 on: April 2, 2022 at 9:28 am

Thanks George. Of course so much depends on the photo and the comfort levels of the practitioner which can differ from one software product to another and from one user to another. Like everyone else I started my digital photographic work in Photoshop, but ever since Lightroom supported softproofing and, as you say, its tools have been improving over the years, I have found that I can do about 98% of everything my photos need in Lightroom without even creating a rendered version of the file. I agree, there are various editing requirements for which Photoshop is preferable, but short of that I have found it convenient to see how much I can exploit Lightroom to the max, and keep the Photoshop visits to one round-trip from LR.

[Author]

Posts