When it comes to shooting high ISO images and processing in Lightroom, the general consensus is Lightroom is unable to do a reasonable job at reducing noise. While it is true that Lightroom will not perform as well as Noise Ninja or Nik Dfine day in and day out, Lightroom can handle much of you Noise Reduction needs.

Before we go further, I want to reinforce, Lightroom is highly capable in the realm of Noise Reduction but is a general purpose editor. Noise Ninja and Define are both plug-ins specifically designed for the purpose of removing noise. If you go in expecting to get identical results from Noise Ninja and Lightroom, you will likely be disappointed.

The expectation for Lightroom is to reduce the noise enough to make the image better without causing and loss of quality to the image. Lightroom will not make your 3200 ISO image look like it was shot at ISO 100, but it can make the noisy image a bit more tolerable.

… most applications for Noise Reduction also integrate Sharpening.

Another note before we move on, with the forth coming release of Lightroom 3, we now know that the Noise Reduction tools are getting an overhaul. However, so far in the beta releases, Noise Reduction functions in the same way, albeit with better results. So as you read this know that most of what you glean from this article will be appropriate for Lightroom 3 with few changes.

Noise reduction is a method by which software removes excessive digital noise from an image, usually through blurring and blending the pixels in the areas needing attention. Every tool does this differently and with differing results. Since the effect is generally made through a blurring or blending process, damage occurs to the image, making the image appear soft.

So, most applications for Noise Reduction also integrate Sharpening.

In Lightroom however, applying Noise Reduction does not automatically trigger a Sharpening pass of the image. Sharpening is a separate function of Lightroom, which we covered here, that you will have to utilize to get the most out of you Noise Reduction efforts. We will be covering both Noise Reduction and complimentary Sharpening here, as both have to work in unison to give anywhere near acceptable results.

For this article I am going to work on an ISO 1600 image from a Canon 400D, otherwise known as the Rebel XTi. A solid camera, but it has poor high ISO performance and ISO 1600 is pretty much unusable without a lot of Noise Reduction.

As you can see from the starting image, it is rife with both color and luminance noise. In general the image is unacceptable at this 1:1 zoom in Lightroom and needs further attention.

The tools we will use to carry out Noise Reduction operations are located in the Develop Module in the Detail tab.

All the primary manipulations we will make to reduce noise will be done through these six sliders, comprising of the four Sharpening tools and the two Noise Reduction tools. Every one of these sliders will need to be used in unison to render the best possible image from the less than optimum source material. So without further discussion, let us just right to my Noise Reduction workflow.

My first step whenever attacking a noisy image is to start by reducing Color Noise. To me, Color Noise is more readily visible to me than Luminance Noise, and by correcting the apparent Color Noise the image start to automatically look better. I always start with the Color slider set to 0 to allow me to view all the Color Noise present.

Then I slowly move the Color slider to the right until all the noticeable Color Noise at a 1:1 zoom fade away. Once you reach the point of optimum reduction, you may wish to move further along, but you will find that the Color slider can start causing color shifts if it is applied to liberally, so if you find overall color quality suffering, back the slider down to where the noise disappeared.

You have to do this step slowly and carefully, otherwise you may overstep that sweet spot. You want to be as close to optimum Color Noise reduction as possible as the future steps depend on you getting close. Remember, just enough to make all the random color disappear, but not enough to cause the colors to start changing in the image. I found for this particular image a Color slider value of 23 was optimum.

The starting image is on the left, and the adjusted image is on the right. There are two areas of importance to see here, the arrow denotes a large field of discoloration in the original image that the Color Noise Reduction eliminated in the adjusted image. Also look at the little area to the right of the slider images. On the left you can see a large mix a varying hues, whereas the right side shows a more even distribution of color.

Remember that you will be unable to eliminate 100% of all color inaccuracies, but you are looking for a sweet spot that eliminates most of the color issues without creating new ones.

After you finish with your Color slider adjustments, you are ready to move onto the Luminance slider. The Luminance slider has a greater effect upon the image than the Color slider does. In fact, the Luminance slider functions much like a blur filter in Photoshop. The idea is to blur away the blotchy noise that high ISO images produces while maintaining image quality.

As with all other aspects of photography, we have to settle on a trade off. Do we desire a crisp image with noise, or a noise free image that appears soft? Once again, we are hoping to seek an optimum point that blurs away as much noise as possible without overly softening the image. We can bring back some sharpness by adjusting the Sharpening sliders, but too much Luminance applied will hamper the Sharpening tool’s ability to sharpen the image well.

Again, just like with the Color slider, start from 0 and slowly work your way to the right watching your image quality as you go. Remember you cannot get rid of all the Luminance Noise in your image, but you want to minimize it. If the image gets too soft you will need to back off the effect, as Sharpening will bring out even more noise if you soften the image too much. Remember Noise Reduction is a compromise. You cannot have low noise and super sharp images unless you shoot more within you camera’s useful ISO range.

Anyways, at about a value of 58 on the Luminance slider, I felt the Luminance Noise was sufficiently reduced without softening the image more than I was will to.

At this step you can definitely see the level of smoothness that the Luminance noise applied. Overall the softening of the image is not too severe, with the notable exception of the eyes, as indicated by the arrow. I was willing to compromise on the sharpness of his eyes at this state to get a more palatable image.

Now, the image does not look too bad in my opinion at the default sharpening levels in Lightroom. In case you have altered you sharpening defaults, the values I have set as default on my system is contained in the image below.

Although I feel the image looks good here, I feel it can be further improved with some judicious Sharpening. This would be a good time to read my series on Sharpening in Lightroom if you have not already read it, as all the principles present there will be used here.

I start with the Amount slider in the sharpening tools. I slowly drag it to the right, while holding down the Alt/Cmd key forcing Lightroom into preview mode. While using preview mode, the monochrome presentation makes the luminance noise stand out more. While keeping an eye out on the Luminance Noise in the preview, I slowly sharpen the image until I get back a reasonable amount of sharpness without over enhancing the noise we previously blurred away.

After some adjustments, I found and Amount value of 59 to be reasonable to garner me the results I desire.

As you can see, the Luminance Noise was strengthened by the sharpening, bringing more definition to the noise. However the noise is nowhere near as bad as it was before we started. Also, with the sharpening system Lightroom has integrated, we will be able to unsharpen the image a bit with the Mask slider.

I am going to leave the Radius slider be, as I don’t see the need to further amplify the sharpening. A value of 0.9 to 1.1 is fine for sharpening an image that has been treated for noise. Increasing the Radius will simply intensify the noise in the image. In fact, you may want to consider taking the Radius slider back to 0.5 when you are dealing with an excessively noisy image, but a value of 1.0 is usually fine for me.

The Detail slider also can increase the appearance of noise, however is extremely useful to bring back edge detail into your image. For me I am interested in enhancing the eyes. Again, slowly adjusting the image while holding down the Alt/Cmd key, adjust the preview until you see an increased level of detail on the parts of the image you feel need additional definition.

After you get emphasis on the parts of the image you need, then let go of the Alt/Cmd key and see how bad the noise has been increased and how much local sharpness you see in your problem areas. For me, I felt a Detail amount of 50 allowed me to get some sharpness back into the eyes, although I felt it increased the noise a bit too much. However, again, I am backing on the fact that the Mask slider will come to my rescue there.

Now the final primary step of this process is to apply the Mask tool. This tool allows you to somewhat delineate what parts of the image will receive the Sharpening settings of the preceding three sliders and what parts will not be effected. The hope here is that by liberally using the Mask slider we can apply Sharpening only to the edges, where it is needed, which will serve to only increase noise in those particular areas.

I will tell you that if you have re-introduced a lot of noise into your image, you are going to need a lot of Mask to get you image into the ball park. So with the Alt/Cmd key held, go ahead and start moving the Mask slider.

You can see that I applied a rather aggressive Mask application to the image. The mask essentially is only allowing sharpening to the major edges in the image. Looking closely you can tell there is more noise present in the edges than in the main body of the image.

At this point, the first pass of Noise Reduction and Sharpening is complete. Below is the before and after images. As you can tell, some sharpness was lost in the process, but the noise is drastically reduced.

Since the first pass is complete, you can now go back and further refine your Noise Reduction and Sharpening setting to perfect your image. From here I cannot help you as each image will need its own special treatment. You will want to revisit the Noise Reduction settings first and then hop back and forth with the Sharpening sliders.

… with practice, you can create some killer, clean images using only Lightroom.

Also, do not forget to adjust Clarity, Contrast and Tone Curve, as they can help further enhance the image. Taking my basic Noise Reduction, refining and adding a few Basic Tone adjustments, I feel I have sufficiently created an interpretation of my image that greatly reduces noise.

Also, to further minimize noise, you can scale your image down to about 75-80% and apply Minimal Export Sharpening. This can further aid to reduce noise beyond the efforts already made.

So that just about covers the basics of Lightroom Noise Reduction. As I mentioned earlier, Noise reduction is a compromise between sharpness and a clean, noise free image. At higher ISO you can have a sharp, grainy image or a soft, smooth image. Ideally you will find a point between the two that will suit you.

You do not need a good Noise Reduction plug-in if you have Lightroom 2, but you will probably get better results faster. But with practice, you can create some killer, clean images using only Lightroom.

However, with the coming of Lightroom 3, Adobe has drastically improved the Color Noise Reduction tool, and I am hoping the Luminance tool see the same level of improvement. Also of note, an Edge Detail slider has been added to Lightroom’s Noise Reduction arsenal, which promises to make the process easier with less dependence on the Sharpening tools. Until Lightroom 3 is officially released, we will not know for sure, but the Beta version shows some distinct promise in improving Lightroom’s ability to turn down the volume.

Michael W. Gray – LifeInDigitalFilm

Turn down the volume – Noise Reduction in Lightroom

After spending money on a quality monitor and an inkjet printer, how do you know if you’re getting the best color reproduction possible? If you don’t edit your images on a calibrated monitor, you can’t possibly guarantee accurate color.

The DSLR is a fine instrument and most Canon, Nikon and Pentax cameras – from entry-level to high end, multi-thousand dollar professional cameras are capable of capturing millions of pixels of information.

Some monitors need to be calibrated every week, but for most of us, monthly will suffice.

We tend to trust the manufacturer that the colors captured are true to what we saw through the view finder, but that really depends on a few other factors, i.e., exposure settings and white balance. Therefore, when editing images, it’s common for the color values to look different from when you took the picture.

There are two main factors responsible for viewing these images on our monitors: ambient lighting in the work area and the monitor’s ability to reproduce the color gamut accurately. In fact, a monitor, be it LCD ot CRT, changes over time and not a long time either. Some monitors need to be calibrated every week, but for most of us, monthly will suffice.

Accurate color output from inkjet printers is dependent on the printer, ink, and paper combination. Change any one of those three and there is a potential for error. If you use third-party (non-OEM) paper or ink, there is absolutely no way you will get accurate color without a printer profile.

ColorMunki

The ColorMunki, from x-rite, can create both monitor and print profiles (icc or icm files) and it does so efficiently and with noticeable accuracy.

I used ColorMunki to set my dual monitor setup, both a Samsung 22 inch LCD and a 21 inch older ViewSonic CRT (there is no limit to the number of displays). Although the application shows both my monitors (primary and secondary), there is no discrete setting for a CRT, just LCD, laptop and projector. So, I used the LCD setting for my 10-year-old Viewsonic CRT.

I selected the “Match My Printer to My Display” option and followed the step-by-step instructions on the ColorMunki application to first calibrate the ColorMunki hardware device, a full-spectrum Spectrophotometer, measure the ambient lighting in my work area and then calibrate the monitor.

ColorMunki Display Calibration

The device has a rotary wheel with detents at specified locations. Calibrating the ColorMunki is simple; rotate the wheel to the calibrate detent and click a button (on the ColorMunki or on screen). That’s it. The ColorMunki is powered by a USB port on your computer, so connecting it both powers the device and interfaces with the application. To measure the ambient light, rotate the wheel to the upper detent, set the ColorMunki device near your display and click the button to start reading the light values.

It tells you both the strength and quality of the ambient light. Profiling the monitor(s) was just as easy. Move the wheel to the lower detent, put the device in the accompanying pouch and hang it over your display (the pouch has a weighted strap to hold the ColorMunki in place).

I had profiled my monitor a few weeks prior with another device, but ColorMunki did make an improvement (while subjective at this point, it was proven later after I profiled a printer). My secondary display, the old ViewSonic, hadn’t been calibrated since… gosh, I can’t remember. However, at the conclusion of the monitor profiling operation, both my primary and secondary displays matched. That brought a quick smile, but the true test was to come with the printer.

I chose to create a profile for an Epson printer, using third-party ink (not Epson) and Red River Placid Lite semi-gloss paper. This would be a critical test from the beginning as, if you are using Epson printer, ink and paper, the settings in the Epson print driver (paper type) actually call a profile included with the Epson software installation. Since I wasn’t using Epson ink or paper, I can only use the Epson settings to “get close” to accurate color. While this may be okay for someone printing snapshots, it wouldn’t do for most of us, especially with my critical eye.

ColorMunki Printer Profiling

Again, I followed the step-by-step instructions on the ColorMunki application to print a test sheet with five rows of colored patches and let the sheet dry for ten minutes; the software includes a ten minute count-down timer. Then, with the ColorMunki out of its pouch and the wheel set to read the colored patches, I slid the device over each row, pressing the wheel in to start reading, starting with the white area preceding each row, sliding the ColorMunki past the last block and releasing the button again on the white area after the last colored patch.

Do this for each of the five rows and watch your display to ensure there are no errors (an outline on each row changes to red, if there is an error or yellow if it’s okay to go to the next row).

Once you’ve read all five rows, the software performs some calculations and asks you to print a second test sheet. Color profiling with the ColorMunki is an iterative process, using two tests to dial in the color correction. After you read the second sheet, the application creates the profile (icc or icm file), saves it by whatever name you want and can set it to a few image editing applications.

… this is so easy a photographer can do it.

I created profiles for four different papers; a high gloss, two semi-gloss and a matte. With the exception of the paper’s gloss, the test prints matched color on all paper and with my newly calibrated monitor.

Complicated? No, this is so easy a photographer can do it. You don’t need to hire a technician or specialist. Creating printer profiles takes about 30 minutes per paper type, 20 minutes of that is for the test sheets to dry,  and, at the end, you have a custom profile for that particular printer, ink and paper combination.

If this were all the ColorMunki did, it would be well worth the ease with which you can keep your workflow color managed. But, as the infomercials say, “wait, there’s more!”

There is an “Advanced Printer Control – Print Profile Optimization” that uses ColorMunki’s intelligence to build another test from the actual colors in one of your images. After you’ve created an initial profile for your printer, going into the advanced mode allows you to load one of your images into the ColorMunki software, which analyzes the values and produces a test sheet based on key colors from your image.

Again, print this test sheet, let it dry and use the ColorMunki spectrophotometer to read in the test sheet values. You can either rename the resultant profile or keep the same name. If you tend to make the same type of images, weddings, for example, this further refines your profile for your image types.

… if you print with artistic paper, from a company other than the printer manufacturer, you must have an accurate custom profile.

Two other items included with ColorMunki are DigitalPouch, a program to transport images with embedded profiles and check for correct viewing conditions on the receiving end and Photo ColorPickerô to extract colors from your images and create color palettes with unique PrintSafeô checking capabilities.

Finally, as ColorMunki is a spectrophotometer, you can measure spot colors from everyday objects to build a palette of real world colors for design and advertising.

I had only one problem with the ColorMunki. It wouldn’t read one of my printer test sheets. While it would successfully calibrate and profile both my monitors, I couldn’t get it to read the print out. After trying to blame it on a faulty device, I did a printer nozzle test and found my yellow nozzle was firing intermittently. Mea culpa.

There is no doubt in my mind that the ColorMunki is a worthwhile addition to a photographer’s arsenal. Monitors and printers will change over time and will do so slower than your eyes can discern. A regular monitor calibration is a necessity (minimum monthly). Even if you use OEM ink and paper, you’ll get better and more consistent results from your printer. And, if you print with artistic paper, from a company other than the printer manufacturer, you must have an accurate custom profile.

While you can certainly purchase a profile, having the ability to do it yourself ensures accuracy within your workflow. Don’t forget you can refine profiles to your image type; wedding, summer/winter landscape, portraiture, and so forth.

I had one opportunity to contact x-rite’s support (see my yellow ink problem above) and it took a little longer than I expected for them to get back to me. When they did, however, they were quite cordial, professional and helpful. I don’t see this incident as being anything but a 1-off experience.

At a retail price of $500 (or for approx. $349.99 at Amazon), the x-rite ColorMunki is a no brainer addition to an electronic darkroom. If using any paper other than OEM (or non OEM ink), you cannot be serious about your work unless the ColorMunki is part of your workflow.

Dennis Hays – Photo News Today

Shock the Munki – Accurate and Easy Color Management

A week ago Adobe dropped a bomb on the Lightroom world. They released the new Lightroom 3 Public Beta, giving a preview of the newest incarnation of Lightroom before it is complete. The new Beta presents a few new tools, heavy refinements to existing tools and a completely new Raw demosaicing engine. Some new tools that will be in the final version are currently withheld, forcing Beta testers to test the features the Lightroom team most wants feedback on currently, but the Beta is still a very usable product.

First, I would like to mention that the Lightroom 3 Public Beta is Beta software, and not in the way Google presents its Betas. This beta is crippled, as it does not have a complete feature set yet. There are glaring bugs that you will have to contend with.

Unlike Google’s refined definition of beta, where software is actually ready for full time use, Lightroom 3 is in no way ready for production use.

Be aware of this, and if you are not into testing new software, you may want to pass. However, if you want to see the cutting edge of Lightroom development, definitely grab the Beta.

If you haven’t done so already, you will need to download Lightroom 3 Beta from the Adobe Labs website. While there, make sure to read all the information Adobe has for you and to read the release notes. There is some important information in there, but it primarily reinforces that the Lightroom 3 Beta is not ready for production work; Adobe released this Beta for public use and feedback.

By downloading the Beta you become part of the Lightroom 3 community that Adobe is hoping to leverage to squash bugs and perfect features, simply using the beta and communicating your experience to Adobe helps them deliver a better product in the end.

Once you have the Beta in your possession, go ahead and install it. Lightroom 3 Beta installs parallel to your existing Lightroom installation. It will not overwrite your Lightroom 2 install. Of note to Macintosh users; you must be running Intel hardware to use Lightroom 3, Adobe has dropped support for the PowerPC platform.

I am assuming that the PowerPC architecture has been abandoned by Adobe, so if you are running PowerPC you will most likely be left in the dark.

Once installed and opened, Lightroom 3 will look incredibly familiar, as little has changed in the overall interface. The install will not import any libraries from previous versions of Lightroom, you will need to import them specifically for Lightroom 3. My recommendation is to start with new images, as they will be ready to use as soon as you import them into Lightroom 3. If you decide to import photos that you have already worked with a prior version of Lightroom of Photoshop ACR, you will have to convert the images for use with Lightroom 3.

The import dialog has been greatly refined in Lightroom 3, with a beautifully rendered dialog box, with simple graphics.

On the upper left side of the dialog you will choose your Import location. In the middle portion you will choose your basic import settings. The right side of the interface denotes where you wish to copy the files to on your hard drive. The interface itself shows the flow of data, making the import experience even more intuitive. The lower portion of the dialog box has you import tagging and import preset selections available your use.

A click on the arrow in the lower left corner explodes the import dialog from a simple import tool, to a full fledged file navigator, looking much like the Library Module. Here you can find all the additional import features you may need.

The import dialog, while greatly improved, does still have a few bugs. On my Windows 7 installation, the basic import dialog will not allow me to access other drives on my PC other than the main disk drive. This appears to be an issue with the interface with the core Windows system, and should be corrected before the final release. The only work-around I found was to switch over to the expanded import. You may or may not have a similar issue, depending on your system. It just goes to show that this is a Beta and not ready for prime time.

To convert imported images, simply watch for the warning triangle in the histogram in Lightroom.

Clicking on that will switch the rendering engine from Lightroom 2/ACR to the new, improved Lightroom 3 rendering engine. Now any imported photos previously edited are ready to rock in Lightroom 3. You can also change the processing mode by selecting Settings -> Process Version from the toolbar at the top.

Process Version 2 is the new Lightroom 3 engine. Version 1 is the old Lightroom 2/ACR engine. To try out the new features, make sure you are in Process Version 2.

So now that we have photos ready to edit, we can start looking at the new Lightroom 3 features. First and foremost, lying under all the lovely Lightroom controls, is a brand new RAW rendering engine Adobe has been developing. First, the demosaicing algorithm has been drastically altered (demosaicing is the process used to render a raster image from RAW data) leading to better quality images.

When viewing an image in Lightroom 3 as compared to Lightroom 2, you will likely notice a higher level of definition to your images, while at the same time noticing more texture to the image. The new RAW processing engine pulls more detail than previous incarnations of Lightroom. When looking at fine detail you will really see the difference. All the more reason to shoot RAW, as technology advances, your images can improve, no so with Jpeg.

The sample above shows the same image from both Lightroom 3 and Lightroom 2. The left side of the image is the Lightroom 3 interpretation, Lightroom 2 is on the right. This crop was taken at a  1:1 zoom. The shot was taken at ISO 100 with a Canon XTi, the Lightroom 3 side shows more detail and no noise. The Lightroom 2 side shows no noise, but the level of detail is lowered as detail gets smeared away with the removal of the noise.

On that note, the RAW processor no longer applies automatic noise reduction at any ISO. Previously, Lightroom would apply a level of noise reduction before you ever saw the image on your screen. In Lightroom 3, this is no longer the case, noise is left where it is at. This seems wrong at first, as noise is generally considered bad.

However, Lightroom 3 renders the noise in your image differently, leading the noise to appear more natural and grain-like than before. The effect is even more noticeable in High-ISO situations.

Keep in mind this is an early beta, a lot can change between now and release. As it is though, Lightroom 3 renders higher quality images with better definition than before. Noise reduction is now left entirely up to the end-user, eliminating loss of definition and blurring that noise reduction can create.

Sticking with the image quality issues, we’ll jump right into the Develop Module and explore the new features. First and foremost, Noise Reduction has been revisited. With the new, hands off approach to Noise Reduction in Lightroom 3, you control how much Noise Reduction will be applied and when.

To this extent, Adobe has overhauled the Noise Removal tools in the Develop Module. As before we have Luminance and Color Noise Removal, but now we also have an Edge Detail slider, helping to clean up sharpening after Noise Reduction has been applied. Do note, Luminance Removal has been disabled in this beta of Lightroom 3. Only Color Noise Removal and Edge Detail sliders are available for use. Adobe is currently interested in the effectiveness of the new Color Noise tool and chose to leave Luminance correction disabled.

The Color Noise Reduction tool in Lightroom 3 functions the same as prior versions, however seems a lot more intelligent in its application of its effect. Colors seem to normalize with surrounding colors smoother than before and blurring due to Color Removal is negligible. Over all, it seems to be a great improvement of the previous tool, and one can hope the Luminance tool gets the same treatment.

Next, Sharpening was improved, although the sliders remain the same. Sharpening functions just as before, but due to the overall RAW engine improvements Sharpening functions better than ever. Before Sharpening could introduce halos and banding into your image, but now the tool again seems more intelligent at time of application. Also, there seems to be noticeable improvement in the function of the Detail and Masking tools, allowing you to retain fine detail and not oversharpen easier.

The downside to the sharpening improvements seems to impact speed of the tool. When using the Alt/Option key to bring up the monochrome preview, Lightroom 3 seems to chug a bit and take a few seconds to kick in the preview. Most likely this is just a side-effect of Lightroom 3 not being optimized yet and should go away at release. Be aware either way.

A new addition to the Develop Module that I am really excited about is the addition of a Grain tool. Finally you can apply a fairly realistic grain to you images within Lightroom. I have been unable to ascertain if the grain produced is rendered from Raw data or if it is simply an overlying layer of semi-translucent grain, but either way it is a welcome addition.

I can say that with the temporary elimination of the Luminance Noise reduction tool, you can alleviate some of the noise in the image by applying a slight grain to said image. This smoothes out the noise a bit, replacing it with a more natural appearing grain.

As it is, the grain tool looks better than most grain addition solutions on the market. However, if the grain generated is compared to traditional film grain, it is noticeably fake. Hopefully more refinements will occur to this tool before release, but if not, it is still a welcome addition.

Also of note, Adobe has finally revisited the Post-Crop Vignette tool. Previously this was viewed as a flawed too, but the new revision expands options allowing you to fine tune your vignette effect.

On the Export front, there have been a few welcome changes. First, support for exporting directly to many photo sharing sites is built directly into Lightroom now. This is a small but useful addition. Bigger yet, Lightroom now supports watermarking better than before. Lr/2 Mogrify is still a more robust solution; however you can do more than a simple copyright line directly from Lightroom now. As this has been asked for since the betas of Lightroom 1, it is good to find more robust watermarking options finally available from Adobe.

A new feature for exporting slideshows is also presented, allowing you to create slideshows with audio as standalone video files. This is another great addition to improve workflow productivity and limit trips to external programs.

The Print Module received a large overhaul, allowing you to finally create custom layout to use every square inch of paper. You are no longer stuck with predefined templates and image sizes. Finally you can layout as many images in as many sizes as you desire, eliminating wasted paper and allowing you to produce more prints at one time.

Other improvements in the Print Module include the ability to set the background color for any image that is printed. Another small, but useful addition.

All in all, this Beta may not be the greatest user experience at the moment. A lot of features are either disabled or not present, the software has not yet been optimized leading to sluggish performance on older systems and there are obviously bugs to be squashed. However the new features definitely make it worth you time to download, install and work in the Lightroom 3 Beta. Just don’t try to rely on it as your primary editor, we have no clue how well the beta will upgrade to any upcoming betas or the final version.

Relegate Lightroom 3 to playing and learning, rely on Lightroom 2 for all your production needs.

Also, if you run into issues with the Lightroom 3 Beta, or have suggestions for the developers relating to existing features, be sure to let Adobe know. Right now Adobe is using a forum for Lightroom 3 for bug reporting and issues. By using the forum to communicate your issues and to help others you are assisting the Lightroom team in delivering a well-rounded product, ready to rock on day one. It is in everyone’s interest that we come together as a community to further the development of our favorite imaging tool. Find the Lightroom 3 Beta forum over at the Adobe Forums.

For more in depth coverage of the new features in Lightroom 3 Beta, make sure you subscribe to the X-Equals Digest. We will be covering the Beta’s features more in-depth in the digest, so if you want to get more from the Beta subscribe today!

Michael W. Gray – LifeInDigitalFilm

Into the Future – Lightroom 3 Beta

I always loved Photoshop for it’s ability to create Actions, and in turn automate a LOT of my work by leveraging those actions to create Photoshop Droplets for batch processing.

And, the best part is I can access these Actions from directly within Lightroom.

By leveraging Droplets within your Lightroom workflow, you can take advantage of Photoshop’s powerful batch processing engine to do all sorts of things with your images beyond what is available in Lightroom, or to enhance work done in Lightroom to add some final touches.

I’ll be honest with you, this is not a new feature, but on that I rarely see folks use. I think Adobe could have done a better job at the integration of Droplets into Lightroom, because it’s not as straightforward as one would expect – but that shouldn’t stop you from taking advantage of a super cool feature!

Get ready to rumble

In this example, we’re going to take a selection of images and fire off a droplet which we will access via the Export dialog.

But, before we start throwing Droplets around, let’s set the stage for preparing a Droplet in Photoshop for later use in Lightroom.

In this example, I’m going to use one of my favorite Photoshop Actions from Kevin Kubota’s Image Tools Collection called KPD Magic Sharp. I’m in no way on Kevin’s payroll or making affiliate commissions off his product(s) – I just LOVE the quality and flexibility of this action for export sharpening.

Yes, you can do some extensive sharpening in Lightroom, and we’ve written about that as well, but I prefer to use a fine tuned sharpening Action like KPD Magic Sharp on select projects like this one. Whatever Action you want to use, this workflow will be the same.

Next, let’s fire up Photoshop and prepare our Action for use as a Droplet in Lightroom. Here in Photoshop, you can see my particular KPD Magic Sharp Action I want to use in our example:

{note: If you want to avoid having to save each image one-by-one as they are batch processed in Photoshop, make sure your Action includes a Save command in it’s final step. Since this is not a tutorial on how to create Actions, if you have questions regarding this sound off in the comments below and we can assist you.}

Creating a Droplet from this Action begins by heading up to the menubar and selecting File >> Automate >> Create Droplet …

You will be presented with the Create Droplet dialog:

I generally concern myself with 3 items:

1. Save Droplet In: This is where many people get confused. Lightroom will look for the Droplet in a particular location, but we can concern ourselves with that later. For now, save this to the Desktop or a place where you can reach it easily.
2. Set: I have my Actions separated into sets. If you are using the standard Photoshop Actions you will select Default Actions.
3. Action: Just as it says, select your particular Action you want to fire off – in my case Sharpen KPD Magic Sharp.

Select OK

Here’s our Droplet on the Desktop:

Time to throw down

Now, let’s go back to our original selection in Lightroom and select from the menu bar File >> Export or shortcut key  {mac} Command+ Shift + e {pc} Ctrl + Shift + e to bring up the Export dialog:

… and we’ll focus on the Post-Processing panel – specifically the After Export: drop-down:

Select the Go to Export Actions Folder Now option and you will be presented with the folder where Lightroom wants to look for any Droplets you may have created:

Simply go to your Desktop or wherever you previously saved your Droplet from Photoshop and just move it to this folder. If you’re just dying to know where this folder is located so that you save your Droplets directly to this location it’s in the Application directly for Lightroom (mac or pc).

And there we are:

Now when you go back to Lightroom, you should see that your Droplet has now magically appeared in the Post-Processing panel:

Select Export once these updates are complete and Lightroom will Export your images, and send them over to Photoshop for the final processing based on your Actions settings.

{note: If you want to avoid having to save each image one-by-one as they are batch processed in Photoshop, make sure your Action includes a Save command in it’s final step. Since this is not a tutorial on how to create Actions, if you have questions regarding this sound off in the comments below and we can assist you.}

Yeah, I know I gave you this note twice, but it makes all the difference when processing multitudes of images – trust me!

I like to keep things simple, and this is as simple as it gets when it comes to using a Droplet in your workflow. One you get the concept down, the possibilities are endless!

As always, questions, comments, and sharing are all welcome below!

|Brandon Oelling
x=photography+consulting – image+workflow+technology+business

Good to the last Drop – Photoshop Droplets

Previously in Part 1 and Part 2, we created a composite image utilizing Smart Objects and layer masking in Photoshop. From those previous two articles, you are armed with the required tools to create dynamic images easily in Photoshop without having to lose the versatility of Raw. Today we will finish the images created, covering the application of smart filters and rendering the Smart Objects as raster layers, preparing the image for output.

So, go ahead and open up one of the images you had been working on in the previous chapters. I am going to bring back my color image made from blending three color film presets together.

So often in Photoshop you find the need for a Photoshop filter or Plug-In, but when dealing with Smart Objects in your image, your options are limited. With my image open I am going to click on the Filter menu to see what my options are.

Any filter or plug-in that is grayed out is not available for use on a Smart Object layer. Any filter or plug-in not grayed out can be readily used as a Smart Filter. Now here is where it gets cool, Smart Filters function much like Smart Objects, you can go back and edit and redo the filters settings at anytime while it is a Smart Filter.

However, it must be noted that a Smart Filter can only be applied to one layer, not to the entire image. This can be a letdown, but can be utilized creatively as well!

Also, some plug-ins will report that their effect can be applied, only to let you down once you click OK.

When this occurs, you will have to wait until later to use that filter, until after the Smart Objects are converted to raster layers.

I am going to apply Gaussian Blur to my image to demonstrate Smart Filters.

I select Filter, and the Blur followed up by a click on Gaussian Blur.

I am applying a heavy blur, making my image appear out of focus.

Now, by taking a look at the Layers Palette, you can see how the Smart Filter is applied.

The Smart Filter control icon is depicted by the arrow in the image above. A simple double click on that icon will re-open the filter’s control dialog, allowing you to make alterations at any time.

However, I have no need to use any filters on this image, so I am going to delete the Smart Filter. To do this, simply select the Smart Filter in the Layers Pallet, and right-click {ctrl-click} to bring up the contextual menu for the Filter Layer.

From this menu, I will select Delete Smart Filter. One click and it is gone.

Now that we have discussed the basics of Smart Filters, we have pretty much exhausted the need for Raw format compatibility in this image. It is time to prepare the final image, and time to apply any non-smart filters needed.

To convert layers to raster layers, all you must do is select the layer you wish to convert. After the layer is selected, simply right-click {ctrl-click} to bring up the contextual menu. From here, simply select Rasterize Layer to convert the image from a Smart Object into a standard Photoshop layer.

Now the layer will be receptive to traditional filters.

This process can be repeated for every layer in the image, if it is important to maintain layer masking in the image. If not, you can always select Flatten Image from the menu in any of the layers to bring everything into one layer.

And with that, we have just covered the basics of using Smart Objects in Photoshop.

Using Smart Objects really opens up the capabilities of Photoshop by adding in Raw compatibility. Using this basic framework, you can easily expand out from this process and enhance your images non-destructively, accomplishing much of what Photoshop can offer you in its editing prowess.

Michael W. Gray – LifeInDigitalFilm

Keeping it Raw in Photoshop – Part 3 of 3

We were discussing some of our favorite Lightroom tips with some fellow photographers this weekend and we were reminded of our Tip ‘O The Week series we tucked away in the X=101 Category.

Rather than keep things as a bunch of mini-posts, and in the spirit of making things EASIER for everyone to access and reference in their workflow, we’ve dropped all our juicy tips into one single post below.

The key to these tips is to provide some high-impact, memorable, and quickly usable tips to get you moving faster … faster .. FASTER!

Become a Zoom Tool Ninja

This tip is an integral part of my workflow – especially when I am using these Adjustment Tools:

… to fine tune my images.

These tools, in conjunction with using the spacebar on the keyboard, give you access to 2 additional functions beyond the adjustment tool you are using.

I often want to stay in the tool mode I am in (ie. Spot Removal, Red Eye, Adjustment Brush, etc.) but still have access to my Zoom and Pan Controls.

With this tip I’ll make it ultra-easy to scoot around your images doing just that.

In this example workflow I start out in Fit zoom mode:

Next I’ll select whichever adjustment tool I need at that moment:

In this example I chose Spot Removal:

… and I didn’t really choose it, I used the shortcut key N to set me into this mode. Make it a habit to remember these time saving shortcuts.

If I can get some of my work done in Fit zoom I will do so, but when I need to get in closer, holding the spacebar will set me back into Zoom mode:

And allow me to zoom in 1:1.

… but what if that initial click doesn’t get me into the visible area I wanted?

The spacebar holds yet another magical power! Holding the spacebar will set me into Pan mode:

… which will allow me to pan around the image in 1:1 zoom mode.

Once you get comfortable with this technique, you shouldn’t need to look at the keyboard – which let’s you focus on what you do best … creating!

As we all know it’s about speed and accuracy, and this is one worth putting into your arsenal!

Give the Library Module the finger

This tip is as short as it gets …

2 keys and 1 finger are all that is required for adding some lightning to your workflow.

In Library mode, if you want to take a smaller set of thumbnails like this:

… and increase their size to something like this:

You simply press the + key

+ increase thumbnail size

- decrease thumbnail size

Yet another reason to NOT have to look at your keyboard, while maintaining a productive workflow!

Access Shortcuts when you need them

This tip is quick … but ohhhhhhhh so handy!

When you don’t want to memorize or keep a list handy of all those fancy Lightroom Keyboard Shortcuts, you can always bring up a list of shortcuts while in any Lightroom Module by selecting Command+/ (mac) or Ctrl+/ (pc).

… and you’ll be presented with a nice on-screen cheat sheet:

Stitch together shortcuts like a pro

When we first start a job, there are some top-level adjustments we perform often. We don’t always commit these changes but they’re always a first line of attack with a new job. It’s worth remembering these shortcut as well as the order they are utilized:

• Auto White Balance – command + shift + u (mac) ctrl + shift + u (pc)
• Auto Tone – command + u (mac) ctrl + u (pc)
• Convert to Grayscale – v (mac or pc)

If we like what we see from any of these adjustments, or other adjustments we’ve done (exposure, crop, etc.), we’ll use these shortcuts, or the Previous button as we move on to the next image.

• Copy RAW Adjustments – command + shift + c (mac) ctrl + shift + c (pc)
• Paste RAW Adjustments – command + shift + v (mac) ctrl + shift + v (pc)

For a quick draft slideshow of our work:

• Quick Slideshow – command + return (mac) ctrl + return (pc)

Continually going to the mouse to perform adjustments starts to take its toll on your flow and your focus. We’ve found we don’t even have to look at the keyboard to perform these shortcuts once you start to use them often.

Stack ‘em up!

Stacks are pretty cool … I use them quite a bit while I shuffle around images in Library mode.

There’s a very nice shortcut for creating and collapsing stacks that I’m totally digging lately … it’s ultra-simple:

1. Select the images you would like to stack (selections can be in or out of sequence)
2. Press Command+g (mac) or Ctrl+g (pc)

… to collapse the stack:

1. Select the first image in the stack
2. Press Command+shift+g (mac) or Ctrl+shift+g (pc)

{here’s the kicker: does not work on virtual copies, but if you commit those virtual copies, you’re back in business}

Never miss a single pixel

This weeks tip has been around since version 1.0 of Lightroom, and although I personally do not use it that often, it’s a great image inspection technique.

Normally, I’m pushing images to 72ppi for proofing on the web, which will often downsample out any irritable noise, dust, or imperfections.

But when I am pushing to a high resolution print – they have to be perfectly clean! But … I’m lazy, and I wanted an easy way to inspect my images close up without the usual zoom-pan-zoom-pan tedium.

This lead me to a lesser known technique I will call the ‘PageDowner’ technique. Call it what you will, it’s a complete time saver.

In the Develop Module set your Navigator zoom ratio to 1:1. Next, press the PageDown key (mac users Shift+down arrow). You will notice that the navigator not only honors your zoom ratio as it scrolls vertically down your image, it automatically sets itself back to the top of the image – precisely to the right of your previous vertical scroll path – booyah!

This gives me complete assurance I have scoured every single area of the image, while allowing me to maintain a tight zoom, and my focus on dust busting.

Here’s to obsessive image inspection!

Export with the best of ‘em

This one is a real no-brainer but one that often gets overlooked.

Whenever you have to bounce out to Photoshop, or export a selection of images to JPG, TIFF, etc. …

… don’t right click, don’t drag your mouse like a lazy old man up to the menu bar … remember and BURN these shortcuts into your brain:

Export Images

Mac: Command+ Shift + e

PC: Ctrl + Shift + e

Edit in Photoshop

Mac: Command + e

PC: Ctrl + e

Don’t fear the rejection!

This is an old standby in our arsenal of keyboard shortcuts …something we call +PICK, PICK, REJECT

As you may recall, when you hold down Shift (mac or pc) while selecting P or X Lightroom will automatically move to the next image in the filmstrip.

This time, it gets even better …

• turn on CAPS lock
• select either P or X – or ANY filter key (star, color, etc.)
• Lightroom will set your filter selection, AND automatically move to the next image in the filmstrip – no need to hold down shift!

An oldie but goodie

I’m a huge fan of using the {Alt} key (mac or PC) to quickly access additional – hidden Quick Develop functions I use often.

During my first pass on a large job in the Library module, I not only rate images and select rejects, I also use the Tone Control sliders in the Quick Develop panel to adjust exposure. With a quick flick of the {Alt} key I can also slap the Saturation around and if necessary, Sharpen up any obvious soft images.

It’s a quick way to reach controls normally relegated to the Develop module.

What’s YOUR favorite?

This is by no means an exhaustive list of tips – just some of our favorites from the past 2 years.

What did we miss?

Sound off in the comments below and we’ll include yours in our next installment of Speed Tips.

|Brandon Oelling
x=photography+consulting – image+workflow+technology+business

Lightroom Speed Tips – Fast, Fun, Easy

Alright, so Part 1 of this series is fully digested, right? Well it is time to build on that procedure and really flex this workflows muscle. If you recall, I asked you to think about what presets you really like in Lightroom and to convert then to Adobe Camera Raw profiles using the past tutorial. Hopefully you did that, because we are going to use them.

If you haven’t gotten your presets ready, no worries. I have included at the end of this post a download containing all the LifeInDigitalFilm presets I utilize in making this tutorial. Obviously they are film emulation presets, but each one has a Lightroom and ACR preset ready to go. Figured it would help if you had the tools, you know.

The biggest and most interesting application of the Layered Smart Object workflow is the ability to composite from the same image with differing presets applied to each layer. I know this sounds strange, but when you play with the process, it will make sense and make a lot of corrections easier.

So first, let’s bring some pop to an image. We are going to take a single image and process it with three different presets for different parts of the image, enhancing its overall appearance. The idea here will be to have a heavily saturated background, mildly saturated foreground and a neutral, skin-tone friendly saturation on the subject.

So, starting in Lightroom, let us choose an image, create three virtual copies and apply presets to them. Here is my original, untouched Raw file.

I then applied my Fuji Velvia preset, for rich, saturated leaves.

Next came my Fuji Sensia 100 preset, to richen the vehicle and ground in the background.

Finally, I applied the neutral toned Fuji 160S preset to create even skin tones.

Applying these presets to each Virtual Copy creates 3 different interpretations of the same image. Now to leverage those 3 images to create 1 image that blends the desired qualities of each version.

So, using the techniques learned in part one, bring the Virtual Copies in Photoshop as Smart Objects and layer them up. Go ahead, I’ll wait.

So now you have your Smart Objects ready to go in Photoshop. I layered mine in order so that the Fuji 160S image with the subject is on top, The Fuji Sensia 100 image with the primary background behind it and the Fuji Velvia image with the tree line as the emphasis. I also included a flat black layer at the bottom to serve as a proofing tool while masking. It helps show where the layer mask is applied easily.

Now the masking begins. I am going to start by masking out just the subject on the first layer.

Then mask out the tree line from the second layer.

With those two masks complete, the three iterations are blended, combining the unique look each preset provides to specific parts of the image. Although when comparing the original layers to one another there shows to be a large difference between them in tone, combined it looks natural.

Now that I look at my sample image, I feel that the tree line is too bright. I need to darken it. However it is only the uppermost part of the tree line that offends my sensibilities, so I don’t want to jump over to ACR and drop the exposure of the Velvia layer. I need to use a Graduated Filter.

So I will double click on the Smart Object icon in the Layers pallet as we did in the last article. This launches us into Adobe Camera Raw.

Now in the ACR window, I will click on the Graduated Filter icon {G}.

Next, I apply the graduated filter across the top half of the image, then I drop the Exposure to -0.60 and bump the Saturation a touch more to bring some more pop to the leaves.

I am not concerned with applying the filter over the subject, as he is already masked out of this layer, replaced with the subject from the 160S subject layer.

In the same vein, I feel that the truck from the second, Sensia, layer is blown out a bit too much. Again, I don’t want to adjust the entire layer in ACR. This time I will use the Adjustment Brush to brush over the vehicle. Click on the Adjustment Brush icon {K}.

I will set the Exposure to -0.70 and proceed to paint over the truck, applying the adjustment.

This time, I am a little more cognizant of the area of the image affected, as I can darken the ground if not careful. With the Adjustment Brush however, this is not too difficult to avoid.

Now that the local adjustments are complete, the image feels complete.

Although the image seems good to me, let’s not call it quits yet. The skin tones look good on the subject, however I feel there could be a nicer skin tone applied. Adjusting only skin tone can be a hassle in Photoshop, but utilizing Smart Objects, Layer Masking and Presets; we can change it in a few clicks.

So I will now double click on the Smart Object icon again, this time on the subject layer. As said, the Fuji 160S look was nice, but I would like to warm the skin tone. So once ACR opens, I proceed to click on the Presets button.

From this menu I will select my Fuji Velvia 100 @ 80 preset. This will darken the skin tones a touch and bring some more saturation into the skin, but not much. I went ahead and tweaked the Exposure a touch and strengthened the Tone Curve, just to bring about some more pop.

Once back into the main image, it is nice to see how much progress was made so quickly. Now to take it to another level. Utilizing the same preset methodology, we can easily take this blended image from a saturated, full color image, easily to a selective color composition.

For this, I am going to select the far background, Velvia, layer. Then I will open it up into ACR. From here I select the Presets button again and I am going to select the Kodak Tri-X preset.

This applies a nice monochrome conversion to the image. When applied, this will only affect the tree line in the background.

Next, I need to take care of the background, Sensia, layer. Again, I hop over to ACR, select the Presets button and this time I apply the Kodak T-Max preset.

This presents a different monochrome conversion, but blends nicely with the Tri-X layer.

There, in about one minute I converted a full color image to a selective color piece.

That’s all for today folks, easy enough lesson to apply. As mentioned earlier, I have included a download featuring the presets you have seen used here today. All the presets in the download are courtesy of LifeInDigitalFilm (in other words, me).

Have fun with all the masking and image tweaking now made available to you. Make quick and easy image alterations with presets and local adjustments in ACR. There is nothing like having a little piece of Lightroom right in Photoshop.

In the series finale, we will expose some more advance techniques made available to you in Photoshop when using a Smart Object, Layered workflow. We’ll look at Smart Filters and some other crazy trickery that is commonplace for Photoshop, but made amazing with Smart Objects.

Next, let’s move on to Part 3.

Michael W. Gray – LifeInDigitalFilm

Keeping it Raw in Photoshop – Part 2 of 3

I always had a soft spot for wide angle lenses, but really didn’t see a need for them early in my career. I was kinda sweet on medium telephotos and zoom lenses. Now, I’ll grant you that I, like many others, had only a modest budget and really couldn’t see how adding a dedicated wide angle to my kit was going to help me.

Many hobbyists I know are like that and put their hard-earned money towards the items they feel they will use the most, especially if those items cost in the hundreds of dollars. Adding a good wide angle lens to a kit is an expensive undertaking for semi-pros and enthusiasts and a lens, many feel (mistakenly, I think), has limited use.

Thge Sigma 10-20mm f/3.5 is a wonderful piece of glass to use. The range is about perfect for getting the best use from a wide-angle without stepping into the fish-eye realm. For the first few days, I basically played with this lens, taking it outside and grabbing some images in my neighborhood–just getting used to the feel.

Any new lens added to your arsenal needs a breaking-in period for you to get used to the weight and location of the controls. This one felt “right” for me quite quickly. The lens weighs 18.3 ounces (slightly more than a pound) [520g], which is barely towards the heavy side, but quite manageable. The focus was quite quick and nearly silent with the Hyper-Sonic Motor.

After about a week, I decided to put it to a test when my daughter had a concert in the new auditorium at the College of St. Rose in Albany, New York. This facility, new this year, is an intimate, but great sounding room and I wanted to catch the full scope of the auditorium. As you can see in the accompanying image, it’s visually pleasing, as well.

When I stood in the rear and zoomed out to the 10mm setting (on a APS-C with a 1.6, the crop ratio is 16mm), I could get the entire room. However, the audience seating area was quite dark and the stage well lit. I didn’t have my tripod with me, so I held my camera down on a seat back in the middle of the last row and set the camera to take three successive images at -2, 0 and +2 EV.

The resultant image is a true HDR, corrected for color only and processed in Photoshop CS3.

All photos © Dennis Hays

Later, this past summer, I took my family on a vacation to Newburyport, Massachusetts and Plum Island, a vacation island area off the coast, about three miles from Newburyport. On the day we went, as you can see in the image on this page, there were few people in this area where we set up “camp.” In fact, the seagulls outnumbered the human population.

Here are two different circumstances for evaluating this lens. One a somewhat dark indoor auditorium and the other, outdoors, in bright sunlight.

All photos © Dennis Hays

In my opinion, this lens handled itself well. With f/3.5 throughout its range (maximum of f/22), internal focus and an angle of view between 63.8 and 102.4 degrees, it fits in well.

While Sigma has a MSRP of $950.00 for this lens, you can get it at camera retailers, such as B&H Photo, Adorama and Amazon for $649.00. SLR Gear rated this lens “impressively sharp” at f/3.5 (soft corners occurring at the extreme edges) at at its best at f/8. There is slight barrel distortion at the low end of 10mm, improving to almost 0 at 15mm.

Would I recommend this lens to a working pro? Yes, with reservations. To an advanced amateur and hobbyist, this is a good lens, well worth the investment.

Available in Sigma, Canon, Nikon, Pentax and Sony mounts, 7 diaphragm blades, Diameter 3.4in [87.3mm] – Length 3.5in [88.2mm].

Read more about this lens at SigmaPhoto.com

Dennis Hays – Photo News Today

FTC Notice: Sigma Photo loaned me the 10-20 f/3.5 EX DC HSM lens for this review and, as such, it has been returned to them, per our agreement. Sigma Photo did not provide any direction for this review and I was under no obligation to submit this review to them for “corrections” prior to publication. As an independent reviewer, I was free to come to my own conclusions. With the exception of the loan of this lens, I have received no consideration implied or explicit.

Open Wide and Say Ahhhh! – Sigma 10-20mm f/3.5 EX DC HSM Review

Previously I introduced X-Equals readers to Smart Objects in Photoshop as a method by which you can maintain the capabilities and quality of RAW, but still utilize many of the stellar features of Photoshop. In this series I am going to outline my RAW workflow within Photoshop, leveraging Smart Objects and Adobe Camera Raw to maintain RAW images while performing tasks upon the images that cannot be done in Lightroom or ACR.

Here in Part 1, I am going to cover blending multiple renditions of an image, of varying exposures created in Lightroom, into one image with excellent range. Since this exercise is primarily focusing on exposure, I will be working with monochrome images. In part two and three of this series we will work with color images, but monochrome makes it easier to focus on the basics.

This exercise will effectively simulate dodging and burning the image in Photoshop without using any of the traditional techniques provided. The goal is to maintain a RAW workflow as far into the image processing as possible, allowing you to make subtle exposure changes on the fly in ACR to individual Smart Objects. We will be operating on an array of smart objects derived from the same raw file. I know the same general effect can be created in Photoshop without utilizing Smart Objects and their inherent system overhead.

This workflow is designed to keep you image as close to the original RAW file as possible for as long as possible, keeping all the tools you utilize in Lightroom at your disposal.

This is by no means the quickest method to utilize, but this workflow combines raw abilities and image quality with Photoshop’s image mastering prowess. You do no damage to your pixels in this workflow, whereas Photoshop usually take quite a few liberties with your image. This workflow just gives you more control.

So, starting in Lightroom, go ahead and select an image that you are going to give the Photoshop Raw treatment.

The first step is to take the image monochrome, to do this I am using one of my LifeInDigitalFilm presets, but you can convert however. Next, you are going to correct the image for a proper exposure on the subject and do my basic image sharpening and tweaking. At this we are going to create two virtual copies {Ctrl/Cmd + ‘}.

With the first one we are going to focus on bringing out shadow detail, the other focus on highlight detail.

You can make as many Virtual Copies as you need to properly expose all parts of your image, I am sticking with three for article length considerations, by more virtual exposures will allow you even more depth, but will take considerably more time to do.

Also, do not get too hung up on making “perfect” exposures, the strength of this workflow is being able to utilize ACR at any time to redo your RAW processing. Once your set of exposures is complete you are ready to bring them into Photoshop as Smart Objects.

Now I will select all three of my processed iterations of my image in the filmstrip together. Right-click {cmd+click} the selected photos to bring up the contextual menu, and select Edit In and then proceed to click on the Open as Smart Object in Photoshop…

Now Lightroom hands off the images to Photoshop, which opens each Smart Object in their own image.

This next part is a pain; you have to pull all the smart objects into one image inside Photoshop. There is surely an automated method by which to do this, but I have not uncovered it of yet.

First you tear down one of the images from Photoshop’s tab bar,

by clicking and holding on the images tab and pulling it off the tab.

This places that single image inside its own child window.

Now, with that image on top of the other two, click and hold the Smart Object shown in the Layers palette.

Now simply drag that Smart Object to the image that is present behind the current child window. Close the child window to get it out of your way.

Now you have to line up the Smart Object you just dropped into the other image. When you transfer it, it kind of drops where it may, you need it perfectly aligned. You need to enable Snap from the View menu {or use Shift + Ctrl/Cmd + ;}, then select the Move tool {V} from the toolbox.

Click on the Smart object you just dropped in and move it until it snaps into the image canvas.

Repeat this process for the other Smart Object in the remaining image. Just do not close that last child window; we may need to add another Smart Object layer later so it is handy to keep one around just in case.

Once all three Smart objects are layered together, arrange the layers in the Layers palette as you see fit. I generally prefer to order my layers from the Lightest on the top, to the darkest on the bottom, with my subject layer in the middle. Do what works best for you; it may take some experimenting to get it down to what best suits your taste. You may also want to take the time to rename the layers if you like to be organized.

Now that everything is lined up, we need to add in layer masks. Select the top layer in the Layer palette, and then select the Add Layer Mask icon at the bottom of the Layer palette.

This creates a layer mask on the top layer. Repeat this for the second layer and any other layers you may have, except for the bottom layer.

Now, with all the Smart Objects and layer masks in place, the Photoshop image is ready to be further edited upon. At this stage, you may want to save the file. I recommend you to select Save As…{Shift + Ctrl/Cmd + S}. When saving, make sure to save as a Photoshop PSD file.

Make sure you check off the Layers option in the save dialog, to keep everything nicely saved together. The save takes a while and eats up a lot of disk space, but it keeps your layers safe and links to the images RAW data intact. If you are working on a large, complicated file, you will want to save.

Now that all the preliminary setup is complete, let us start digging into the real editing of the image.

Since I layered my Smart Objects from lightest to darkest, we are going to start our masking out on the light layer.

In the Layers palette, click on the mask next to the top layer and then select your Brush tool {B} from the toolbox.

You can use whatever masking selector you want, but I have a preference for a brush since it feathers out a bit. Make sure your active color in the color palette is black which punches through the current layer, exposing the layer beneath. If you need to undo a masking selection, just switch the color to white and paint over your erroneous selection.

In my image, the toy my son is climbing on is the part of the image I want the lightest exposure on. So I am going to mask off the rest of the image, both my son and the background. All that should be left showing of the top layer is what you want to be very light, which is the toy in my image, to keep it from being virtually black and to bring out the texture of the peeling paint.

Remember to zoom in to do fine detail work, otherwise you could end up creating a halo effect on lines of high contrast.

After you have masked out the first layer, simply click on the mask on the second layer to start bringing out the darker layer. Remember here that you will only see the back layer in the final image where both prior layers are masked out. In my example, I am going to mask out the rest of the background, bringing a darker exposure to the back ground.

Again, pay attention to fine edges, undo mistakes with a white brush and feel free to jump back to the other mask if you see you missed an area.

If you can’t tell, I am really skimming over layer masks here as it is pretty basic Photoshop. If you have not dealt with layer masks before, just follow what I have done and you will figure it out with ease. Masks are not a hard tool to use, in fact they are insanely easy, but you will spend years mastering their use, I’m still trying to.

Now that all the layer masking is complete, the image is done. Sort of. I am really not happy with how dark the background is. If this was a normal Photoshop file, I would be utilizing a multitude of tools to brighten that portion of the image, consuming much time. However, since we are using Smart Objects and layer masks delineate what is visible there is a better option for such a simple adjustment. Adobe Camera Raw.

So to fix the bottom layer in ACR, all we must do is double click on the Smart Object icon showing in the Layer palette.

ACR is automatically launched, and the controls are oh so familiar to a Lightroom user.

To make my fixes, I am going to bump up the Exposure a shade and kick the white balance Temperature up a bit towards the yellow zone. Notice that the image you view in ACR is not of your layered masked image, but of the original RAW file.

Once you click OK the RAW file is interpreted and the image in Photoshop is updated. And only the parts of the layer that have been masked to be visible will show the alteration.

Now, I am not happy with the skin tone. So again I double click, but this time on the icon for the middle layer, which controls the appearance of the skin in the image. I click over to theHSL/Grayscale tab in ACR and I’m going to drop the Orange saturation down until the brightness of the skin fades a bit and starts showing a little texture.

I click OK and it is applied.

And that is what all the work setting up in the image is for. We want quick easy fixes in ACR that would otherwise require selection and adjustments that smear and distort pixels when utilizing Photoshop’s normal pixel editing tools. Smart Objects and layers used together give use those quick, on the fly adjustments. All the effort is place at the front end of this workflow, after the masking is complete a world of opportunities open up before you.

As I said earlier, today was about basic layers and masking to blend multiple renditions of a file together. It is fairly simple and straight forward and it can be argued that this can be done more easily without the added complication of Smart Objects. However, this is just the introductory piece of this series. The next time we discuss this particular workflow, we will be dealing with color, presets and local adjustments in ACR. This brings a slew of new options to the table, and it cannot be done as easily otherwise.

So in preparation for the next article in this series, think about preset you utilize in Lightroom. You will need them for the next session, but you will need to convert your Lightroom Presets to Adobe Camera Raw presets. To do so, please refer to Presets and Adobe Camera Raw – A Match Made in Heaven, where we cover the process of migrating Lightroom presets to ACR.

Next, let’s move on to Part 2.

Michael W. Gray – LifeInDigitalFilm

Keeping it Raw in Photoshop – Part 1 of 3

It’s a rather tiny icon, and you probably don’t give it much thought … I know I didn’t.

Yet it’s so simple and does its job so well it’s time to give this little guy a shot. Luckily for you, we’ve taken the mystery out of this hidden gem with some examples of how you can add the Painter into your workflow.

Initially, many people assume the Painter just applies keywords, but it does a lot more than that! Since keywording is how I began using the Painter, let’s look at how it works in that mode.

I am putting together a book of fun and goofy images of my daughter so we’ll begin our journey in the Library Module:

I’m working in more of a free-form mode as I browse for images, and while I am doing this, I’m not sure what I want to use yet. I’m sure you find yourself in similar situations as well.

For my book project, I just wanted to cruise through the 2,000 images I had and quickly tag them with a keyword that I could filter or create a collection from later – this is where the Painter tool comes in handy.

{note: for more details on keywording, check out our post on setting up and choosing keywords in Lightroom}

The tool itself is located just above the filmstrip:

Once selected, by default, you are dropped into keyword mode:

This is the mode I am working in during the above example.

There are 2 ways to apply keywords with the Painter tool, and this is generally how all the Painter tools modes work (rotation being the exception):

1. single-click on any image
2. click-drag on multiple images

Either method is quick and easy. If you accidentally apply changes to an image and wish to remove the changes, just single-click the image again (or click-drag) and the Painter will undo its previous changes. It’s pretty sweet!

But there is MUCH more to what can be done with the Painter tool. Once activated, the tool has a list of available modes that can be used:

• Keywords – apply single or multiple keywords
• Label – add a Label
• Flag – add a Flag
• Rating – add a Rating
• Metadata – apply additional Metadata
• Settings – apply a Preset to an image
• Rotation – Rotate Left, Rotate Right, Flip Horizontal, Flip Vertical
• Target Collection – Add to Quick Collection

Aside from keywording, I think the Settings mode is very cool since it essentially allows you to paint a preset across images very quickly. I plan to spend more time in this mode in the future.

And that is the secondary goal of this workflow – to explore what the tool offers beyond the obvious.

If you have another use for this tool pleae share in the comments below. I have a feeling we’ve only scratched the surface of how the Painter can speed up a workflow!

|Brandon Oelling
x=photography+consulting – image+workflow+technology+business

The Lightroom Painter – It’s not just for keywords!