What are your "standard" changes in lightroom? Oh, and have some cake.

[Desi]

Hi TPF,

I'm wondering if you have a "standard" set of things that you do in lightroom when PP'ing your RAW images. I've heard people to sharpening, clarity, contrast, saturation, etc.

I've been shooting in Raw for about 4-5 months and my "standard" change is: Increase contrast from 25 to about 32 and increase the vibrance from 0 to 7-9. I make those changes to almost all of my photos. Naturally, the final set of changes depends on the image and what potential I am able to "see" in the image. I'm still working on that part.

I find that if I do nothing, the images are dull. But, I can too easily overcook the image. I have a hard time seeing what is "just right"

Can you share with me your basic process? Thanks.


Oh, and here's the cake:


DSC_0219.jpg by Javier Descalzi, on Flickr

Manual, spot metering, f2.8, 1/80 ISO 500.

Oh, and some balloons too:

DSC_0222.jpg by Javier Descalzi, on Flickr
1/30, f4.5 aperture priority, center weighted. ISO 1600.

From the kid's birthday party this weekend, they turned three.

For these two images I just made my "standard" change.

Thanks for your thoughts.

 

[Robin Usagani]

The standard is just strictly WB and exposure. That's it. Everything else is depend on the photo (indoor or outdoor, weather, outfit, season, vegetation etc.).

 

[Big Mike]

Each image will demand it's own processing.

I've been shooting in Raw for about 4-5 months and my "standard" change is: Increase contrast from 25 to about 32 and increase the vibrance from 0 to 7-9. I make those changes to almost all of my photos. Naturally, the final set of changes depends on the image and what potential I am able to "see" in the image. I'm still working on that part.

If you find yourself doing those edits on most of your images, you can set up an import preset and have Lightroom do that automatically when you import.

 

[analog.universe]

My standard is to observe and imagine, and avoid falling into repetitive patterns.

If two images (that aren't the same scene) get processed similarly, it's purely by coincidence, and not intention.

My approach is purely artistic though, and has nothing to do with commercial delivery... if you're at all concerned with efficient time usage, my opinion isn't particularly helpful.

 

[480sparky]

I don't have any 'standard' adjustments I apply globally to all images. What I have is a Workflow and each step is determined by the original image and what I want it to end up looking like.

To start my process:
• Create sub-directories on hard drive
• Download image files
• Cull worthless frames (exposure way off, OOF, etc.)
• Batch Rename image files
• Batch insert XMP/IPTC data
• Insert keywords (some to all images, others to certain groups of images, still others to just a single frame)
• Separate jpegs from raws into their own sub-directories (only if I shot raw+jpeg to begin with, which is rare)
• Select & rate raw image files

Now the fun begins:
• Load a single raw file into Capture NX2
• Duplicate of original for comparison (Ctrl+D)

Then, adjust original image file if necessary:
• White Balance
• Picture Control
• Noise Reduction
• Active D-Lighting

Then on to:
• Curves
• Exposure compensation
• Contrast
• Highlight Protection
• Shadow Protection
• Saturation

Camera & Lens Correction:
• Color Moiré Reduction
• Image Dust Off
• Lateral Color Aberration
• Axial Color Aberration
• Auto Distortion
• Red Eye
• Vignette Control

OK, so not every image will need every step, but this is the order I do them in. And not every image will need the same amount of adjustment for each step.

Now, I'm not done yet! I still have a ways to go!

Further color corrections:
• Luminance, Chroma and Hue
• Color Booster
• Saturation & Warmth

Now to adjust focus & sharpness:
• Gaussian blur
• High-Pass Filter (my favorite step!)
• Unsharp Mask

What I've done up to this point depends on what I want the final image to be. I may do the following:
• Add grain/noise
• B&W Conversion
• Colorize
• Color Range Contrast
• Sepia
• Tint

Not done yet! I may still need to do the following:
• Color Control Point
• Auto Retouch Brush
• Straighten / Rotate
• Crop (either freehand or specific aspect ratio) This I rarely do at this point.... I typically wait until I know what size print I'm making.

Finally! An image I can almost be proud of!!!! Time to:
• Save raw file (neat thing about raw.... the original sensor data is not overwritten... just the adjustments I made are added to the file. So if need be, I can always delete the steps at any time in the future and return the file to the original downloaded state!)
• Rename, adding "Sell Name" to filename and save as a Jpeg in a separate file. (i.e., I will rename DSC_1234 as Williams State Park 38 [38th frame taken at the Park] at the start of my PP process, then when I'm done editing it, I'll rename it to Gray Stone Bridge Williams State Park 38 at this point. I will post it on my web site as Gray Stone Bridge, while the full jpeg filename will direct me back to the original raw file located in my archive.)

Now to polish it off. Send the Jpeg to GIMP for:
• Cloning any areas that need it.
• Correct Perspective Distortion
• Crop to final aspect ratio for printing (again, typically I don't do this until I know what aspect ratio I need to print)
• Any other step that CNX2 cannot perform

NOW............. create a resized image for posting on my web site, and FINALLY!!!!!!............. print one 8x10 for my portfolio.

 

[MReid]

for Raws, shots of people
Neutral mode
+4 fill light
+4 highlight recovery
Black point to 5
contrast to 35
Vibrance 15
Saturation 6
Bright +3

I auto sync that to all the shots at once, then I start going through them one at a time to tweak. They don't usually need much else.

Every photo gets a levels check based on the histogram.

Right before export, auto sync sharpening. 92 2 20 90.

 

[Scuba]

Sparky that is one hell of a post! Nice workflow.

My workflow is a little less refined.

I use LR 2 so I go from top to bottom starting with the exposure, black level, WB, contrast etc and finish with sharpening. I would say the most common things I do are exposure, contrast, black level and tone curve. I generally export for unsharp mask to CS5 at the end. I try to keep the sharpening to a minimum by getting shrap focus and using the sweet spot of my lens (if possible). The most common adjustments to those things are, slight decrease in exposure (trying to expose to the right), slight blacks boost maybe +1-3, contrast maybe +5-15, tone curve depends on the image how I adjust that, unsharp mask I generally do 50-80% 2-4 pixel width and masking depends on the image but generally 1-4. Oh yeah and I slightly adjust the saturation up or down for each color.

I taught myself everything so I can't say if it is any good or if my PP is worth a crap but that is what I do.

 

[Desi]

Thanks everyone.

Schwetty: Thanks. I understand each image is unique. But, what are the changes that the camera makes to the RAW image to make a JPEG in-camera. Are those changes "standard" or are they also individualized.

Big Mike and Analog: thanks. I do try to treat each indivually.

Sparky: OK, now I'm dizzy. I've never even tried messing with half the things you mentioned. I truly appreciate your reply.

MReid: Thanks so much. I'm trying to get an idea of what other people do.

Desi

 

[480sparky]

To add: MOST of the stuff there I rarely do. I typically work with the curves, adjust the exposure, contrast & saturation, then run it through the High Pass filter.

I just have a set workflow so in case one of the oddball adjustments needs done, I've found that they're best done at a certain point in the process.

 

[nmoody]

Awesome breakdown of your flow Sparky, thanks for posting it.

 

[Robin Usagani]

I dont know sparky.. if that was my standard, i will spend way too much time on editing. Only a few photos need a lot of TLC when I do wedding. Most just sliders on LR.

 

[MReid]

ditto...I average about 100 photos an hour when processing a wedding. If the photos are well taken it goes pretty fast.

 

[480sparky]

Let me state this for the third time:

Very little in that list gets done on a specific image. And no image gets everything. I typically work with the curves, adjust the exposure, contrast & saturation, then run it through the High Pass filter.

 

[Ricky21]

I know I'm going to sound like a complete dumba$$, but should I consider purchasing LR3? I currently have Elements 10 and shoot mostly in .jpeg. I want to start shooting mainly in .raw, and it sounds like LR3 might be the way to go. I see that it's about $150. Do I even need Elements if I have LR? thanks.

 

[Desi]

I know I'm going to sound like a complete dumba$$, but should I consider purchasing LR3? I currently have Elements 10 and shoot mostly in .jpeg. I want to start shooting mainly in .raw, and it sounds like LR3 might be the way to go. I see that it's about $150. Do I even need Elements if I have LR? thanks.

Hey Ricky21,

I love lightroom. I don't use elements, so can't compare it to lightroom. You can download lightroom for free and use it for 30 days to try it out. You have to pay for the license to keep using it after 30 days.