Jsykes

LR Question; still in the early days of getting used to its capabilities. Would appreciate feedback on the use of the Auto correction under "Basic".

1. Is Auto a good "starting point"?
2. In going through JPEGs from 2017 (I was new in using a DSLR and not aware of RAW) all the images become "warmer" when I have chosen this option. Does this say something about shooting in JPEG or more to do with my lack of experience when taking the images?
3. On those where I have chosen to use Auto, the outcome is not substantially different to when I initially went through utilizing the LR tools; remember I am still learning the tools and techniques from the multiple ideas on process steps from third party more experienced users

CHG_CANON Loc: the Windy City

1. Yes, <auto> is a good starting point
2. No, the WB is determined by the camera, either via a AUTO-WB setting or something the photographer (you) set when capturing the image. There's nothing about the JPEG format that impacts the WB of the image that is different than any other image file format.
3. I use an older version of LR. I've seen comments that Adobe has improved the intelligence of <Auto> vs older versions. A subscription user would need to comment.

Regarding an edit workflow. Personally, I import all my RAW images into LR and the apply Develop Presets I have developed that accomplish:

a. Apply the lens profile for the lens version used.
b. Set the camera profile to Camera Standard.
c. Apply ISO-specific noise and sharpening values I've developed for my individual cameras.
d. Apply default values of Clarity, Luminance and Saturation I've developed for my individual cameras.
e. Trigger Auto WB and Auto Develop.

Before editing, I try to remember to add keywords and move all images to a collection in my library. This can be done later, but I've found it best to do this admin work up-front.

I then begin editing images individually, with the images sorted by capture time. Given I have a string of images, they’ll typically be from the same lighting situations. I edit the first to my desire, moving / correcting the individual sliders on the first image. LR's <auto> is what might be called a "disaster" relative to both the original and the final version. But, the ideas of what to correct are useful, many times giving ideas I would not have considered by myself.

When I finish editing the first image, I then use the ‘power’ of LR by syncing the settings from the first edit across the next similar images. Sometimes, they’re all good or they require individual, but minor, addition tweaks. Sometimes, I sync those additional edits back across all the images, other times the images remain unique. It does depend.

"Syncing" is done by selecting multiple images from the film role in Develop, or the Grid in Library via Sync Settings. You can uncheck all and then select just WB and Exposure, or whatever specific setting to sync. So whether you start from Auto or just the imported version, the power of LR is the syncing function across similar images where every image doesn't have to be edited from scratch.

As you edit, use the backslash "\" and flip back n forth from the original to the current status of your edits. Sometimes the history panel is useful as I have at least three points of reference: initial import, application of the preset triggering the auto develop and auto WB, and the current status of the editing.

Use utube videos or your books for examples and explanations for each slider. As <Auto> doesn’t touch Clarity, Vibrance and Saturation, my presets apply values for these sliders.

I first get the "basic" edits of the exposure and White Balance completed, then give a second pass for cropping, cloning or anything more complex. I also tweak noise and / or sharpen and sync these refinements across similar images, using the syncing function and updating the parameters being synced to just these settings.

I use the image compare tool throughout the process to identify and discard duplicate or inferior images, setting them to rejected and removing from the edit session. If I do my work from within a LR collection, I can periodically filter by rejected images and remove the rejects from the collection without impacting their status in the Library. At the end of the session, I delete all rejected images, both from the catalog and from disk.

Regarding my (a) to (e) preset actions, you can do these manually in-mass from the Library module as well. Use your Metadata filters to identify and isolate images by cameras and / or lens models. You'll then update one image with the lens profile and camera profile (Camera Standard or other) and sync those settings across all images from the same camera and lens.

Linary Loc: UK

The auto in Lightroom Classic is a good improvement on previous versions and can be a good starting point for bringing the image up to scratch. It is better working on raw images than jpeg, but in either case it can help especially if you are unsure which way to go. Whilst learning it can be helpful to use auto then look at the sliders and histogram to see what effect it has had.

A way to learn of LR's capabilities is is import your image, create a virtual copy, use auto on the virtual copy and compare the two images using Survey view in the Library.

mborn Loc: Massachusetts

Auto Os Agoods tarting point but must be refined

juan_uy Loc: Uruguay

Wow, thanks for sharing with this level of detail
VERY useful to read

via the lens Loc: Northern California, near Yosemite NP

Hi, I use LR and PS. If an image I take is somewhat in the normal range of exposure or even a little too dark I'll hit auto as a starting point. One of the things I don't like about auto is that it takes down the contrast, which is good with some images but not others. So, you'll need to be aware of that. Also, auto does not do everything you will need to do. If an image was taken high-key, i.e., very "white" or in the almost over exposed range, then I would not use auto. Also, if an image looks great on the screen, the light was perfect and the image has a lot of midtown range colors, then I would not use auto as that would not be needed. You can check out my LR website if you want to, it is for beginners. viathelens.net. Don't forgot to use the Help manual found at the top of the program, too, which is essential for learning.

Jsykes

Wow

Thanks for the detailed reply.

If I may, some follow up questions.

Are you an advocate of setting AWB for all shots and adjusting through LR?

Not specific to your pre-set process. If I use multiple lenses while out shooting and when subsequently editing in LR under Lens Correction should I "tick" Enable Profile Correction" in order to id the specific lens for each individual shot? Or is this fundamentally solved wrt your comments in your final paragraph on setting lens and camera profiles? Also, do you recommend always "ticking" "Remove Chromatic Aberration".

I am way too inexperienced at this stage to be able to create my own pre sets, but I very much appreciate you sharing your process which I will use when I get more familiar.

Wrt your editing commentary:
i. Could you clarify your "capture time" comment?
ii. I have the latest version of LR. In your comments wrt to syncing multiple images based on similar lighting (and other) conditions I think this is similar to utilizing the DEVELOP "Previous" box that allows a setting for an image to be applied to other images

Hope the questions make sense

Jsykes

Thanks

Jsykes

Many thanks

CHG_CANON Loc: the Windy City

From the context, let's assume your questions are directed to my post. Using <Quote Reply> will help assure your comments are directed to specific members.

So for shooting RAW, yes, always use AWB in the camera. You have full control in post to edit. What the camera thought is a useful starting point, sometimes to steer you back to after the other edits, other times to indicate what to move away from (when the camera or LR was confused by the situation). Here it's important to have a calibrated monitor, or you can be chasing colors / tints you see only on your monitor (too red, too yellow, etc). I let LR do an auto WB too. The LR corrections are usually garishly wrong, but their updates give me a sense of the direction (warmer / cooler) and tint to update as I work to perfect the WB as I dial in my own judgment, comparing the camera's AWB to LR's to my own assessment.

For the lens profiles, yes, enable both the lens profile and Remove Chromatic Aberration. So, if you were using say the Nikon 18-55mm f/3.5-5.6 G VR and also a second lens, in the library mode you can sort / filter for all imported images for these two lenses, using the Metadata filters. Add a column for the lens type, if needed. Then, you might select the first image from the first of the multiple lenses, go to Develop and set the Camera Calibration to Camera Standard and set the two check boxes for the lens corrections, confirming the correct lens profile is set by LR. Return to the grid and select the first image from the grid for the filter to this first lens. Hold the <Shift> key and select the last image in this lens filter so that all images are selected. Press <Sync Settings> and select just the Calibration box and the group for Lens Corrections, then <Synchronize> these two settings across all selected images. Return to the Grid and select the second lens from the metadata filter and repeat the process to update to the first image and the sync across all images from the second lens.

When I reference <Sync> rather than <Previous>, I mean this purposefully. The <Previous> button is also very powerful and useful and available only in the Develop module. However, <Previous> will sync all possible edit settings between two images (at least in my LR6). There are several new tool in the subscription version I don't have access to, so my process may be a bit out of date.

Say I have an image that was ISO 1600 in one image and ISO 400 after I adjusted the ISO and maybe shutter speed while shooting. They may be the same subject, same light, slightly different exposure. Both were "properly" exposed and candidates for the same edits to WB and whites & blacks, for example. When I applied my RAW presets, my presets will apply different noise settings to the ISO-1600 that differ from ISO-400. The <Previous> sync will pick up these noise settings to the ISO-400 image along with all the edits from the ISO-1600 image. If you select the two images in the film strip across the bottom in Develop, this enables the <Sync> button and I can select the individual settings to sync between the two images, being sure not to sync the noise settings.

When you're interested in Develop Presets (or Export), I can give some ideas for what to add into your presets and how to efficiently create these files that are just "text" files you can edit directly external to LR using a text editor. The process of picking the lens and syncing the profile can be automated where LR will look-up and apply "known" lenses automatically.

The capture time is a sorting option. In the Library module / grid view, use the <T> key to toggle this filter option for display at the bottom. You can control the sort order of the images when this option is displayed.

Jsykes

Great Thanks

therwol Loc: USA

When discussing "Lightroom", it's important to distinguish between the standalone version, the Classic CC or the Lightroom CC version. (The last two come with your subscription, and they are not identical in their function. Menus are different. Another issue is that Lightroom CC doesn't give you many choices in which format you want to save your finished pictures. Unless someone knows of a trick I don't know of, you can't work with RAW in Lightroom CC and save as tif.

I know that didn't answer your question, but the point is that one should specify which version and even which release they're talking about when they discuss this software.

tcthome Loc: NJ

He da man! It would of took me an hour to type that.

R.G. Loc: Scotland

One of the differences between raw and jpeg SOOC is that the jpeg gets significant amounts of in-camera processing whereas the raw receives minimal in-camera processing. If you apply any kind of boosting to a file that's already had processing (for example in-camera processing) you will be amplifying that processing, and if that processing included even a slight degree of warming, your own boosting will amplify that warming. That is exactly what Auto will do (amongst other things).

You should try to work out what Auto does and how it does it. Its operation is based on sound processing principles so it's a good source to learn from. The results may not be 100% perfect for every image, but it will do a good job of getting close - or put another way it'll do a good job of providing you with a good starting point, leaving you with only minor tweaking to do. I would advise against depending on Auto completely because your own learning process will suffer and possibly stagnate.

David in Dallas Loc: Dallas, Texas, USA

I frequently find that Auto makes my images too bright and have to tone down the exposure a little. That may be a result of how my monitor is set up--it has not been calibrated. I do often use the Auto function to get a starting point, but always have to do some tweaking afterward. If there is not much wrong with the image, I'll just tweak from its original state.