Lightroom looks awful before export

I've been noticing more and more how bad images in Lightroom look, to the point when I am culling images after a shoot many of them are just "meh" and borderline delete. When I export them they are look ok, sometimes even very good.

I know output sharpening is only applied when it is exported as well as raw processing (I am using RAW) and generate medium previews on import to give me better previews and less "loading" when working on them. But the difference is so much that it is hard to see what is really a keeper and what isn't very good. Even after applying sharpness and everything to the image it just looks meh. I thought LR3 was suppose to make the previews more like the exported images.

Give more info. Youre like saying "my car rides rough and engine makes noises. whats wrong with my car?".

Fast Fredy wrote in post #12405492
Give more info. Youre like saying "my car rides rough and engine makes noises. whats wrong with my car?".

Images are blurry, and not just a little quite a bit where they look slightly out of focus. Contrast is really poor. They actually look overexposed as well.

I used SnagIt to grab a capture of the image in Lightroom which should show it pretty close to what I see, then I also exported the image using "standard" output sharpening. I know exported images will be sharper, but the difference is huge and not just sharpening, and it is causing me to delete and cull images from lightroom because they look OOF that may actually turn out pretty good.

Before (in lightroom, screen grab):

HTTP response: NOT FOUND | MIME changed to 'image/gif' | Redirected to error image by TINYPIC

They are a bit different size as I had my tool bars opened with LR, but you can see how huge the difference is. The first image I would just delete entirely as it looks bad, but exported it is rather sharp. It isn't just sharpness though, the exposure is way off prior to export.

I see hardly any "Exposure" differences, but I see a slight color difference, hardly surprising, since the first image has no embedded profile and the second is sRGB...
How does the screenshot look on your machine? (In both color managed and non colormanaged software, compared to the screen that was shot?)

On the sharpness difference: Are you viewing in Library or develop module?
How does sharpness look at 100% view?

Sharpness differences probably caused by the resizing done for screen & output sharpening.
Color differences: Monitor profile.

If you see a huge difference, it might be your monitor profile is bad.

René Damkot wrote in post #12407565
I see hardly any "Exposure" differences, but I see a slight color difference, hardly surprising, since the first image has no embedded profile and the second is sRGB...
How does the screenshot look on your machine? (In both color managed and non colormanaged software, compared to the screen that was shot?)

On the sharpness difference: Are you viewing in Library or develop module?
How does sharpness look at 100% view?

Sharpness differences probably caused by the resizing done for screen & output sharpening.
Color differences: Monitor profile.

If you see a huge difference, it might be your monitor profile is bad.

The color profile issue with the image is just because it was captured using a screen capture software and not really a camera image. It is sRGB though, I just don't think snagit actually assigns the profile to the file.

The above image does look exactly how it does in LR.

I am mostly looking at it at in "FIT" mode, then I zoom 100% when doing specific work. Both Library and Develop mode, but mostly really concerned in Develop mode as that is when I make edits, but I do cull from Library mode usually.

For example if you look at the women's face, there is no detail there and it looks over exposed, when I export though it is 1000% better.

I have a fresh monitor profile (about a week old) but this HP LP2475w has always been problematic.

Saxi wrote in post #12407584
The color profile issue with the image is just because it was captured using a screen capture software and not really a camera image. It is sRGB though, I just don't think snagit actually assigns the profile to the file.

A screenshot should have the monitor profile assigned.

Saxi wrote in post #12407584
The above image does look exactly how it does in LR.

Viewing in what?

Saxi wrote in post #12407584
I am mostly looking at it at in "FIT" mode, then I zoom 100% when doing specific work. Both Library and Develop mode, but mostly really concerned in Develop mode as that is when I make edits, but I do cull from Library mode usually.

And, how does the image look in LR at 100%?

Saxi wrote in post #12407584
For example if you look at the women's face, there is no detail there and it looks over exposed, when I export though it is 1000% better.

I see hardly an exposure difference, mostly the sRGB image shows a bit cooler here. The difference in detail is obvious. (but not too surprising).

How does the library module look after you create a 1:1 preview again?
Should look about the same as Develop then.

René Damkot wrote in post #12407685
A screenshot should have the monitor profile assigned.


Viewing in what?


And, how does the image look in LR at 100%?


I see hardly an exposure difference, mostly the sRGB image shows a bit cooler here. The difference in detail is obvious. (but not too surprising).

How does the library module look after you create a 1:1 preview again?
Should look about the same as Develop then.

Sorry for the slow reply, I replied earlier but I guess it didn't stick.

Viewing in LR, usually with the toolbars up but I will sometimes shift-tab them away.

At 100% it looks no where as good as the exports.

If I remember right, library looks very similar to develop, but still way off the exported JPG. It isn't a little either, it is enough that I initially I was considering deleting the images.

The girls face doesn't look over exposed to you? I mainly see white shine and no detail what so ever in LR, but the exported image I can make out the face and it doesn't look all that bad.

Saxi wrote in post #12420705
The girls face doesn't look over exposed to you? I mainly see white shine and no detail what so ever in LR, but the exported image I can make out the face and it doesn't look all that bad.

The girl's face is definitely not overexposed. Looks about right to me and on LR's histogram probably reads something like 65%/56%/50%. If your display makes it look white, I would suspect the monitor profile is at fault.

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Agree with Elie.

René Damkot wrote in post #12424994
Agree with Elie.

Is it suppose to look so different, when viewing in LR it looks as if someone shined a floodlight on her face. When exporting, it doesn't look bad. So I am adjusting the exposure to recover the face yet the end result I didn't need to.

No. The image should look identical in LR before and after export (and re-import). Sure works like that here.

A random Raw file, exported using these settings:

IMAGE LINK: https://skitch.com …kot/r95xe/expor​t-one-file

IMAGE LINK: https://skitch.com …otoshop-lightroom-library

IMAGE LINK: https://skitch.com/ren​edamkot/r95tn/photosho​p

Are your standard and 1:1 previews rendered?

Staszek wrote in post #12426809
Are your standard and 1:1 previews rendered?

"Standard Previews" on import and using "Medium" previews in the Preferences for DNG JPG previews.

I do convert to DNG on import. I do not keep CR2 files in my catalog.

René Damkot wrote in post #12426791
No. The image should look identical in LR before and after export (and re-import). Sure works like that here.

A random Raw file, exported using these settings:

IMAGE LINK: https://skitch.com …kot/r95xe/expor​t-one-file Click for large view

Gives this in "Compare" view next to the CR2:

IMAGE LINK: https://skitch.com …otoshop-lightroom-library Click for large view

This is the jpg opened in PS. Again, identical.

IMAGE LINK: https://skitch.com/ren​edamkot/r95tn/photosho​p Click for large view

If this is different on your machine, something is wrong.

What could cause this dramatic difference?

I am rendering "standard" previews on import (default is minimum I believe) and I selected "medium" previews for DNG JPG preview in the preferences. I do convert to DNG on import.