A hopefully simple Lightroom Question

I typically export a raw photo from lightroom to a Tif and put it in the folder untitled export.

I work on that TIf in Photoshop and save it. The saved work is in Lightroom. However when I am
working with some of the Topaz products I save several versions of the photo with different effects.

Is there a simpler way to get those photos into the lightroom catalog than going back to the import
and importing that folder again.

thanks much for any help in advance

GG

Do the Topaz products show up as choices when you right click an image and choose Edit In? Instead of exporting, I would suggest choosing to edit in Photoshop/Topaz. It sends it straight to the program and then when you save (not Save As), it brings it back into Lightroom.

why not edit (Right Click on image >Edit In> PhotoFXlab) the photo in Topaz from within Lightroom then it will create a PSD or TIF (depending on the settings configured) file with or without any edits already done in LR (You get given the option) - this way the LR catalogue is automatically updated with the TOPAZ edited file....

HTH

birderman wrote in post #18005569
why not edit (Right Click on image >Edit In> PhotoFXlab) the photo in Topaz from within Lightroom then it will create a PSD or TIF (depending on the settings configured) file with or without any edits already done in LR (You get given the option) - this way the LR catalogue is automatically updated with the TOPAZ edited file....

HTH

+1 for this, i do this with NIK addons.

1. In Lightroom's preferences, under "External Editors," you can configure how Lightroom sends files to the other programs such as Photoshop and the Topaz editors. Instead of exporting the file then opening it in Photoshop, you'll right-click on the image then select "Open in Photoshop." If you do this, Lightroom will automatically import the file when you save it in Photoshop (but not when you Save As a different name).

2. If you use Save As to make several different versions, the files won't be automatically imported, as above. However, if all the files are saved in the same folder as the original file, instead of using the Import dialog, you can right-click on that folder in your library and choose "Synchronize folder." It's fewer clicks than the Import dialog, anyway.

Thanks to everyone. Lots of good ideas. Nathan the synchronize folder might be what I am looking for.

Appreciate the advice!!

Also enter PS this way...it will keep the tiff/psd file in the same folder as the raw, as will the other edit options.

To keep things tidy you might want to consider this workflow:

1. In LR, right click and Edit in PS.
2. Do your PS edits (they will be automatically saved in a new file that appears automatically in LR with no need to sync unless you do a "Save as" instead of a "save").
3. Then, from within Photoshop, when you are ready to try your various Topaz edits create a new layer in the file in PS and do your edit. This will also be automatically saved to the same file in PS. When you want to try another version, hide the previous topaz layer and do the new version. You can do this as many times as you want to create different versions all contained within one PS file. If you ever want to print one version, just hide the other Topaz layers and keep the layer you like active and print that.