Suggestions for my Lightroom 3 Workflow?

Hi, I just bought Lightroom 3 and started using the program yesterday. I've been using DPP for RAW edits, but many have recommend LR3 as being a superior RAW editor, especially for work flow and features.

I know I have a lot to learn for LR3 and am willing to take the time to learn them, but one thing I want to understand right away is the work flow. Can those who regularly use LR3 chime in on what part of my work flow is unnecessary or can be simplified? How similar is you workflow (from uploading pictures to the finished JPEG product)

1.) Upload pictures onto computer via EOS Utility (I don't have a CF card reader)
2.) Choose and Import photos into the LR3 catalog using "Add" (keep in same destination/folder as CR2)
3.) Perform RAW edits.
4.) Export the edited CR2 file as a TIFF to the same destination/folder to be used in Photoshop
5.) Open in Photoshop and perform retouching/editing/mas​king, etc.
6.) Save the multi-Layered, retouched/edited TIFF file.
7.) Import the TIFF file back into LR3 so it can be Exported to the Web, for Print, etc.

Notes:
* This lengthy work flow is more for portraits and people, in which the Spot Removal tool in LR3 is simply not enough, and I need to do some blur and masking
* I can see myself stopping after #3 for nature, landscapes, and sports pictures where I don't need to do major adjustments besides RAW.
* Is there a way for me to transfer the edited CR2 file directly to Photoshop instead of having to Export it as a TIFF and reopen it in Photoshop?
* Before I had LR3, I would save #6 as a single-Layered "Copy," reopen it in Photoshop and then do the "Save for Web and Devices" because the multi-Layered file is too large to "Save for Web and Devices."

I know this thread is as lengthy and complicated as my work flow, but please chime and help me become a more efficient photographer! Thanks!!!

There are burn and dodge tools in LR3 that may be sufficient to eliminate 4-6. The paintbrush in the Develop module

The most straightforward thing I'll point out is that the efficient way to make your round-trip to Photoshop is to use the Edit in Photoshop function -- right-click on one or more selected images (or use the Photo menu), choose Edit in Photoshop and it/they will open in Photoshop and simultaneously create a tiff that is automatically imported/integrated into your Lightroom catalog. When done with the edits you Save in Photoshop and your image will be updated in LR. If you want to send something out of Photoshop as a "finished product" you can use Save As or Save for Web and it won't show up in Lightroom as "spare baggage", or of course you can use Lightroom to Export from the edited tiff.

As Dan says, Lightroom has some great tools to explore -- some people have gotten great results from using the local adjustment brushes on portraits, for example -- there are brush settings for skin as well as local sharpening and softening that can work well, so it's worth taking the time to learn the tools so that Lightroom can "be all that it can be"!

I really wish there was a better way for LR and PS to integrate together, but I haven't really found anything perfect yet.

XxDJCyberLoverxX wrote in post #11389004
* Is there a way for me to transfer the edited CR2 file directly to Photoshop instead of having to Export it as a TIFF and reopen it in Photoshop?

If you right mouse click, you can do an Edit in PS, or ctrl/cmd + E. In LR preferences you can speciy the file handling, but the default is to export as a TIFF. I would suggest using Edit as Smart Object in PS. This will essentially export the RAW as a smart layer and allow you to make edits to the layer non-destructively. It really depends on how you work in PS though. It sounds like some of the edits you are doing might rasterize the photo or at least have rasterized layers, so your workflow will be dependent on that as well.

Also, as danpass suggested, there may be some features in LR that will allow you to do what you are looking for. There are targeted adjustment brushes and gradient adjustments that may work for the photos that don't need major work.

Thanks danpass, tonylong, and matthaios. I'll look more into the dodge, burn, adjustment brushes, and using Smart Objects more with Lightroom.

tonylong wrote in post #11389428
The most straightforward thing I'll point out is that the efficient way to make your round-trip to Photoshop is to use the Edit in Photoshop function -- right-click on one or more selected images (or use the Edit menu), choose Edit in Photoshop and it/they will open in Photoshop and simultaneously create a tiff that is automatically imported/integrated into your Lightroom catelog. [. . .]

^^ That is probably one of the bigger tips I can take away with right now, as this will save me a lot of headache with the whole "Export as a TIFF file and reopen in Photoshop" steps.

I couldn't see the "Edit in Photoshop" in the Edit menu, which was probably why I was a bit frustrated, but if I right-click on the image that option appears.

There's no reason for this extra step. LR can import directly from the CF card in your camera.

Lots of extra steps here. Set up PS as your external editor in the Lightroom preferences. From then on, just right click on your picture and choose Edit in --> Adobe Photoshop. The file will automatically be converted to a TIFF and opened in Photoshop. When you are done editing in PS, just save the file as you normally would. The TIFF file will automatically be stacked with your original RAW in Lightroom and the thumbnail will be updated to show your edits. No need to import anything back to LR.

XxDJCyberLoverxX wrote in post #11389496
I couldn't see the "Edit in Photoshop" in the Edit menu, which was probably why I was a bit frustrated, but if I right-click on the image that option appears.

Hey, I'm sorry, my mistake, you get to it through the Photo menu, not the Edit menu! I'm at my laptop without LR...!

I'll edit my above post!

Mark-B wrote in post #11389561
There's no reason for this extra step. LR can import directly from the CF card in your camera.

Lots of extra steps here. Set up PS as your external editor in the Lightroom preferences. From then on, just right click on your picture and choose Edit in --> Adobe Photoshop. The file will automatically be converted to a TIFF and opened in Photoshop. When you are done editing in PS, just save the file as you normally would. The TIFF file will automatically be stacked with your original RAW in Lightroom and the thumbnail will be updated to show your edits. No need to import anything back to LR.

Mark-B, can you tell me how I can go about having LR3 import the files for me? Every time I plug in my 40D and turn it on, the EOS Utility & DPP applications automatically opens.

And thank you and tonylong for letting me know about opening the file directly onto Photoshop and being able to save it w/o creating another file.

EOS Utility and/or DPP open automatically because of a preference setting somewhere. It might be a general Windows/Mac setting or it might be a specific setting in each of those programs. I don't use either of those programs, so I can't check the preferences for you. If you are using a Mac, you can control which program (if any) automatically opens through the image capture utility.

Anyway, you can just close EOS or DPP when they open for now. In Lightroom, just go to File -> Import Photos, then choose your camera from the list on the left side. Use the options on the right side to get your pictures where you want them.