LR3 Help

I'm pretty new to Lightroom and I was wondering if I could get some help.

I started by developing my RAW images in LR3. I then converted the entire batch into jpg. Made some more adjustments in jpg and saved the metadata to the file.

When I simply convert the RAW to jpg, the jpg files open up like normal in CS5.

But after I've made some finer adjustments in jpg and saved the metadata in LR3, when I open the jpg file in CS5, it opens it up as if it were a Raw file, but it says "Camera Raw 6.1 - JPEG" and does not open in a normal canvas window. Why?

Any help would get great. Thanks

Your workflow sounds pretty scrambled! Why do you "convert the entire batch to jpg" then do more processing in Photoshop and do all this other stuff?

Try doing your Raw processing, then when you need to use Photoshop use the Edit in Photoshop function -- it will open your file in Photoshop and at the same time create a tiff/psd or jpeg according to your specifications and keep it in the Lightroom library. You don't need to convert to a jpeg until you are ready to use one for either a print or for something like the Web or email sharing. Don't clutter up your workflow!

Thanks for the advice. I'm completely new to LR and yes, my workflow sucks.

Generally, once I have my raws processed, I like to convert them to tiff or jpeg for printing and web use. The only other adjustments I make in jpg and tiff is sharpening to accomodate the printing size - But maybe I've got it wrong...

It looks like all the sharpening stuff can be done in LR even after I've converted it to jpeg. So that's not the problem... I was just curious incase I wanted to actually do some photoshop stuff, it was annoying to open up a jpeg and have it open up in Camera Raw.

Well, a couple of points.

First, if you are exporting directly to do a print, you can use the Lightroom Export Sharpening function -- have you played with that? It has a range of qualities. Of course, it's global -- it takes into account a resize and gives you options for the Web or printing. But if you need to do selective sharpening you would want to do it either with an LR local adjustment brush or in Photoshop.

As far as jpegs opening in Camera Raw -- is this when you do a Lightroom Edit in Photoshop operation, or do you Export to a jpeg then open the jpeg through Bridge? If it's going through Bridge, then it's simply that you have your Camera Raw preferences set to open jpegs in Camera Raw. In Bridge, go to Edit->Camera Raw preferences to change that behavior.

But, the best way to open a file in Photoshop after processing in Lightroom is to use the Edit in Photoshop function either in Lightroom or set as an Export action -- are you taking one of those approaches? I'd think that the files would open in the editor rather than Camera Raw -- I never open jpegs like that but when I use Edit in Photoshop (it is set to open a tiff) it opens the tiff in the editor even though my Camera Raw preferences are set to open tiffs as well as jpegs in Camera Raw when I open them from Bridge.

You are extremely helpful. I really appreciate all the pointers.

It looks like I was missing the point of LR all along. I didn't realize that LR leaves all the originals untouched. Anyway, what I thought I had to do to save my adjustments was "save metadata". Afterwards I would try to open the jpeg through bridge and it would open it up in camera raw.

I probably just need to change the settings, but also using the edit in photoshop function worked perfectly well.

Also, I haven't looked into the printing function yet. And I need to take the time to sit down and learn more about selective sharpening - I generally just use the unmask sharpening function and it has been generally good enough I suppose.

I briefly looked at the sharpening tutorial and it looks pretty daunting... At least right now.

Well, sharpening in LR isn't that difficult, yeah, read up on it and test things out -- and remember that you need to view things at 100% for LR sharpening to "show its stuff" clearly, either the big view or the little preview pane.

And, take your time -- you don't need to rush things since your used to a Photoshop workflow. You learned a good lesson about the jpegs and the whole model of Lightroom -- you keep the original intact and don't need to mess with a copy until you need one -- either to edit in Photoshop or for a final jpeg for the Web/email or a high quality one for printing and such.

Many if not most of us who have been using Lightroom for a while have settled into a Lightroom-centered routine and prefer to only use Photoshop occasionally. The same can be said for users of, say, Aperture and even the free but very good Digital Photo Professional. Once you really get a feel of the Raw workflow you really realize that this is the core of the digital darkroom and you can do much if not all your work on your images using these tools. Yeah, it takes some time to get the hang of things but it's worth it!

Well, have fun and I'm glad you're making progress!

tonylong wrote in post #11745644
Well, sharpening in LR isn't that difficult, yeah, read up on it and test things out -- and remember that you need to view things at 100% for LR sharpening to "show its stuff" clearly, either the big view or the little preview pane.

And, take your time -- you don't need to rush things since your used to a Photoshop workflow. You learned a good lesson about the jpegs and the whole model of Lightroom -- you keep the original intact and don't need to mess with a copy until you need one -- either to edit in Photoshop or for a final jpeg for the Web/email or a high quality one for printing and such.

Many if not most of us who have been using Lightroom for a while have settled into a Lightroom-centered routine and prefer to only use Photoshop occasionally. The same can be said for users of, say, Aperture and even the free but very good Digital Photo Professional. Once you really get a feel of the Raw workflow you really realize that this is the core of the digital darkroom and you can do much if not all your work on your images using these tools. Yeah, it takes some time to get the hang of things but it's worth it!

Well, have fun and I'm glad you're making progress!

Thanks for the awesome tips and great words of encouragement. I don't want to sound cheesy, but you've actually been the most helpful person on this forum so far, and I've been on here for a couple years now. I really can't thank you enough!

pxchoi wrote in post #11746163
Thanks for the awesome tips and great words of encouragement. I don't want to sound cheesy, but you've actually been the most helpful person on this forum so far, and I've been on here for a couple years now. I really can't thank you enough!

Well, you're welcome, and, well, I'd say there are a whole bunch of folks here who are very helpful and who know more stuff than I do in a bunch of areas -- just keep coming back and I'd say keep current with the threads in this section because so much stuff comes up every day full of great info, insight and tips from great people here!