Critique Required Cafe shot and LR4

[Rob MacKillop]

OK, I now have LR4...and am confused

I didn't really look into it before, when I had the beta version, as I knew I wouldn't be buying it at the time. So now I have it, and questions will appear. For instance, how do you save an edited version? I exported it to a folder.

Anyway, I was in Costa for an orange juice, and took this image. I warmed up the white balance before shooting. Below it is an LR edit, double tone and grain added. It is just an experiment, so don't hold back worrying about my fragile ego

LR4 looks complicated!


Costa May 9 2012 017 by RobMacKillop, on Flickr


Costa May 9 2012 017-1 by RobMacKillop, on Flickr

 

[Pete Askew]

I like the both Rob but the table is a bit too light in the B&W version - a perfect opportunity to try out the gradient tool!!

It is nowhere near as complex as it looks and you don't need to save anything. It does it automatically and if fact the original file is never changed, it just remembers the recipe you used. This is then applied when you export or print etc. Have you tried doing Control+' yet (Command+' on a Mac)? This will produce a virtual copy of an image so you can create multiple recipes while only using up a tiny amount of storage and memory. Great for experimenting and exploring.

 

[Rob MacKillop]

Yes, I just can't get my head around not saving. So, I have an image, I change it, then I want to put it on my Flickr site, and possibly here. When I looked in the folder where the image came from, the changed version was not there. So I exported it there. Well, I'd better read the instructions! There are lots of videos on the adobe site as well. I need a LR4 for Dummies...

 

[Pete Askew]

That's because it doesn't change the original. Use File Export to create a file to upload (you can upload directly to Flickr also). I create a special folder / sub-directory for exports for the web (and clear it out every now an then). My export settings are below if that helps.

These might be useful:

Adobe - Lightroom Export Plug-In

Quick Tip: How to Export Images Directly from Lightroom to Flickr

 

[Darren Turner]

Import adds a copy of the original image to LR For you to edit the original file stays in tact
Export exports (LR version of save) the edited copy file wherever you want it to be generally into a separate folder in my case still leaving the original in tact

Does that make sense ?


Daz

 

[Pete Askew]

Rob. do you have an external hard disk drive in addition to your internal one on your computer (or even a second internal one)?

 

[Rob MacKillop]

Yes, I do have an external hard drive as well as internal. The external is a TerraBite, and has about 5% used. Lots of free space. I'm in a hurry - just going out. Will speak more later.

 

[Pete Askew]

OK, in that case a good import strategy for you might be to set LR4 to open when a card is inserted. Then to copy the files from the card into LR and make a second copy on the backup drive at the same time. Once the import is complete, check that all the files are there and look intact and then eject the card and reformat it in the camera. Now you have your raw files in LR and safe on the external drive. Usually I will then go through the images quickly and rate them as either 4 or unrated (0). You can then filter the files by rating to get a better idea of what you have. I then look again and de-rate (0) any files that don't 'cut the mustard'. I then choose a file to edit, make a virtual copy and rate it as 5. Then it gets edited. Once I have finished a session I remove (using delete - remove from collection) any images that are unrated. As I often edit in PS launched from LR, the LR folders end up containing additional, TIFF copies of the files so I do a copy of those onto the backup system as well along with backups of the Lightroom gallery (ie the settings). These TIFF files are used for printing etc but for web use I export using the settings I showed you earlier. I just delete these from the export folder every now and then as I can easily re-export them should I need.

Just one of the many ways of working with LR and I hope it makes some sort of sense.

 

[Allan Batchelor]

I have a couple of export presets set up to save in certain folders. jpeg high res, jpeg low res and tiffs

 

[Rob MacKillop]

Oh, who needs Lightroom when for £1.99 you can get an app called Noir...


Camera Roll-323 by RobMacKillop, on Flickr

I've had a bad day, otherwise. My laptop is dying, and my trusty external hard drive keeps switching off. I've been tearing my hair out with the damn things. I might have to do everything on my iPad for a while...Sorry I can't respond to all the comments above, but I can't try them out. A frustrating day.

 

[Pete Askew]

We are nothing if not patient Rob.

 

[Pete Askew]

So, have you tried those suggestions out yet?

 

[Kev Pugh]

He's slacking Pete...no commitment......too busy fooling around in the mud

 

[Rob MacKillop]

Ha, ha. No, I haven't... My laptop no longer recognises the external hard drive, and I'm not sure it recognises me either. I tried making a video today, and the poor laptop overheated. Nothing for it - time to get a new laptop...but that might have to wait. You might be seeing fewer uploads from me until that happens. But I'll still be around to tell you how wonderful/awful you all are

 

[Kev Pugh]

You didn't drop the LT too did you rob you seem to be having techo issues lately, mind yo uso am I as Fire fox foxed up today and wont come back so having to improvise with MS shite...

 

[Rob MacKillop]

I just downloaded LR4 yesterday. Hopefully I can save it. Sorry to hear about your troubles. Techno screwups can really drive you crazy.

 

[Kev Pugh]

Thanks Rob.. we all have troubles mine are sure to be less than many but for me they are large............hope you et your techno's sorted.. I'm sure you will, there is good advice here as you know..