Editing on Original files

Question

Hi Guys,

I'm new to Lightroom, usually been editing working in Photoshop.

I am editing and retouching black and White film scans so mainly cleaning dust and leveling exposure, I wanted to ask if there is a way to save the changes made on the original file (same as in I do on Photoshop), I am meaning to save space and clutter in doing that.

Thanks,

Stav.

john beardsworth · Accepted Answer

Exported files are just like prints, in that they are just an output, not the original. You don't delete originals.

LR is as much a manager of your picture collection as it is an editing tool, so you can use it to keep tracks of scans of particular subjects (PS can only edit). It's also designed for editing digital captures rather than scans, so PS will have better tools for fxing things like scratches rather than the sensor dust spots that LR can handle. Also see that PS can only fix one image at a time, while with LR it's simple to sync a dust spot correction or whatever to all the other images in the sequence that had the same dust problem.

With scans, it's typical to use LR to manage the files (I assume PSD,TIF or JPEG) and then choose Edit in PS to send them for all PS's various pixel editing tools. Save in PS, and those edits are shown in LR.

Conrad_C · Answer

I am meaning to save space and clutter in doing that.
By @Stavesk

If it hasn’t been discussed already, it’s worth pointing out that there is no problem with space and clutter. When you edit in Lightroom Classic, the changes are saved to the Lightroom Classic catalog…no new file is created, so there is no impact on file management. The only change is that the catalog may become slightly larger because the database entry for that image has been updated with your latest edits. If you export a copy containing the edits, in that case a new file is created.

Adding a large number of spot removals can slow down Lightroon Classic, and the tools for that are better in Photoshop anyway. So when I work with dirty/scratched film scans, this is my workflow:

1. Import film scans into Lightroom Classic.

2. Select one or more scans, choose the command Photo > Edit In, select Photoshop, and when asked, I select Edit Original.

3. Use Photoshop tools to clean up dust and scratches, and save. This makes the dust/scratch cleanup edits permanent in the original film scan file, and that image’s catalog entry and preview are updated in Lightroom Classic.

4. After I switch back to Lightroom Classic I do tone and color corrections on those cleaned-up scans.

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