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aidans46155577
aidans46155577
Participant
March 30, 2018
Question

Open photo in photoshop from Lightroom

  • March 30, 2018
  • 1 reply
  • 1539 views

Hello

I have a very frustrating issue , and I hope someone here can help me.

First I make a few adjustments to a photo in lightroom and then select the option to edit in photoshop cc2018 ( no issue so far)

Next I make a few adjustments to that one image - maybe a couple of adjustments layers and a masked layer, no big deal.

Once I'm happy with the image - I will then close the image and it pops up in Lightroom with the new adjustments. ( no issue here)

Here's where the fun starts!

I decide to open the image in photoshop again - and all the layers have disappeared??

Any idea how this is happening??

If I save the image to a new location - so it doesn't go back into lightroom - I'd have access to these layers, so it appears to an issue with lightroom.

Thanks in advance guys!

Aidan 

    This topic has been closed for replies.

    1 reply

    JoeKostoss
    Community Expert
    JoeKostossCommunity Expert
    Community Expert
    March 30, 2018

    When you open an image in Photoshop for a 2nd time, you must select "Edit Original" if you want to see the original layers.  Both Edit a Copy and Edit a Copy with Lightroom adjustments will flatten the image before opening in Photoshop.

    R
    Community Expert
    richardplondonCommunity Expert
    Community Expert
    March 30, 2018

    Just to correct one thing: Edit a Copy does not flatten layers before opening in Photoshop.

    It makes a duplicate of that image's whole setup, just as it is:

    of the PS working file, with all layers intact; and of any parametric LR adjustments since applied, too.

    So you'd do this if you wanted to have independent variations of your PS work (regardless of the LR adjustments).

    If you ONLY want to vary the LR adjustments, it is not necessary to duplicate that external edit file too. You can just make new virtual copies from it, in LR. These copies will "share in" the same PS working file: however that is updated further, will automatically get reflected into them all, underlying all your varying LR treatments.

    So different crops / proofing copies; different B&W conversions; whatever.

      JoeKostoss
      Community Expert
      JoeKostossCommunity Expert
      Community Expert
      March 31, 2018

      Hi Richard,

      You're jumping through unnecessary hoops on this.

      Edit Original opens the file with layers intact, ignoring Lightroom settings. Upon return to Lightroom, the settings are zeroed, but can be applied again via History.

      Edit a Copy duplicates the original file. Initially it will appear similar to the original because Lightroom is just copying the thumbnail. As soon as you edit in Photoshop and return to Lightroom, the thumbnail updates and the new file has no settings in Lightroom.

      Edit a Copy with Lightroom Adjustments creates a flattened file with Lightroom Adjustments applied-It's effectively the same as exporting a file and opening that file in Photoshop, except that it's Camera Raw that does the processing.

      Generally if I want to edit an existing file that I know to contain layers, I'll use Edit Original, do my edits in Photoshop and then step back in History to get my Lightroom edits back.


      SeanMcCormack  wrote

      Edit Original opens the file with layers intact, ignoring Lightroom settings. Upon return to Lightroom, the settings are zeroed, but can be applied again via History.

      ...

      Generally if I want to edit an existing file that I know to contain layers, I'll use Edit Original, do my edits in Photoshop and then step back in History to get my Lightroom edits back.

      In my case on a 27" iMac, High Sierra, I am finding that I do not need to step back through history, the Lightroom edits are already applied.  This is exactly what I would expect, but it seems that about 3 months ago, I did have to step back through the history, but at least the edits were not lost.

      SeanMcCormack  wrote

      ...

      Edit a Copy duplicates the original file. Initially it will appear similar to the original because Lightroom is just copying the thumbnail. As soon as you edit in Photoshop and return to Lightroom, the thumbnail updates and the new file has no settings in Lightroom.

      Yes this is what I get also, but I was surprised today in a test that the Photoshop layers were still intact.  I don't remember this from before; I seem to recall that the original layers had been flattened.  I stand corrected in my post No. 1.

      SeanMcCormack  wrote

      ...

      Edit a Copy with Lightroom Adjustments creates a flattened file with Lightroom Adjustments applied-It's effectively the same as exporting a file and opening that file in Photoshop, except that it's Camera Raw that does the processing.

      Yes again, and as I would expect.

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