Editing step sequence ...

[MGBJAY]

I recently read piece somewhere on the LR forums on the "proper" sequence of edits.

Please DO NOT mis-read what I am asking here ... it is not as though I believe there is an "actual procedure" for editing images ... however, there is a recommended sequence generally suggested sequence to en edit process in a thought-out workflow. That is what I was reading about and now cannot find.

Any suggestions? Thoughts? Opinions?

Jay

[dj_paige]

To tell you the truth, I don't think there is such a thing.

Your edits are applied in a sequence that only Adobe knows, it is programmed into the software, and the user order of making changes doesn't change the sequence that the edits are applied. So in Lightroom (but not in Photoshop), changing the contrast and then changing the exposure results in the exact same image as if you did the changes in the reverse order.

[Todd Shaner · Accepted solution]

MGBJAY  wrote

it is not as though I believe there is an "actual procedure" for editing images ... however, there is a recommended sequence generally suggested sequence to en edit process in a thought-out workflow. That is what I was reading about and now cannot find.

The best workflow is to first apply the global LR Basic panel Tone controls using a top-down sequence with the local controls (Adjustment Brush, Radial Filter, Graduated Filter applied (as needed) after these settings have been applied. I've created an Adobe Help document at the below link, which is what you may be referring to or one of my forum posts on the same subject. You can certainly apply ANY of the LR controls in ANY order and achieve the exact same results. However, in most circumstances it will take longer to achieve the desired rendering than using the below suggested workflow. Please let me know if you have any other questions.

Tone Control Adjustment Procedure

[MGBJAY]

Good Morning Todd;

Thanks for your response, and the link to your write-up.

Perhaps, yours was the piece that I read and referred to as having originally read, but could not find.

I am headed to that link now, and will again read and give a try. I appreciate the responsiveness of this forum and am grateful for the speed with which queries are answered.

Sincerely,

MGBJAY

[MGBJAY]

So Todd ...

... I've read through the entirety of the link you sent and it is very helpful.

And it has led me to another question: When in the process of "editing" an image according to the recommended sequence discussed earlier ... it becomes on the part of the editor's imagination to add some creative enhancements to an image, such as a mask here and a mask there in order to bring out some particular aspect(s) of a photo ... and assuming that all the steps in the above mentioned process rendered an image to any particular degree acceptable to the artist ...

... let me try to begin this again, as a more well framed question:

I have a photo, any photo ... and before any adjustments have been applied ... I have an idea of a few particular details that I would like to bring out in that image based on nothing more than my creative instinct ... and understand that by this I do not mean adding anything not originally in the image, i.e., (compositing) - but instead strictly manipulating parts of the original ... would the process of editing follow the straightforward approach you referenced in the earlier outline of editing, i.e., Exposure - Contrast - Highlights, etc. ... and then once that is completed, go back in ... to add additional masks to specific items or areas of that image ... further adjusting luminescence, black levels,  clarity, and so on, in order to enhance and refine that image to meet the original concept in the artists head ... or make those adjustment masks concurrent with the process of bringing the image from its RAW state to any particular end?

I hope this is as clear when read, as I thought it was as I wrote it. What drives this question is that I have a habit of editing some images to bring about the vision that I have for the subject matter that can, and often times does, incorporate five and sometimes eight or nine different masks to impart the effect that I imagine.

If you made it through this - I appreciate your effort, and grace.

MGBJAY

[Todd Shaner]

In general it is best to adjust the overall image using the Basic panel controls before applying the Local controls. Start your editing by previewing the camera profile selections since they have the most impact on the overall image and then apply the Basic panel setttings. Feel free to create a virtual copy at this point if you want to experiment with different local editing. That way your initial edits can be used in 2nd virtual copy without having to undo the Local edits. Virtual copies use very little storage space so feel free to use as many copies you want. You can then delete any unwanted copies after reviewing them using LR's Compare mode (C key).

[MGBJAY]

Thanks Todd;

First, I apologize for asking what are likely elementary questions.

Terminology: "by previewing the camera profile selections" Are these the process versions listed under "calibration"?

The "virtual Copy" is a new term to me. I have not used that before and will have to see what that means in order to use it.

MGBJAY

[JP Hess]

A virtual copy is a metadata copy that is created from within Lightroom. This copy can be created at any time, at any point in the editing process, and will include all adjustments that have been made to the image to that point. This virtual copy does not exist on disk. It only exists within the Lightroom catalog, but will appear as an image in Lightroom. With that virtual copy, it is possible to treat it as a separate image and apply adjustments as desired to achieve different effects to the same image without affecting the master image. It is possible to create multiple virtual copies for any master image. It is not possible to find these virtual copies on your hard drive, they do not exist. However, it IS possible to send the results of a virtual copy to Photoshop and then from Photoshop have those changes saved as an image back to Lightroom.

[MGBJAY]

Thanks Jim Hess for that explanation. I appreciate the follow up.

Jay Sigal

[Todd Shaner]

MGBJAY  wrote

Terminology: "by previewing the camera profile selections" Are these the process versions listed under "calibration"?

Process Versions are the base camera raw algorithms and it's best to use the most recent process version, which for LR 5 & 6 is PV2012 and for LR Classic Process Version 5. Process versions in Adobe Camera Raw

The Camera Profiles are located in LR 5 & 6 in the Calibration panel 'Profile' selector and in LR Classic the 'Profile' selector is in the top of the Basic panel. What version of LR are you using?

MGBJAY  wrote

The "virtual Copy" is a new term to me. I have not used that before and will have to see what that means in order to use it.

Below is a link to a good video on using Virtual Copies and Snapshots.

Julieanne Kost's Blog | When to Use Virtual Copies and Snapshots in Lightroom

[MGBJAY]

Once again Todd, the information is solid and I will head to the Kost videos and learn.

Sincerely,

Jay Sigal

[Todd Shaner]

Glad to help–It all gets easier the more you use LR. Tip of the Day: From inside LR hit the F1 key to quickly find online help for your version of LR. Enjoy!

[D Fosse]

MGBJAY  wrote

I have a photo, any photo ... and before any adjustments have been applied ... I have an idea of a few particular details that I would like to bring out in that image

I'd like to add some emphasis to what Todd said. Always work globally for as long as possible, getting as close as possible to your original idea, before starting on any local adjustments. In most cases you will discover that you don't really need any local adjustments after all. But even when you do, you will have a vastly better starting point.

This takes a little discipline. It's very tempting to go directly to the "fun" stuff and skip the boring part. But you really need to consider the whole before going into details. It all works together.