Exported JPGs from Lightroom (both classic and new) look dull

[vossinc]

Hi friends, 

I've gone through all forums looking for an answer and I can't find any solution, so I apologize if I am being reduntant by asking this question again.

I spent hours editing images in Lightroom thinking I could just export JPGs but the exported images are coming out flat and dull. Basically the bright whites are not being saved. 

• I am exporting in sRGB. Also tried other profiles like Display P3, Adobe RGB, Prophoto RGB

• My monitor is set to the right settings. I am a graphic designer and use my machine daily for creative work.

• I tried toggling off User Graphic Processor. It makes things look flat in Lightroom (just like the exported JPGs) but not sure what to do with this information. 

• I have cleared my Lightroom cache

• I tried opening in Photoshop either from Lightroom or by opening the DNG and its still looking flat. 

I am in urgent need of these photos so my only solution at the moment is to screenshot the edited images from Lightroom. This is a terrible workaround. 

Please help!

 

[JohanElzenga]

Are you editing with HDR enabled? Most viewers do not support this, and exporting in JPEG does not work because JPEG does not support it.

[vossinc]

Hi Johan, thanks for your speedy reply.

Yes I had used HDR for most of the photos. If this is the culprit, may I ask what is the point of having this option in Lightroom if I am unable to actally use the image when I export it? 

And now that I have spent hours using HDR, what is the quickest way to solve this issue aside from screenshoting every photo from Lightroom?

[JohanElzenga]

HDR is in the early stages. You can export it, but not as regular JPEG because regular JPEG does not support it. JPEG XL does support it, or you can add a 'gain map' to JPEG, and there are some other file formats, but of course the viewing app must support it too. So either export in an appropriate format, or use the SDR Rendering part that you get when you enable HDR editing. https://helpx.adobe.com/lightroom-classic/help/hdr-output.html

[vossinc]

Hello again!
Thank you for that useful info. I was using the basic preset of "JPEG Large" instead of selecting "Custom". 

I tried exporting as JXL as per your suggestion but it gave me the same result. However, exporting as TIF worked perfectly. I then opened in Photoshop and saved as JPG, and voila! Too bad that Lightroom doesn't allow for this to be done in a more straight-farward way. 

 

Thank you for leading me to a solution Johan! 🙂 

[vossinc]

I spoke to soon.

Tried other photos and the conversion is off. The whites, are blown out in the TIF. I would include a side by side comparison but the screenshots (JPG and TIF format) get blown out as well. 

Is there something I missed during the TIF export from Lightroom? 

For now, I'm opening TIF in Photoshop and reducing the White Output Level by about 55 points. Seems to do the trick but tedious. 

[JohanElzenga]

You need to understand what HDR editing does. This type of editing uses the 'headroom' that modern displays have, to push whites into 'brighter than paper white' areas. As a result, when you export an image that has been edited in HDR, you will be faced with two dilemmas. First, how is the exported image going to be used? If you want to print it, then do not use HDR because there is no paper in the world that is brighter than paper white. If you want the image to be viewed on screen only, then you can use HDR, but only if the image will be viewed on a screen that supports HDR and in an app that supports HDR. If any of those two criteria is uncertain, then again do not use HDR. So bottom line: do not use HDR unless you know exactly why you are doing that and fully control the viewing conditions.

[vossinc]

Yes it would be for digital use. I guess I am confused as to why HDR is even offered in Lightroom if exporting the same settings is not an option. I will make sure to avoid selecting it in the future. Thanks so much for your help.

[vossinc]

Hi friends, 

Cross posting from Lightroom Classic community.
I've gone through all forums looking for an answer and I can't find any solution, so I apologize if I am being reduntant by asking this question again.

I spent hours editing images in Lightroom thinking I could just export JPGs but the exported images are coming out flat and dull. Basically the bright whites are not being saved. 

• I am exporting in sRGB. Also tried other profiles like Display P3, Adobe RGB, Prophoto RGB

• My monitor is set to the right settings. I am a graphic designer and use my machine daily for creative work.

• I tried toggling off User Graphic Processor. It makes things look flat in Lightroom (just like the exported JPGs) but not sure what to do with this information. 

• I have cleared my Lightroom cache

• I tried opening in Photoshop either from Lightroom or by opening the DNG and its still looking flat. 

I am in urgent need of these photos so my only solution at the moment is to screenshot the edited images from Lightroom. This is a terrible workaround. 

Please help!

 

[vossinc]

Solution found here!

[Shivani Somayajula]

It's great that you have found the solution in your community forum from our experts. Since both posts are the same, I am merging this thread with the existing thread. 

Thanks, 

Shivani