Help with Lightroom Classic Export Presets

[Rochambeaux]

I recently settled on LR Classic in combintaion with Topaz Phot AI and Photoshop ( as needed) as the workflow for editing my bird photographs.

When I'm done editing each "keeper" I'd like to export the following to a seperate permanent folder:

1.  High Quality JPG version

2.  The original RAW file (ORF).

The problem I have is that once Topaz is introduced, using the Copy Original Export option copies over the DNG.  

If Photoshop is involved at any step, then Copy Original moves over a .TIF version.

Is there anyway to do this with presets or some form of scripting so I don;t have to manually flag the edited files and do a sperata, manual actionlater?

[GoldingD]

The problem I have is that once Topaz is introduced, using the Copy Original Export option copies over the DNG.  

Please clarify, by that you actually mean that when you send the photo from LrC over to Topaz, a new DNG file is created, correct? That would be the norm.

Also, are you sending the JPEG or the ORF from LrC to Topaz, as you state Copy Original, I suspect the JPEG as the ORF should not present that option. And, is this JPEG an exported file from the ORF post LrC edits?

[Rochambeaux]

I use Plug-In Extras to send the ORF to Topaz Photo AI.  It process it in native RAW format (ORF) but when done it sends it back to Lightroom as a DNG.

I then finish edits in LR and want to export to a high quality JPG and copy/store the original RAW file only.

Once I'm done with a set of files I will then delete everything except the final JPG and original RAW.

I know it sounds whacky but I don't care about saving the edits in LR or anywhere esle.  

[Rob_Cullen]

With your workflow you will be working with FOUR filetypes!

1) The Original ORF raw file from the camera. (Never altered)

2) A DNG produced from Topaz  (which is in simple terms - is a TIF file in the DNG 'wrapper' )

3) A 'pure' TIF file created by opening any file  in Photoshop from  either 1)  or 2)

4) A JPG created by an export of any file from the LrC Catalog as from either  1)  2)  or 3) .

In three cases 1) 2) 3) these files are ALL considered to be "Original".

1) ORF is the "Original" from the Camera.

2) DNG is the "Original" from Topaz, and

3) TIF is the "Original" from Photoshop.

And I suggest that an exported JPG can also be considered "Original"

So I gather from your first post you might be wanting to Export from the LrC Library two files-

1) The Original ORF raw file from the camera, and

2) A JPG that has been created by the workflow: raw > Topaz > Photoshop, and possibly more LRC edits . which would be TIF > JPG.  ie, the TIF contains all editing done in Topaz and Photoshop.

Clear as mud? I hope not! 🙂

[Rochambeaux]

Exactly!  Once I have those 2 files in the final destnation and I finish with a group of images I can nuke everything else and move on 🙂

It sounds odd/harsh but I basically take the pictures for myself as an extension of "traditional" briding.  I have no lofty dreams of selling them or winning any contests, etc.

[Rob_Cullen]

So in the LrC Catalog, you can delete the DNG from Topaz and the TIF that came from Photoshop,

BUT, if ever you want to change the JPG for a better result you would again need to start with the Camera original ORF and run it through Topaz and Photoshop once again doing all the editing.

*A better suggestion might be to keep the original ORF and the Photoshop TIF.  The TIF is viewable and editable in many Apps, and it contains all the work in full detail that you have done in the workflow, and you do not need to export JPGs (until you might need for a special purpose). The only downside of the TIF is more storage is needed.

[Rochambeaux]

Interesting idea.  I'll probably end up only bringing a small number of images into Photoshop whereas all will go through Topaz.  So other than deleting the .TIF and/or .DNG that were created is there no way LR can determine that the .ORF is the "true" original?

If not I'm thinking I may have to end up using some sort of flag on those images and manually export those.

[Rob_Cullen]

An .ORF file will ALWAYS be an "original". You cannot change or edit a raw file (some metadata excluded.).

Confusion occurs when Lightroom-Classic refers only to the .ORF as the "Original" file. An exception is when you re-open a TIF from LrC to Ps- You see an option to open the "Original" ie. the Photoshop 'Original'.

So anytime you create a new derivative file by sending an .ORF to an external editor (Photoshop, Topaz, etc, etc) you are creating an RGB (not raw) file that is in a similar sense "original" to the external editor that was used to create it.

IMO I do not believe you need to Export anything! 

If your workflow is ORF (raw) > Topaz (DNG) > Photoshop (TIF), then the TIF has all edits preserved in a most useful (non-compressed, 16bit) file. It is already saved to disk and in the catalog. It can be re-opened in Photoshop, (or you can export a JPG [Compressed, 8bit] if you really must for a special purpose).