Integrating Lightroom and Bridge

[cpgilles]

I think there would be great benefit to integrating Bridge and Lightroom.  Lightroom is fantastic and I use it extensively in my workflow to import directly from my camera memory card, rate images, tweak if necessary, and export to jpeg (my images are raw).  However, Lightroom is not so good at browsing images that are on a hard drive or network drive. If your hard drive has many raw images (or JPEG) you can nicely browse in Bridge and find the images you want.  However, you now have to open Lightroom and import the images.  Why not just have an open or import into Lightroom menu.  Yes I know you can open them in Photoshop using Camera Raw but for most of my images I prefer to use Lightroom when I don't have to make any "creative" edit with Photoshop.

It has been suggested to just leave all my images in Lightroom and then search for them there.  However I prefer to keep Lightroom clean (about 1 -2 years worth of images) and I also have many old images that were scanned and never came through Lightroom.

I think this would be a very useful tool and I would not think it would be that difficult to integrate.

Sparky

[dj_paige]

The idea of having Lightroom act as a file browser has been brought up in this forum and other forums many times before, and so far Adobe hasn't done it, and I doubt they will. This runs against the entire underlying concept of Lightroom.

Nevertheless, you should file a formal feature suggestion, or add your voice to those that exist already.

[JP Hess]

I could very well be wrong, but I don't believe you have fully grasped the concept of Lightroom. Lightroom is not a simple file browser like you have in Bridge. With Lightroom, you select the images that you want to work on in Lightroom and then import them. They become part of your Lightroom catalog, and that catalog is what stores all of the adjustments you make using Lightroom. After you import images then Lightroom "remembers" where they are located on your computer. So, with Lightroom, you can control what images are part of your Lightroom catalog. The catalog is the central file in Lightroom.

[cpgilles]

I do understand the concept of Lightroom and catalogs.  I received another response that says this subject has been brought up by others many times.  I also posted a feature request.  I use Lightroom, Bridge and Photoshop and I believe it would be beneficial to import an image or images into Lightroom from Bridge

[JP Hess]

As I see it, importing from Bridge makes no sense. Bridge doesn't contain your images. Bridge is just showing the images in the folder where they have been downloaded to your computer. What benefit you see from importing from Bridge? If it was possible to import "from" Bridge, it would still require the import process. So what do you think you would be gaining?

[cpgilles]

Jim.  I understand Bridge does not contain the images.  It is an image browser.  A very good one for photo images because it can preview raw images.  If Adobe did it right you could have preset import parameters and bypass the import module.  This is done today when opening an image in Photoshop from Lightroom.  In preferences you specify the parameters and just click open in Photoshop.   I envision browsing withing Bridge, rightclicking on an image and "open in Lightroom" just like Photoshop.  Now the image is contained in the lightroom catalog and you work with it like any other imported image.  I am assuming the image is NOT already in Lightroom.  If it were it would not make sense.

Thanks for all the great ideas.  Very good discussion.

[JP Hess]

Well, I'm glad to see the you put in a feature request. But I certainly wouldn't want to use it. If you could open an image in Lightroom from Bridge and make adjustments, when the image is closed from Lightroom and you're looking at it in Bridge, you would still be looking at the image without any adjustments applied to it. True, the image would be added to the catalog, but all of the adjustments are in the catalog and not part of the image. Personally, I hope this kind of enhancement never happens. I like the way the workflow is right now.

[cpgilles]

Jim, you do bring up a good point so I decided to do some experimenting to see how Lightroom and Bridge would handle the issue you raise.  As I mentioned I work with raw images.  Both proprietary camera raw and dng files.  With the dng file the adjustments are written to the file so they would be seen and carried over to Bridge and any other application.   I confirmed this.  I made an adjustment in Lightroom and as soon as I refreshed Bridge the adjustments were visible.   If you open a proprietary camera raw file and DO NOT automatically save the adjustments to an xmp file then yes the adjustments would not be visible in Bridge or any other application.  If the adjustments are automatically saved to an xmp file then Bridge reads the xmp files and displays the correct image.  I confirmed this also.  If you open a raw image with Adobe Camera Raw from within Bridge make changes and click done camera raw creates an xmp files and it is no different than opening Lightroom from within Bridge.  Just like dng files jpeg file adjustments are written to the file so they would also be visible to Bridge.   It actually worked perfectly.

I really got my workaround from SaturnV by dragging the image from Bridge to Lightroom.  I have already started doing that.  And the first response said this request has been made to Adobe before and they have decided not to do it so I guess I will just live with the workaround.  Of course if Adobe did make the change you could just choose not to use it.  No harm done.

I also love the workflow of Lightroom, Bridge, and Photoshop and am a huge fan I just thought this enhancement would be beneficial.

Again thanks for all the input.

[DdeGannes]

The simple answer is that Lightroom was designed and introduced as an alternative workflow to Bridge and Adobe Camera Raw which operates as a Plugin for Photoshop. Most of the core Photoshop users were not convinced that the Lightroom alternative suited their needs and Adobe decided to maintain both applications. To wit it was left to the users to make their choice adopt Lightroom or continue to use the Bridge / Adobe Camera Raw model.

The Creative Designers that use the multitude of design and editing features available in Photoshop would be pro toward the Photoshop / Bridge / Adobe Camera Raw model since it facilitates the interaction with the multiple of Adobe applications like Illustrator, Indesign etc.

While the users that are more into simply manage, display, share and enhance their photo files without much need to manipulate, remove, insert, alter the image would be better served using the Lightroom model.  Just a thought from a "Photographer"

Its a pity that Adobe choose the name of the application as "Adobe Photoshop Lightroom" as apposed to "Adobe Lightroom". (They do not call Adobe Illustrator, "Adobe Photoshop Illustrator")

Lightroom is certainly not akin to Photoshop by design or function.

When someone refers to image files having been "Photshoped" they indicate that it is not reality it has been altered and or manipulated.

[cpgilles]

DdeGannes, Thank you that is a very good explanation.  I would mark this as the correct answer but I don't seem to have that option.

I made and error in my reply above where I said adjustments are written to jpeg files.  They are not written to jpeg but I believe they are written to dng and certainly to xmp files.  If you make a correction to a jpeg file in Lightroom they are not reflected in in the image and those adjustments will only be seen in Lightroom until you export the jpeg files.  Interestingly enough I made an adjustment in Adobe Camera Raw and they were reflected in Bridge.  However they were not written to the file.  I am not sure how that process works.

[Todd Shaner]

You can work in both LR and Bridge/ACR/PS and see your edits to Raw, DNG, JPEG, and TIFF files with the proper settings in both applications. The LR Develop settings are also applied to PSD and PNG files, but they won't be visible inside Bridge. Adobe could easily change that and add XMP support for them inside Bridge....but I guess no one has asked for it.

Step 1) Lightroom Catalog Settings: Check the option 'Include Develop settings inside JPEG, TIFF, PNG, and PSD files.' You also need to manually 'Save Metadata to File' (CTRL + S) after editing an image file, or check 'Automatically write changes into XMP.'

Step 2) Bridge Camera Raw Preferences: If you intend to make edits in both LR and ACR make sure 'Save image settings in' is set to Sidecar ".xmp" files. You will also need to set the option for 'Automatically open JPEGs/TIFFs with settings' to see the LR/ACR edits in Bridge. The downside to this is that JPEG and TIFF files with edits will open inside PS using the ACR plugin. But you can use LR's Edit in PS'> 'Edit Original' to open JPEGS and TIFFs directly in PS without the edits applied. Does your head hurt yet?

[Just Shoot Me]

Actually if you use a RAW editor, like LR or Adobe CR, it will right the RAW editor changes to a JPG file. It doesn't alter the original file, it store the edits in a special place within the JPG.

[DdeGannes]

Quote "Actually if you use a RAW editor, like LR or Adobe CR, it will right the RAW editor changes to a JPG file."

Lightroom will only do this is you have "Automatically write changes to xmp" selected in the Lightroom Preferences> Catalog settings. This is not the default setting for Lightroom. Or if you use from the Lightroom menu bar, Photo > Save metadata to file.

To wit Lightroom default is to save all your work to the Lightroom Catalog file.

[LiquidGib]

You do realize that you can open an image in Photoshop from Bridge right?

[Just Shoot Me]

cpgilles wrote:

I do understand the concept of Lightroom and catalogs.  I received another response that says this subject has been brought up by others many times.  I also posted a feature request.  I use Lightroom, Bridge and Photoshop and I believe it would be beneficial to import an image or images into Lightroom from Bridge

That is what the Import dialog window is for. That dialog window is the only File Browser in LR. You can look at any drive connected to your system and even browse your LAN to find images.

[Conrad_C]

cpgilles wrote:

Why not just have an open or import into Lightroom menu.  Yes I know you can open them in Photoshop using Camera Raw but for most of my images I prefer to use Lightroom when I don't have to make any "creative" edit with Photoshop.

If I'm understanding correctly, you want a command in Bridge to send selected files to Lightroom? That's a reasonable request, it sounds somewhat like the existing File > Place command in Bridge that sends files directly into After Effects, InDesign, Photoshop ,and Illustrator, or the bottom of the Tools menu that can send files to specific features in Photoshop, Illustrator, etc.

Bridge may not have that right now, but there are still things you can do. I use Lightroom and Bridge together a lot, and what really helps is that both programs support drag-and-drop very well. If you're looking at some images in Bridge that you want to see in Lightroom, select and drag them from Bridge, and drop them on the Lightroom window or program icon. Any time you drop images on Lightroom it will pop up the Import dialog box. The Import dialog box defaults to Add, so if you just want to add them where they're stored, click Import. The short version of that is, drag from Bridge, drop on Lightroom, click the Import button in the dialog box that pops up.

[cpgilles]

SaturnV.  This workaround is a good short term solution.  I frequently drag and drop images from Explorer but hadn't though of doing it from Bridge.  I will start doing that.  It would still be easier to do it withing Bridge maybe rightclicking on an image but this is an acceptable workaround

[Rolfens]

So if I understand well, you would be adding a step to your workflow, pre-lightroom. The aim being to keep your Lightroom catalog lean by only importing what you need.

So you just need a way to send files from Br to Lr. Drag and drop works, as pointed out elsewhere.

Br can also be extended through "Launchers" (and in other ways) so it might be possible to write a script to add the functionality you require.

[MoraFratel]

Guys,

Is totally clear  what each  application serve for. For me, the most interesting thing is using a powerful search of Bridge, after finding the photo is know in what LightRoom catalogs the photo is.

[JP Hess]

But you can do the same type of search that you do in Bridge using Finder or File Explorer. Bridge IS basically a file browser whereas Lightroom only displays what has been imported into the catalog. Two completely different browsing concepts.

[Just Shoot Me]

MoraFratel  wrote

Guys,

Is totally clear  what each  application serve for. For me, the most interesting thing is using a powerful search of Bridge, after finding the photo is know in what LightRoom catalogs the photo is.

All images on my computer are either in or not in one LR catalog. I only work with one LR catalog.

There might be 5-10 images on my system that are not in my one LR catalog.

If you work with all images in one LR catalog using the Filter bar, Collections and Keywords is all you need to find any image that is stored on your computer.

These days the only time I open Bridge is if for some reason I want to open an image directly in Adobe Camera Raw.

[stanleya29544172]

I think that Adobe has done a disservice by including Bridge as part of Creative Cloud without warning Lightroom Classic users to avoid using it to move or rename Lightroom images. What is sorely needed is an upgrade to the Library module in Lightroom Classic to include all the functionality of Bridge.

[dj_paige]

stanleya29544172  wrote

I think that Adobe has done a disservice by including Bridge as part of Creative Cloud without warning Lightroom Classic users to avoid using it to move or rename Lightroom images. What is sorely needed is an upgrade to the Library module in Lightroom Classic to include all the functionality of Bridge.

I don't agree with this, and personally, I would not want Adobe spending resources and time on making Lightroom have the same functionality of Bridge. I think there are plenty of other things I would prefer to see incorporated into LR.

Nevertheless, as indicated earlier in this thread, you need to file a formal feature request with Adobe.

[Conrad_C]

stanleya29544172  wrote

I think that Adobe has done a disservice by including Bridge as part of Creative Cloud without warning Lightroom Classic users to avoid using it to move or rename Lightroom images. What is sorely needed is an upgrade to the Library module in Lightroom Classic to include all the functionality of Bridge.

I agree with the second part: There are one or two Bridge features that Lightroom should have; I find it baffling that Lightroom can't do a Find/Change on filenames. It took Bridge long enough to add it too, they only added it in a relatively recent release. I do not agree that Lightroom should support all of the different file types and Adobe application integrations that Bridge does, like being able to preview Adobe After Effects animation presets or preview multiple pages in PDF or InDesign files.

If the Lightroom help file doesn't already have some kind of warning about not managing files outside the application, it should, and that would be a good feature request​. But, this is also not specific to Bridge or Lightroom. It's partly a general training issue, because ultimately, this is no different than how we work with files in any other application that references files by pathname and filename. You could just as easily break the links by moving the files or using the batch rename feature in the Mac Finder, Windows Explorer, or one of the many renaming utilities out there.

The real lesson here is that whenever we bring files into an application, whether it's Lightroom, Apple Final Cut Pro, Ableton Live, QuarkXPress, etc. (because this problem is not limited to Adobe), we should always ask ourselves: Does this application link to the files it imports, or embed them? If it links them, like Lightroom Classic does, we must not move or rename the files after importing. If it embeds them, that probably means it walls them off from the rest of the file system, so we can no longer get to them from the desktop anyway (as in Apple Photos or Lightroom non-Classic).

[Just Shoot Me]

stanleya29544172  wrote

I think that Adobe has done a disservice by including Bridge as part of Creative Cloud without warning Lightroom Classic users to avoid using it to move or rename Lightroom images. What is sorely needed is an upgrade to the Library module in Lightroom Classic to include all the functionality of Bridge.

I disagree with all of what you wrote.

No disservice including Bridge (Including Bridge??? Bridge is FREE to anyone that wants to download and install it. No need for any other Adobe product or need to subscribe to anything)

Bridge is the Adobe File Manager for all Adobe products.

Simply is it not supposed to be used "WITH" Lightroom. You can manage image files you have imported into LR just fine with LR.

I certainly would not like to have LR see and access all of my drives in the Library module. Boy would that be confusing.

LR is not, Never was design to be, never should be designed to be a File Manager.