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Galit24546066besz
Participant
May 21, 2022
Answered

Lightroom classic - before and after are the same....

  • May 21, 2022
  • 1 reply
  • 2485 views

I am new to Lightroom classic so I may be missing something... 

After I change something for a picture, for example crop it (which results in a new line in the history dropdown) - I thought that clicking the Y|Y button (or clicking Y) will show me the before (i.e., the imported picture) and after (i.e., the same picture AFTER the crop).

But - although the titles say "before" and "after" I see the same cropped picture.

And if I click the "import" line of the history I see the original picture in both "before" and "after".

Any ideas how to make this work?
In the screenshots I uploaded I made the crop (rotate) drastic - simply to show the issue

    This topic has been closed for replies.
    Correct answer richardplondon

    Crop is AFAICT an exception here: you should see all differences of adjustment.

     

    Perhaps (I am speculating here) the reason behind this exception is: to facilitate the two views, even when zoomed in,  showing the same picture content as each other. This helps massively for a direct comparison of tone, colour, detail etc.

     

    If you just want to rapidly review what's happened with the crop along with the other parameters, one way is to watch the Navigator window (top left of Develop), while you hover the mouse (without clicking) over the various different image states in the History panel.

     

    Another way is to generate a virtual copy from any earlier image state or Snapshot that you want (making sure to return your editing on the main image version, back to the latest state if you have rolled this back) - and then compare these two, now independent, treatments of the photo against each other. For example, using Survey.. Or simply flipping between these two with the arrow keys.

     

    Incidentally, while by default the Before view shows the initial image state from the History - LrC can be set to show some other more recent image state instead, as your "Before".

    1 reply

    R
    Community Expert
    richardplondonCommunity ExpertCorrect answer
    Community Expert
    May 21, 2022

    Crop is AFAICT an exception here: you should see all differences of adjustment.

     

    Perhaps (I am speculating here) the reason behind this exception is: to facilitate the two views, even when zoomed in,  showing the same picture content as each other. This helps massively for a direct comparison of tone, colour, detail etc.

     

    If you just want to rapidly review what's happened with the crop along with the other parameters, one way is to watch the Navigator window (top left of Develop), while you hover the mouse (without clicking) over the various different image states in the History panel.

     

    Another way is to generate a virtual copy from any earlier image state or Snapshot that you want (making sure to return your editing on the main image version, back to the latest state if you have rolled this back) - and then compare these two, now independent, treatments of the photo against each other. For example, using Survey.. Or simply flipping between these two with the arrow keys.

     

    Incidentally, while by default the Before view shows the initial image state from the History - LrC can be set to show some other more recent image state instead, as your "Before".

      G
      Galit24546066beszAuthor
      Participant
      May 21, 2022

      Thanks!
      Indeed this happens only when there is crop invovled.... 

      Your detailed reply really helps. Many thanks.

      johnrellis
      johnrellis
      Legend
      May 21, 2022

      [Nerd alert]

       

      Richard's careful use of "adjustment" has prompted me to write down observations about terminology used in the LR program, which is mostly consistent if not perspicuous:

       

      - Develop settings, settings, and edits are synonymous -- they include Crop but exclude Rotate and Flip.

      - Adjustments are develop settings that exclude Crop.

       

      Features that work with develop settings: Reset, History, Copy/Paste/Sync Settings, Snapshots, Metadata browser column Edited, Smart collections criterion Has Edits.

       

      Features restricted to adjustments: Before/After, Smart collection criterion Has Adjustments.

       

      The one inconsistent use I've found is the name of the commands Copy After's Settings To Before, Copy Before's Settings To After, and Swap Before And After Settings. They work with adjustments, not develop settings (they don't copy crops).

       

      Rotate and Flip are odd: LR doesn't consider them develop settings. 

       

      Rotate is often used to correct cameras' mistakes in automatically rotating photos based on their internal level sensors.  Flip is often used to correct images from telescopes and other equipment.  In these use cases, it makes sense to exclude them from the definition of "develop setting", since the user will always rotate or flip the image before further changes to develop settings. 

       

      But rotate and flip are often used to make aesthetic adjustments to images. For example, if you're pointing a camera straight down at the ground (e.g. flower beds), the rotated version may be more pleasing. Similarly, art directors often flip photos horizontally so they fit in better with an ad or text layout. In these use cases, rotate and flip should be treated like other develop settings and participate in the whole suite of commands: Reset, History, Copy/Sync Settings, etc.

       

      These days, I'd venture to guess that because camera's level sensors are very good, and the percentage of LR's users who use telescopes and similar equipmentment is very small, the majority of invocations of Rotate and Flip across the entire LR user base are for aesthetic reasons.  But I think hell would freeze over before Adobe included them as develop settings.

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