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F.Quill
F.Quill
Inspiring
October 9, 2020
Answered

Workflow Question: How to Edit in Camera Raw (not Photoshop) from LrC?

  • October 9, 2020
  • 4 replies
  • 2077 views

Am revising aspects of a workflow strategy and wondering if there are settings choices or instruction needed so I can go from Lightroom to open an image directly in ACR, first - not Photoshop. (Not using Bridge.)

Right now, the only reliably quick way is to take the image(s) from Lightroom and plop them on the desktop, first.  Then drag the image(s) on Photoshop - where it will open ACR.  

From Lightroom, the action pop-up allows Open in Adobe Photoshop but appears that Lightroom has never heard of Adobe Camera Raw as an option.  That makes me think that I may have some settings choices or instructions not set properly to facilitate this process.

Have tried Photoshop > Filter > Camera Raw (dropdown) but it does not seem to have exactly the same functionality, esp., no snap shots.

 

Thank-you!

 

Photoshop v 21.2.3

LrC v 9.4

Camera Raw 12.4

macOS Catalina 10.15.7

This topic has been closed for replies.
Correct answer DdeGannes

@ F_Quill you have lots of info to digest in the thread and would like to share my thoughts.

I got involved in the beta version of Lightroom in late June 2006, the app was released in Feb 2007.

The first thing that captivated me was the fact the application was working towards eliminating the need to store the editing info in xmp sidecar files. It was in the early days of using applications that the main function was rendering RAW files created by Digital Cameras, at that time all the apps that were available created sidecar files to store metadata data and editing info since this info was not written to the raw files.

ACR was the Photoshop plug-in that provided this function for Adobe application purposes, Lightroom was being designed to not store the data in a sidecar but to utilize a Catalog Data Based file to store the info and edits. At the time I was using three other raw processing applications which also created there own sidecar files. It was a pita for sure so when Lr was launched I decided to adopt Lightroom in preference to the other apps.

The longtime users of Photoshop / ACR were comfortable with their option and did not choose to adopt the Lightroom Catalog based workflow and many remain with this choice.

My view is Lightroom is an option to ACR / Bridge as the Develop and Library Modules provide these functions and some more you have the Print, Web, etc that provide more sharing functions.

Lightroom in this respect is a full stand alone application that provides most of what a photographer requires. It does not possess the advanced features of Photoshop that are essential for graphic artists and the like.

Lightroom does not require you to have any other Adobe application installed for it to function.

You can see the apps that I use in my signature info but my workflow does not include the use of xmp sidecars or DNG files.

Lightroom is not a good mix and match with ACR / Bridge. Lightroom has an option to write data to the file so it can be share with ACR / Bridge, however they cannot read or write to the Lightroom Catalog file.

If you are happy with ACR / Bridge that's fine.

 

4 replies

DdeGannes
Community Expert
DdeGannesCommunity ExpertCorrect answer
Community Expert
October 11, 2020

@ F_Quill you have lots of info to digest in the thread and would like to share my thoughts.

I got involved in the beta version of Lightroom in late June 2006, the app was released in Feb 2007.

The first thing that captivated me was the fact the application was working towards eliminating the need to store the editing info in xmp sidecar files. It was in the early days of using applications that the main function was rendering RAW files created by Digital Cameras, at that time all the apps that were available created sidecar files to store metadata data and editing info since this info was not written to the raw files.

ACR was the Photoshop plug-in that provided this function for Adobe application purposes, Lightroom was being designed to not store the data in a sidecar but to utilize a Catalog Data Based file to store the info and edits. At the time I was using three other raw processing applications which also created there own sidecar files. It was a pita for sure so when Lr was launched I decided to adopt Lightroom in preference to the other apps.

The longtime users of Photoshop / ACR were comfortable with their option and did not choose to adopt the Lightroom Catalog based workflow and many remain with this choice.

My view is Lightroom is an option to ACR / Bridge as the Develop and Library Modules provide these functions and some more you have the Print, Web, etc that provide more sharing functions.

Lightroom in this respect is a full stand alone application that provides most of what a photographer requires. It does not possess the advanced features of Photoshop that are essential for graphic artists and the like.

Lightroom does not require you to have any other Adobe application installed for it to function.

You can see the apps that I use in my signature info but my workflow does not include the use of xmp sidecars or DNG files.

Lightroom is not a good mix and match with ACR / Bridge. Lightroom has an option to write data to the file so it can be share with ACR / Bridge, however they cannot read or write to the Lightroom Catalog file.

If you are happy with ACR / Bridge that's fine.

 

Regards, Denis: iMac 27” mid-2015, macOS 11.7.10 Big Sur; 2TB SSD, 24 GB Ram, GPU 2 GB; LrC 12.5,; Lr 6.5, PS 24.7,; ACR 15.5,; (also Laptop Win 11, ver 24H2, LrC 15.0.1, PS 27.0; ) Camera Oly OM-D E-M1.
F.Quill
F.QuillAuthor
Inspiring
October 11, 2020

Hello Denis!  Thank-you for being part of this excellent community!  As a fellow OM-D'er (E-M5 Mk II) I really appreciate that you took the time to lend your experience!

The side-car file and its role is important to understand - am finally digesting this.  This whole thread is become highly informative.  It shows me the aspects of the file-types that I did not consider when I first posted.

For 90% of everything, I do love working from Lightroom.  Tried to use it exclusively for an extended lenght of time.  It is stable and a powerhouse but does require constant nurturing and frequent coffee-breaks, ... ahem.  Also, I do not use DNGs except when requested.  

When an image needs to go to that other level ACR has so much merit - partially because of its power and simplicity.  And I am determined to find the best way to work it in - when needed. When I finish mapping out the workflow scenarios, including how I "close" or "save as" (credit to Davidg info above in this string) the file, and refining that, with all the info in this thread, it will work out.  

Thanks, again, so much!!

 

F.Quill
F.QuillAuthor
Inspiring
October 9, 2020

Thank-you for the edu & clarification.  With the revised workflow, when the plan requires more extensive post and file-prep, I start with basics in Lightroom, then move to ACR, and finish in Photoshop.  I have set up a few "test" files for comparison, doing the "same" editing in both LR and in ACR, and for some reason that I cannot prove, all of my finished files are more reliable (& manageable) results.   Plus, I work faster in ACR because of  less distractions.  

Funny to me, is that, while editing in ACR, I kept asking ... (no one - until, today) ... isn't this the same as LR, really?  Yet I get more work done, and more accurate results. duh-Hmmm, ... .  

Really appreciate the information.  Gives me a lot more to understand and to work on refining.

D Fosse
Community Expert
D FosseCommunity Expert
Community Expert
October 9, 2020

The problem with that is that Lightroom edits aren't visible in ACR, and ACR edits aren't visible in Lightroom.

 

Lightroom stores all its edits in a central database away from the file.

 

ACR stores edits in the file header (DNG) or a separate "sidecar" file that follows the main file (camera-native raws).

 

You can connect the two with some extra steps, but that severely impacts efficiency and basically defeats the whole purpose of the Lightroom catalog. Better stick to one. If you use Lightroom, use Lightroom.

 

ACR is used as an intermediate "proxy" for Lightroom when you Edit in Photoshop from Lightroom. Then Lightroom passes all the develop settings on to ACR, which opens the file silently into Photoshop. In that case you don't see the ACR interface, there's no need to. All of this is handled by background scripts. It can work this way because Lightroom and ACR share the same processing engine, as long as they're on the same version level. If not, it won't work.

elie_dinur
elie_dinur
Participating Frequently
October 10, 2020

Yes, but if you open that raw file directly in ACR, those edits won't be there. That was my point.


Yes they will, if you have done Ctrl/Cmd + S or have set LrC to automatically write XMPs, ACR will read and apply the settings from there. On days when I don't want to finish off right away and don't want to open LrC when I come back to the computer, I open ACR from Bridge and I'm good to go.

gary_sc
Community Expert
gary_scCommunity Expert
Community Expert
October 9, 2020

Well, not sure how to tell you this but Lightroom is ACR. Yes, the interface is a tad different and the keyboard shortcuts are also different but they do have the same internal engines. 

the major difference is that Lightyis ACR with a database. There are a lot of advantages with that. 

so, to answer your question, just use Lightroom!

GoldingD
GoldingD
Legend
October 9, 2020

LrC is built around Camera RAW. Camera RAW is in the coding. If, in LrC, you click on /Help/System Info/ it will list the version of  Camera RAW included.

 

Each Develop Module you accomplish  uses ACR.

 

Following example a bit dated

 

 

As for using Bridge, you can, but that is a bit pointless. LrC is a database program, built around ACR, You use it as a Data Management, the database being the Catalog. The fields in the database containing records on where photos are, and what you have done to them. So no need to use Bridge to file where the photos are.

 

As for going from LrC to PS and back, that is accomplished by Edit in Photoshop (bit simplified) Remember when exiting PS to either Close, or Save, not Save As.

 

    F.Quill
    F.QuillAuthor
    Inspiring
    October 9, 2020

    Thank-you for the extra information and clarification!  It really helps!  I will study the System Info recommended, too.

    Also, will review how I am exiting PS, again.

    Glad to hear that Bridge is not necessarily the answer.

     

    Please see my other reply to gary_sc, below.  

     

    These are amazing program applications and I am completely awestruck at real people like you who have this knowledge!

     

    Thank-you, again!

     

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