Copying settings from a virtual copy over to a photo without removing its original settings

[Pakro]

Hello everyone,

as the subject indicates, I have a problem that may not have a solution. I'm working on a photo that requires lots of retouching which slows down the system. I've come up with an idea that I could create a few virtual copies and in each of them work on a different part of the photo and then copy and paste them into the original to speed up my workflow which in the end doesn't work because it removes those already applied settings even if they're not in the same part of the photo. For instance, I'm retouching the face in the original and then I move on to one of the virtual copies to do some retouching to an arm and after that, I copy those spot removal settings of the arm into the original which not just applies the retouch settings of the arm but completely removes all the retouch done on the face. So my question is, is there a way to avoid this and copy and paste settings from one photo to another without removing its previous settings? Thanks in advance!

[DdeGannes]

Just some thoughts about Lightroom, it's not a photo editing application like Photoshop or Photoshop Elements and does not make changes to image files and save the changes to alter the image permanently. So in this respect there is no copy or paste in the traditional sense. LrC is a parametric editor and all the work you do to an image including ”edits” in the Develop Module is stored in real time as data in the Lightroom Catalog file.

A ”virtual copy” is virtual it is not an image file nor is it a copy of the actual image file. So the settings that were done at the time the virtual was created go forward with the virtual copy and you can make further changes going forward. You can created multiple virtual copies from an original image file.

Just some thoughts to guide you through what you are trying to achieve.

[Pakro]

Thanks for joining, you missed the point though, David. The only reason why I created those virtual copies was that I could add adjustments to a different part of the photo in each of them and then copy all the adjustments from them virtual copies into the original one in order to speed up my workflow because working just in the original picture is so slow that there comes a point from where I can add no more adjustments due to the time it takes to render it all. Going forward with the virtual copy as you suggested doesn't help.

[DdeGannes]

My name is Denis, my first thought is you can do the, copy settings make your selects from the dialog and paste to the original however I am not sure if pasting the spotting that was done will remove the what was done with the original previously.

Have you explored using the ”Auto sync” feature. Select the virtual as the most selected file and the original whatever you dovthen will be applied to both files.

[Pakro]

I apologize, I meant to write Denis but I accidentally deleted the first reply to you, and while rewriting it I remembered your name wrong. Yes, that's what I tried. Pasting setting will remove the original ones that were done to the original image. Unfortunately, the Auto Sync feature does the same. After synchronizing a certain setting it removes the previous one. So I guess I have to take a long time and add adjustments only to the original.

[GoldingD]

Why  try to tevert to the original? Just keep workuing on the virtual.

As to your question, fairly sure answer is no.

[Pakro]

because the original image already has adjustments that get deleted as soon as I synchronize it with the virtual copy so I cannot keep working to the copy. It just ruins the whole point.

[GoldingD]

Virtual copy should have the edits taken just prior to creating the virtual copy, Alerting the original after that point should not affect the virtual copy.

[Pakro]

I understand. What I meant is that I cannot do way too many adjustments (spots removal, brush layers) because then it takes too much time to do anything else further so I wanted to create unedited virtual copies of the original image in order to divide my work and adjust different parts of the image in different virtual copies to speed up my workflow and then copy the adjustment settings from the copies over into the original image, but it doesn't work that way because it removes the adjustments previously done or already pasted from a different virtual copy.

[GoldingD]

Not what virtual copies are for. They allow you to create an alternate develop mid workflow, so you can obtain a different result, to use a different approach.

https://photographylife.com/mastering-lightroom-how-to-use-virtual-copies

[Pakro]

That I get, I just wanted to somehow help myself with this idea of making local adjustments in multiple virtual copies and then move them into the original photo. Like when I have a portrait that needs retouching to the face and then to the other parts of the body, after the retouch to the face Lightroom gets so slow that any other adjustment takes dozens of minutes to finish.

[GoldingD]

What do you mean by sycronize it with the virtual copy?

Do not do that.

[Jao vdL]

There is only one way to do this. It involves creating presets from each indidivually edited virtual copy and manually combining those presets (they're simple text files) into a single super preset that has all your local edits. This is not hard if you've ever coded anything (they're fairly straightforward syntax) but likely much more work than you're willing to do.

[Pakro]

I've thought of this as an option but creating a preset doesn't include neither Spot Removal nor Local adjustments so that wouldn't help either. Well, Lightroom misses some really crucial features like this and one that would allow us to move adjustment brush pins without moving the whole layers.