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Jp_508
Jp_508
Inspiring
April 12, 2017
Answered

Flatten vs Merge

  • April 12, 2017
  • 3 replies
  • 11917 views

If you export a few images from Lr to Ps & open in layers to work the images most people flatten the images afterwards before saving & exporting back into Lr for touch up. I noticed on a video tutorial (YT) that they merged the layers instead of flattening. Is there a difference? Is one better then another & if so why?

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Correct answer davescm

Two part answer:

. I noticed on a video tutorial (YT) that they merged the layers instead of flattening. Is there a difference? Is one better then another & if so why?

Merge vs Flattening - No difference in quality. Merge allows you to combine certain layers and leave others unflattened. Flatten will collapse them all.

most people flatten the images afterwards before saving & exporting back into Lr for touch up.

No no no !! . Always save as TIFF or PSD and keep the layers. You can choose TIFF or PSD in Lightroom Preferences  then you only need to hit Save. By keeping layers you can go back and make changes later.
If you need a jpeg at some stage then Export a copy to that format. The export process will flatten the copy.

Dave

3 replies

D Fosse
Community Expert
D FosseCommunity Expert
Community Expert
April 12, 2017

...but the problem is that Lightroom can't work with layers. If you do additional work in Lightroom on a layered file, all Lightroom can use is the flattened composite layer embedded in the file, and that's all you will ever get back from Lightroom afterwards.

A roundtrip like this is really not a good idea, and very un-efficient use of both applications. I recommend doing as much as possible in Lightroom first, then send to Photoshop and do whatever you need there. Save. That's it, done.

If you feel you need to use the Lightroom controls in Photoshop, use the ACR filter instead.

    Jp_508
    Jp_508Author
    Inspiring
    April 12, 2017

    Ok thanks for clarifying. I have been doing all my adjustments in Lr first before exporting into Ps. When re-imported I leave it alone, I may at times adjust the exposure +/- a tad if I realize it's off but that's about it. I will in the future use ACR instead.

    You said do all my adjustments in Lr first, then send to Ps and do whatever, Save & its done. I have to re-import to Lr because when I need to export to Jpeg from Lr I have  to label it along with the other images. I just started doing real estate photography & have a catalog started with clients images. Here in lies my question. If I have 3 images I exported from Lr to Ps, blend images using layer masks, then notice I need an adjustment I go into ACR, but do I merge the layers or flatten them before moving to ACR? What is best? 

    davescm
    Community Expert
    davescmCommunity Expert
    Community Expert
    April 12, 2017

    Jerry

    See post 7 part 4. - You can add further adjustments in Lightroom without losing the layers.

    Dave

    c.pfaffenbichler
    Community Expert
    c.pfaffenbichlerCommunity Expert
    Community Expert
    April 12, 2017
    exporting back into Lr for touch up

    Photoshop is a fine application to do touch-up and if one has the image open in Photoshop already reverting to Lightroom for touching it up seems strange to me.

      Jp_508
      Jp_508Author
      Inspiring
      April 12, 2017

      I am new to Ps & get most of my information from YT tutorials. I do most of my adjustments in Lr before exporting to Ps, verticals, lens corrections, white balance, etc...blend layers in Ps then flatten images & saves as TIFF back into Lr. That's about it, no more real adjustments, when I said touch up I didn't mean work the image again, I was referring to maybe a exposure adjustment + /- or white balance.

      davescm
      Community Expert
      davescmCommunity Expert
      Community Expert
      April 12, 2017

      Hi Jerry

      I work a lot with both Lightroom and Photoshop if I describe my workflow it may help you.

      1. Set Lightroom Preferences for external editing to TIFF or PSD (I use PSD but it is really personal choice).

      2. Raw Files :
      Import them to Lightroom
      Cull as required - be ruthless and get rid of the dross
      Label and keyword

      Use the Develop module for adjustments - sharpening, noise reduction etc

      3. For those that need pixel editing :

      In Lightroom use Ctrl+E to Edit in Photoshop
      Carry out any edits, add layers etc
      Ctrl+S to Save - this will add the PSD to the Lightroom catalogue

      4. Further edits.
      Further adjustments can be done in Lightroom.
      If I need to re-open in Photoshop then I get a choice:

      a. Edit original - this opens in Photoshop with all layers intact but without the additional Lightroom adjustments. However on Save, those additional Lightroom adjustments are re-applied.

      b. Edit a copy - this opens a copy in Photoshop without the Lightroom adjustments. On Save (Ctrl+S) a new copy appears in Lightroom with the changes in Photoshop and with the additional Lightroom adjustments  re-applied

      c. Edit a copy with Lightroom adjustments. This opens a copy, with the additional Lightroom adjustments, but as a flattened image in Photoshop.

      5. Printing : This can be done from Lightroom or Photoshop (personally I tend to use Photoshop but that is just personal choice.

      6. Export : If I need an image for web I use Export to produce a suitably sized jpeg. Both Lightroom and Photoshop will do this - although I tend to use Photoshop - Save for Web just because I am used to it.

      I hope that helps you

      Dave

      davescm
      Community Expert
      davescmCommunity ExpertCorrect answer
      Community Expert
      April 12, 2017

      Two part answer:

      . I noticed on a video tutorial (YT) that they merged the layers instead of flattening. Is there a difference? Is one better then another & if so why?

      Merge vs Flattening - No difference in quality. Merge allows you to combine certain layers and leave others unflattened. Flatten will collapse them all.

      most people flatten the images afterwards before saving & exporting back into Lr for touch up.

      No no no !! . Always save as TIFF or PSD and keep the layers. You can choose TIFF or PSD in Lightroom Preferences  then you only need to hit Save. By keeping layers you can go back and make changes later.
      If you need a jpeg at some stage then Export a copy to that format. The export process will flatten the copy.

      Dave

        Jp_508
        Jp_508Author
        Inspiring
        April 12, 2017

        Hi Dave, My workflow has been as follows:

        - Highlight the images in the layers panel

        - Flatten images

        - Ctrl-S

        - Image is saved back into Lr as TIFF

        Is this correct or would you make changes to my workflow?

        D Fosse
        Community Expert
        D FosseCommunity Expert
        Community Expert
        April 12, 2017

        jerryp97433002  wrote

        - Image is saved back into Lr as TIFF

        There's a basic misunderstanding here (a quite common one).

        Images aren't saved "into" Lightroom. They are saved to disk. The Lightroom catalog does not contain images, it just contains a reference to where they are physically located on disk.

        What happens is just that this reference is tracked and automatically added to the Lightroom catalog when you save from Photoshop - if, and only if, Lightroom remains open during the save. If not, you have to re-import to the Lr catalog in the normal way.

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