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Lightroom Super Resolution Explained (The Essential Guide)

20 Oct

The post Lightroom Super Resolution Explained (The Essential Guide) appeared first on Digital Photography School. It was authored by Simon Ringsmuth.

One of the most exciting new Lightroom features is Super Resolution, which offers the type of image processing that previously existed only in science-fiction movies and TV shows.

Put simply, Super Resolution quadruples the resolution of your photos and turns low-megapixel images into high-resolution works of art. You can also use Super Resolution to crop in – way in – without losing details or turning your images into a blurry mess. It’s available for Lightroom and Lightroom Classic and it’s a tool that could quickly become central to your photo-editing workflow.

In this article, I’ll explain everything you need to know about Super Resolution, including how it works and how to use it to enlarge your images.

So if you’re looking to improve image resolution in Lightroom, or you’re simply hoping to understand this interesting new post-processing feature, then read on!

magnolia seed pod — Nikon D500 | 50mm f/1.8G | f/2.4 | 1/320s | ISO 280

What is Super Resolution in Lightroom, and how does it work?

In the words of scientist and author Arthur C. Clarke, “Any sufficiently advanced technology is indistinguishable from magic” – and that definitely feels like the case with Super Resolution. In reality, Super Resolution is a matter of advanced image processing and years of technological development as opposed to wands and spells, but the end result does feel a bit otherworldly.

Super Resolution works by effectively doubling the horizontal and vertical pixels in an image while filling in the extra space with data based on algorithms and machine learning. A photo with 6000 by 4000 pixels is 24 megapixels (because 6000 x 4000=24,000,000 pixels). But when processed with Super Resolution, that same image essentially becomes 12000 by 8000, or 96,000,000 pixels.

Yes, you read that right: Super Resolution transforms a 24-megapixel image into a whopping 96-megapixel image.

Super Resolution works best on RAW files because there is much more data to work with, but you can also use it on JPEGs and other files such as TIFFs. It’s built on a technology Adobe introduced in Photoshop called Enhance Details, but Super Resolution goes a step further by giving you many more pixels to work with, whereas Enhance Details was a way of sharpening image details without actually quadrupling the resolution.

cat on a fence post — Nikon D500 | 70-200mm f/2.8G ED VR II | 200mm | f/2.8 | 1/1000s | ISO 100

How to use Super Resolution: step by step

One key benefit of Super Resolution is that it’s very easy to use. It’s not buried in menus or complicated toolbars, and there aren’t many parameters you can configure, so it’s difficult to mess up. And because edits are nondestructive there is zero downside to trying it, though beware that quadrupling the resolution of an image also means you’ll need a lot of storage space. For that reason, I like to use it on a case-by-case basis rather than on an entire batch of photos, but if you have access to a vast amount of disk space then you might choose differently.

Step 1: Pick an image for enhancement

To use Super Resolution, start by selecting an image in the Develop module. While you can use the technology on any picture, I like to choose photos that were taken with old cameras such as my 10-megapixel Nikon D200, or on photos where extreme cropping was required, and as a result, some detail was lost.

For this example, I’m going to use a JPEG photo of a sunflower I shot with my D200 several years ago. It’s good in terms of composition and color, but the central part of the sunflower is somewhat blocky and pixelated if you look closely. Not to worry, though: Super Resolution is here to save the day!

Lightroom Super Resolution sunflower close crop — A close-up view of the sunflower reveals a muddled mess in the middle.

Step 2: Open the Super Resolution interface

After picking an image in the Develop module, hit Photos>Enhance in the top menu bar:

Alternatively, you can right-click (or Option-click on a Mac) on the image and select Enhance from the pop-up menu. You can also use the Ctrl+Alt+I keyboard shortcut (Ctrl+Option+I on a Mac) if you prefer to keep your fingers on the keyboard.

The Super Resolution interface is fairly straightforward:

View an upscale preview — The preview window on the left shows a close-up view of what the Enhanced image will look like.

If you are using a RAW file, the Raw Details option will be checked, but this obviously does not work on JPEG files. (The note about Bayer and X-Trans files applies to Fuji RAW files, which often have strange, worm-like artifacts, especially in photos of nature like grass or trees.)

Note that, after the process is finished, the original image file remains untouched, and a new DNG file is created of the upscaled photo. The Create Stack option shows both images in Lightroom as a single Stack, but if you want to keep the original and the Super Resolution version separate, you can leave this un-checked.

My favorite part about using the Super Resolution process is clicking on the image preview on the left side of the window. When clicking, you see the original image; when you release the mouse button, Lightroom shows the Enhanced version. You can click and drag to view this process at various portions of the image, and you can click the magnifying glass in the corner to see the whole image instead of a close-up preview. This click-and-release process reveals the astonishing power of Super Resolution, and gives you an idea of how impressive this process really is.

Lightroom Super Resolution Enhance dialog box — Click and hold to see a comparison to the original image; click and drag to move view different portions of the image.

Step 3: Add detail to the photo!

Finally, when you are ready to create the Super Resolution image, click Enhance.

It will take a few seconds to perform the process, and Lightroom does give you an “Estimated Time” within the Enhance dialog box. The resulting image is just what it sounds like: a high-resolution version of the original, all thanks to the magic of modern computing. Any edits you made to the original are transferred to the enhanced version, and your edits remain non-destructive so you can adjust color settings, cropping, and other parameters without worry.

Lightroom Super Resolution sunflower close improved — A close-up view of the sunflower, enhanced with Super Resolution. The center is much more clean and crisp thanks to the Super Resolution improvements.

How well does Super Resolution perform?

Any time you’re dealing with transformative technologies such as Super Resolution, it’s important to manage expectations. It’s great but not perfect, and while there are times when it makes sense to use it, there are other times when it’s best to hold off. I find that Super Resolution performs best with nature subjects: flowers, animals, landscapes, horizons, and the like. You will also get the best results if you work with RAW files and not JPEGs.

To offer another illustration of how useful Super Resolution is and how well it performs, here is a shot I took of a prairie dog with my 10-megapixel Nikon D200. This is from the unedited RAW file, straight out of the camera:

Lightroom Super Resolution prairie dog — Nikon D200 | 50mm f/1.8G | f/2.8 | 1/500s | ISO 100
This photo needs to be cropped, but that means a loss of detail. Or, rather, that any details not captured originally will be much more visible when the cropped image is enlarged.

The original file is 3872 x 2592 pixels, so when I crop in to show just the prairie dog, the resulting image is a paltry 1900 x 1272, or 2.4 megapixels. That might be fine for Instagram, but it would look pretty bad as a 4K computer desktop background or printed and hung on a wall.

The Enhance dialog shows just how much this image will be improved by Adobe’s special algorithms:

The dialog box shows a preview of the Enhanced image:

The resulting image is now double the resolution on both the horizontal and vertical axes, with final pixel dimensions of 3800 x 2544. Super Resolution has transformed this into a 9.6-megapixel masterpiece, ideal for printing and framing or showing on a giant 4K monitor:

A web-sized version of the Enhanced prairie dog image. It might not look like much when viewed on a small screen, but the finished file is dramatically improved in sharpness and clarity.

That said, there are some situations where Super Resolution doesn’t work as well as you might want, and it’s important to remember that, at the end of the day, this is math and not magic. Adobe’s algorithms do an amazing job of essentially creating pixels out of thin air where none existed before, but there are times when it’s best to leave well enough alone and stick with the original.

The image below is a portrait I shot with my 10-megapixel Nikon D200. While it certainly includes enough detail for printing and framing, Super Resolution might help squeeze even more out of this shot, which would certainly be good for keeping clients happy.

woman with child — Nikon D200 | 50mm f/1.8G | f/2.8 | 1/350s | ISO 200

Super Resolution would help this photo in a lot of ways, especially by bringing out some of the texture and details in the fabric. However, one way it would not help and could actually hurt is right where I would want it most: the eyes.

The Super Resolution algorithm does a good job of clearing up the reflection of the sky in the child’s eye, but it has the opposite effect on the eyelashes. The Enhanced version looks blurrier and less sharp compared to the original:

Lightroom Super Resolution works wonders, but Adobe can’t perform miracles and it won’t automatically improve every single image. Even so, I am thoroughly impressed by what the technology can do and I highly recommend trying it to see the results for yourself.

Downsides to using Super Resolution

As with most things in life, Super Resolution comes with some tradeoffs. So before you rush out and convert your entire image library, there are some caveats and drawbacks you may want to consider.

For one, Super Resolution files are huge. Massive. Enormous. So big, in fact, that you could quickly run out of disk space if you use Super Resolution too much. For example, a 10-megapixel RAW file from my Nikon D200 clocks in at about 9 megabytes of space. Naturally, one might expect that a Super Resolution version would be four times as large, but that’s not the case at all. In fact, a Super Resolution file is over 144 megabytes—sixteen times larger than the original file! You’re going to need a lot of disk space if you use Super Resolution frequently, especially if you apply it to higher-megapixel files from modern cameras.

Lightroom Super Resolution file size — Super Resolution files are absolutely massive. Be prepared to buy lots of additional storage space if you use this feature a lot.

Another drawback to Super Resolution is the time it takes to render, especially when working with a batch of files. Lightroom will need anywhere from 10-20 seconds per image to perform the enhancement algorithm, and that time can really add up. It might not seem like much, but three images will add one minute to your workflow. Ten images could easily add five minutes, depending on the size of the originals are and how fast your computer is. This added time is not necessarily a deal-breaker, but it is something to keep in mind.

Finally, Super Resolution cannot fix an out-of-focus image. Yes, it will make an already-sharp image look even better, but it cannot create sharpness where there was none to begin with. If you are expecting Super Resolution to save the day when you don’t nail the focus, you will be sorely disappointed.

black eyed susan flower — Nikon D500 | 50mm f/1.8G | f/2.8 | 1/350s | ISO 100
Super Resolution, as King Theoden of Rohan might say, has no power here. This out-of-focus photo is destined for the digital dustbin.

When should you use Super Resolution?

Despite the drawbacks, there are two key areas where Super Resolution absolutely shines and I can strongly recommend using it: for extreme cropping and low-megapixel originals.

If you like to crop your images, either to focus attention on one key area or simply because your lens wasn’t zoomed in close enough, Super Resolution can work wonders. It can bring out detail in key portions of your photos and transform images from rejects to portfolio shots.

squirrel on a trunck — Nikon D750 | 50mm f/1.8G | f/1.8 | 1/500s | ISO 100
I couldn’t get any closer to this squirrel for a better photo, so I had to do some really intense cropping – which resulted in a pixelated furry friend.

squirrel eating food — The cropped version is a muddy mess, especially in the tail. Even with a 24-megapixel RAW file, this much cropping generally is not a good idea.

Super Resolution is also a fun way to bring new life to old low-resolution images, provided they are sharp and not out of focus. I enjoy going back to my early digital photos that I shot with 3-megapixel pocket cameras and applying Super Resolution to see if I can extract details or create crisper images for printing. You might be surprised at how well this works for your old digital pictures, too.

Lightroom Super Resolution explained: final words

Super Resolution is one of the most exciting new Lightroom features in a long time. Adobe has created a practical, easy-to-use tool that works on almost all common image types and has the ability to dramatically improve your images.

I find the tool especially useful in some specific circumstances, like cropping and bringing older images to life, but if you have enough spare disk space, you might find yourself using it much more. While not perfect, it goes a long way toward solving a longstanding issue with digital photos and makes me excited to see where this technology will take us in the future!

Now over to you:

What do you think about Lightroom Super Resolution? Will you use it? Are you impressed? Share your thoughts (and Enhanced images!) in the comments below.

The post Lightroom Super Resolution Explained (The Essential Guide) appeared first on Digital Photography School. It was authored by Simon Ringsmuth.

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Best Lightroom Portrait Presets in 2021 (6 Gorgeous Picks)

29 Sep

The post Best Lightroom Portrait Presets in 2021 (6 Gorgeous Picks) appeared first on Digital Photography School. It was authored by Matt Murray.

Finding the best Lightroom portrait presets can be a challenge for many photographers. With so many preset packs available in the marketplace, how do you find the right ones to suit your style?

In this article, I recommend some of my favorite Lightroom presets for portraits in 2021.

A quick note: When testing different preset packs, I loaded each option into Adobe Lightroom Classic. Then, to demonstrate each preset, I used the same RAW image taken on my Fujifilm X-T4 with the XF 56mm f/1.2 lens. I created multiple virtual copies in Lightroom, then had fun playing around with all of the presets and settings!

1. Brixton Film presets

First up for the portrait photographer is the Brixton Film preset bundle. These presets are brought to you by The Luxe Lens, a website that sells dozens of presets, Photoshop actions, LUTs, overlays, and much more. The names of each collection in the Brixton Film bundle evoke the type of mood they portray: Bold & Vibrant, Yesteryears, Earthy Moods, Film Essentials, and Love Story, to name just a few.

In particular, the Brixton Film Cinematic collection caught my eye, and I was instantly impressed when I applied the black and white Light and Lifted preset for a classic monochrome look:

Brixton Film presets — Brixton Film collection: *Light and Lifted*

There were a number of interesting color choices in this collection, but my next choice was the Teal and Berry preset, thanks to its eye-popping hues. It gave the portrait a completely unique look:

Another gorgeous collection from the Britxon Film stable is Oak & Ivy. This collection contains 25 film presets, 8 layer presets, and 62 tools presets, designed to bring out the organic colors of nature in your images. My favorite from this collection is Muted Forest, which did a great job of mixing earthy colors with clean skintones (see the image below). All of the Brixton Film presets were fun to use, instantly transforming my RAW file into a beautiful final product.

2. Mastin Labs

Mastin Labs are the market leaders for portrait and wedding photography presets, and it’s easy to see why.

These presets were first created over a decade ago by photographer and color scientist Kirk Mastin. After painstakingly scanning many different types of film, Mastin Labs developed a series of presets to give the classic look of your favorite film emulsions to digital images.

Mastin Labs claims to have the most authentic film emulation presets on the market, and many of their preset bundles reference names of classic film stocks, such as Portra Original, Fuji Original, and Fuji Everyday.

Full disclaimer: I’m a huge Mastin Labs fan. I’ve bought all three of the classic film packs I just mentioned, but while writing this article, I decided to use two new preset packs for the first time: Ilford and Portra Pushed.

Installation is a breeze; just download the presets, quit Lightroom, run the installer, and get ready to roll. Using the presets is simple with Mastin’s easy, three-step workflow: apply the preset, adjust the exposure, then adjust the white balance and tint.

Mastin Labs portrait presets — Mastin Labs Ilford: *Pan F* *with green filter*

Mastin Labs: Ilford Original pack

The Ilford Original pack contains three highly customizable presets that mimic classic British black and white film emulsions: Pan F, HP5, and Delta 3200.

Pan F gives you a high contrast look with low grain, the ever-popular HP5 delivers medium contrast and grain, and Delta 3200 gives your images glowing highlights and the chunkiest grain in the pack. Each emulsion gives you two further choices – 35mm or 120, with the latter giving you more subtle and smoother grain.

As with all Mastin presets, the Tone Profile section provides various combinations for making the highlights and shadows hard or soft in your image. It’s often hard to know which one you’d prefer without a bit of testing.

What I love most about the Ilford presets is the next two sections: B&W Filter and Paper. For decades, photographers have been using colored filters to control contrast and mood in their black and white photos. The clever people at Mastin Labs allow you to consider these creative effects by three different filter options: red, green, and yellow.

Next up are three paper types that mimic the effect of the image printed in the darkroom on warm-tone, cool-tone, or neutral paper. I really love these choices; I have a lot of fun playing around with them!

Mastin Labs: Portra Pushed pack

I’m a big fan of the Mastin Labs Portra Original pack, which is ideal for giving clean, warm tones and glowing skin to portraits. With this in mind, I was more than a little intrigued by the Portra Pushed pack. I’d heard it gave a wonderfully dark and moody look to images, but would it meet my expectations?

Note: You may be wondering why this pack is called Portra “Pushed;” pushed is a borrowed term from film development. A roll of film generally has a recommended ISO (e.g., 400), and you typically match it with the ISO dial on your camera.

If you set the ISO on your camera to 800 despite an ISO 400 recommendation, however, you are underexposing the film by one stop, so you’d typically ask for the film to be pushed in development one stop. In other words, you’d ask the lab to develop the film for longer to make up for the underexposure. Why would you want to do this? There are a couple of different reasons, but one is that the process typically gives color film more contrast and saturation.

The Portra Pushed presets mimic this effect with intense, moodier colors and boosted saturation. The pack has a choice of three different film looks – Portra 160, Portra 400, and Portra 800 – and with each, you can apply the one-stop or two-stop push look.

This pack may not have the B&W filter and paper options of the Ilford pack, but it does include a tone profile, a toolkit with auto white balance and lens correction, and a choice of 35mm and 120 grain.

I was impressed by the clean and consistent look of the Portra Pushed presets. They gave a high-contrast, moodier look to images than the Portra presets and really brought out the earthy tones.

3. Julia & Gil

For the last seven years, Julia & Gil have been photographing people in love all over the world. Not only are they skilled photographers, but it’s clear they’ve learned a thing or two about editing photos along the way.

Julia & Gil offer three stunning sets of presets: wedding, portrait and mobile. I took the wedding and portrait presets for a spin in Lightroom and was impressed by what I saw.

The Wedding collection is designed to add soft colors and “a little magic” to wedding photos. Julia & Gil are fans of soft tones, creamy whites, beautiful skin tones, and natural colors, as you can see from the image below. The collection is perfect for all lighting situations.

Best Lightroom portrait presets Julia & Gil — Julia & Gil Wedding: *Classic*

The Portrait collection is made up of eight presets for couple and portrait shoots. They are billed as “the modern answer to creating that popular film look” and are designed to add soft colors to your photos. As you can see from the Cream preset below, this collection gives a soft, dreamy look which I really love.

Both preset packs offer a range of tools, including colors down, colors up, a range of options for grain, three different sets of tones, vignette tools, and several ways to warm up your images. In just a click or two, Julia & Gil presets give a wonderfully unique look!

4. @rwpho Portrait Lightroom presets

@rwpho Portrait Lightroom presets are brought to you by Filtergrade, an online marketplace offering a range of resources for photographers and videographers, including actions, presets, LUTs, overlays, and templates.

Created by photographer Reed Walchle, the @rwpho presets are focused on adding warm, complementary, orange and teal tones to your images while keeping natural-looking skin. The presets shift the overall palette toward complementary colors to make photos stand out, adding character and depth. They seem to work especially well on pictures where the subject is well lit compared to the background.

There’s only a handful of presets in this pack, but sometimes less is more. I really liked the tones of both the Joyce Warm and Elena Cupcakes presets. All in all, the presets were easy to apply and gave great results instantly.

5. Etchd Portrait presets

The next set of Lightroom portrait presets come from award-winning portrait, landscape, and travel photographer Matt Horspool, better known by his Instagram handle, @etchd.

Matt is incredibly well traveled, having backpacked across 48 countries on all seven continents. His images and articles have been published by National Geographic, Australian Photography Magazine, The Australian, and Olympus Passion.

Etchd Portrait Presets Volume 1 contains 15 timeless and beautifully refined presets that “soften and breathe life into your portraits.” The presets come with a detailed, 37-page, step-by-step installation and application guide. I really like the information in the second part of this guide – Matt gives you a detailed description of each preset, along with information on what to adjust in your images. For example, there are tips on suggested adjustments to the RGB tone curve, white balance, and split toning.

Many of the preset names are a nod to Matt’s travels: Roadtrip, USA, India, and the preset I used for the image below, Verona. The latter preset comes with two versions, and the one I’ve used has a built-in Radial Filter. (The guide also gives step-by-step instructions on how to apply Radial Filters to your portraits.)

6. dPS

Last but certainly not least are the comprehensive range of portrait presets by our very own Digital Photography School team. The dPS preset bundle consists of three packs, each containing 101 presets: 101 Lightroom Presets, 101 Landscape Lightroom Presets, and 101 Lightroom Portrait Presets.

dPS portrait presets — dPS Portrait Presets: *Art Series 50s*

For this article, I tried out some of the portrait presets created by Rachel Devine. These give you countless image-enhancing options, and included in the pack are the Art Series, Black and White, Film Series, Traditional Series, and a Touch-Up Kit featuring 37 brushes.

I really love the look of all the Art Series presets, but perhaps my favorite was Art Series 50s, which gave my images a classic vintage appearance. Another fantastic preset is Found, which has a beautiful, warm effect reminiscent of film stocks such as Kodak Gold.

What are the best Lightroom portrait presets in 2021?

The best portrait presets for Lightroom will differ from user to user. Ultimately, it’s up to you to decide which look and feel suits the images you take!

I love using all of the preset packs recommended above; they’re simple and give incredible results.

So which preset is your favorite? Tells us in the comments below.

Best Lightroom portrait presets: FAQs

Should I use Lightroom presets for my portraits?

Lightroom presets are a fantastic way to get a consistent look in your portrait photo shoots.

Which Lightroom presets should I buy for portraits?

That depends on your photographic style and your budget. Take a look at the images above and visit the websites featured to find the presets best suited for your images.

Are Lightroom presets easy to use?

Most of the presets featured here are very easy to use. You can transform images in one or two clicks.

Do professional photographers use presets?

Yes, many professional portrait and wedding photographers use off-the-shelf presets.

The post Best Lightroom Portrait Presets in 2021 (6 Gorgeous Picks) appeared first on Digital Photography School. It was authored by Matt Murray.

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Lightroom vs RawTherapee: Which Editor Should You Pick?

23 Sep

The post Lightroom vs RawTherapee: Which Editor Should You Pick? appeared first on Digital Photography School. It was authored by Ana Mireles.

Lightroom vs RawTherapee: which editor is best?

Looking for a top-notch photo editor, one that offers a combination of power, user-friendliness, and organizational chops? Lightroom and RawTherapee both fit the bill, but it can be tough to determine which option is perfect for your needs.

And that’s where this article comes in handy. I’ll break down the main aspects of these two programs, from the ease of use to the costs and benefits.

So if you’re ready to determine which program is better, Lightroom vs RawTherapee, then let’s get started.

Lightroom vs RawTherapee: overview

Lightroom and RawTherapee are both photo editing programs with advanced RAW processing capabilities. In fact, Lightroom is one of the most popular choices in the photography world, though many people are put off by Adobe’s subscription model. RawTherapee is less well known, which makes finding learning resources difficult, though the program itself is (get this!) free.

As far as I’m concerned, you can’t go wrong with either option – they both work nicely, though they cater to different types of photographers. Let’s take a closer look.

Ease of use

Is Lightroom the easier program to use, especially as a beginner? Or is RawTherapee the better buy?

Download and installation

To install, purchase, and download Lightroom, you’ll need to set up an Adobe account. You’ll also need to navigate through the different plans available and decide which one works best for you. This isn’t as straightforward as you might like; it can be tough to fully understand the difference between some of the options.

Once you’ve decided on a plan, you can subscribe by providing a Paypal account or a credit card. Alternatively, you can start a free trial. Then you’ll need to follow Adobe’s instructions to install the Creative Cloud – necessary for any Adobe app – and then, from the Creative Cloud window, install Lightroom.

RawTherapee is a free open source program. To download it, simply go to the RawTherapee website, choose your operating system, and click Download. You’ll receive the software, which you can install like any other program. You’ll also get a “manual,” which is actually a link to a page with information and tutorials. And if you want an older version of RawTherapee, just click Downloads on the home page to see the entire set of available programs.

Interface

Lightroom has seven modules, though the most used ones are the Library module (to manage your files) and the Develop module (to edit your images). The remaining modules are for specific uses and are fairly self-explanatory – for example, Book lets you design photo books, Print lets you prepare prints, and so on. Lightroom’s standard tools are clearly marked, but it might take some time for you to fully explore the interface.

RawTherapee is also user friendly, although experienced photo editors may find its lack of similarity to other programs off-putting. By default, it opens in the File Browser section, which is very straightforward and like Lightroom.

On the left side, you’ll find the tabs to change the screen. There’s an Editor screen – to edit your photos – and a Queue option – to export your edited images.

You should be able to apply your first edits without help, but it will take some time and effort to understand RawTherapee’s full potential.

Information and tutorials

Adobe provides a wide variety of Lightroom video tutorials that will guide you from beginner to pro. And since it’s the most popular photo editing software on the planet, you’ll find countless YouTubers explaining how to do practically anything you can think of. Written tutorials are also available from the official Adobe site, as well as third-party websites (such as dPS!).

RawTherapee has a RawPedia with all the information you need to get started and perfect your skills, and the material is available in multiple languages. Like most open-source programs, there’s also a big community behind RawTherapee that’s happy to share its knowledge and help you with any problems.

Cancellation

Lightroom is a subscription-based software, and in most cases, plans are annual. If you cancel before the end of your yearly subscription, you’ll be charged 50% of the remaining months of the membership. After that, you can keep up to 2 GB of storage in the cloud, and you’ll have 90 days to delete any files that exceed the limit. You’ll then have a year to export your edited images from Lightroom, but you can’t make any more changes.

Since RawTherapee doesn’t require a subscription, you can simply delete it from your computer (and re-download it) at will. After deleting the program, you’ll still have your original files, and if you exported your edited photos, you’ll have those, too.

Workflow

Both Lightroom and RawTherapee offer complete workflows; you can organize, edit, and export your files, all within the program.

File management

When you import images, Lightroom creates a catalog, which it uses to save your edits. You can create collections and search for your photos by keyword, EXIF data, tags, etc. The downside to this is that it works independently from your computer and hard drive – if you move a file outside Lightroom, the program won’t be notified and will subsequently fail to find the image.

All Lightroom edits are stored in an LRCAT file, which contains all the catalog data. That’s why moving a file to another location means losing the edits; even if you import it again, Lightroom won’t associate the new file with the original edit.

RawTherapee uses a file browser; this means you don’t need to import files, plus you can move them around outside of the program and still be able to find them again.

Edits are stored in PP3 sidecar files. As long as you copy the PP3 file together with the original image, you’ll always have the edits, even in a new location. Also, you can manage your photos with tags and ratings (the same as in Lightroom).

Photo editing

To edit your photos in Lightroom, you must import them and open the Develop module. Here, you’ll find tools to manage your files and edits along the left-hand side – for example, the Navigator and the History panel. The image is displayed in the center, and you’ll see all edits applied in real-time.

On the right, you can access all the editing tools, starting with the Basic panel and its essential sliders (e.g., Contrast, Exposure, Saturation, and Clarity). The next sections are designed for advanced editing, and Lightroom offers several tools for targeted adjustments as well. If that’s not enough, you can always send the image from Lightroom to Photoshop (assuming you get Photoshop as part of your membership plan).

The RawTherapee Editor module is divided into three panels. On the left, you have Preview, History, and Snapshots; in the center, you have the image; on the right, you’ll find the editing tools.

In RawTherapee, you can do all the standard basic edits and many advanced ones, too. If this isn’t enough and you need to work with layers, you can link RawTherapee with Photoshop, or with GIMP if you prefer to stick with free and open-source programs.

Batch editing

In Lightroom, batch editing is easy. You can use presets, which are automated sets of adjustments, to apply the same edit to multiple images, and there are tons of free and paid presets out there for you to choose from (or you can make your own). You can also batch edit by syncing adjustments from one photo to other photos in the Filmstrip. Another choice is to copy-paste the Develop settings.

RawTherapee also offers batch editing. You can copy and paste the same processing profile to multiple images in the Editor module, or you can batch edit in the Browser module via the batch-adjust option.

Saving and exporting

Lightroom doesn’t have a Save option. To get your edited photos out of Lightroom and save them to your computer or external hard drive, you need to use the Export button in the Library module or select Menu>Edit>Export.

In RawTherapee, you have two ways of saving your images. If you click on the hard drive icon, you can save the image immediately (as you can do with the Save As option in any standard program). However, this can “distract” your CPU resources and slow down your work, which is where the Queue comes in.

If you send the images to the Queue (which you can access from a tab on the left), you’ll have the benefit of processing all of your images at the end, making the most of your time and your computer’s power.

Cost

Technically, Lightroom can’t be bought; you can only purchase a membership that allows you to use it. Depending on the membership plan and the way you pay (monthly or annually), the price can vary, though it starts at $ 9.99 USD per month.

All Photography plans include Adobe Lightroom, Cloud storage (from 20 GB to 1 TB), Adobe Spark, and Adobe Portfolio. Some upgraded plans may include Lightroom Classic, Photoshop, and other Adobe apps.

With a personal membership, you can download the program on two computers, but you can’t use them at the same time. Whenever you install Lightroom, you also need to download and install Creative Cloud.

RawTherapee is completely free, and you don’t even need to register before downloading. You get the full software, which you can install and use on as many computers as you want. It can also be installed on a portable hard drive.

Lightroom vs RawTherapee: which program should you buy?

As you can see, Lightroom and RawTherapee are both great for processing RAW files and editing pictures. The choice between them comes down to needs and personal preference. Let me go through some example scenarios to help you understand:

If you often edit your photos on your phone and like to easily move from your mobile devices to your computer, you’ll be better off with Lightroom, as there isn’t a mobile version of RawTherapee – though make sure you use Lightroom CC, not Lightroom Classic.

If you have an old computer or you are running low on storage space, you should definitely use RawTherapee. Not only is it lighter, but you only have to download one app, not two (as is required by Adobe).

If you only plan to edit on occasion, you might wish to avoid a monthly fee. In this case, RawTherapee is the software for you.

There are many things to consider when you choose between Lightroom and RawTherapee. Hopefully, this article gave you enough information to make the right decision!

Now over to you:

Have you tried Lightroom? How about RawTherapee? Which did you prefer? Share your thoughts in the comments below!

Lightroom vs RawTherapee FAQs

Is Lightroom better than RawTherapee?

Neither program is better than the other. They are both excellent tools and the choice really depends on personal preference, budget, etc.

Is RawTherapee a good alternative to Lightroom?

Yes. RawTherapee is a fantastic program, whether you are an editing beginner or you want to switch over from Lightroom.

Do I need to stop using Photoshop if I change from Lightroom to RawTherapee?

No. Using the Edit Current Image in External Editor option, you can send your files from RawTherapee directly to Photoshop. You can also send them to GIMP and other editors.

Can I watermark my images using RawTherapee?

No. To watermark your images, you need to use another free program, such as Darktable.

Is there a free version of Lightroom?

Lightroom offers a free trial before purchase – but after the trial is over, you need to buy an Adobe membership. Lightroom Mobile has a free version, but some of its features are only enabled with a paid subscription.

Can I use RawTherapee if I don’t shoot in RAW?

Yes. RawTherapee not only supports most RAW formats, but also JPEG, TIFF, PNG, and other common image file types.

The post Lightroom vs RawTherapee: Which Editor Should You Pick? appeared first on Digital Photography School. It was authored by Ana Mireles.

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13 Best Cinematic Lightroom Presets (in 2021)

02 Sep

The post 13 Best Cinematic Lightroom Presets (in 2021) appeared first on Digital Photography School. It was authored by Ana Mireles.

Are you looking for the best cinematic Lightroom presets on the market today? In this article, you’ll find a roundup of my favorite presets, all offering gorgeous cinematic edits.

Some of these picks are very specific, emulating the cinematic style of a well-known director; others are more generic and are designed for a wide range of photographic needs.

I’ve also included a handful of free options, and even the paid presets sometimes come with freebies – so no matter your budget, there’s a preset pack here for you.

Let’s get started.

1. Cinematic Lightroom Presets (by Northlandscapes)

This 15-preset pack will help you create cinematic and moody landscapes using different color schemes, from neon carrot to steel grey. Jan Erik Waider used Blade Runner 2049 as a major point of inspiration to develop this bundle, which is why these presets work great for a dystopian look.

Unfortunately, the Cinematic Lightroom Presets pack won’t work with older versions of the program. You’ll need Lightroom Classic v.10, LR v.4, or ACR for Photoshop v.13 or higher. For smartphone editors, note that you can download and install the presets on your computer, then sync them with Lightroom Mobile on your phone.

2. Cyberpunk 2.0

Want to give your images an urban and futuristic atmosphere? Cyberpunk 2.0 is the way to go. With these presets’ saturated blues and magentas, you can turn any city night scene into a sci-fi movie.

You do have the option to purchase the Artistic Collection, which includes Cyberpunk 2.0 plus several other preset bundles; that way, you’ll get a better price than buying each pack individually.

Of course, while Cyberpunk 2.0 may have been developed for city scenes with neon lights, you can achieve some very interesting results by experimenting with non-urban shots. The presets are compatible with Lightroom 3.0 or higher and can be used on RAW files as well as PSDs, TIFFs, and JPEGs.

3. Cinematic Lightroom Presets (by Artorius)

From Historic/Action Drama and Fantasy/Dreamy to War Movie and 60’s Western, this Cinematic Lightroom Presets bundle comes with 10 premium presets to fit many styles.

The presets are compatible with Lightroom 4.1 or higher. Note that you can apply the presets to RAW or JPEG images, which is perfect for beginners aiming to create a variety of styles with a single click.

4. Stranger Things Cinematic Preset

Yes, it’s just a single preset, but if you’re a fan of the TV series Stranger Things, you’re going to love this one, plus – bonus! – it’s free. For those of you who are not familiar with the series, don’t worry; suffice it to say that the Stranger Things Cinematic Preset will give you a very cool 80s look for your photos.

Also, if you’re more of a hands-on type of person, you can watch the tutorial and learn how to achieve this look step by step. Otherwise, you can grab this preset for free, though you will need to opt-in to a mailing list with your name and email. You’ll receive the preset as a freebie (and you can unsubscribe from the newsletter at any time).

5. BZ Cinematic Presets

Visual artist Brian Zuckerman has made films and videos for music bands and weddings – and drawing on these experiences, he created a collection of Lightroom presets that’s sold in two volumes.

Volume I includes 10 presets, ranging from Surreal, Nightmare, and Dream to Harmonize and Golden Seconds.

Volume II includes 11 presets, featuring Hollow, Romance Novel, and more.

All in all, you’ll get plenty of moods to play with, and you should have no problem finding the style that fits your photos.

6. Looks Like Film Presets

These two Looks Like Film freebies were developed with Meridian, a brand that sells quality Lightroom presets for every need. As you can see from the examples above, the presets are warm, earthy, and pretty darn stunning, perfect for any cinematic editor’s kit.

As with most freebies out there, you will need to subscribe to a newsletter for access. However, you can unsubscribe at any time, and the newsletter is mostly designed to direct you to their shop so you can familiarize yourself with products designed by talented artists.

7. Movie Effect

Here’s another free Lightroom preset, this one inspired by the big screen. Note: If you like Movie Effect and you’re interested in more of these presets, you can always purchase the complete Movie Effect Lightroom Presets pack designed by Creativetacos.

The Movie Effect bundle includes 11 LR template files, 1 Camera Raw Photoshop Action, 11 DNG files, and 11 Camera Raw XMP files. This means that you can use them as Lightroom presets or Photoshop actions depending on your preferred workflow.

Each preset is editable, so you can always use these as a starting point, but then adjust the look for a more personalized result.

8. Hong Kong Retro Movie Style Presets

Inspired by the works of Wong Kar-wai and Hong Kong’s 80s movies, the Hong Kong Retro Movie Style preset pack will give your images a warm retro look.

The pack includes 8 files compatible with Lightroom CC and Lightroom Classic, 8 DNG files to use in Lightroom Mobile, and 8 files for Photoshop and Camera Raw. It doesn’t matter which program you choose or how you like to edit; these presets will work anywhere, any time!

9. Cinematic Vibes

JJFarquitectos designed the Cinematic Vibes Presets, drawing inspiration from a range of styles; as such, these presets should work on landscapes, urban travel, lifestyle images, and more.

The pack has 72 presets for Lightroom and Photoshop, and while the bundle is paid, you can grab the Cinematic Vibes 01 Preset for free. If you like it, find it’s compatible with your software, etc., then you can purchase the whole bundle.

10. Free Cinematic Lightroom Presets

Usually, free Lightroom presets are single products that invite you to buy a bigger bundle. But in this case, the freebie includes 10 cinematic presets, perfect for any photographer after a cinematic look on a budget.

The Free Cinematic Lightroom Presets are compatible with all Lightroom versions and can be used with Lightroom Mobile, too. Each preset is a one-click solution, though you can always use them as a starting point to further personalize the final look.

11. Wes-Anderson-Inspired Lightroom Presets

Wes Anderson is famous for his use of color, and this Lightroom preset bundle takes inspiration from his movies to give your photos a quirky retro look with an amazing color palette.

Presets inspired by The Royal Tenenbaums pump up the yellows and oranges, while The Grand Budapest Hotel presets are more pastel. In total, you’ll get 30 presets that you can customize to fit your images.

As the developer says, “Don’t forget your flat, symmetrical composition for full-on Wes style!”

12. Super 8 Lightroom Mobile Presets

Instead of emulating a big cinematic production, why not go for a home movie look? That’s what the Super 8 Lightroom Preset pack is all about, which mimics the classic Super 8 movie film format.

(Of course, the Super 8 format has been used for professional filming, too, but it’s traditionally known for the revolution it created in amateur films.)

Note: The five presets are designed for Lightroom Mobile. And the creator does often organizes special sales, so you can buy three bundles and pay for two (generally speaking, the more you buy, the more you save!). Just something to consider if you like their work.

13. Mobile Lightroom Premium Presets

As you may know, Lightroom Mobile has a limited free version, and it also has a full version that you can access with a Lightroom subscription.

But did you also know that the full Lightroom Mobile, aside from giving you access to the entire suite of Lightroom tools, also includes a library of premium presets? These include Adobe’s Cinematic collection with 10 different looks.

You can purchase a Lightroom subscription starting at $ 9.99 USD per month, and there’s a 7-day free trial plus a 14-day cancellation period if you’re not satisfied.

How to choose the perfect cinematic preset pack

As you can see, the term “cinematic” covers a huge variety of styles, so to really find what you’re looking for, you need to be more specific.

Here’s my recommendation: Start by defining what type of film you have in mind. This can be a specific genre like horror or indie. Another approach could be to choose a country or a time frame – for example, the Hollywood movies from the 80s or French cinema from the 30s.

Finally, if you have something particular in mind, don’t hesitate to look for it by the director’s name or even the name of the movie. As you can see from the suggestions above, some developers work on presets for a very specific niche.

An important thing to keep in mind is that presets modify the existing information from your original photo. So the effect will look different on each image, and it won’t necessarily end up like the developer’s examples. When possible, choose a preset that starts out with images that are similar to yours in light and color.

The best cinematic Lightroom presets: final words

I hope you enjoyed my selection of the best cinematic Lightroom presets. I tried to cover a wide range of styles so that all of you could find at least one or two options that fit your needs.

So grab a preset collection and start creating some stunning cinematic edits!

Now over to you:

Do you have any favorite cinematic presets that didn’t make the list? Share them in the comments below!

The post 13 Best Cinematic Lightroom Presets (in 2021) appeared first on Digital Photography School. It was authored by Ana Mireles.

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You Can Delete These Lightroom Files to Clean Up and Make Room

20 Aug

Every serious photographer has experienced this. You have too many files and too little hard drive space. The result? No space for other data or laggy performance in Lightroom or on your computer as a whole. Thus begins the search for figuring out Lightroom’s deepest, darkest secrets. Thankfully, this article will tell you everything you need to know to clean Continue Reading
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Lightroom vs ON1: Which Photo Editor Is Right for You?

18 Aug

The post Lightroom vs ON1: Which Photo Editor Is Right for You? appeared first on Digital Photography School. It was authored by Dawn Gilfillan.

Lightroom vs ON1 Photo RAW: which editor is best?

Which program is best for photo editing, Lightroom vs ON1 Photo RAW?

In this comparison, we lay it all out for you. We discuss the pros and cons of these two popular programs, including:

Editing features
Photo organization capabilities
Price
Ease of use

By the time you’re done, you’ll know exactly which editing program is the better buy! Let’s dive right in.

Lightroom vs ON1: Overview

Lightroom Classic has been around for a while now, and the program has plenty of die-hard fans; when it was first released, it attracted a lot of attention, thanks to its user-friendly tools and helpful presets.

ON1 Photo RAW is the newer program of the two. It draws on Lightroom’s immense success while attempting to improve upon some of the latter program’s faults, making it an innovative, potentially appealing Lightroom alternative.

Here, we’ll run through a quick list of pros and cons for both programs before moving on to an in-depth look at their individual features.

Lightroom Classic

Lightroom’s catalog system is very versatile and good for backing up your images. The library organization is similar to ON1, but it does have more sorting tools, like AI keywording and facial recognition.

There are more preset packages and third-party tools available in Lightroom compared to ON1, and it is also generally faster. You have the option to edit Lightroom images offline.

On the other hand, Lightroom doesn’t have adjustment layers (and ON1 does). Lightroom also doesn’t do focus stacking in panoramas and in HDR images, while ON1 offers these handy features.

ON1 Photo RAW

You don’t need to import photos into ON1 to edit them. Instead, as soon as you install the program, it will find all your photos; you can easily see them in the Albums section. ON1 also makes use of adjustment layers, and they are very similar to those in Photoshop. ON1 doesn’t have as many available preset packages as Lightroom, but the built-in options are very good.

ON1 just isn’t as fast as Lightroom for most tasks, and there is currently no offline editing feature. ON1 utilizes a database system instead of catalogs, which doesn’t offer as much versatility or security when backing up your images.

1. Photo organization capabilities

One of the main differences between Lightroom vs ON1 is in terms of how they store the edits you make to your images.

Lightroom Classic

Lightroom’s catalog system can seem a bit confusing, but it’s basically just a single (catalog) file that saves all the edits you make to every image. It also saves keywords, ratings, and other changes.

Lightroom offers non-destructive photo editing, which means your original files are always kept safe and unaffected by user adjustments. This is a major benefit – after all, everyone makes mistakes, and there are times when your editing will go too far astray. Thanks to non-destructive editing, you can scrap your changes and start fresh with the original.

ON1 Photo RAW

ON1 uses a database system and creates a collection of files (not just one single file, as with Lightroom’s catalog). When you open ON1, all the photos on your computer will appear in the program so you don’t have to go searching for them. While this is nice, it picks up every single image on your computer, even files that you have downloaded from the internet – which can be an annoyance.

Also, like Lightroom, ON1 is a non-destructive photo editor.

One downside to ON1? You can’t back up the database within the software. You’ll need to put another system in place, such as backing up to an external hard drive or cloud.

2. Layout and ease of use

Both image editing programs are intuitive, but the layouts differ somewhat, and Lightroom is the more user-friendly of the two.

Lightroom Classic

Importing images into Lightroom is a breeze: simply click on Import Photos and Video in the File menu. This menu is also where you can optimize your catalog, import develop profiles and presets, export images, manage plugins, and lots more.

Once uploaded, you can select your images for editing and click Develop. You are then taken to a screen with a relatively easy-to-understand layout. Presets are arranged on the left-hand side of the screen, while editing tools are found on the right:

Lightroom’s interface is clear and uncluttered, so even a beginner will find the layout easy to navigate. Personally, I’m a big fan of the simple and user-friendly layout – both for importing and editing.

ON1 Photo RAW

The ON1 Photo RAW layout is slightly more confusing. Because the program has so many editing features, the tools appear crammed onto one screen. As with Lightroom, presets are on the left-hand side and editing tools appear on the right. However, that’s where the similarities end.

As you can see in the photo above, the Mask, Text, Transform, and Crop tools are positioned near the presets instead of alongside the other editing tools. The presets are also shown as icons instead of text, which takes up even more room on the screen.

Overall, the effect is cluttered, and the editing interface is a lot to take in for a complete beginner.

3. Editing tools

Both programs have a good selection of editing tools, but ON1 has the edge here; it does the job of both Lightroom and Photoshop. Whereas Lightroom is designed for RAW conversions, adding presets, and basic editing prior to Photoshop work, ON1 Photo RAW is designed as an all-in-one, comprehensive editing program that lets you apply basic edits, but also create layers, add text, and more.

Lightroom Classic

Lightroom is an excellent RAW converter, and the range of presets you can buy is incredible. It was Lightroom that first pioneered the concept of adding presets to images, and this has been adopted by almost every image editing program on the market.

Run your mouse pointer over the Lightroom preset list (even if you haven’t purchased presets, Lightroom comes with plenty of built-in options), and your image will change accordingly. You’ll see a a preview of the preset in action, which is a great time-saver (especially if you have hundreds of presets to consider). ON1 Photo RAW doesn’t have this functionality; you must apply a preset to the image to see how it looks.

Over on the right-hand side, you have the main editing tools, starting with a histogram. Underneath this, you’ll find the Crop tool, the Graduated Filter, the Adjustment Brush, etc. Next are the essential adjustments like exposure, white balance, and contrast. Scroll even farther and you’ll find more advanced tools: color grading, lens corrections, sharpening, and more.

That’s about it for editing, but along the top menu bar you also have the option to print, upload images to the web, create a slideshow, or design a photo book. I don’t often print from Lightroom, as I find it easier (and more color accurate) to do this in Photoshop, but there are plenty of templates to choose from.

ON1 Photo RAW

ON1 Photo RAW matches all of Lightroom’s editing features – except the range of specialist print options. This means you can print a photo, but there’s no option to design slideshows or photo books. ON1 also doesn’t have a color grading tool like Lightroom.

That said, ON1 does have layers and easy-to-apply effects like polarizers. ON1’s masking and retouching features aren’t as good as Photoshop’s, so professionals will struggle to gain the necessary fine control when editing, but beginners and enthusiasts should find the editing tools varied and useful.

Unlike Lightroom, ON1 has a very good, easy-to-use text tool with a variety of fonts available. Another great feature in ON1 is Portrait AI, which automatically evaluates images using artificial intelligence and applies adjustments to create the best possible result.

4. Speed

Which program is faster, Lightroom or ON1? All image editing programs are power-hungry, and it does depend on your computer. But in my experience, Lightroom is more responsive and faster than ON1, which can lag and freeze up.

If you’re concerned about speed, check out the Lightroom and ON1 program requirements before buying, and make sure your computer exceeds the disk space and memory recommendations.

5. Price

Lightroom is available only as a Creative Cloud subscription. Prices start from $ 9.99 USD per month for Lightroom and Photoshop with 20 GB of storage. However, the best value for money is the Photography Plan, which costs $ 19.99 USD per month. Here, you get Photoshop, Lightroom Classic, and Lightroom CC with 1 TB of online storage space, which lets you back up and sync around 20,000 RAW files or 200,000 JPEGs on your desktop and mobile devices.

ON1 Photo RAW, on the other hand, can be purchased outright, though you can also go the subscription route. For a one-time purchase, you’ll pay $ 99.99 USD. If you’d prefer to subscribe to ON1 Photo RAW, plans start at $ 7.99 per month with 200 GB of storage, and go up to $ 179.99 yearly with 1 TB of storage.

Lightroom vs ON1: Which program is best?

Now that you’ve read a bit about Lightroom vs ON1 and seen the features, layout, and pricing, hopefully you have a better sense of which program will work best for you.

In my opinion, Lightroom is particularly suited to beginners because of the user-friendly interface. It’s also great for those who want to add presets and upload images to social media or create photo books and prints.

Ultimately, Lightroom is one of the best RAW converters out there, and if you need more advanced editing options than Lightroom alone can provide, you can purchase an Adobe plan that includes Photoshop. That way, you can do your initial RAW conversion and editing in Lightroom, then switch your images over to Photoshop for removing objects, masking, layers, composites, and blending modes.

ON1 Photo RAW is an all-in-one image editor, meaning you can go from start to finish in the single program. It will suit photographers who like to use cutting-edge technology like the Portrait AI feature, which can save time when you have a lot of images to process.

ON1 will also suit those who want to take advantage of the available presets, texture packs, and LUTs. The text tool is a great addition to ON1, too.

The only real issue with ON1 is the cramped and cluttered layout, but the program is still usable and is liked by plenty of beginners.

If you’re still on the fence, you can try out ON1 Photo RAW for 14 days. Lightroom also has a 7-day trial option – so try both and see which works best for you!

Lightroom vs ON1 FAQs

Can ON1 import a Lightroom catalog?

Yes, by using the Migration Assistant. This is intended for a one-off migration, not a constant syncing of your Lightroom images to ON1.

Does Lightroom Classic work on a mobile device?

Sort of. The mobile version of Lightroom works well on iPhones, iPads, and Android devices. And it’s free to download and use (though to access certain app features, you’ll need a Lightroom subscription).

Does ON1 Photo RAW work on a mobile device?

Yes, you can download and use the ON1 Photo RAW app for both iOS and Android devices. The app itself is free, but if you are a registered user of ON1 Photo RAW, you’ll get access to more advanced mobile editing features.

Can I use ON1 as a plugin in Lightroom?

Yes, you can! There are two main ways to use ON1 with Lightroom: via the Plug-In Extras command in the File menu, and via the Edit In command in the Photo menu.

The post Lightroom vs ON1: Which Photo Editor Is Right for You? appeared first on Digital Photography School. It was authored by Dawn Gilfillan.

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Capture One vs Lightroom: Which Editing Program Is Best? (2021)

22 Jul

The post Capture One vs Lightroom: Which Editing Program Is Best? (2021) appeared first on Digital Photography School. It was authored by Dawn Gilfillan.

Capture One vs Lightroom: Which program is best?

Not sure whether to use Capture One or Lightroom for your image editing? Both programs have plenty of fans, but which option is best for you?

This article aims to give you a clear, unbiased assessment of the pros and cons of Capture One vs Lightroom. By the time you’re done, you’ll know all about these two programs – and you’ll know which one is right for your needs.

Let’s get started.

Capture One overview

Thanks to its advanced tools, Capture One is often the choice of professional photographers and retouchers. It’s a high-end program that offers powerful tethered shooting, in-depth image editing, and a robust image-organization system that’ll satisfy even the most demanding of photographers.

Pros

A vast range of image-editing tools and features
Tethered shooting option that performs well
Designed for professional workflows
Superior RAW image processing

Cons

The user interface can be confusing – it’s not always easy to find the tools you need
Not beginner-friendly
Expensive
Image organization/library feature is clunky and difficult to use
No simple one-click presets or filters

Lightroom overview

Lightroom offers image organization and library features, as well as RAW, TIFF, and JPEG image processing. Thanks to Lightroom’s smooth integration with Adobe Photoshop, many photographers use both programs for image editing. Lightroom is easy to use and includes a range of one-click presets to speed up your workflow.

Pros

Easy for beginners to use
Simple and effective image library/organization
Good range of one-click presets available online
Good for beginners and advanced photographers
Affordable

Cons

No image adjustment layers
Subscription-only model
Tethered shooting performs poorly
Image editing tools not as advanced as Capture One

Capture One vs Lightroom: in-depth comparison

Now that you’re broadly familiar with these two programs, let’s take a closer look at how they stack up, starting with:

Editing tools

While both Capture One and Lightroom offer a near-identical range of basic image editing tools, there are some key differences worth considering.

First, Capture One offers adjustment layers, while Lightroom does not.

Capture One adjustment layers — Adjustment layers in Capture One.

Lightroom is designed to be used alongside Adobe Photoshop, an advanced layer-based editor. So if you want to use adjustment layers, you do have the option to send your Lightroom-adjusted files across to Photoshop, though this can be inconvenient compared to Capture One’s more comprehensive, one-stop-shop approach.

Both programs offer lens corrections and profiles, as well as the usual cropping and rotating features, etc. As a quick aside, the Crop tool in Lightroom is simpler to use than the one in Capture One – and it’s also far easier to find!

The Lightroom Crop tool — Crop tool in Lightroom.

Capture One and Lightroom can process RAW files, but Capture One does have the edge here, especially considering the amount of fine-tuning you can do with the shadows and highlights. Capture One offers high dynamic range editing of your RAW files, which lets you make significant adjustments to the highlights, shadows, blacks, and whites:

Capture One Exposure and High Dynamic Range tools — High Dynamic Range tool in Capture One.

While Lightroom offers RAW exposure adjustments of its own, the options are clunkier and less sophisticated compared to Capture One.

What’s one area where Capture One really beats Lightroom hands down? Color adjustments. The Capture One Color Editor doesn’t just offer Basic and Advanced options, but also a tool to fine-tune skin tones, plus an outstanding interface that serious color editors will love.

Capture One color edits — Color Editor in Capture One.

Capture One also offers the Color Balance tool with Master, 3-Way, Shadow, and Highlight options. If color grading is your thing, Capture One blows Lightroom out of the water; its sophisticated tools are capable of performing even the most demanding of color edits.

Capture One Color Balance tool for color grading — Color Balance tool in Capture One.

Lightroom does offer color adjustments, of course, but nothing comparable to Capture One:

Lightroom HSL panel — HSL panel in Lightroom.

Tethered shooting is also where Capture One excels. I have used it extensively, and it’s fast and efficient. Although Lightroom does offer tethering, it’s not reliable, and it’s slow and glitchy at times. It just doesn’t cut the mustard for a pro photographer, especially one who has clients waiting to see the RAW shots during an in-progress session.

Ease of use

As far as I’m considered, Lightroom is much easier to use; the interface is simple, and you can view all the tools and features on one screen.

Capture One, on the other hand, uses a series of tabs, cursor tools, menus, and sub-menus, and it’s easy to get lost or spend ages hunting for something you need.

The Lightroom Library system is also clear and simple, while Capture One makes this unnecessarily complicated.

Organizing images in Lightroom — The Lightroom Library.

Using presets in Lightroom is easy. Download your presets, import them into Lightroom, and they’ll appear on the lefthand side of the Develop module. Hover your mouse over a preset to see how it will affect your image, click to select a favorite, and you’re done. Just look at the simplicity of Lightroom’s Preset panel:

Capture One doesn’t do presets – sort of. It does have preset equivalents, but they’re called Styles, and you’ll have to go into the Adjustments tab and follow the sub-menu to find and apply them:

Also, Styles packs are expensive, whereas there are plenty of free Lightroom presets on the market.

Supported file formats

Capture One supports the following file formats:

RAW
DNG
JPEG
TIFF
PNG
PSD (read-only)
HEIF/HEIC
DNG files are supported in Capture One Pro, but not in brand versions (e.g., Capture One for Fujifilm, Capture One for Sony, etc.)

Lightroom supports these file formats:

RAW
Digital Negative format (DNG)
HEIF/HEIC
TIFF
JPEG
Photoshop format (PSD)
Large Document format (PSB)
CMYK files
AVI
MP4
MOV
AVCHD

If you want to use PSD or PSB formats, then Lightroom will be your best choice. It’s also best for those who want to import the supported video files listed here. As noted with Capture One, DNG files from all cameras are only supported in the Pro version, whereas all DNG files are supported in Lightroom, regardless of which camera they came from.

Is there a mobile version?

Lightroom offers a totally free app for your device, downloadable from both iOS and Android app stores. You will need an Adobe subscription to access several advanced features, but once you’ve purchased Lightroom, this will take care of itself. Also, note that images and edits from your Lightroom app will sync across your Lightroom CC programs – so you can edit on your phone, then see the changes on your desktop (and vice versa).

Unfortunately, Capture One doesn’t currently offer any kind of mobile app. If you want to edit images taken on your smartphone, you’ll need to transfer them to your computer (and if you want to edit images on your phone, you’re out of luck, though you can always grab the free Lightroom app).

Pricing

As with all Adobe apps, Lightroom is only available as a monthly subscription. You can purchase Lightroom CC on its own – with 1 TB of cloud storage – for $ 9.99 USD per month, or you can grab Lightroom as part of Adobe’s Creative Cloud Photography Plan, which includes access to Lightroom CC, Lightroom Classic, and Photoshop CC and starts at $ 9.99 USD per month, though you can pay extra for additional cloud storage.

Unfortunately, Capture One is quite expensive, and the pricing structure can be confusing, too. You can buy the program outright or rent it via a monthly subscription, and you can buy plans for specific camera brands, such as Sony, Fujifilm, or Nikon (these camera-specific plans are cheaper, but can only be used on images from certain cameras).

Capture One Pro is $ 299 USD for a new perpetual license, and subscription plans start at $ 19 USD per month. An annual prepaid subscription for Capture One for Fujifilm, Nikon, or Sony is $ 149 USD (which comes to around $ 12.50 USD per month).

Capture One vs Lightroom: final thoughts

Ultimately, the software you choose will be a reflection of your preferences, your skill level, and your budget.

Therefore, if you are a professional photographer who requires an integrated workflow from tethered shooting through to finished images, then Capture One is the best choice. It’s also the program to choose if you like advanced editing and color grading on adjustment layers.

Lightroom, on the other hand, is great for beginners, intermediate, and pro photographers who don’t need the huge array of features and tools available in Capture One. Lightroom is also less expensive, plus it’s more pleasant to use.

I’ve used both programs extensively, and each has its own strong and weak points. If you’re still on the fence, I’d recommend you take the time to determine the features that are important to you in an image editor. That way, you can make an informed decision regarding the best program for your editing needs.

Now over to you:

Which program do you like better, Lightroom or Capture One? Which do you plan to purchase? Share your thoughts in the comments below!

The post Capture One vs Lightroom: Which Editing Program Is Best? (2021) appeared first on Digital Photography School. It was authored by Dawn Gilfillan.

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How to Whiten Teeth in Lightroom (Step-by-Step Guide)

15 Jul

The post How to Whiten Teeth in Lightroom (Step-by-Step Guide) appeared first on Digital Photography School. It was authored by Ana Mireles.

Are you wondering how to whiten teeth in Lightroom? Lightroom makes teeth whitening easy, thanks to a pre-installed preset that you can fine-tune to your liking.

Not every smile needs the same amount of whitening, though. That’s why, in this guide, I’ll show you how to use Lightroom’s preset, but also how to customize it and create different presets of your own.

Let’s get started!

How to whiten teeth in Lightroom: the basics

Here’s a quick step-by-step guide to teeth whitening (using Lightroom’s pre-installed preset):

Step 1: Import your image

Unless you’ve already imported your image into the Lightroom catalog, this should be your first step. Select File>Import Photos and Video, then look through your files and import the one you need.

Alternatively, you can drag and drop your image into the Library workspace.

Regardless, remember that Lightroom is non-destructive – so no matter how you import your file, you’ll be adjusting a copy, not the original.

Step 2: Move to the Develop module

Importing occurs in the Library module. So once your photo has been added to the Lightroom catalog, it’s time to switch workspaces and enter the Develop module.

Simply hit the Develop button at the top:

In the Develop module, you’ll find all of Lightroom’s photo-editing tools. If you want to add any general edits to your photos or you’re thinking of applying a preset, you’ll do it in the Develop module. It’s also where all the teeth-whitening magic will happen.

Step 3: Enable the Adjustment Brush

On the righthand side, you have your tools inside different editing panels. Toward the top, between the Histogram and the Basic panel, you’ll find the selective adjustment tools.

Click to enable the Adjustment Brush (or hit the K key):

Lightroom will open the Adjustment Brush panel, where you can create masks, adjust the Brush options, and edit the selected area.

Step 4: Select the teeth

You’ll start by preparing to select the teeth. First, scroll down until you find the Brush settings, then adjust the size and feathering (the best settings will depend on your particular image).

Note that you’ll probably need a smaller Brush when selecting near the edges of teeth. Fortunately, you can create two saved Brushes (with the A and B choices). Otherwise, you can use the bracket keys to enlarge or shrink the Brush size while working.

How to whiten teeth in Lightroom selection

I recommend you enable Auto Mask. If you’re not familiar with it, it’s a tool that helps you select a specific area by recognizing edges.

You can also enable Show Selected Mask Overlay – you’ll find it under the image, and it will allow you to see where you’re actually painting the mask.

Finally, brush over the teeth. Zoom in if necessary and make sure you work very carefully.

Step 5: Apply the Teeth Whitening preset (optional)

How to whiten teeth in Lightroom by adding the Teeth Whitening preset

Once you’ve brushed over the teeth, go ahead and disable the Selected Mask Overlay; now it’s time to apply adjustments to the selected area.

Because teeth whitening is such a common retouch, Lightroom already has a Teeth Whitening preset. If you want to use it, open the Effect drop-down menu and select Teeth Whitening. Your subject’s teeth should get whiter, and if you like the effect, great! It may be all you need, in which case you can hit Done.

Alternatively, you may want to use the preset as a starting point, then make further adjustments (as discussed in the next section).

Notice that once you apply the preset, sliders will change. The exposure will increase to 0.40 and saturation will be set at -60.

Step 6: Adjust the edits

If you don’t want to use the preset, or if you want to fine-tune the preset’s effect, you can manually move the sliders.

First, adjust the exposure and saturation to fit your image. You’ll also want to check the temperature – if the teeth are looking too yellow, slightly move the Temp slider to the left.

Keep zooming in and out to check the overall result because you don’t want the white to look fake. You can see a before and after version by selecting View>Before/After.

Remember that the Before view will show you the imported image. So if you make general adjustments to your image, whiten the teeth, and display the Before view, the preview will be stripped of all its edits, not just the teeth whitening.

Step 7: Save the preset (optional)

If you like your whitening effect, you can save it as a preset. Head to the Presets panel, then click the plus sign and select Create Preset.

A dialog window will pop up where you can check the elements that you want to include in your preset. Then all you have to do is name the preset, and it will be saved for you to use on other photos!

When should you whiten teeth?

split tone applied to image of mouth — When you’re applying presets or making color adjustments to your photos, keep an eye on how it affects the teeth. Use the Adjustment Brush as shown in this guide to correct the color.

Now that I’ve explained how to whiten teeth in Lightroom, let’s see when you should do it. Teeth aren’t naturally fully white, and each person has different tones of teeth. So you shouldn’t add teeth whitening as a default part of your workflow. Instead, use it in specific situations:

When your edits changed the original color of the teeth

If you apply a color filter, change the white balance, or move the color settings of your entire image, you might end up with unnatural-looking teeth, in which case whitening is a good idea.

That said, when you whiten the teeth, make sure they still match the overall mood and ambiance of the picture. For example, if you apply a vintage filter and then make the teeth super white, they will stand out…in a bad way.

When the teeth weren’t lit properly

Sometimes, an unflattering shadow makes the teeth look dark or stained. But you can easily fix this problem by adding more light with the Exposure slider.

Also, certain lighting might cause yellowish teeth. For example, using tungsten light or a golden reflector might give a pleasing warm tone to the skin while also causing the teeth to look yellowish. In this case, a white balance adjustment selectively applied to the teeth will go a long way.

Another common problem: teeth reflect colors from objects that are nearby. So if your model has a colorful prop or object close to their mouth, the teeth might show a hint of color.

When your model asks you

As I was mentioning before, teeth might be underexposed because of a light problem during the photoshoot or because of color editing during post-processing. If you’re whitening the teeth to correct any of these issues, then there’s not much conflict.

However, sometimes the person has natural discoloration – and if that is the case, don’t automatically add teeth whitening as part of your workflow. Wait for your model to ask (and if they don’t ask, then don’t make any changes!).

You should never alter how a person looks without their consent. If the client hasn’t asked you for any aesthetic changes, you shouldn’t assume they want them.

5 tips for whitening teeth in Lightroom

By following the step-by-step teeth whitening guide shared above, you’ll be able to retouch your images without any problems.

But these extra tips will help you get even better results, starting with:

1. Understand editing pins

When you’re using the Adjustment Brush, you’ll notice that a gray dot (i.e., an editing pin) appears when you click on the image.

Anytime you need to go back to edit that selection, just click on the pin to make the selection active once more. (If the pins are distracting, you can press the H key to make them invisible.)

good and bad teeth — If you overcorrected or you’re somehow unhappy with the results, you can reactivate the selection by clicking on the corresponding edit pin.

2. Fix a selection

If you accidentally select the gums, lips, or anything that’s not supposed to be affected by the teeth whitening, don’t worry – you can always use the Erase tool!

Inside the Adjustment Brush panel, next to the Brush A B presets, you’ll see the word Erase. After clicking it, you’ll be able to erase your selection. (Alternatively, you can hold the Alt key, which will toggle the Eraser option.)

3. Keep in mind the person’s age

Remember that teeth discoloration is part of the natural process of aging. If you want to keep your photo retouching realistic, don’t overdo it. Consider that a younger model should probably have whiter teeth than an older one (this is one of the reasons you can’t use the same settings for every photo).

4. Take a break

This advice is useful for any type of retouching – whenever you’re done, take a break and come back later.

Sometimes you’re so focused on a specific part of the image that you lose track of the bigger picture. So close the computer for a while or go outside to get some natural light and rest your eyes. Then come back and see the photo again. If you’re satisfied, that’s great – but if you’re not, then just make some more adjustments!

5. Download presets

If you don’t love post-processing, or if you want to improve your post-processing without extra work, remember that you can always buy presets or download freebies from professional photo retouchers and fellow photographers!

How to whiten teeth in Lightroom: conclusion

Okay, now you know how to whiten teeth in Lightroom – and I hope you agree that it’s super easy!

So practice your teeth whitening. Improve your photos. And if you run into any problems while adjusting your pictures, don’t hesitate to ask questions in the comments section.

Now over to you:

Do you have any tips for teeth whitening? Have you tried to whiten teeth before? How did it turn out? Share your thoughts in the comments below!

The post How to Whiten Teeth in Lightroom (Step-by-Step Guide) appeared first on Digital Photography School. It was authored by Ana Mireles.

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Where Are My Lightroom Photos, Presets, and Catalogs Stored? (2021)

30 Jun

The post Where Are My Lightroom Photos, Presets, and Catalogs Stored? (2021) appeared first on Digital Photography School. It was authored by Helen Bradley.

Are you struggling to determine where Lightroom stores your photos? Looking for your Lightroom catalogs? Need to identify the location of your presets?

In this article, I’m going to share quick, easy ways to determine where Lightroom has stored all of these items – photos, catalogs, presets, and more.

And by the end, you’ll know exactly where to find your files.

Let’s dive right in.

where are my Lightroom photos, presets, and catalogs stored?

Where is my Lightroom catalog stored?

To find the storage location of your current Lightroom catalog, simply select Edit (Lightroom, if you’re on a Mac), then tap Catalog Settings:

Lightroom will display where your catalog is stored:

view the location your catalog is stored

To open your catalog’s location, click Show:

You’ll be taken to your catalog folder. And if you look inside, you’ll see your .lrcat files, which contain your catalog data.

You can also find the location of your catalog by right-clicking on the Lightroom title bar, then selecting Show Catalog location:

select Show Catalog Location to see where your Lightroom catalog is stored

Your catalog file will pop open (though note that you’ll be one level deeper in the folder hierarchy compared to the previous method).

Where are my Lightroom presets stored?

There are two simple methods of finding your Lightroom presets; the first will take you to the folder containing all of your presets, while the second will take you to the location of an individual preset.

Method 1

To find where your Lightroom presets are stored, select Edit>Preferences (Lightroom>Preferences if you’re on a Mac):

select the Preferences option in Lightroom

The Preferences window will open. Select the Presets tab:

Finally, select the Show Lightroom Develop Presets button (depending on your version of Lightroom, this might instead say Show Lightroom Presets Folder):

hit the Show Lightroom Develop Presets button to see where your presets are stored

And you’ll immediately be taken to your preset storage location.

Note: You’ll need to click to see each individual preset folder:

Method 2

To find the location of an individual preset, here’s what you do:

First, open the Lightroom Develop module:

Then navigate to your Presets panel on the left-hand side:

Right-click on a preset, then select Show in Explorer:

Lightroom will instantly open the preset in its corresponding folder:

see your presets in the preset storage location

And you’ll be able to see many of your other presets, as well.

This is useful for situations when you’ve created your own preset and want to share it with others. You simply need to find the preset file, then share it!

Where are my Lightroom photos stored?

Lightroom is a catalog program, which means that it doesn’t actually store your images – instead, it simply records where your images are stored on your computer, then stores your edits in the corresponding catalog.

In other words, the images you import into Lightroom are located exactly where you chose to store them on your hard drive, USB drive, etc., and not in your Lightroom catalog.

So to find the location of a photo, simply right-click on its thumbnail, and select Show in Explorer (or Show in Finder for Mac users):

The relevant folder will appear with your image selected.

You can also see where an image exists inside Lightroom by right-clicking on that image, then selecting Go to Folder in Library:

clicking Go to Folder in Library to see where a Lightroom photo is stored

This will switch you over to the Library module and select the folder in which your image is stored:

your storage location for a particular photo

(Note that the selected folder corresponds to the actual hard drive location of your file.)

Why are my images stored in that location?

When you import photos into Lightroom, you’re given three broad options:

Copy, Move, or Add.

You can copy the photos, which creates a copy of each file in the selected location but leaves the originals alone. Then, when you ask Lightroom to show the location of the images, it will display the location of the copies.

You can move the photos, which deletes the originals and copies the files into your new selected location.

Or you can add the photos, which leaves the originals in place and makes no copy of the files; instead, Lightroom just records where you’ve stored your images. In this case, the images will stay where you initially stored them.

Where are Lightroom backups stored?

When you back up your Lightroom catalog, the actual catalog is backed up, but not your photos.

By default, the backup of your catalog is stored in the same location as your Lightroom catalog (in a folder called Backups).

However, if you want the exact backup location, or you’re struggling to find your backup folder, simply select Edit>Catalog Settings (or Lightroom>Catalog Settings on a Mac):

Then switch the Back up catalog option to When Lightroom next exits:

force Lightroom to back up when it exits

That way, the next time you exit Lightroom, you’ll see your backup folder location:

view the location of your Lightroom backups

And you can also change the backup location if you like (by selecting a different folder).

Lightroom photos, presets, and catalog storage: conclusion

Hopefully, you now know the exact location of your Lightroom files.

So you should be ready to do anything you might need – such as move catalogs, find photos, and more.

Good luck!

The post Where Are My Lightroom Photos, Presets, and Catalogs Stored? (2021) appeared first on Digital Photography School. It was authored by Helen Bradley.

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Adobe Camera Raw vs Lightroom: Which Is Best in 2021?

23 Jun

The post Adobe Camera Raw vs Lightroom: Which Is Best in 2021? appeared first on Digital Photography School. It was authored by Ana Mireles.

Are you trying to decide between Adobe Camera Raw vs Lightroom but you keep getting confused? This used to happen to me, too – because to understand ACR and what it offers, you have to understand the program that hosts it (either Photoshop or Bridge).

That’s also why some people haven’t even heard of Adobe Camera Raw even though they’re using it; it’s the program designed by Adobe to develop RAW files, so it’s integrated into all Adobe photo-editing programs, including Lightroom.

As you read through this article, you’ll notice that ACR and Lightroom look very similar. Both of them allow you to process your photos and make adjustments to color and exposure. You can also correct perspective, fix lens distortions, and apply effects such as a vignette or split toning.

So what’s the difference? Keep reading to find out!

Whether you know Adobe Camera Raw or not and whether you shoot in RAW format or not (I hope you do!), this article can help you choose which editing program works best for you.

Adobe Camera Raw vs Lightroom: overview

Adobe Camera Raw was first launched in 2003 to develop RAW files. It can be supported by Photoshop, Photoshop Elements, Bridge, and After Effects.

Lightroom was based on Adobe Camera Raw and was initially released in 2007. As such, both programs share the same RAW processing technology. And in recent updates, Lightroom and ACR have started to look quite similar.

That said, if you want to use ACR, you need another software program to host it. Lightroom, on the other hand, is a one-program solution. It’s the reason why making a comparison between Lightroom and Camera Raw is so difficult – you’re comparing a plugin to a full-fledged software program.

Ultimately, there are two major comparisons you can make:

If you want to know which program to use for serious photo editing, you need to consider Lightroom vs Adobe Camera Raw in Photoshop.
If you want to know which program to use for file management and basic editing, the comparison is between Lightroom vs Adobe Camera Raw in Bridge.

That’s why, to avoid confusion, this article is structured in terms of features and workflows. Then I’ll wrap things up by telling you which program wins (in my opinion) considering the needs of different photographers.

Access and interface

Lightroom

The first big difference between Lightroom and Adobe Camera Raw is that Lightroom is a standalone program. You can get an Adobe subscription and have access to Lightroom, Lightroom Classic, and Lightroom Mobile.

The individual subscription only allows for Lightroom to be installed on two devices, and files can only be accessed by one person at a time.

The interface is very user-friendly and streamlined. As a result, Lightroom is easy to use and has a smaller learning curve than Camera Raw.

When handling RAW files, Lightroom uses the same technology as Camera Raw. The results should therefore be the same but with a different interface.

Adobe Camera Raw

You can’t download and use Adobe Camera Raw on its own – you always have to use it through another Adobe app. These can be Photoshop, Photoshop Elements, Bridge, or After Effects.

When you launch Adobe Camera Raw with these programs, you access the ACR interface. Since the most recent updates, ACR looks very similar to Lightroom. Because of this, the user experience is very similar. However, learning to use Bridge and Photoshop is more difficult than learning Lightroom.

Adobe Bridge can be installed on any number of computers and can be accessed by multiple contributors at a time. Photoshop, like Lightroom, can only be installed on two computers and can’t be used at the same time.

Files and formats

the organization options in Lightroom and Camera Raw

Adobe Camera Raw

Adobe Camera Raw was developed with the idea of opening and editing RAW files. It therefore supports most raw file formats (you can find a complete list of cameras supported by ACR on the Adobe website). And you can use ACR to process other file formats such as JPEG and TIFF.

ACR + Photoshop

When you open a RAW file with Photoshop, it will automatically launch Adobe Camera Raw. Camera Raw can also be launched midway through your workflow in Photoshop as a filter.

ACR + Bridge

Bridge supports all sorts of file formats because it’s meant to be an asset manager for all of the Adobe apps. So it handles PDF files, AI files, PSD files, etc.

When you open a RAW file from Bridge, it will automatically launch Adobe Camera Raw. If you want to use ACR with other photography formats (such as JPEG), you can just right-click on the image and choose Open>Camera Raw.

Lightroom

Lightroom might share some photo-editing capabilities with Camera Raw, but it wasn’t developed specifically for RAW files – it was created to satisfy the needs of all photographers. As a result, you can import any type of photo with the same process regardless of the format.

Lightroom supports most RAW formats (including DNG), HEIF, TIFF files in 8, 16, and 32 bits, JPEG, PSD, PSB, CMYK, PNG, and some video formats.

Image editing and batch editing

The photo editing tools in Lightroom and Camera Raw are quite similar. Both offer basic color and exposure adjustments.

You can also do selective edits, crop and rotate, remove spots, correct perspective and chromatic aberration, etc. But there are a few differences, as discussed below:

Lightroom

One of the best things about Lightroom is the ability to sync your edits across multiple photos. After you’ve edited a single photo, you can tell Lightroom to sync all the edits with other photos in the catalog (or you can select just a few adjustments to sync).

Another way to apply the same edits to multiple pictures is by using presets. You can save your edits as a preset, or you can download presets from other photographers (some are free, others are for sale). You can then preview the presets just by hovering over them, which makes it easier to browse different effects.

A great Lightroom feature is that it retains a photo’s editing history, even if you close it and come back to your image another time. That way, you can always revert to an earlier version if you’re unhappy with your recent edits.

Lightroom does support video files, though you can do very little video editing (you can apply some presets and use the Quick Edits in the Library module).

Adobe Camera Raw

In Camera Raw, you can batch edit only if you decide to do so from the beginning. You simply open several images in ACR and select them. Then every adjustment you make will be applied to all the selected images.

If you want, you can save your edits as a preset and apply them to multiple photos inside Adobe Camera Raw. It’s also possible to buy or download ACR presets from other creators; however, there aren’t as many available as there are for Lightroom.

To edit video, you can use Camera Raw as a filter inside Photoshop CC – all the tools are enabled as if you were editing a photograph. And Photoshop allows you to edit the duration of the video, add text, graphics, and so much more.

With Adobe Camera Raw, if you want to come back to a certain point in your editing process, you need to save Snapshots as you go. These Snapshots get stored in an XMP file, so they’ll be available anytime you want them – as long as you remember to create them. Otherwise, there’s no way to go back in your editing history if you close and later re-open the file.

File management

ACR and Lightroom snapshots and image previewing

This is one of the biggest differences between Lightroom and Camera Raw; Lightroom is an image manipulation and organization software, while Camera Raw is only for image manipulation. Therefore, you simply cannot manage your files with ACR (no file management features exist!). That’s why I’ll compare the workflow of Bridge plus Adobe Camera Raw vs Lightroom.

Both workflows allow you to organize, tag, and rate your files before or after editing. Adding keywords is also available in both programs.

Adobe Camera Raw + Bridge

Bridge is a file browser that you can use to manage all the files – not just the photographic ones – on your hard drive. Therefore, you’re working directly with your original files.

Because you’re only browsing existing files, loading is faster than Lightroom’s import process, though it takes longer if you need to search with keywords or you want to make collections.

Since Bridge supports many file types and gives access to more than one person at a time, it’s great for collaborative work in big teams, whether people are working on the same or different projects.

From Bridge, you can access Adobe Camera Raw to process your images – RAW and otherwise. All the edits are saved in a sidecar file (ACR creates one for every photo). Having the edits in separate files is what makes the adjustments in ACR a non-destructive process. Separate files can also store presets.

Lightroom

Lightroom is a database program. When you import your images, you can access them even if they are offline, you can sync them across devices (if you use Lightroom CC), and you can keep your original files intact.

Importing your images can be a slow process, as Lightroom uploads the files and creates high-resolution previews (you have several options here). However, once the import process is complete, searching and organizing your files is faster than in Bridge.

Note that edits done in Lightroom and uploaded to the Cloud can be accessed from other devices that share the account, because all the files and edits are stored in one place. Edits can also be saved as presets for a more efficient workflow.

Adobe Camera Raw vs Lightroom: Which program is best in 2021?

As you’ve probably gathered, there’s not a clear answer to the Adobe Camera Raw vs Lightroom question. The program that’s best depends on your workflow and personal preferences.

If you’re a beginner photographer, Lightroom might be better for you, as it’s more user-friendly and has a smaller learning curve. Also, if you like using presets, you’ll find plenty of great options for Lightroom users. If you don’t plan to do advanced photo retouching, you can even get by without Photoshop.

For event photographers who need to cull, keyword, and batch-edit large amounts of pictures, Lightroom has better organizing tools. Also, most websites allow direct uploading from Lightroom, which allows you to share images with your clients in a more efficient way.

On the other hand, photographers who also need to edit videos or do graphic design will appreciate Adobe Camera Raw. That’s because Bridge and Photoshop support more file types and offer more tools for advanced editing.

In terms of cost, the two programs are essentially identical. For $ 10 USD per month, you can grab Adobe’s Lightroom Plan (which includes access to Lightroom Classic and Lightroom CC, plus 1 TB of cloud storage). Alternatively – and also for $ 10 USD per month – you can purchase Adobe’s Photography Plan, which includes Lightroom Classic, Lightroom CC, and Photoshop CC (with Adobe Camera Raw), though cloud storage is limited to 20 GB.

Of course, you can also use both Adobe Camera Raw and Lightroom according to the needs of each project – that’s what I do!

Now over to you:

What do you think of Adobe Camera Raw? How does it compare to Lightroom? Share your thoughts in the comments below!

Adobe Camera Raw vs Lightroom FAQs

Is Adobe Camera Raw free?

Not really. While you don’t pay for Adobe Camera Raw specifically, accessing the full program requires a Photoshop subscription.

How do I use Adobe Camera Raw with Lightroom?

Whenever you import a RAW file, Lightroom automatically uses ACR – you don’t have to do anything extra because ACR is built into Lightroom’s editing engine.

How do I use Adobe Camera Raw with Photoshop?

When you open a RAW file in Photoshop, it will automatically launch ACR. You can also use Adobe Camera Raw as a filter at any time while in Photoshop.

What is the difference between Adobe Camera Raw and Photoshop’s Camera Raw filter?

The Camera Raw filter has fewer tools than ACR. Also, you can use the filter to modify a layer in a document, but it cannot modify the document properties.

Can I use Adobe Camera Raw by itself?

No. ACR is a plugin that needs to be hosted by another program – you can use it with Photoshop, Photoshop Elements, Bridge, and After Effects.

The post Adobe Camera Raw vs Lightroom: Which Is Best in 2021? appeared first on Digital Photography School. It was authored by Ana Mireles.

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