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UER Mobile > UE Photo Critiques > 1st Attempt at Lightroom (Viewed 3823 times)

post by Peptic Ulcer

1st Attempt at Lightroom
< on 5/14/2016 2:50 AM >

After some coaxing from my newest UER "man crush" I have finally broken down and began using Lightroom instead of Photoshop. I watched a brief video on the basics of editing and well, I see I have a lot to learn. Below are a couple of photos I took today. I have a simple "RAW" photo that was simply converted to JPG (no editing) and then the Lightroom edited photo. Again keep in mind I just did the basics on the side toolbar and didnt get too fancy with it. I would be interested in seeing what suggestions based on just basics you may have.

1. RAW file converted to JPG (No Editing)

2. Edited in Lightroom

3. RAW file converted to JPG (No Editing)

4. Edited in Lightoom

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post by Forgotten Beauty Photography

Re: 1st Attempt at Lightroom
<Reply # 1 on 5/14/2016 2:57 AM >

Nice job - that's basically what Lightroom is about - taking the RAW files and making them look the way you wanted the picture to look in the first place.

Basically, the RAW files capture more data than can be displayed by the monitor in terms of dynamic range, so you use Lightroom to get it to look right and correct color and white balance and all that good shit.

One thing to try is to get some RAW shots where you have a lot of highlight/shadow contrast (like a bright window and a dark room) and experiment with the highlight/shadow and clarity enhancements to pull up the shadows and pull down the highlights to show more detail (unless you want blown-out highlights, that's definitely a thing you could do).

Another thing to check out is the brush adjustment tool in Lightroom, which lets you selectively apply edits. This can be very useful when you have things like people's faces that are under-exposed in a shot but it's otherwise good.

Anyhow, looks solid. Use it more and you'll start to get a workflow down and learn what settings you need to get your personal style (like I use clarity, highlights, shadows, exposure, vibrance but almost never touch saturation until I start using color correction/processing filters).

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post by YotaMan20

Re: 1st Attempt at Lightroom
<Reply # 2 on 5/14/2016 8:48 PM >

I personally feel like the shadows were taken a little too far, but that's all a matter of opinion.

For years, I have been using Camera Raw for 70% of my editing and decided (off of the words of another UER member) to try Lightroom once more. It took me 3 hours to make very simple adjustments to a photo. LR Finally crashed and I lost all of my work.

I guess what I am trying to say is, find what works best for you and stick with it. There's so much to learn on each program.

Also, are you using lens correction and camera profile?

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post by Peptic Ulcer

Re: 1st Attempt at Lightroom
<Reply # 3 on 5/14/2016 9:19 PM >

Thanks. Yeah I learned that in Photoshop RAW editor right off the bat. Lightroom also has the same features as well but it only has the camera brand and not the specific model. It does however have the specific lens that I used so it did correct it.

The lighting thing is interesting for a few reasons. First, the D750 I shoot with is an amazing low light camera. I think because of this it tends to overexpose when you shoot in regular or bright light (I've recently heard the same with other newer Nikon models). Also, I'm editing using a laptop that's 8 years old and is virtually impossible to calibrate. To complicate matters further, the compressor on this site really does a number on the photos. What I see on my computer on this site is different than what I see when editing and completely different on Flickr (the same is true on my iPad). It comes out even darker than ALL of these when I have the photos printed.

As far as losing the pics, I hate the whole Lightroom backup thing. It took me a while of hunting and pecking but I figured out how to save the processed photos to a file on my laptop. From there it gets backed up once a week on an external hard drive along with all of my original RAW files.

Thanks for the input! Any other advice is much needed and appreciated!

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post by Siltgod

Re: 1st Attempt at Lightroom
<Reply # 4 on 5/15/2016 11:11 AM >

These are fine Lightroom edits, but I just think the original composition of your shots isn't interesting to capture my attention no matter the amount of editing. So you should be focusing on both editing and shooting if you want to pull these off.

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post by YotaMan20

Re: 1st Attempt at Lightroom
<Reply # 5 on 5/15/2016 9:46 PM >

The lighting thing is interesting for a few reasons. First, the D750 I shoot with is an amazing low light camera. I think because of this it tends to overexpose when you shoot in regular or bright light (I've recently heard the same with other newer Nikon models). Also, I'm editing using a laptop that's 8 years old and is virtually impossible to calibrate.

I'm having much of the same problems with my new 6D. Many times I'll use a circular polarizer trying to cut down on the highlights while using exposure compensation but it seems to be much more difficult to do on the 6D than on my old T5 or 70D. As for screen calibration, I can't seem to get mine right either. I'm sure it doesnt help that I'm partially color blind. haha

Practice makes perfect though. I like to edit even garbage photos just for the experience.

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post by tiffers

Re: 1st Attempt at Lightroom
<Reply # 6 on 5/24/2016 1:26 PM >

Always, always, always shoot in RAW.

Also, the first photo...in the edited photo you messed up your white balance, and now it's pretty warm (yellow and off color). I prefered the original to the edited one of that.

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post by Kurt

Re: 1st Attempt at Lightroom
<Reply # 7 on 5/24/2016 5:32 PM >

Though not personally a fan the subject, the edits are fine.

I used LR for a few years before realizing the power of Photoshop. I swear you get more out of camera RAW in PS than in LR but maybe I'm just crazy. Both are fine programs but I tend to think LR is best for organizing and batch editing. When I first started shooting abandoned stuff I would take 200 pics at a location easy. LR made it easy to edit all of those and sort through them. But now I normally only take two or three images at a location so I use PS for it.

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post by tiffers

Re: 1st Attempt at Lightroom
<Reply # 8 on 5/25/2016 12:29 AM >

Posted by southshore
I swear you get more out of camera RAW in PS than in LR but maybe I'm just crazy.

I have been told this, and so I tend to agree with you. RAW seems more beneficial in PS...like, you can do more with it.

Posted by southshoreBoth are fine programs but I tend to think LR is best for organizing and batch editing.

You can do batch editing in PS; it's typically what I do since I take so many pictures. You could argue that LR is for simple technique tweaks, PS is for legitimate manipulation. More options, more program, IMO. PS all the way.

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post by skatchkins

Re: 1st Attempt at Lightroom
<Reply # 9 on 5/25/2016 12:43 AM >

I am a PS guy. I may open LR every once in a while to handle complicated straightening when using the wide angle but that's it. I tried it for editing but can't stand it. That's me.

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post by VacantMedia

Re: 1st Attempt at Lightroom
<Reply # 10 on 6/9/2017 8:43 PM >

I don't think editing is necessary sometimes. I've learned to leave some things alone. I think the first photos were better in my opinion

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