10 Replies Latest reply: Nov 30, 2014 1:54 PM by JJMack RSS

    Workflow from ACR or LR into PS?

    media kat Community Member

      I want to shoot some RAW photos that will be both printed and displayed on various devices, and will be using both ACR and LR to do basic processing before going into PS.

       

      1. What is the best quality file to save my RAW file into before going to PS from either ACR or LR? A .PSD?

      2. What should I do with the color space before going into PS? Do I save it as Adobe RGB?

       

      Thank you.

        • 1. Re: Workflow from ACR or LR into PS?
          JJMack Community Member

          You can not save raw  files Cameras create them. 

           

          I do not use Lightroom its not as well integrated with Photoshop as ACR is.

           

          From the Bridge or From Photoshop I can use ACR to do all the basic  conversion setting you do in LR the interface is different.  All you need do is set the conversion settings.  And save ACR settings in Sidecar files or ACR database.   So you can process all you RAW file to be converted like you want without saving any image file. At all.

           

          Once you have your Setting saved you can use a Photoshop Script like the Image Processor Pro automate plug-in script to save all the image files you want to make using your RAW files and their ACR settings. And take a break while Photoshop cranks out all the image files.  Lightroom can not be scripted like Photoshop.

          • 2. Re: Workflow from ACR or LR into PS?
            jml007 Community Member

            I always process Raw to .PSD and have Photoshop's color space set to Adobe RGB (1998) as well as my DLSR set to Adobe RGB (1998).

             

            Your accumulation of an image through the workflow should be as follows...

             

            First: Your Philosophy.   Create the Largest and Cleanest and Densest File you can and think as if one day you will need the file/image for a huge 60 inch print.

            In other words,  build a large file for the future as opposed to a small file size for today use.  Some day you will want to make a big print, if all you have is a small file you will wish you made it big to start with.   You can always make a smaller print from a large file, but not the other way around.

             

            I use ACR to roll into Photoshop at 300 dpi 8 bit.  As soon as the RAW file opens in Photoshop, I save it as .PSD

            Work it up, with many Layers and Save the file as nnnn-Layered.psd  (new name so you don't write over the first .PSD file

            When done I flatten the file and Save it as  nnnn-Flattened.PSD

            Now the last saved file is Cropped and Resized for other uses as  nnnn-Cropped.PSD

            Now I will resize it for email sized .JPG  and save   nnnn-small.JPG.

             

            Now I have I have 6 generations of my prized image...  CR2 original,   1st PSD from ACR,    PSD layered,    PSD flattened,   PSD cropped and finally   JPG small for email.

             

            Everyone's workflow differs depending on there end usage of the image.  But always have the best images ready for any changes in end usage.

             

            I have a friend that never makes hi-res PSD files and tries to make a large print from a cheesy JPG.  Good luck.  JPGs have limitations.

             

            Thank God for 3 TB Harddrives.

             

            What can I say,  I'm a Pixel Hoarder.

            • 3. Re: Workflow from ACR or LR into PS?
              JJMack Community Member

              IMO your Camera RAW file is like an expose piece of Film that can be processed over and over again without destruction.  What I think would be best to archive are your RAW files and the different versions of  ACR setting you have used to process the raw file. Also Image you have put a lot of work into should also have Archived PSD file that contain your work layers..  A flattened PSD would be of little value you would be better off space wise saving a high quality png file instead. I see no need to archive print file, or  web and email size image files.  You can always generate any image file when they are needed  from your archived files.

              • 4. Re: Workflow from ACR or LR into PS?
                media kat Community Member

                I realized that I did not embed the color profile with many of my older files.

                 

                1. What happens with files without embedded color profiles? Do they just open up into the default color space on devices, so if it was an Adobe RGB camera shot photo, it could open into an sRGB color space taking on the sRGB colors?

                 

                2. If I need to add a color space by embedding the profile to a file that does not have one, do I do this by edit>Assign Profile or Convert to Profile?

                 

                Thanks.

                • 5. Re: Workflow from ACR or LR into PS?
                  jml007 Community Member

                  Don't use Assign,  use Convert.

                  • 6. Re: Workflow from ACR or LR into PS?
                    media kat Community Member

                    Just realized that I have also been shooting photos with my DSLR in sRGB

                     

                    1. I'm guessing that once you shoot in that mode, there is no advantage to switching to Adobe RGB?

                    2. I read somewhere that it is possible that images can miss tagged with the incorrect embedded profile. Is there a way to check if a file is incorrectly tagged with the wrong profile?

                     

                    Thanks.

                    • 7. Re: Workflow from ACR or LR into PS?
                      rkelly0137 Community Member

                      Just to provide an alternate view:

                       

                      I do use, and love, Lightroom.  It's a fantastic piece of software, and it's completely seamless with Photoshop - for my uses.  I have no idea why JJmack states that it's not as well integrated as ACR, I'd be curious to hear the difference.

                       

                      For me it works fine.  I do all my basic sorting and development in Lightroom.  For some types of photography that's all it calls for.  But if I want to do any pixel level editing I simply push Ctrl-E and I'm in Photoshop.  Or I can export as a smart object if compositing and I'm unsure of my exposure/color.  When I'm done I just save and my file is already back in Lightroom for tagging, exporting, publishing, filing, etc.  

                      • 8. Re: Workflow from ACR or LR into PS?
                        jml007 Community Member

                        It's an external program that used to be an extra charge.  Bridge,which is a Photoshop integrated app, does almost every thing Lightroom does and  it more or less excludes the need for  Lightroom .

                         

                        I get Lightroom for free with the Photoshop CC subscription but I never use it.

                         

                        99.9% of what Lightroom does can be done in Bridge-ACR-Phototshop.  Lightroom cannot do Layers which Photoshop can do, where all the creative stuff is done.

                        • 9. Re: Workflow from ACR or LR into PS?
                          rkelly0137 Community Member

                          jml007 wrote:

                           

                          Lightroom cannot do Layers which Photoshop can do, where all the creative stuff is done.

                          I never claimed it did.  I understand the difference between Lightroom and Photoshop, and I don't think my post implies otherwise.

                           

                          "All the creative stuff" is a very subjective statement.  There are a lot of people doing very creative stuff in-camera.

                           

                          jml007 wrote:

                           

                          Bridge,which is a Photoshop integrated app, does almost every thing Lightroom does and  it more or less excludes the need for  Lightroom .

                           

                          No, it doesn't.  Bridge/ACR/Photoshop can do almost everything and more, but if you're going to compare Bridge to Lightroom then I don't think you understand the full capabilities of LR.

                           

                          It's not for everybody, but many find it a very effective tool.  LR speeds up my workflow considerably, and it helps organize, database, and publish.  It might cost a bit more (LR+Photoshop), but when time is money the cost of a $100 program can get written off pretty quick. 

                           

                          And then there are the whole subset of traditional photographers that don't need more than what LR provides.  For them LR is much cheaper than Bridge/ACR/Photoshop.  They just have to bring their own creativity. 

                          • 10. Re: Workflow from ACR or LR into PS?
                            JJMack Community Member

                            I can use ACR from Bridge and Photoshop.  I can use Photoshop as a external editor form LR to edit images to make edits LR can not. However if I use layers LR can not handle them I need to Flatten for LR..   In Photoshop I can not use LR to develop a placed RAW file I can only use ACR interface to the Adobe RAW conversion engine. In Photoshop can use ACR interface to Adone conversion engine as a Photoshop Filter. I can not use LR interface to Adobe conversion engine as a Photoshop filter. ACR is well integrated IMO and LR is not.  Its My Opinion.