I've begun to use Lightroom2 for RAW conversion, and I'd very much appreciate help with these questions:
1. Surely there is a way to process a batch of files using the same Lightroom preset, but there's no "batch process" entry in the index of either the Lightroom2 documentation or Courvoisier's Lessons in DSLR Workflow.... How does one batch-process RAW files?
2. I've noticed with several (macro) photos that noise-removal in Lightroom2 produces better backgrounds than doing it in NeatImage after conversion. What I've been doing is: Chroma NR at the default of 25 (unless a lower setting works), and Luminance at 40 (for noisy backgrounds).
--Does anyone have suggestions about the Luminance setting in particular, since I'm not confident about my trial-and-error settings? (I don't use 40 as a rule; usually I set it lower and adjust by eye; but 40 is the only setting I can identify as "pretty good for noisy OOF backgrounds.")
Thanks for your help.
Posted by David Taylor on June 23, 2009 at 12:24 AM
You can "batch process" on import if you like, by selecting a "Develop Setting" in the lower left of the import dialog box. Another way to do it is to make the adjustments to an image that you wish to duplicate. With the image open in the "Develop" module, go to Settings: Copy Settings. Click the check boxes next to every adjustment you want to copy. Then select all the images within LR that you want to apply the process to, and choose Settings: Paste Settings. If you have a series of settings you know you will use a lot, like a b&w processing, you can save these adjustments as a "Preset" in the "Develop Module". These are stored in the Left toolbar in the Develop Module. Again, just make the adjustments you want to a sample image and then click the "+" button next to the Presets menu and select the parameters of the preset you want created. This will then show up in your import dialog box for selecting in the future.
As for noise reduction, I have not been very happy with LR. Although it keeps getting better and better with each version. I still prefer to do my noise reduction in PS or Neat Image/Noise Ninja so I can select the areas I want "un-noised". Luminance noise doesn't bother me nearly as much as Chroma noise does.
Hope this helps, let me know if you have any questions - glad to help!
Thanks, David. I've familiarized myself with the Develop presets, but I never looked closely enough at the Import dialog. I'll use your advice to process a big stack that I've been putting off because I didn't want to select-thumbnail-"D"-select-preset-Export a couple of dozen times. (Last time I did that, I discovered too late that the wind had moved the petals just enough.)
Hi rosemarie -
In Lightroom you can apply processing settings to multiple images in several ways and at different places in the workflow.
1. If you've created a Develop preset ahead of time, you can apply it to photos during Import (from the dropdown menu in the Import window).
2. In Library, you can select multiple photos and apply a Develop preset to all of them using the dropdown menu in the Quick Develop panel.
3. You can Sync Settings between multiple photos, at any time in any module, with the shortcut Cmd+Shift+S or Ctrl+Shift+S. Make sure the photo whose settings you want to copy is the Active Photo (the one with the brightest highlight around it in the Grid or Filmstrip).
This essentially works the same as David's copy and paste suggestion, which is yet another totally valid way of doing it.
RE: Noise Reduction - Lightroom's NR features are currently limited (and expected to improve in future updates). If you're going to use LRs NR, especially Luminance, keep in mind that this can degrade the appearance of detail, as with higher amounts, the difference between what's "noise" and "detail" becomes an issue.
For heavy-duty noise reduction, I recommend Imagenomic's Noiseware, which runs as a Photoshop plugin (which I prefer) or standalone application. In this case -- or with any other 3rd party solution -- you should process the photos as fully as possible in Lightroom WITHOUT applying any of that correction; eg LRs NR sliders set to 0, and then process the images as needed in the other app.
Same for sharpening. If you're going to sharpen in Photoshop, turn off sharpening in Lightroom. This reduces the chance of introducing artifacts from over-cooking the image in multiple processes.
Thanks, Nat. "Sync Settings" sounds great ("any time, any module"). I've not been using the Library's features much so far (I use my PSP browser, and import specific files), but I think I should, to cut out at least one extra step.
And I've had Noiseware for years, and recently downloaded the newer version. Last night I converted a file twice, once with heavy NR, the other with none, and used the first as a layer mask... but I'm not sure that's better than Neat Image or Noiseware. Lots of experimentation to do.
Good advice from all. without trying to hijack the thread Nat, I wonder why you have sharpening off in LR if you are going to further sharpen in PS? I have been using the LR sharpening as the equivalent of the "capture sharpening" in PK Sharpener. After finishing processing I do the creative sharpening and then sharpen for output when appropriate.
I has always been my understanding that sharpening in LR or ACR is the equivalent of "capture sharpening'.
Posted by David Taylor on June 25, 2009 at 12:31 AM
That's exactly how I've used LR, only for capture sharpening. I haven't been happy with it for heavy duty sharpening work.
rosemarie, the neatest thing agbout neatimage is the camera noise profiles, not really available in the same way anywhere else. I like this... but I like manual controls even more.
Ed, if I'm going to sharpen in Photoshop, I will more often than not do it all there, without any in Lightroom beforehand. I figure once the file is in Photoshop, I might as well take advantage of all that's available there.
[But this is becoming more rare in my workflow; maybe 1 out of 30 photos?... just guessing]
And you're right, LR sharpening on the Develop Detail panel is just a capture sharpen... which with the PixelGenius additions is very close to what you get with PK Capture Sharpen in Photoshop (but not quite).
On Export or Print, the PixelGenius method is also built-into LR; and akin to those similar routines in Photoshop.
What's missing is all the "creative" sharpening scripts in the full PK Sharpener package, and the ability to adjust sharpening after-the-fact using layers and masks.
You might think of the Lightroom sharpening controls as 20%-40% (depending on the image and the applied settings) of what you can do with the full scripts in Photoshop (????) Definitely not equivalent.
So to the original gist of the post- if you've got good, clean, sharp captures, you MIGHT be able to do everything within Lightroom - which means just one round of capture sharpen, one round of output sharpen. And hopefully, no additional NR needed.
For anything more, you still need Photoshop for its plugins and layers.
Discussion
7 replies1. Surely there is a way to process a batch of files using the same Lightroom preset, but there's no "batch process" entry in the index of either the Lightroom2 documentation or Courvoisier's Lessons in DSLR Workflow.... How does one batch-process RAW files?
2. I've noticed with several (macro) photos that noise-removal in Lightroom2 produces better backgrounds than doing it in NeatImage after conversion. What I've been doing is: Chroma NR at the default of 25 (unless a lower setting works), and Luminance at 40 (for noisy backgrounds).
--Does anyone have suggestions about the Luminance setting in particular, since I'm not confident about my trial-and-error settings? (I don't use 40 as a rule; usually I set it lower and adjust by eye; but 40 is the only setting I can identify as "pretty good for noisy OOF backgrounds.")
Thanks for your help.
As for noise reduction, I have not been very happy with LR. Although it keeps getting better and better with each version. I still prefer to do my noise reduction in PS or Neat Image/Noise Ninja so I can select the areas I want "un-noised". Luminance noise doesn't bother me nearly as much as Chroma noise does.
Hope this helps, let me know if you have any questions - glad to help!
In Lightroom you can apply processing settings to multiple images in several ways and at different places in the workflow.
1. If you've created a Develop preset ahead of time, you can apply it to photos during Import (from the dropdown menu in the Import window).
2. In Library, you can select multiple photos and apply a Develop preset to all of them using the dropdown menu in the Quick Develop panel.
3. You can Sync Settings between multiple photos, at any time in any module, with the shortcut Cmd+Shift+S or Ctrl+Shift+S. Make sure the photo whose settings you want to copy is the Active Photo (the one with the brightest highlight around it in the Grid or Filmstrip).
This essentially works the same as David's copy and paste suggestion, which is yet another totally valid way of doing it.
RE: Noise Reduction - Lightroom's NR features are currently limited (and expected to improve in future updates). If you're going to use LRs NR, especially Luminance, keep in mind that this can degrade the appearance of detail, as with higher amounts, the difference between what's "noise" and "detail" becomes an issue.
For heavy-duty noise reduction, I recommend Imagenomic's Noiseware, which runs as a Photoshop plugin (which I prefer) or standalone application. In this case -- or with any other 3rd party solution -- you should process the photos as fully as possible in Lightroom WITHOUT applying any of that correction; eg LRs NR sliders set to 0, and then process the images as needed in the other app.
Same for sharpening. If you're going to sharpen in Photoshop, turn off sharpening in Lightroom. This reduces the chance of introducing artifacts from over-cooking the image in multiple processes.
And I've had Noiseware for years, and recently downloaded the newer version. Last night I converted a file twice, once with heavy NR, the other with none, and used the first as a layer mask... but I'm not sure that's better than Neat Image or Noiseware. Lots of experimentation to do.
I has always been my understanding that sharpening in LR or ACR is the equivalent of "capture sharpening'.
Ed, if I'm going to sharpen in Photoshop, I will more often than not do it all there, without any in Lightroom beforehand. I figure once the file is in Photoshop, I might as well take advantage of all that's available there.
[But this is becoming more rare in my workflow; maybe 1 out of 30 photos?... just guessing]
And you're right, LR sharpening on the Develop Detail panel is just a capture sharpen... which with the PixelGenius additions is very close to what you get with PK Capture Sharpen in Photoshop (but not quite).
On Export or Print, the PixelGenius method is also built-into LR; and akin to those similar routines in Photoshop.
What's missing is all the "creative" sharpening scripts in the full PK Sharpener package, and the ability to adjust sharpening after-the-fact using layers and masks.
You might think of the Lightroom sharpening controls as 20%-40% (depending on the image and the applied settings) of what you can do with the full scripts in Photoshop (????) Definitely not equivalent.
So to the original gist of the post- if you've got good, clean, sharp captures, you MIGHT be able to do everything within Lightroom - which means just one round of capture sharpen, one round of output sharpen. And hopefully, no additional NR needed.
For anything more, you still need Photoshop for its plugins and layers.