Lightroom to Photoshop and back again

[TexKen]

I posted a very similar question in here a few months ago (http://www.texasphotoforum.com/forum...photoshop.html).

The basic takeaway was that I should do as much as I can in LR and make PS the last step. This seems to make sense to me - especially because I shoot in RAW and when I come back to LR all my value are reset to zero. So here's the question: Does it matter? When I'm editing a portrait, I usually prefer to do detailed skin work in PS because it's just easier. I also prefer to do this toward the beginning of my editing workflow. Yeah, I'll do major exposure, contrast, recovery adjustments in LR first, but them I like to get to the skin (blemish fixing, smoothing etc.). Once I have that done, I return to LR and may do a little more sharpening, preset application, vignette etc. Yeah, my values are reset to zero, but I can still adjust them if I want. Or am I losing the DEGREE to which I can adjust them because I'm not longer working with the RAW file?

Am I going about this wrong?

[KJ Smith]

What kind of file?

I do it as a PSD file and have not run into any issues.

But then I am only using PSE, if that makes a difference.

[Steelsun]

All LR editing is non-destructive (you can easily revert to the original).

Once you edit something in Photoshop (which is destructive editing) and reimport it - you are basically importing a new image to start editing again. Your new zero is not the same as the zero on your original.

[DoublyDan]

Hey Ken!

My typical workflow is the same...I will do exposure adjustments and tone curve adjustments to a "neutral" setting (balanced in LR). Then I "edit in photoshop" (CS4) and do my retouching and other creative work there.

When I save the file in Photoshop it doesn't reset my lightroom sliders but creates a new version of the file (a PSD file instead of RAW). I can see both versions of the file so I am able to keep my RAW file for later/other interpretations. My sliders on the PSD file will be at default/zeroed out, but my original file is intact.

Now there is the possibility that you are saving over the original file and that is up to what you want to do and how much hard drive space you have.

If I click on the file (PSD edit file) I can open it up again and begin where I left off. Upon clicking on that file it will give me the option to edit the original or two other choices I almost always edit the original PSD. The other two options are to edit a copy of that PSD file and to edit a copy of the PSD file with the new Lightroom adjustments (if you made any on the PSD edit file in Lightroom). With this last option you can make selective edits in Lightroom before and after doing the retouching work in Photoshop...Like this: Lightroom-Photoshop-Lightroom-Photoshop...etc...etc.

Either way you will have options when editing the original RAW file and you should investigate each according to your needs.

My way is edit:NOT only one way to do this but it is also the best way that I have found to keep my original and edited files. Also be careful when saving the PSD file if you do not want to write over your original.

You can also check your edit in photoshop settings in your preferences in Lightroom.

i hope that was clear. There are a lot of video tutorials on You Tube...search "Lightroom edit in Photoshop" the one by Chris Orwig is pretty good (7+ mins)

Good Luck and let us know what you find out and what works for you.

[DoublyDan]

Originally Posted by Steelsun

Once you edit something in Photoshop (which is destructive editing)

This is not totally accurate... You can open your RAW file as a Smart Object and do any number of edits that are non-destructive....Also, if you use layers for your edits you can preserve the original in Photoshop. This way you can throw away a layer and start that specific process over for that layer. (that makes for a bigger file but much more play room)

[Randy Chambers]

Originally Posted by DoublyDan

When I save the file in Photoshop it doesn't reset my lightroom sliders but creates a new version of the file (a PSD file instead of RAW). I can see both versions of the file so I am able to keep my RAW file for later/other interpretations. My sliders on the PSD file will be at default/zeroed out, but my original file is intact.

Ditto here.
After I make my adjustments in LR2, I select "Edit in" Photoshop (CS4), after my edits in CS4 are complete I "Save" the file and it automatically opens back up in LR as a filename-edit.psd.

That preserves the original RAW and imports the PSD back into LR for additional editing and collection archival.