Lightroom part2: weekly review

I've come to the realization that I either need to write a Lightroom instructor install script the adds all my presets so that the Class Demos work as I would expect it to… Theoretically an exported catalogue should also contain MY presets.  More on that later…

Synchronizing Metadata

Lightroom makes it easy to synchronize Metadata, and Develop Edits.  Basically select the images and click the "Synchronize button"

At the end of this link are some things you should know about adding Metadata and synchronizing it…

The Adjustment Brush

Dodge and Burn on steroids…

I used Camera Raw but, it's almost the same in Lightroom

Using the Adjustment Brush

Cropping

“Twelve significant photographs in any one year is a good crop.”

Ansel Adams quotes (American Photographer, 1902-1984)

 

Lighroom

Choose the Crop Tool...Lightroom can display the Golden Ratio solutions... Golden Spirals, The Golden Ratio, diagonals, triangles, plus the rule of thirds and grids.

Press the letter O to cycle through grid overlays in the crop area.

Press Shift plus the letter O to rotate the overlay displays.

You can also find the Crop Tool settings in Lightroom using the
Menu: Tools > Crop Guide Overlays

Here's more about Cropping

The Detail Panel

It's about sharpening

Sharpening… 

Smart Objects

Up Next what to do when you need to send a Raw file as a smart object to Photoshop

 

Some Loose Ends --CR Adjustment Brush and Editing Actions

The Camera Raw Adjustment Brush

Want to undo what you just brushed?

Undo (Unlimited???? )

Command Z (Mac)

Control Z (PC)

What to delete what you did all together?

Click on the "pin" to highlight it and then,

yep, press the delete key!

Delete (Mac)

Backspace (PC)

 

 

Editing Actions...

I found a tutorial that explains how to edit Photoshop Panel Actions in detail…

The web site is called Photoshop Essentials

The link takes you to page 9, of a 17 page tutorial… Pages 9 through 12 should answer any questions you might have

http://www.photoshopessentials.com/basics/photoshop-actions/page-9.php

In summary here's what you need to know

Step1

Open the Action Panel

Menu 
Window > Actions

Step 2
Load the action you want to edit or locate it in the list. We want to make a copy of it, but first we need to make a folder for the action.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Most steps in an action can be edited… In the GTS Studio Print Action You'll want to edit the text, maybe the stroke...

Just double click the step… wait a bit… either a requester will popup or you can make edits right on the canvas. See the Text Tool Example below.

 

But, what if a step isn't editable?  Just delete the step and re-record it!

 

Or, just make yourself a new action… Practice what you want to do… write the steps down...

 

and Camera! Lights! Action!

 

Here's the steps I recorded  for the Studio Print

 

Step 1.
Duplicate your picture
(pc) (Control + J) (Mac) (Command + J)

Optional Step
Select an Adjustment layer like "Levels" or "Hue & Saturation or "Black and White" to change the photo an arty Sepia, duotone or Black and White!

Step 2.
Add white space around the photo.
PhotoShop: Menu: Image > Canvas Size
PSE: Menu: Image > Resize > Canvas...

Choose relative and 2 inches, 2 inches
Click OKAY

 

 

Step 3.
In the duplicate layer on the thumbnail of the photo
Press the (PC) Control key + click (left) mouse once
Press the (Mac) Command key + click the mouse once
this will put a selection around the photograph.

Step 4.
Create a new blank layer

Step 5.
Go to the Menu: Edit > stroke
choose 1 pixel (I like at least 4 pixels) and set the color (Black)(I like mid-gray) in the color swatch button
location, choose center.

Step 6.
Click Okay (You can change opacity if you wish)

Step 7.
Go to
menu Select/Transform
In the tool bar change 100% width to 102% and 100% height to 103% Click the check mark

Step 8.
Go to
Menu: Edit > Stroke
Choose 1 pixel (I like 4 pixels) and change the color to black (I like a mid - gray) Click Okay

Step 9.
Use the type tool (Tool Bar), use a 36 pt fancy font Script like Minion or Trajan for the title "Yourname Studio"

N.B.
If you run this "action" and if you don't have any of the indicated fonts, Photoshop will substitute the "default" font.

Step 10.
use a written font like Hand Writing Dakota for the Number of the print (1 / 100) at the bottom left and your name at bottom right

Have fun!