Whether you are a casual photographer or a full-time professional, capturing a great photo is only half the story. It’s the editing that happens afterwards that truly breathes life into an image.
This is what Adobe Lightroom does best. With its powerful suite of features and editing tools, it has become the go-to editor for beginner and professional photographers.
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This guide provides detailed instructions on editing photos in Lightroom, applicable to both desktop and mobile devices. From streamlining your workflow to unlocking your creative potential, here’s everything you need to know to master Adobe Lightroom.
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Lightroom vs. Lightroom Classic: What Is the Difference?
Initially, there was just Lightroom, but with Adobe’s introduction of cloud-based and subscription-based services, it has been classified into two apps: Lightroom and Lightroom Classic. While both offer various photo editing tools, each is designed for a different purpose.
Lightroom, also referred to as Lightroom CC, is a cloud-based application that is designed for ease of use. It allows for photo editing and syncing across all devices, including desktops, mobile devices, and the web. Alternatively, Lightroom Classic is a powerful, robust application that is only available on desktop. It offers advanced features including local storage, folder-based file management, and high-volume editing.
Put simply. Lightroom CC offers flexibility and accessibility to all users, whereas Lightroom Classic is designed for studios and professionals who prefer the traditional, robust workflow. This guide focuses on the cloud-based Lightroom, which works seamlessly across desktop and mobile for editing photos without any hassles.
Try Adobe Lightroom and see which version best suits your workflow.
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Preparing Your Photos for Editing
Preparing your photos helps streamline the workflow and offers a good, smooth editing experience. Here’s how to prep your photos before getting started with editing on Adobe Lightroom:
Create A Backup
Creating multiple backups of your photographs on external hard drives or cloud services is a good practice to follow. While Lightroom comes with its cloud backup, it doesn’t save the original image unless it is imported with that option. Therefore, always create a copy of your images before importing and editing them in Lightroom.
Cull the Photos
Culling refers to the process of selecting only the best shots for editing from an otherwise massive batch of photos. You can do this manually, use external tools, or make use of Lightroom’s star ratings, color labels, and flags to quickly sort your images and help you pick the best ones right away.
Organize the Photos
Organizing pictures based on events, clients, and themes can help save countless hours during editing. With Lightroom, you can create albums for different events, group these albums into folders, and use specific keywords and filters to find specific pictures when needed in a matter of seconds.
Select the Right File Format
Opting for the RAW file format over JPEGs is a great way of retaining the image quality after editing. Lightroom is also built to support RAW on both mobile and desktop devices, so aim for importing RAW files over any other format.
How To Edit Photos in Lightroom (Desktop & Mobile)
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Once you are done preparing your images, it is time to open the Lightroom app and get started. Here’s a step-by-step guide:
1. Set Up Your Digital Workspace
Start by setting up an organized digital workspace to let you work without any distractions. Navigate to the Develop Module -> right-click on any panel title (Tone Curve, Basic, etc.) -> enable Solo Mode from the drop-down list. This reduces visual clutter by making sure only one panel is open at a time.
You can also customize your workspace to hide and rearrange tools based on how frequently they are used. To do this, go to the Develop module -> right-click on any panel title -> select Customize Develop Panel -> deselect tools -> click Save -> restart Lightroom.
2. Import Your Images
After setting up the digital workspace, here’s how to import images into Lightroom.
On Desktop:
- Open Lightroom CC and click the big + or “Add Photos” button on the top-left area.
- Select the folder to import from (memory card, external drive, etc).
- Select the import settings, including metadata, keywords, and destination album.
- Click Add Photos to start importing. Once done, the imports will appear in your library or selected album.
On Mobile:
- Open Lightroom CC and click on the ‘+’ icon in the bottom right area.
- Select the files to upload or the Camera to take a photo on the spot.
- Once selected, your photos will appear in the All-Photos section. To organize, click on the three-dot menu and select the Move to Album option.
- Swipe left/right to navigate between photos, swipe up from the left side to add star ratings, swipe up from the right side to pick or reject a picture.
3. Select Profile and Basic Adjustments
Lightroom’s develop module provides the core editing features to get started. Firstly, navigate to Edit > Profile panel to select a profile and establish the color base.
Next, start making basic adjustments to the exposure, contrast, highlight, and shadows of the image for a balanced, polished look. Alter the clarity, dehaze, and texture to add definition and use sharpening and noise reduction for maximum clarity. Take the help of the crop tool to straighten the image and finalize its composition.
4. Fine-Tune Colors and Local Enhancements
After balancing the tone and composition, it’s time to make advanced enhancements that correct specific areas of the image. Use the White Balance tool and adjust the temperature and tint sliders to get rid of unwanted color casts.
The Color Mixer (HSL) panel allows you to adjust and shift the hue of a color to a specific range. Whereas, the Tone Curve lets you create points across the curve to lift shadows or deepen blacks for a cinematic feel.
Use these color enhancement tools alongside Lightroom’s powerful Masking tools, such as subject mask, sky mask, or radial mask, to draw attention to certain elements. These AI-powered tools isolate key elements and enhance or darken the subject to help transform a basic shot into a high-definition image.
5. Apply, Adjust, and Sync Presets
Lightroom presets are a great way to ensure a consistent theme in your photos and speed up the editing workflow. They are pre-defined settings with precise adjustments for features like contrast, saturation, and color grading. With Lightroom, you can choose between Recommended and Premium presets or create your own. Here’s how to do this:
- On the Desktop, select the Presets icon (two overlapping circles) from the Edit view. For mobile, select the Presets option located at the bottom of the editing image.
- Pick between the three categories- Recommended, Premium, or Yours and preview the thumbnail in the Detail view before clicking and applying.
- Adjust the Amount slider, between 0 and 200, to fine-tune the intensity of the preset.
- Select the star icon beside a preset to favorite it and use it directly from the Yours -> Favorites tab next time on any device.
Lightroom also allows you to import custom presets. On Desktop, go to File -> Import Profiles & Presets -> select zipped presets -> click Import. On Mobile, select Presets panel -> click on the three-dot menu -> Import presets -> select the zipped files to upload.
You can also create a custom preset on Lightroom by selecting the Presets panel after editing -> clicking on the ‘+’ icon or Create Preset option -> Name the preset -> Select the settings -> Click Save. The preset will now appear under User Presets and syncs automatically to use on all devices.
6. Save and Export
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Once you have edited the image on Lightroom and are happy with the results, it is time to save, export, and share your creation with others. Here’s how to export photos from Lightroom:
On Desktop:
- Navigate to File and then select Export. Alternatively, press Shift + E or click directly on the Share icon at the top right corner.
- In the Export Panel, select your destination folder, preferred file type, dimensions, quality, and additional options like watermark and color space.
- Click on the Export button to finish exporting.
On Mobile:
- Click on the Share icon at the top and then select the Export as option from the menu.
- Choose the file type, dimensions, quality, and other settings, and then click on Done.
- View your exported images from your device’s gallery.
Advanced Features of Lightroom Classic
Lightroom Classic stands out as the go-to choice for photographers who demand advanced control and precision in their editing process. Designed for desktop use, Lightroom Classic offers a robust set of tools that go beyond basic editing steps. You can easily adjust the exposure slider and clarity slider to perfect the overall look of your images, while presets allow for quick application of your favorite styles.
For those who want to dive deeper, Lightroom Classic provides powerful options for refining skin tones, adjusting color temperature, and enhancing texture to bring out the finest details in your photos. The adjustment brush, for example, lets you make targeted edits to specific areas of an image, giving you the flexibility to highlight or correct just the right spot. With the ability to handle large collections of images efficiently, Lightroom Classic is ideal for professional photographers who need to organize, edit, and deliver high-quality edits at scale—all from the comfort of their desktop.
Cloud-Based Storage
One of the standout features of Adobe Lightroom is its seamless cloud-based storage, which revolutionizes the way photographers manage and edit their images. With the Lightroom mobile app, you can import, edit, and organize your photos from virtually any location—whether you’re shooting on location, traveling, or working from your desktop.
The cloud-based system ensures that your edits are automatically synced across all your devices, so you can pick up right where you left off, no matter where you are. This not only streamlines the editing process but also provides a secure backup for your valuable image files, giving you peace of mind that your work is safe and accessible. By leveraging cloud-based storage, photographers can focus on capturing and editing their best shots without worrying about file management or losing important edits, making the entire process more efficient and flexible.
Benefits for Professional Photographers
For professional photographers, Adobe Lightroom offers a host of benefits that can elevate both the quality and efficiency of your work. The streamlined editing process allows you to focus on creativity, rather than getting bogged down by repetitive tasks. Lightroom presets and basic editing steps help maintain consistency across your images, which is essential for building a recognizable brand and attracting new clients.
For example, you can create a custom preset that reflects your signature style and apply it to all your photos, ensuring a cohesive look throughout your portfolio. The Lightroom mobile app further enhances your workflow by enabling you to edit photos on-the-go, so you can deliver polished images to clients faster than ever. By integrating Adobe Lightroom into your process, you can save time, improve the quality of your edits, and stay competitive in the fast-paced world of professional photography.
Advanced Lightroom Workflow Tips & Enhancements
Now that we have talked about editing photos on Adobe Lightroom in detail, here are some advanced tips to follow that can help enhance your editing experience and product quality on the app.
- Start with Auto Tone – Starting with the Auto button on Lightroom is a great way to establish a strong baseline. It uses Adobe Sensei AI to analyse and adjust the image’s exposure, clarity, and other factors to provide a balanced foundation. You can then fine-tune these aspects based on your preference.
- Enable Smart Preview – Smart preview allows full editing and syncing capabilities even when you are offline. Enable this from the Import dialog -> File Handling section -> Build Smart Previews.
- Sync Across All Devices – Log in using the same Adobe Cloud account on all your devices (desktop, mobile, and web). Lightroom automatically syncs albums, presets, and masks across all devices to maintain a consistent workflow.
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Consider creating a video tutorial to demonstrate your Lightroom editing process—this can help others understand your workflow step by step. Additionally, sharing your Lightroom workflow and tips on your blog is a great way to connect with other photographers and build a community.
Sticking to these workflow enhancements is a great way to make the most out of Adobe Lightroom and its powerful features on both desktop and mobile.
That said, follow our quick guide to master editing photos on Lightroom like a pro and improve the quality and efficiency of your edits in no time!
Conclusion and Recommendation
In summary, Adobe Lightroom is an indispensable tool for editing photos and enhancing their visual impact. Its advanced features, cloud-based storage, and user-friendly design make it a top choice for both professional photographers and enthusiasts. Whether you want to brighten your photos, fine-tune them with the exposure slider, or apply creative presets, Lightroom provides everything you need to achieve stunning results.
We highly recommend Adobe Lightroom to anyone looking to elevate their photography and streamline their editing process. By mastering Lightroom’s powerful tools, you can create high-quality images that truly reflect your artistic vision. Don’t hesitate to try out the free version of Lightroom and experience firsthand how easy it is to adjust, set, and enhance your photos. With Lightroom, you’ll be able to leave a lasting impression with every image you create.
