My Lightroom Workflow

In the Camera

In the camera's setup menu I select to save images in raw format only.  This is because I find that I apply some edits to virtually all images that I wish to share further, so there is no point in generating and saving an initial jpg file.  Additionally, I turn on DNG file compression in the camera, which reduces the image file size and, because the compression is lossless, there is no effect on image quality.  

I ensure that the time set in the camera is correct.  I also try to remember to set the correct time zone in the camera when traveling  so the image has the correct information regarding when taken.

Shooting - I shoot almost entirely in Aperture Priority Mode.  More specifically, based on the available light (or if I'm using flash), I set the ISO to ensure that auto exposure shutter speed is within a proper range (not too long, based on the lens focal length and the amount of subject motion).  If the light level is too high and want to work with the lens wide open, which is quite common, and or with flash and want to work within the flash sync speed (See more Info on the Creating Natural Radiance page.) then I also add an ND filter.  I can either keep the shutter speed in Auto mode and 'cherry pick' with the shutter half press and the exposure metering to 'Center-weighted'  (my default) select a moderate exposure point in the scene, or move to a manual shutter speed. 

Importing

Importing settings for Lightroom can be seen on the left-hand panel once the Import button has been clicked.  

Set File Handling / Build Previews to Minimal, and select Don't Import Suspected Duplicates. Apply During Import / Metadata - create a Preset that enters my name as Creator, which also is automatically replicated in the Authors field.

These two entries, date and time taken and author will then stay with the image forward and are easily visible to those that we ultimately be receiving and viewing the image.

Files are all copied into folder under my specified directory with the images corresponding date.

See https://helpx.adobe.com/lightroom-classic/help/photo-video-import-options.html 

I've also set up a turn run a camera specific preset.  See the topic "Raw Files and Lightroom Import" to ensure so that Lens Correction is applied.  This is done through the menu item Edit / Preferences / Preset....  It's also important to note that Development settings applied upon import establish the default editing state for the respective images. When "Reset" is applied, then all Development settings will be returned to these values.

Reviewing and Ranking.

• Ranking Scheme Table (5 - Top Ever, 4 - Exceptional, 3 - Best in Shoot, 2 - Good in Shoot, 1 - Keep, blank - could be discarded)

I do not systematically use Lightroom's Color (Label) as it's not as easily categorizable as a rank value and it is also not easily accessible as a file property in Windows (check MacOS) once the image is exported as a jpg or tiff.

• First pass the best images of the shoot and rank them 3.  Those, that are good, rank them 2.  Those that I still would like to keep, I rank a 1.  While I assign an initial rank, I often include minor editing such as cropping or basic exposure correction.

Editing

Basic Edits 

I begin with images which I have ranked 3 (considering that first pass I don't assign a ranking above 3).  Basic edits are mostly accomplished using the Basic tab in the Develop module.  This includes selecting the Treatment (Color or Black & White), the basic profile used to convert raw data to an editable image.  Normally, I use Adobe Color, but I have created a more color accurate profile for my Leica cameras which I have named Leica Standard, and I have higher contrast and slightly more saturated version of this which I have named Leica Enhanced.  I use these to assist in achieving more accurate skin tones (it reduces red and orange casts).

I then make any needed adjustments to the white balance, including Temp and Tint.  These two go hand in and.  Adjusting one, often requires a follow-up adjustment of the other.  There are times when I use the eyedropper to get an initial read.  Another aid to getting an initial setting is to artificially increase the saturation to accentuate the effects of setting the white balance, then returning the saturation back to its proper setting.  Final adjustment to white balance are made by eye and often after all other edits are complete.  

Tone adjustments often begin by reducing (recovering) Highlights and increasing (opening up) Shadows. In scenes with either very bright portions or deep shadows, it's not all together uncommon to take either or both of these to 100.  Care must be used to not go to far, however, as over adjustment can create strange tone and add a "greyness" to the image.

I then adjust the Whites, Blacks and Contrast, Dehaze and sometimes Vibrance to give an optimal overall contrast and saturation to the image.

Of course, the Tone adjustments can just as well be achieved using the Tone Curve.  This is often the best and sometimes only what to get desired results.

There are times when there are overall color shifts that need correcting.  To correct this I use the settings in the HSL/Color tab.  One of the most come corrections is to improve skin color by shifting the Red Hue towards Orange, then reducing both the Red and Orange Saturation.  The second most common use is to correct the color of grass - whether it be to shift the Hue towards yellow or blue.

I generally have Lens Profile Corrections automatically enable as part of the image import.  For most of my Leica lens, I almost never have to remove Chromatic Aberration, with the exception of the Noctilux-M 50mm/0.95 in high contrast situations.

Also part of basic edits is the use of the Transform tab.  Principally, I use this to remove any vertical convergence arising from tilting the camera/lens up or down, particularly when shooting with a wider angle lens together with cropping the image frame.  With the Leica SL2-S, this can be achieved automatically as the needed lens and tilt information are saved with the raw image data.    

As I go through basic edits, some images may be re-ranked, possible to rank 4, others may be down ranked. Achieving a rank 5 is generally only possible after additional edits are made.

As of Lightroom version 12.3 released in April 2023 and the newer masking capabilities images of people or specific subject are often edited with the new AI based masking.  More information on this is found on the next page. 

Sometimes Advanced Editing tools are needed - Panorama merge, HDR merge, Denoising, more significant sharpening, resolution and detail enhancement - see the following "Advanced Editing" page for more details.

Enhancing "Natural Radiance"

For the best shots in the shoot I begin the process of applying additional edits which focuses on masking subject areas to locally adjust exposure, contrast, color hue, saturation and luminance, noise reduction, sharpening, additional fine tuning the any crop applied.  The combination of these edits helps ensure that the subject show Natural Radiance.  This is critical, because many times I'm not able to capture the subject in favorable light, so these edits aim to transform poor lighting conditions to good and good lighting conditions to great.

In the end a perfect image needs to have perfect lighting, whether it is captured in the original picture or created through post-processing.

Assigning Keywords

After edits are complete, I will review images that are ranked 3 and above to which I assign Keywords. Time and interest permiting, I use Lightrooms face recognition to assist in adding names.

Exporting 

Depending on the nature of the shoot, I select images based on ranking and export them as *.jpgs to an temporary output folder.  I then transfer these images to a share on Google drive and send those to whom I've delivering the pictures a link to the share.

Archiving

I have Lightroom set to each month make a backup copy of the catalog (database). Every 6 months I make a full back up of the hard drive on which all image files are saved to an external drive and include a copy of the catalog.  I also periodically delete old catalog back ups which are no longer relevant.

Working from My Mobile Computer

When I am traveling and working from my laptop computer I use the same workflow, but generally make final edits once I have transferred the pictures and associated catalog from my laptop to my home computer where I can review on a larger dedicated monitor.  Exporting the files from my travel laptop as a catalog (which includes all meta data and editing) and including "negatives" (i.e. raw files) and importing them as a catalog means that all editing while traveling is carried over to my home computer.

Configuring both Home and Mobile Computers

The same Profile and Presets saved in default folders.  As such, I do not enable Store Preset with this Catalog under the Menu item Edit / Preferences / Preset.  This seems to be a simple as sure approach.