I do a good number of lightpainted images, starting in LR with file adjustments, then > Edit In : Open as Layers in PS for all of the shots I think I'll need in the final image
This works very well, I blend the layers in Lighten mode and mask each layer as necessary to eliminate extraneous light. I will use anything from a handful to 20 or so layers in more complicated lighting or objects and save it with all the layers and masks as a .psb before flattening for print or web. Some examples below
https://photos.app.goo.gl/NJxLnUUv5g5aqRz12I can use the ACR (filter > Camera Raw Filter) on a layer if it's not Smart, but it does not remember the LR adjustment, nor the 1st if I go back and do a 2nd and of course it's not editing in RAW, so what I'd like to do is transfer the files into PS as Smart Objects
in each layer so that I can get back into ACR to tweak any setting on a RAW file/layer that I didn't get right, or use the other tools (WB and adjustment brush especially). I've found 1 work around, 4) below, but it takes a lot more steps. I'm no expert so I wonder if anyone can help. This is what I've found so far;
1) No option from LR to open as Smart Objects
and as layers in PS
2) If I open all of the files as SO's in PS (ie ending up with many tabs/files) then try to load them as layers in > Script > Load Files into Stack > Add Open Files; 1) It tells me they need to be saved 1st, 2) after saving them (as tif's with the SO layer) I get the message
Load Layers can not merge Smart Object documents. They will be skipped. So I get nothing.
3) Tried to stack a set of images in LR and open as a SO in PS but just got one image in 1 layer
4) If I load them for Edit into PS as SO's (as in 2) above) ending up with many tabs/files I can then drag each image, one at a time, onto a base file and end up with the full set of layers, all SOs with a result exactly what I need. By holding shift of course they are aligned, but pretty tedious if it's a complicated image that might start out with 25 or so layers. This is my workaround at the moment.
Any other ideas? Have I missed something pretty basic or is this the best I can do at the moment?
Thanks