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Author Topic: LR and Smart Objects  (Read 4639 times)

teddillard

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LR and Smart Objects
« on: October 11, 2008, 07:02:22 am »

I just found out that LR can be used in a solid Smart Object workflow...  Photo>Edit in>Open as SO in PS

Is anyone out there working this way?  

This rocks!  I'm totally immersed in Smart Objects, and had been longing for some way to incorporate Lightroom (or even Aperture) but really couldn't get a flow going.  I'm even teaching a digital workflow class where I needed to cover LR but was still trying to figure out how, without just saying, OK, now we're going to forget about these Smart Objects we've been working with...  

damn!  

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Wayne Fox

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LR and Smart Objects
« Reply #1 on: October 13, 2008, 09:30:56 pm »

Quote from: teddillard
I just found out that LR can be used in a solid Smart Object workflow...  Photo>Edit in>Open as SO in PS

Is anyone out there working this way?  

This rocks!  I'm totally immersed in Smart Objects, and had been longing for some way to incorporate Lightroom (or even Aperture) but really couldn't get a flow going.  I'm even teaching a digital workflow class where I needed to cover LR but was still trying to figure out how, without just saying, OK, now we're going to forget about these Smart Objects we've been working with...  

damn!


My basic workflow for my landscape work is RAW processing through LR, open as Smart Object in Photoshop.  There everything is non-destructive .. the smart object remains. Even if I need to do some cloning, I copy a small section and paste it above the smart layer, and clone that.  Sharpening is applied to the smart object, so it always adjustable.  This is my master file, which once saved can be printed back in LR if I want, or from Photoshop.

Only downside so far is the inability to open the RAW back up in LR ... it opens in ACR.  This is only a problem if needing to edit/add local adjustments ... global adjustments work fine.  Of course, that problem will hopefully vanish later this week when CS4/ACR 5 ships

Lately I've been opening this file as a smart object in a new file, and add a border/matt combination.  This allows odd sizes to be printed as 11x14's or 16x20's.  Any tweak to the master file automatically shows up in the matted version.

My portrait work is another story however.  With the addition of local adjustments and the great output options, I rarely open a portrait up in Photoshop anymore. I've found I can pretty much do anything with local adjustments, including brightening of eyes, retouching, etc. in LR.  Very nice workflow.
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teddillard

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LR and Smart Objects
« Reply #2 on: October 14, 2008, 06:01:24 am »

Quote from: Wayne Fox
My basic workflow for my landscape work is RAW processing through LR, open as Smart Object in Photoshop.  There everything is non-destructive .. the smart object remains. Even if I need to do some cloning, I copy a small section and paste it above the smart layer, and clone that.  Sharpening is applied to the smart object, so it always adjustable.  This is my master file, which once saved can be printed back in LR if I want, or from Photoshop.

Only downside so far is the inability to open the RAW back up in LR ... it opens in ACR.  This is only a problem if needing to edit/add local adjustments ... global adjustments work fine.  Of course, that problem will hopefully vanish later this week when CS4/ACR 5 ships

Lately I've been opening this file as a smart object in a new file, and add a border/matt combination.  This allows odd sizes to be printed as 11x14's or 16x20's.  Any tweak to the master file automatically shows up in the matted version.

My portrait work is another story however.  With the addition of local adjustments and the great output options, I rarely open a portrait up in Photoshop anymore. I've found I can pretty much do anything with local adjustments, including brightening of eyes, retouching, etc. in LR.  Very nice workflow.

nice!

On the cloning issue, I've totally switched to cloning and healing in Camera RAW.  

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Wayne Fox

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LR and Smart Objects
« Reply #3 on: October 14, 2008, 01:52:41 pm »

Quote from: teddillard
nice!

On the cloning issue, I've totally switched to cloning and healing in Camera RAW.


Yeah, about 90% of the time I can do it in LR.  However, the patch tool is still very powerful, and occasionally it is the best tool.  

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Nat Coalson

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LR and Smart Objects
« Reply #4 on: October 15, 2008, 12:59:20 am »

I agree, this is cool stuff, the way Wayne has integrated it into the workflow is great. I haven't found as much use for smart objects, though. By the time one of my files comes out of Lightroom and into Photoshop, I don't expect to go back and adjust anything that would make SOs advantageous. But if anything, the ability to "link" data (?) this way between the two environments is really cool and promises more great stuff down the road.

Maybe metadata pano stitching???
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Nathaniel Coalson
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teddillard

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LR and Smart Objects
« Reply #5 on: October 15, 2008, 06:11:17 am »

Quote from: Nat Coalson
...I haven't found as much use for smart objects, though. By the time one of my files comes out of Lightroom and into Photoshop, I don't expect to go back and adjust anything that would make SOs advantageous...

heh...  wish I could say that.  I'm totally addicted to the Smart Objects.  I think the addition of the Adjustment Brush should temper that a bit, but even something as simple as adjusting the Smart Filter for USM after printing work prints is something I can't live without.  I always know a workflow is good when I forget how to do stuff the "old" way.  

Check this out.  
http://www.teddillard.com/2008/08/smart-ob...-gone-wild.html

And now I can start this foolishness in LR!
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