How do you maintain history settings when plugins convert to Tiffs?

[dgberg]

Have not really paid much attention to the history settings in the past. Now that I am using them more I want to straighten this out. I know when going to my plugins Define2,Color Efex and Viveza I have the preference set to convert to tiff which destroys the history. Even if I do not use a plugin while processing an image when I go to export from LR 3 I am also converting to Tiff which destroys my history.  If I stick with tiff format how can the history be preserved,if it can?

[john beardsworth]

The history belongs to the raw file, not the tif which is a new file. If you make further changes to the tif files in LR, they will have their own history.

History's value is more when editing images - you can go split screen (Y) and then drag history states to the Before screen and so copare the current image state with a previous look.

John

[dgberg]

Thank you John
I have been jumping back and forth too much between these plugins and LR and losing everything. I was just trying to get a workflow set up here that maintained the history through the entire image editing process. I guess I could go to all the plugins first then back to LR and start processing which would maintain my history until export.

[john beardsworth]

Without knowing the detail of what you're doing, Dan, it sounds like you may be going over to these plug-ins a little early in the editing process. Generally one tries to get as much done in LR, and then use other programs for things they do better (though there are opposite approaches such as Michael outlines for processing his PhaseOne raws in CaptureOne and then using LR for the resulting tifs). Perhaps have a think about what you're doing and when and see if you can eliminate some of the back and forth steps? Also, don't overrate the history - you can wipe it and your pictures will still have all their edits.