How do you view your images on import?

[jljonathan]

I have read several recommendations of what to apply to images on import. One said import with a flat-zeroed preset so that you started from that point with adjustments. Images look very flat and dull this way and its hard to make initial picks or ratings. Others use presets to add blacks, clarity etc. And some just import default. Any suggestions for import (preset settings that you use?) that would make rating and picks more accurate and form a good start for adjustments.
Thanks
Jon

[john beardsworth]

I see the import process as being about the physical security of the images, not about choosing which are the picks or making them look good. Once they are in LR, then I can do tasks like any adjustment needed for selection, and Library/Develop provide better tools for doing so than the Import dialog (eg compare view, Quick Develop). For me Import is about ensuring every card gets copied, that every image file appears to have made its way into LR, and that I've got every file backed up too.

So that means no Develop preset during import - I would change the default setting in Develop instead. I just make sure I've got my copyright preset assigned, that the file names are like I want, that they are going to the right drives and folders.

John

[wolfnowl]

Yup, me too.

Bring them in, and then decide what's worth keeping.

BTW, turning on the Caps Lock key will auto advance images.  I usually press E to go to single image view and then press either P or U (pick or unselected) to set an image status, and having the Caps Lock on will automatically go to the next image.  I can zoom in/out if necessary.  When I'm done I press G to go back to grid view then go to Library/Refine Photos, which sets all unselected to rejects, and all picks to unselected.

Mike.

[jljonathan]

Getting them in and secure is the number one priority. I certainly agree. So, I take it you import with Adobe default (plus your copyright), and then start work on them in develop. Sounds like a plan.
Thanks
Jon

[wolfnowl]

I would say that if there are certain settings you apply to EVERY image you develop, then an import preset is a good idea.  Otherwise I wouldn't bother.  Keep in mind that you can also set your Develop sliders to the settings you want, and set that as a default.

Mike.

[john beardsworth]

I would say that if there are certain settings you apply to EVERY image you develop, then an import preset is a good idea.  Otherwise I wouldn't bother.  Keep in mind that you can also set your Develop sliders to the settings you want, and set that as a default.

Not sure what you mean there, Mike. I'd say if there are certain settings you apply to every image, then just set a default. You may be saying the same thing!

John

[Ken Bennett]

I set my Lightroom defaults based on the ISO of the image, so a basic sharpness/noise reduction setting is already applied, and I make sure that lens corrections are enabled and that Process 2010 is selected. It's something of a pain to create these for each camera and each ISO setting, but the final results are worthwhile, for me anyway.

[john beardsworth]

Getting them in and secure is the number one priority. I certainly agree. So, I take it you import with Adobe default (plus your copyright), and then start work on them in develop.

Not Adobe default, but the default I have set. So I chose one of the treatments in Camera Calibration (can't recall which as I'm not at that computer) and I preferred to set Luminance noise at 20 and a slightly higher sharpness. Then using the Alt/Option key I hit Reset - which changes to Set Default.

Adobe added the loupe view to the import dialog in LR3 because some users said they wanted to preview images and decide whether to import them. I still don't feel that was a good decision and would have preferred that development time to have gone elsewhere, but you never get everything you want!

John

[NikoJorj]

Any suggestions for import (preset settings that you use?) that would make rating and picks more accurate and form a good start for adjustments.

That's just what default is made for IMHO.
I also tweaked Adobe's proposal (mainly decreased contrast a bit and set sharpening to a finer radius, YMMV) and set it ISO specific (adapting noise reduction).

[jljonathan]

I just checked and I have been using Adobe Standard in Camera Calibration. When you have the chance, please let me know what you are using and I'll take a look into how that looks here. But, now I have a better idea of how different people are customizing the the import process. It sounds like you're using the basic Adobe default (Exposure 0, Recovery 0, Fill 0-, Blacks 5, Brightness 50, Contrast 25 and Presence all 0, do you leave the tone curve at medium and lens corrections enababled?) and then adding your own recipe to taste as a new default.  I will experiment a little with doing that.
Thank you all again
Jon

[digital-pixels]

Here is my import workflow:
First I set the Lens Correction to enable profile corrections and then save that as the Default Develop Setting - only need to do that once.  I then created a Preset for file renaming using the format: YYYY_CameraFileName_CameraModel_MyInitials.  So it looks like this:  2011_LND2001_D3s_MJG.  There are a million ways to name things, but this gives me enough info for what I need.  Finaly I created a Preset for my copyright info.  Again these are one-time setups.

Once that was done I went to import and set Render Previews to Standard, checked Rename Files and selected the template I created, selected my Copyright preset under Metadata, and then set my Destination.  I always import folders into a _Review folder to start my workflow.

Finaly I saved all these settings as a new Import Preset.  Now all I need to do to import new photos is to go to Import, select all (no review on import) and select the Import Preset and click Import.  All the other setings are done for you.

[digital-pixels]

I just checked and I have been using Adobe Standard in Camera Calibration. When you have the chance, please let me know what you are using and I'll take a look into how that looks here. But, now I have a better idea of how different people are customizing the the import process. It sounds like you're using the basic Adobe default (Exposure 0, Recovery 0, Fill 0-, Blacks 5, Brightness 50, Contrast 25 and Presence all 0, do you leave the tone curve at medium and lens corrections enababled?) and then adding your own recipe to taste as a new default.  I will experiment a little with doing that.
Thank you all again  Jon

Jon,
I do my "calibration" after I import photos as part of my develop workflow.  I have several Presets created based on the camera banks I have setup (I am shooting a Nikon D3s).  In camera I have a Landscape, Portrait, Action and Point and Shoot banks setup.  I always shoot RAW+JPEG.  In LR, I played with various settings until I was able to reproduce the look that I wanted for each camera bank when shooting RAW (using the JPEG images as a comparison).  Once I had the look the way I wanted, I created a Preset for it (example:  D3s Landscape Full Sun). The preset works on 90% of my imports with no modification needed.

Here is my preset for Landscape Full Sun:
Camera Calibration: 2010 Process, Profile: Camera Landscape
Lens Correction: Profile for the lens, this is automatic as I have it set as the Develop Default
Detail:  Sharpening 30, Radius .8, Detail 25, Making 0; Noise Reduction: Luminance 20, others default
Brightness: +47
Contrast: +59
Vibrance: +6
All other settings are default

[jljonathan]

Not Adobe default, but the default I have set. So I chose one of the treatments in Camera Calibration (can't recall which as I'm not at that computer) and I preferred to set Luminance noise at 20 and a slightly higher sharpness. Then using the Alt/Option key I hit Reset - which changes to Set Default.
John

John
I'd like to know which treatment from Camera Calibration you chose (I've been comparing them) and do you also enable lens correction at this stage. Besides the luminance and sharpness changes, do you just use all the other defaults when you set your new custom default?
Thanks again
Jon