Luminous Landscape Forum
Raw & Post Processing, Printing => Adobe Lightroom Q&A => Topic started by: dwswager on April 13, 2016, 07:33:35 pm
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I'm studiously trying to learn LR and move most of my non-destructive editing from ACR to LR. However, I've hit a big snag. I can't seem to find how to drop some color sample points. Depending on the image and the intent, I generally set a white, black, maybe a midtone or specific color reference points so I can keep track of how other adjustments are manipulating those points. In ACR and Photoshop it is called the color sampler tool. Is there a similar tool in LR?
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The bad news is, you can't. I hate this limitation too.
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The bad news is, you can't. I hate this limitation too.
Ouch! Picture me with the "stunned mullet" look. Color samples have been part of digital image editing since digital image editing. Not sure when ACR got them, hmm.
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Not sure when ACR got them, hmm.
I think from day one. I do know, ACR had more sampler point's than it's host, Photoshop for awhile. Now they are on parity.
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I think from day one. I do know, ACR had more sampler point's than it's host, Photoshop for awhile. Now they are on parity.
Any workaround or workflow changes you might suggest considering this significant limitation? For example, most of my personal stuff is for print and I always try to keep the darkest and lightest areas within reach of my printer.
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Any workaround or workflow changes you might suggest considering this significant limitation? For example, most of my personal stuff is for print and I always try to keep the darkest and lightest areas within reach of my printer.
A pad of paper and a pen... ;D
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A pad of paper and a pen... ;D
The other missing capability is dual monitor support...allowing the image on one screen and the tools on another. Of course, ACR doesn't let you do that either. But I keep expecting ACR to be absorbed into PS and accessed as another set of pallets at some point.
BTW, for those that work LR on a laptop, I salute you! How you work on those small screens I can't even fathom.
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Lr supports dual monitors. I use it all the time. It may not be as robust as I'd like but it is useful for me.
For the record I use Lr on a dual monitor iMac and on my 15" rMBP when I travel.
On the rMBP I also use Duet so that my iPad Air 2 acts as a second albeit small monitor where I can put things like PS palettes. Where there's will there's a way.
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Lr supports dual monitors. I use it all the time. It may not be as robust as I'd like but it is useful for me.
How does one put the image on one monitor and the tools on another in the current CC version of LR? That would be most helpful.
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How does one put the image on one monitor and the tools on another in the current CC version of LR? That would be most helpful.
You can't. Lightroom has dual monitor support, just not your definition of it.
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https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OKsxtUUb39I
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https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OKsxtUUb39I
Haven't tried it yet, but that seems like what I'm looking for. Just want to be able to edit an image full screen.
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The other thing Lr misses is an image color picker, unless I miss something. There are several instances where a color can be selected in a color palette (e.g., Develop Module Local Controls, Slideshow, etc.) but it would be great to allow the picker select a given pixel color. Is that feature available and I just do not know about it?
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Any workaround or workflow changes you might suggest considering this significant limitation? For example, most of my personal stuff is for print and I always try to keep the darkest and lightest areas within reach of my printer.
Can you explain a bit how you keep the lightest and darkest areas within reach of your printer?
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The other thing Lr misses is an image color picker, unless I miss something. There are several instances where a color can be selected in a color palette (e.g., Develop Module Local Controls, Slideshow, etc.) but it would be great to allow the picker select a given pixel color. Is that feature available and I just do not know about it?
It's been there since version 1. See http://blogs.adobe.com/jkost/2015/11/selecting-a-color-from-an-image-in-lightroom.html
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The other thing Lr misses is an image color picker, unless I miss something. There are several instances where a color can be selected in a color palette (e.g., Develop Module Local Controls, Slideshow, etc.) but it would be great to allow the picker select a given pixel color. Is that feature available and I just do not know about it?
Alternatively, and functioning somewhat differently, there is the TAT (Targeted Adjustment Tool) in the HSL panel.
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Can you explain a bit how you keep the lightest and darkest areas within reach of your printer?
In either ACR or Photoshop, I drop color sample points are what are the brightest and darkest portions of the image in which I would like at least some detail. Otherwise, you get a specular highlight or total shadow. Then when I do my adjustments, I monitor how the adjustments affect these areas and depending, my have to go back and tweak the blacks and whites. As to what numbers to use for these two points it really depends on the printer. Some people recommend 5 and 252. Others are as narrow as 12 and 242. It really depends. I usually use 8 and 248, but it depends on the output medium. And remember, it is what you want some detail in. There may be areas that you want to go full white or black!
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In either ACR or Photoshop, I drop color sample points are what are the brightest and darkest portions of the image in which I would like at least some detail.
Try alt/option dragging on a number of 'exposure' controls to see the clipping overlay. I know, it's not as good as having sampling points but at least you can see and control visually what's going to actually clip, then back off a tad?
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It's been there since version 1. See http://blogs.adobe.com/jkost/2015/11/selecting-a-color-from-an-image-in-lightroom.html
No. I used the wrong term. I should have said "Color Sample Tool" rather than "Color Picker". You use the picker to set the samples. What Lightroom lacks is the ability to set a sample point in a specific location of an image so that you can monitor the RGB values at that specific location while adjustments are made.
For example, it is common knowledge that for skin tones:
Red > Green > Blue
Red - Green > Green - Blue (But not more than 2x)
Light skin has higher Red values than normal
Dark skin has lower Blue values than normal
While you can always hover over a point an take a reading at a given time, it is very handy to drop a sample point and keep tabs on it. Highlights, shadows and midtone points are helpful too.
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Try alt/option dragging on a number of 'exposure' controls to see the clipping overlay. I know, it's not as good as having sampling points but at least you can see and control visually what's going to actually clip, then back off a tad?
I do that or just click on the clipping display and leave it on so it shows the red and blue clipping in normal mode.
BTW, the 2 monitor thing is a big advantage over ACR. That feature alone, might get me to move from ACR to Lightroom full time. I struggle sometimes with overall contrast adjustments and it really helps not having to zoom back and forth as much or seeing a larger representation as I'm making adjustments. I'm the definition of human failing to see the absolute versus being pretty good at seeing differences in a comparative.
BTW, I highly recommend some of the training videos. They can be tedious and somewhat redundant, but you usually gleen a few nuggets. I just wish there would be a clearer delineation between those that show you how to use the software and those that show you how to judge and correct image problems. Most usually devolve into a "this is where the slider is and you move it back and forth" drill...DUH!
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It's been there since version 1. See http://blogs.adobe.com/jkost/2015/11/selecting-a-color-from-an-image-in-lightroom.html
Thanks for pointing out the link. Very unintuitive way to pick a pixel color. Still does not work in the Slideshow - say if I have an image and would like to pick a given pixel color that image for an intro slide, I see no way to do that.
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Alternatively, and functioning somewhat differently, there is the TAT (Targeted Adjustment Tool) in the HSL panel.
That one i know, but not what I was after. The other reply shows the hidden way to grab a picker color.
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No. I used the wrong term.
Yes, I was answering the question I quoted.
If you want to process by numbers, use Photoshop. You can even switch to CMYK and try to match whatever colours are supposed to be Caucasian or other skin tones.
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Thanks for pointing out the link. Very unintuitive way to pick a pixel color. Still does not work in the Slideshow - say if I have an image and would like to pick a given pixel color that image for an intro slide, I see no way to do that.
I agree it's unintuitive to need to drag the Color Picker from the panel rather than just click to sample. But it does work in Slideshow as it does elsewhere. Once you drag the Color Picker, you can use it to sample anywhere on the screen(s) including the active image, images in the Filmstrip, or in other application windowss that are visible.
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I agree it's unintuitive to need to drag the Color Picker from the panel rather than just click to sample. But it does work in Slideshow as it does elsewhere. Once you drag the Color Picker, you can use it to sample anywhere on the screen(s) including the active image, images in the Filmstrip, or in other application windowss that are visible.
If I select a color like you suggested I see no way to use that color in a slideshow intro screen - it just does not carry there.
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If I select a color like you suggested I see no way to use that color in a slideshow intro screen - it just does not carry there.
I just tested it. As soon as you release the Color Picker on the sample colour, it updates the intro screen.
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I just tested it. As soon as you release the Color Picker on the sample colour, it updates the intro screen.
It does not work for me. I can follow your procedure and set a color background for a given slide with a pic on it, but I cannot transfer the same color to the intro screen. it should be trivial to do so.
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It does not work for me. I can follow your procedure and set a color background for a given slide with a pic on it, but I cannot transfer the same color to the intro screen. it should be trivial to do so.
There'll be some tiny thing you're not doing, or something that you are doing. I just can't think what it may be though. PC or Mac? Is the Intro Screen box checked?
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There'll be some tiny thing you're not doing, or something that you are doing. I just can't think what it may be though. PC or Mac? Is the Intro Screen box checked?
Mac
Intro Screen - Checked
I see now how it's done, but it's done blind as when setting the Intro Screen background color they do not show the slide screen. Not too good.
Thanks for the help!
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I see now how it's done, but it's done blind as when setting the Intro Screen background color they do not show the slide screen. Not too good.
OK, I now see what you mean - the image is immediately replaced by the Intro Screen colour. It should operate like Color Wash, in the Backdrop panel.
As a workaround, I'd suggest sampling from one of the other places where the image is displayed. So you can sample in the Navigator panel, the filmstrip, or even a second window.