All in Lightroom

Why I use X-Transformer

I recently posted a video about processing a photoshoot that I did with my Fuji X-Pro 2, and in that video I used Iridient X-Transformer to convert the files to DNGs. I got a number of questions after posting this, with a number of people still unsure as to why one would want to use this software in the first place. I had thought that most people understood what the software did, and why you might want to use it, but as that doesn’t seem to be the case I thought I would clarify it a bit. So here is an extract from my X-Transformer book where I outline what the software does and why you might want to use it.

Editing a Fuji X-Pro 2 Shoot with X-Transformer and Lightroom

Perhaps it is the designer in me, but I love capturing images of details, whether it’s graffiti, street art, quirky objects, or simply bold colours and textures. Dublin city is full of these sights. I recently set out on a photo walk/shoot to capture a set of this kind of imagery for my Streets of Dublin project, and I decided to record the process of processing these when I got back to the computer.

Major changes to Lightroom in 7.3 - Some important Notes about my Products

Adobe has just released a major new version of Lightroom that includes some significant changes. The biggest and most notable one is the inclusion of new Raw and “Creative” profiles. However, there are also some major changes under the hood. Specifically, they have changed the file format that presets use. If you have any of my guides or presets, you may be wondering what happens.

Alpine for Lightroom: A Sneak Peek

I’ve been busy working on my latest set of Lightroom presets, and I wanted to give you a taste of what I’ve been creating. It’s actually been a while since I last made a set, so it’s good to get back to it. My inspiration for this was to come up with a way to creatively grade some photos I had taken in a forest I had visited a while ago. That’s where it started and it kind of snowballed from there. I have made a short video giving you a demo of the work in progress.

My Two Pass Approach to Photo Editing

Whenever I set about editing an image or a whole shoot, I usually break the task down into two passes. First, I do any necessary corrections to the picture, and then I do more creative editing. I use this approach regardless of what software that I’m using, and by doing this, it makes it a bit easier to manage your editing process, and also to make multiple versions of an image. Let me explain a bit further.

Curating and Posting to Instagram from Lightroom

I have a bit of a love-hate relationship with Instagram. I go through periods of wanting to put the effort into it and then wondering if its worth the effort. On the one hand, it’s the platform of choice at the moment for photographers, whether you like that or not. On the other hand, ever since Facebook took over and started integrating its algorithm, I now only see a fraction of the posts from the people I follow, which is infuriating. However, I’ve decided to give it one more push before I give up. With that in mind, I was researching various techniques and tips for growing the platform, and I’ve come across some interesting ideas.

Big Speed Boost coming to Lightroom. Hopefully.

A couple of sites have been reporting over the last few days about the upcoming 7.2 release of Lightroom. Adobe have decided to focus on performance for this next release, and as a testament as to how important they feel this is, they’ve sent beta copies to various photography websites and news organisations ahead of time to show how serious they are about it.

Applying Lightroom’s Auto Settings to Multiple Images

I recently wrote about and made a video demonstrating Lightroom’s new AI-based automatic settings. If you haven’t seen it already, Lightroom now uses artificial intelligence when applying its automatic settings, and it’s much improved over the previous incarnation. However, after I had talked about that a reader sent me an interesting question: “How do you sync this auto option across multiple images?”. At first, I thought you would just use the synchronisation button at the bottom of the develop module, but it turns out, it’s not that straightforward. There are a few ways to do it, but they require a little work to find. 

How to Improve your Camera’s Colours in Lightroom

When Lightroom first came out, one of the biggest complaints that people had, was that the colours would change when importing RAW files. This led to the inclusion of colour profiles, designed to mimic a camera’s various picture modes, and this seems to address the problem. However, as time has gone by and Lightroom has supported more and more cameras, the quality and accuracy of the included colour profiles have started to vary significantly. If you find that, even with selecting a colour profile that matches what you shot in camera, the colours are still quite a bit off, then this trick may help you resolve the problem.

Better Sony A7RIII Colours in Lightroom

If there’s one complaint I hear again and again about Sony cameras, is that the colours are not pleasant. This is the most common complaint that people have when trying the camera. I have certainly grappled with this myself in the past when first using Sony cameras. The thing is though, it’s not strictly true. There isn’t really anything inherently wrong with Sony’s cameras though. The problem often comes from either a poor white balance or the calibration. If you’re shooting RAW and using Lightroom, there’s another issue: Adobe’s calibration for Sony files in Lightroom is awful.

My Mixed feelings about Lightroom CC

I have to say, I’m having somewhat mixed feelings about Adobe’s new Lightroom CC. When I tried it initially I didn’t like it at all. I thought it was way too limiting and I didn’t really see the point of it. My mind has shifted somewhat, after the most recent update, and now I just don’t know what to think anymore.

Lightroom CC and Classic Updates

Adobe has issued some updates for both version of Lightroom today, and they add a few new features as well as the usual round of new camera support. Of particular note, Lightroom CC now gets some of the features that were missing, including a point curve tool, and a split tone tool. Of note in the new camera compatibility, is the addition of Sony A7RIII raw file support.

Free Lightroom CC Tools Booster Pack

Ever since Lightroom CC was announced - The new cloud based cut down desktop version - not to be confused with the old normal version - I have been thinking about ways to get around some of its limitations. The solution was to create a set of presets that allowed you to apply some of the effects that Lightroom CC is missing.