May
14
14
Video – Lightroom Before and After (Portrait)
I’ve got another before/after video for you this week. First off, you can watch the video in the player directly on the site but I also put a link to this one at the bottom of this post if you want to download a full size version of the video. I just thought this one needs to be seen a little larger. Back to the video – the response to the last before/after video was pretty overwhelming (nearly 200 comments) so I kinda picked up on the fact that you guys like before/afters. This time I picked a portrait instead of a landscape photo and I think it presents some interesting challenges of things we can/can’t do in Lightroom. Of course we’ll be jumping into Photoshop as well, for some filters and selections. Enjoy!
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Thanks again for a wonderful tutorial. I learn so much from these, especially the interaction between LR2 and PS4. Please keep them up.
Thanks for the video Matt. And especially thanks for the quality of it. I was missing your videos had more image quality. Hope you keep up the good work
Regards
Matt,
I have watched all your videos and learn more each time.
The high resolution version makes it crystal clear what alterations you are making and the before and after format shows your work flow wonderfully.
Keep them coming!
Hi Matt,
One quick request – can you use/discuss the histogram a little more in your tutorials. I think it would be especially useful when you’re making the exposure adjustments. I think you’re going by what looks right to you when you make the adjustments – would you be willing to show us what is happening with the histogram when you’re improving the look of the pics?
Thanks,
BuckeyeYank
Matt,
I can’t echo enough what everyone else has said about the increased video quality!! It makes is so much more easy to see subtle changes that you often make along the way.
I really like that you do not do a “text book” presentation, rather it is a “Hey, this is how _I_ do it.” It is kind of like sitting and looking over your shoulder and pressing my ear up to yours to hear what you are thinking
I am going to the Lightroom 2 Tour in Portland on Friday. It will be cool to sit at the feet of Scott. Just wish that you were there as well but I imagine that there are rules against you and Scott traveling and being in the same place, at the same time, for NAPPtional security reasons.
Ken-
Thanks Matt, always a pleasure to see you worik.
wow, finally I get how to switch back and forth between lightroom and photoshop. Enlightning video Matt, thanks!
Hey Matt- would you mind posting your images (either low res- or watermarked) so that we can use them to practice your techniques-especially with the before and afters. Being a visual and hands on person, I need to practice the technique so that I don’t forget it. Sometimes I may not have an image that I think fits the tutorial being given at the time, yet I want to practice it so that it will be in my memory bank for later. Thanks also for giving the high-res video. Do you ever sleep? You are a busy man. Cindy
Thanks Matt, greatttt tutorial
Cheers Vincent
The tutorial was great… It clearly shows the value of using photoshop with lightroom, and how each application brings its advantages. I also love the lens blur…
I did have a question….When you make a selection in photoshop, was your selection feathered? When do you feather and when do you not?
(This might not be the right forum for this, but thought I’d ask…)
Thanks, Sara
Hi Matt,
I heard you mention that you were using a pen & tablet while making some of the finer adjustments in this tutorial. Can you please share any tips or advice you’d have for what to look for when buying a graphic tablet. It never occurred to me to use one while editing! (Seems so obivous now!) Anyways, I plan on just using it for photo editing and have no idea as to what size or tech specs to look for. If you can help it would great!
Hi Matt,
Do you know a way to see in the exif info whether the vibration reduction (or Image stabilization) was turned on or off when the picture was taken? I think it is recorded by the camera, but I cannot see it in Lightroom. Thanks! Edgar
Matt:
What I especially like about these videos is that you teach us all that we need to know to accomplish a specific task without bogging us down in stuff we seldom or never use. Some of the steps are also usable on other projects. PS4 and LR2 have so many features that it is impossible to learn them all. Watching an unfocused tutorial is mind numbing and I forget what I have learned before the video ends. Your tutorials are just the thing to get me going. I save them and the next time I need to do that task, I review it.
Matt, I just got around to watching this vid….great stuff, man. Thanks for using a “real world” photo for this, there are indeed people who shoot this type of photo instead of studio work. Your efforts are much appreciated, please keep ‘em coming!
Warm Regards,
Mike
Hey Matt, I apologize, my question has nothing to do with this post but I’m hoping you can help me out? I have just discovered that I was only “removing” junk images from Lightroom and not deleting them and now my hard drive is loaded with thousands of junk images still. (mainly from weddings) Is there a search or a way to find out which images have been removed from the original files folders or do you have a suggestion of where to begin w/o having compare every single frame to see if I saved it or tossed it.
Thanks for reading, Heather
Matt, I was just wondering why you never decrease your brightness since it seems to wash photos out so much and is not coming from RAW data but LR settings. is there a reason you don’t do this? Is it destructive? I was told never to increase exposure but to use the brightness and also the highlights, lights, darks, and shadows instead. Any ideas on this?
Thanks so much!
PS i still just exposure adjustments, but I also adjust the brightness quite often cuz I find it washes out my pictures quite a bit from my D300.
By far the best video in a long time! Many thx!
Many greetings, Marco
hey matt,
great job on the vid, giving the people what they want! it had a little attitude in places and i loved it! your destructiveness is pretty crazy, like the polar opposite of j. caponigro!
thanks for showing the usefulness and realy the brilliance of bouncing back and forth between apps. i don’t know why people love to use just one,unles that is all that they have.
thanks for all your work and good to follow you on TWITTER!! what’s for breakfast?
Hi Matt – this is INCREDIBLY helpful!!
Thanks for all your great tips – the most useful lightroom site there is – bar none.
Bring em on!!
Cheers, Jase
Dude, great tutorial!
Haven’t tried localised correction in photoshop, but don’t you think it would be easier to use the an adjustment brush with the auto-mask on?
Although, thanks for showing me an alternative to the adjustment brush. I will definitely try your method.
Keith
Matt,
Is using smart objects the way you did in the video considered non-destructive? If so, why not use smart objects all the time when bringing photos in from LR?
Thanks
Jeff
Great video – soooo useful to see what the pros do and don’t
more more more
Hi Matt,
Tx for the video. The enhanced quality is very helpful – as is this tutorial. Can I support the request that next time when you do this you also post the image so we can follow you along? I understand a picture of your family is a little personal, but surely you have other images to use?
Thanks in advance.
From Rotterdam, The Netherlands.
Thanks for the videos Matt. The last 2.5 min of this video didn’t have any audio nor any video (video was stuck). The video time was showing that QT was playing the rest of the video though.
Thanks a ton for all the stuff you do with this site. Has shaved so much time from my workflow and made my pictures better. I’ve watched almost all your videos, but these before and afters are my favorites. Your demonstration of the localized adjustments and Photoshop integration were super helpful! I am now going to apply what I learned to some sets I caught last Saturday. Thank you again.
Thanks for the video Matt! I really appreciate you sharing your knowledge with the masses. I would also like to thank you for posting the high resolution version with was amazing.
I found your site randomly today, and I am blown away. You now have a top spot in my RSS reader!
I always like learning the little keyboard shortcuts and tricks when it comes to LR and PS. Thanks for taking the time to teach us!
Hi.
Just wanted to say that I think you’re doing i great work, keep it up!
Excellent video with some great tips. It’s extremely useful to see your entire workflow for an image, and your thought processes as you tweak different settings. More please!
Cheers
Neil
Hi Matt,
I’m not one to really post on message boards, but I wanted you know how much I learn from these before and after tutorial and I hope you do more in the future. Showing how to work between Lightroom and Photoshop, for me at least, makes them seem a little less daunting and eager to toy with the different options in both. It’s great to see how you take an “okay” photo and turn it into a really great photo.
Thanks so much
James
Matt, Another GREAT tutorial!! A quick question: do you have a set of LR presets that mimic camera settings (landscape, neutral, portrait, standard, vivid) for those of us who do not have RAW capabilities, such as the white balance presets you made available for download?
enjoyed your tutorial… after watching wanted to try it myself, but.. instantly lost at first step… I have Lightroom 2 and when I go to camera calibration the drop down menu has ONLY two choices ACR 4.4 and 4.2, I do not have the long list you do.
How do I get that?
Matt,
I have been a long time follower, and l love the new before and after clips. A great way to share your creative gifts.
great informative video, thanks matt
Why was this video in a different file format? I couldn’t view it on my Ipod Touch!
Well thank you very much. Alway great to follow along with you. Speaking of which, could you go into more depth on the tablet you are using, and then please show a little of how it is used. Maybe pushing it, could you also make a sugestion on what you would use or do use.
Thanks Matt.
My first tutorial from your site and already I’m blown away. Thanks for sharing – where have you been! Particulaly like the adjustment brush in lightroom. So valuable, had no idea it existed.
Also loved the transitioning between the two programs.
Also agree about the tablet. I have one but am so used to using a mouse the tablet seems annoying. For instance it does not fill the size of the circle I select.
Thanks
Dave
Matt, Another GREAT tutorial!! A quick question: do you have a set of LR presets that mimic camera settings (landscape, neutral, portrait, standard, vivid) for those of us who do not have RAW capabilities, such as the white balance presets you made available for download?
Thanks. this was outstanding.
Matt,
Keep these before and after coming!!
They are GREAT!
Thanks,
David.
Thanks for the great tutorial. Love the Before & After as well as the round-tripping between LR and PS. Learned a lot!
Thank You sou so much! I am currently learning lightroom 2 for my job and the questions that I had were extensively covered in this video. Thank you once again. Keep up the good work.
Thank you! I love these videos of yours. Hope too see some more Before & Afters soon.
Take care!
Great ‘how to do vid’. could you do some ‘why you’re doing it vids’. I can see from the before and after that the after looks better, but if I had the starting photo, I’d think it was good and wouldn’t think of making any of the changes you did. i.e. what makes a photo look good and how to spot what you can do to it?
Hi, thanks for this tutorial, this was the first i´ve seen and i´ll be def. watch the others..i wonder if you can record another one on portraits and show how to bring “catchlights” in the eyes of the subject if there are any like in this particular image on the tutorial..would bring more life into the subject right
and one more, if you talking/using those shortcuts, is it possible that you make a extra text list or those you used in the tutorial and post it as comment under the video whit some short desciption ? thanks again 
michael
I just discovered your site, and I’m already picking up some great little tips. I think I have a flaw with my Lightroom, and I wonder if you’ve ever encountered it before. The little “buttons” (that allow you to go back and make changes to the various adjustment brushes you have applied) have never appeared on my screen. I have the most recent version of Lightroom 2, and these “buttons” (don’t know what else to call them) have never once appeared since I installed the software. Is there a setting somewhere that I can’t find?
I’ve thought about deleting and reinstalling the software, but I wouldn’t really know the procedure for getting my library all set up again. Can you help? Have you ever heard of this problem?
Thanks!
I found this video very helpfull, I really enjoy watching your tutorials. But what I would like to see is What do you normally do with the eyes. Because usually when I retouch my photos I find it quite difficult to make the eyes pop out, yet still look natural.
Have a pleasant summer
Jussi
Thanks soooo much.