Ask Tim Grey

Today’s Question: What’s the difference between a collection and a smart collection in Lightroom Classic, and when should I use each type?

Tim’s Quick Answer: A collection in Lightroom Classic represents a manual grouping of photos, while a smart collection behaves like a saved search result, with the contents of the smart collection being dynamic based on metadata criteria you choose.

More Detail: Collections in Lightroom Classic enable you to group photos together beyond the folder structure on your hard drive. When you add a photo to a collection, you’re not creating a copy of the original image. You’re simply adding a reference to the image to the collection, so that you can quickly access photos for a particular project, for example.

If you are producing a calendar featuring favorite photos from various trips to Italy, for example, you could create a collection called “Italy Calendar” and add photos to that collection from the various folders containing images from your trips to Italy.

The difference between a regular collection and a smart collection comes down to how the photos are added to the collection.

With a regular collection you manually add photos to the collection, such as by dragging and dropping photos into the collection. This approach makes sense for scenarios where you are hand-selecting the specific photos you want to include in the collection.

With a smart collection you specify rules based on metadata values, and then images matching the criteria you defined are automatically added to the smart collection. For example, you could create a smart collection based on photos that have a five-star rating and that have “Italy” assigned as a keyword. All photos that have both a five-star rating and “Italy” as a keyword would automatically be included in the smart collection. If you reduced the star rating or removed the “Italy” keyword from an image, it would automatically be removed from that smart collection.

Since smart collections are easier to manage in terms of having photos added or removed automatically, I would favor a smart collection when you can define clear metadata criteria for which images should be included. That could even include clever tricks like using a keyword value of “Italy Calendar” as a rule for a smart collection.

The one key drawback of smart collections you’ll want to keep in mind is that you can’t enable cloud synchronization for smart collections. That synchronization is only supported for regular collections.

Today’s Question: I noticed that if I right-click on a keyword in the Keyword List [in Lightroom Classic] that there’s an option to edit the keyword. If I change the keyword itself with this option, what will happen to all the photos that I assigned the keyword to before changing the keyword?

Tim’s Quick Answer: If you edit the Keyword Name field for a keyword on the Keyword List in Lightroom Classic, the change will apply automatically to all photos that had the keyword assigned.

More Detail: The ability to edit the name of a keyword on the Keyword List found on the right panel in the Library module in Lightroom Classic is a simple and yet quite remarkable feature. When you edit a keyword in this way, all images that have the applicable keyword assigned to them will automatically be updated to reflect the updated keyword text.

For example, let’s assume after a photography trip to Paris, France, you added a keyword of “Eifel Tower” (with one “F” instead of two) to photos of that structure. The keyword would therefore appear on the Keyword List with the incorrect spelling. But all you need to do to correct the issue is right-click on the misspelled keyword, choose “Edit Keyword Tag” from the popup menu, correct the spelling in the Keyword Name field, and click the Save button. This will update the keyword not only on the keyword list, but also for all photos that had the keyword assigned to them.

There is one potential pitfall that requires a different approach. If you had assigned the keyword with the correct spelling to some images but the incorrect spelling for others, you can’t edit the misspelled keyword on the Keyword List. That’s because you would be changing the keyword to match another keyword that already exists.

In this case what you would need to do instead is first hover your mouse pointer over the keyword with the wrong spelling and click on the right-pointing arrow that appears to the right of that keyword. This will set a filter for all images with that keyword. Choose Edit > Select All from the menu to select all those images, and then turn on the checkbox for the version of the keyword with the correct spelling on the Keyword List. That will assign the correct version of the keyword to those images. You can then right-click on the keyword with the incorrect spelling on the Keyword List and choose “Delete” from the popup menu.

Both of these approaches provide great flexibility when you need to correct the spelling of keywords you had assigned to photos in Lightroom Classic.

Today’s Question: How can you merge the contents of two folders in Lightroom Classic without losing any photos or edits?

Tim’s Quick Answer: Yes, as long as you move photos within Lightroom Classic (not through the operating system for example) when you want to merge photos into a single folder, absolutely nothing will be lost. All metadata and adjustments, for example, will be retained.

More Detail: When it comes to avoiding problems in Lightroom Classic, one of the most important things to remember is that every task should be initiated within Lightroom Classic. Making any changes outside of Lightroom Classic can very quickly lead to significant problems, potentially including the loss of some data.

If you want to consolidate the contents of two folders in Lightroom Classic, first decide which of the two folders will be the destination for the consolidation. In general, I would simply choose the folder that contains more photos to be the destination, to reduce the number of photos that need to be moved as part of this process.

Next, go to the folder you want to merge with the destination folder. Make sure the Library Filter bar above the grid view is set to “None” and then choose Edit > Select All from the menu to select all the images. Click and drag the thumbnail for one of the selected photos to the destination folder.

Once the photos have been moved, you can delete the empty folder by right-clicking on it and choosing “Remove” from the popup menu. If you need to rename the destination folder based on the consolidation, simply right-click on that folder, choose Rename from the popup menu, update the folder name in the Rename Folder dialog, and click the Save button.

Note that if the destination folder contains photos with duplicate filenames, you can rename any photos that were left behind when you attempted to merge and rename with the Library > Rename Photos command. Once those remaining photos are renamed so there aren’t duplicate filenames, you can move those photos to the destination folder as well. And, of course, if the duplication was because there actually were duplicate photos, you can review the duplicates and delete the unneeded copies, such as based on which had their metadata updated or had adjustments applied in the Develop module.

Today’s Question: I keep all my photos on an external hard drive. Is there a way I can still edit my photos in Lightroom Classic when that drive isn’t connected?

Tim’s Quick Answer: Yes, you can enable editing of photos in the Develop module even when the source image isn’t available by building Smart Previews for the photos.

More Detail: When the source photos for images being managed by Lightroom Classic aren’t available, such as when the external hard drive containing those photos isn’t connected to the computer, there is still a lot you can do within Lightroom Classic. For example, you can review and update metadata, add keywords, assign star ratings, and more. However, by default you’re not able to apply adjustments in the Develop module or export copies of photos when the source files are unavailable.

However, if you build Smart Previews for your photos, you can continue to work in the Develop module and export reduced-resolution copies of the images, even when the source files aren’t available.

There is an option to build Smart Previews during the process of importing photos into Lightroom Classic, but if you didn’t make use of that option, you can still do so after the fact. Make sure the source files are available (such as by making sure the external hard drive is connected) and select the photos you want to build Smart Previews for. Then go to the menu and choose Library > Previews > Build Smart Previews.

Once the Smart Previews have been built, you’ll be able to work with the images in the Develop module or export copies of the images at a reduced resolution, even when the source files aren’t available, based on the Smart Previews that are stored along with the catalog files for Lightroom Classic. Note that because those Smart Previews are DNG images at a reduced resolution of just over 2,500 pixels on the long side, they won’t have the full fidelity of the source images when working in the Develop module or when exported for sharing.

Today’s Question: You’ve talked about the ability to synchronize adjustments for multiple images using the Auto-Sync feature in Lightroom Classic. But how do you deal with a situation where you want to synchronize some but not all the adjustments applied to the first image?

Tim’s Quick Answer: If you only want to synchronize certain adjustments across two or more images in Lightroom Classic there are two basic approaches I would recommend. The first would be to start with Auto-Sync enabled while applying only the adjustments you want to synchronize, and then disable Auto-Sync and refine each image individually. The second option would be to apply all adjustments to the first image and then synchronize after that, selecting only the specific adjustments you want to apply to the other images.

More Detail: When it comes to synchronizing adjustments across multiple images in Lightroom Classic, you can either synchronize in real time or after having applied the adjustments to the first image. Both options can be used when you want to synchronize some but not all adjustments to other images.

The first option would be to synchronize adjustments in real time. This involves selecting all the images you want to synchronize adjustments to and turning on the Auto-Sync feature by clicking the toggle switch on the left side of the Sync button at the bottom of the right panel in the Develop module. You can then apply only the adjustments you want to apply to all selected images. Then turn off Auto-Sync and continue with individual adjustments for each image.

The other option would be to apply all adjustments to the first image, but then only synchronize some of those adjustments to the other images. After optimizing the first image, you can select that image along with the other images you want to synchronize some of the adjustments to. Click on the thumbnail for the image you have already adjusted to make sure it is the active image. Then click the Sync button (make sure Auto-Sync is off), and in the dialog that appears make sure that the checkboxes are only turned on for the adjustments you want to synchronize to all selected images. Click the Synchronize button to apply those adjustments, and then return to each individual image to update other adjustments as needed.

Today’s Question: How does the Tone Curve differ from the Basic panel tonal adjustments in Lightroom Classic?

Tim’s Quick Answer: The Tone Curve adjustment in Lightroom Classic (or Camera Raw) simply provides a higher degree of control over the adjustment and the tonal range affected compared to the tonal adjustments in the Basic section.

More Detail: I think one of the best ways to understand how the Tone Curve adjustment differs from the tonal adjustments in the Basic section of the right panel in the Develop module in Lightroom Classic (or in Camera Raw) is to recognize that in effect they are all the same adjustment. In other words, you can think of the sliders for Highlights, Shadows, Whites, and Blacks as each representing a specific adjustment with the Tone Curve. I’ll quickly add the important caveat that there are other differences, but this analogy can help make it more clear how the Tone Curve differs.

For example, if you increase the value for the Shadows slider you are effectively moving an anchor point upward toward the dark (left) end of the Tone Curve. In both cases the shadows would be brightened. Reducing the value is the same as lowering the anchor point, darkening the shadow areas of the image.

If you switch the Tone Curve to the Parametric mode, the two categories of adjustments become even more clearly similar. In the Parametric editing mode for the Tone Curve you have sliders for Highlights, Lights, Darks, and Shadows, which roughly (but not exactly) correspond to the tonal adjustment sliders in the Basic section.

The real power of the Tone Curve adjustment when working in the Point Curve mode, however, is that you can fine-tune the range of tonal values you’re affecting and the specific impact in terms of brightness and contrast, by manipulating the curve shape using multiple anchor points. While this degree of fine-tuning control isn’t necessary for all images, it can certainly be very helpful to have the greater degree of control for sophisticated adjustments with certain images.

Today’s Question: When I import my photos into Lightroom Classic, after a brief delay the thumbnails for the images change. Sometimes the difference is rather significant. What causes this?

Tim’s Quick Answer: What you’re seeing is the difference between the preview embedded in the original capture by the camera and the interpretation of the image in Lightroom Classic. This same issue also affects other software such as Adobe Bridge.

More Detail: The preview you see on the back of your camera will generally differ from the preview you see when browsing the photos on your computer, in some cases in very significant ways. This is based on the difference between the previews rendered by the camera compared to different software applications.

There are two key issues when it comes to mismatched previews for raw captures on your camera versus the computer. The first is that adjustments applied in-camera don’t actually alter the raw capture, and so won’t be reflected in software on your computer. The second is that the camera serves as its own raw processing software and will render the previews differently compared to other software. Compounding this issue, different software will also generate different previews.

As a somewhat dramatic example, if you set your camera to a monochrome effect (black and white) for raw captures, the embedded preview for that raw capture will be black and white. That will cause the preview on the back of the camera to appear in black and white. However, as soon as you import the photo into Lightroom Classic (or browse it with other software) a new preview will be rendered, and the image will appear in color.

The same concept applies even when adjustments haven’t been applied, because the underlying raw processing is different in the camera versus using software on your computer.

The effect of this issue is that when you initially view the images on your computer, you’ll be seeing the embedded preview generated by the camera. However, shortly thereafter the software will update the preview based on its own rendering of the image, causing the preview to update accordingly. In some cases, the difference between the camera preview and the software rendering may be very subtle, but there will be a difference.

Today’s Question: I’ve read that circular polarizing filters were designed specifically for cameras with a mirror, such as a DSLR. But for cameras without a mirror, a linear polarizing filter is the better choice. Should I be using linear polarizing filters on my mirrorless camera?

Tim’s Quick Answer: You can use a circular polarizer for either type of camera, but you should avoid linear polarizers for digital SLR cameras due to the mirror.

More Detail: The real issue here is that a linear polarizing filter should not be used with a single-lens reflex (SLR) camera. The reason for this is that the beam splitting of the mirror on an SLR camera interferes with the phase-detection autofocus and metering. For this reason, only circular polarizing filters should be used with SLR cameras.

For mirrorless cameras you can use either circular or linear polarizing filters, because there isn’t a mirror for the linear polarizer to interfere with. However, to me the safest approach is to always choose a circular polarizing filter rather than a linear polarizing filter. In addition, circular polarizers are much more common, so they’ll be easier to find in general.

Today’s Question: Can you explain how you apply color balance adjustments using the Tone Curve in Lightroom Classic?

Tim’s Quick Answer: To apply color balance adjustments with the Tone Curve adjustment in Lightroom Classic you choose an individual color channel (Red, Green or Blue) and apply a curve that shifts the balance of color. That curve can be rather sophisticated to provide a different shift in the shadows, midtones, and highlights, for example.

More Detail: Today’s question is a follow-up from yesterday’s answer, where I mentioned that while I don’t use the Tone Curve adjustment in Lightroom Classic very often, it can be very helpful when I need to apply a sophisticated fine-tuning of the balance of colors in an image.

To get started, go to the Tone Curve adjustment and from the Adjust option at the top of the controls choose either the Red, Green, or Blue channel. Red controls the balance between red and cyan, Green controls the balance between green and magenta, and Blue controls the balance between blue and yellow.

For a very general color balance adjustment you could simply click to add an anchor point at the center of the curve line and then drag upward to shift the balance of colors toward the color represented by the channel, or downward to shift toward the opposite color.

However, the real power of using the Tone Curve adjustment to refine color balance is the ability to apply a variable effect for the shadows versus the highlights, for example. You could drag an anchor point downward toward the dark (left) end of the curve for the Blue channel to shift the color in the shadows toward yellow, for example. You could then drag an anchor point upward toward the bright (right) end of the curve to shift the highlights toward blue.

By creating more sophisticated shapes for the curve for each channel following the principles outlined above, you can shift the balance of colors in an image in very sophisticated ways. This can be very helpful, for example, when working on a photo that has challenging color due to a blend of various light sources, such as when there is natural light along with incandescent and fluorescent lights in the same scene.

Today’s Question: I was intrigued by your answer about not necessarily needing all the adjustments that are available in software such as Lightroom Classic and Photoshop. I was particularly interested to read that you would consider removing a couple of adjustments if given the choice, and would be curious to know what those are.

Tim’s Quick Answer: The primary adjustment I would tend to want removed from Lightroom Classic (or Camera Raw) would be the Grain option in Effects. I would also suggest removing the Pet Eye option for the from the Red Eye Correction tool, as in my experience it never works well.

More Detail: I enjoyed the philosophical discussion of whether we should perhaps limit ourselves to a relatively small number of adjustments for optimizing our photos in yesterday’s edition of Ask Tim Grey. As I noted, I appreciate having most of the adjustments available even if I don’t use them very often, but there are some I could live without.

I would be perfectly happy if the Grain option in the Effects adjustments were removed. While I have fond memories of film photography from my younger days, I never feel the need to add a film grain effect to photos. Overall, it tends to look more like luminance noise, so I’d just as soon avoid the effect even when I’m trying to mimic the look of an old film photo.

While I would generally say that the ability to remove retinal glare in photos of pets (the equivalent of red eye removal for photos of people), in my experience this feature works so poorly that I consider it useless. It is far more reliable to use blend modes in Photoshop to remove the pet eye rather than struggling with the Pet Eye option for the Red Eye Correction tool.

Otherwise, I would say that while there are many features I use very rarely in Lightroom Classic or Camera Raw, I do appreciate that the adjustments are there. For example, I almost never use the Tone Curve adjustment (called simply Curve in Camera Raw). However, every now and then I do appreciate the refined control it provides for both tonal and color balance adjustments.