Photoshop Integration

 

As with the public beta, Lightroom 2.0 can open photos directly into Photoshop without first creating the fully rendered TIFF or PSD. If this was the only improvement to Photoshop integration I think many users would be disappointed. Fortunately, it isn't.

 

Using the context menu command for Edit in Photoshop Lightroom 2.0 you can open individual photos as Smart Objects, thus utilising non-destructive filters such as Shadow/Highlight and Lens Correction. Multiple photos can also be opened into Photoshop and subsequently merged as a single Panorama or HDR image.

 

 

 

 

Figure 5 - Enhanced Photoshop Integration

 

Tip: When either the Photoshop Lens Correction or Extract filters are used it will convert the Background layer to Layer 0. This is as designed, and reflects the fact the document is now deemed to be mutli-layered. To save the file back to Lightroom as a PSD you will need either flatten it or use Maximise Compatibility.

Whilst Lightroom 2.0 still limits you to two external editors it's now possible to add External Editor Presets. The presets need a file specification (e.g. TIFF, ProPhoto RGB, 16-bit, etc), but can point to any compatible external editor. Figure 6 below shows an example where I have created presets for Photoshop CS3, Noise Ninja and PTLens. The actual presets are defined in the Lightroom Preferences panel.

 

 

 

Figure 6 - External Editing (Click image for larger view)

 

Tip: For Photoshop integration to work correctly you must be using Photoshop 10.01 (i.e. CS3 with latest updates, and Adobe Camera Raw 4.5).

Library Filter Bar

There are four sections to the new Filter Bar: Text, Attributes, Metadata and None. The first three are used for a filtered search of the contents of your catalog and the last (i.e. None) is used to switch the Filter Bar off.

The Filter Bar is activated from the Library>View menu or by pressing on the '\' key. By default, it contains four columns, but is easily configured to display between 1 and 8 columns (i.e. via menu on the top right corner of each column). The columns can be used to filter all of the categories that Lr1.x supported plus a some new categories (e.g. Keywords, GPS, Aspect Ratio, Treatment, and Develop Preset). The actual column layout can be saved as a custom preset by clicking on the Custom Filter pop-up located on the top right corner of the Filter Bar. Figure 7 below shows an example of the Filter Bar in use. This particular example also highlights another welcome addition to the final release version, namely, the option for the hierarchical arrangement of Location and Keywords.

 

Figure 7 - Library Filter Bar (Click image for larger view)

As expected, there was a lot of feedback regarding the positioning of the Filter Bar within the photo content area. Some users have asked for the old Metadata Browser to be reinstated in the left panel track. However, as explained in my Lr2beta preview the engineers have reserved the left panel track to define the source location of photos, specifically Folders and Collections. The net effect of  this change is that everything shown in the left panel track now defines a context. Therefore, the Filter Bar will only list those categories that match with the selected folder and/or collection. In theory, this should make it much easier to filter photos without having to resort to cross-panel selections and multiple selections with the aid of keyboard modifiers. Unfortunately, many find the context based behaviour of the filters to be extremely frustrating. The best way to minimise this behaviour is to create filter presets then pick them from the filter popup when required.

One of the most useful aspects of  the Filter Bar is filtering by keyword. Again, there has been a lot of feedback on keyword filtering with some users disliking the way the panel needs to be configured for Boolean filtering. Some yearn for the tick-box simplicity of  Photoshop Elements and others complex Boolean text searches. However, the engineers have stuck to their guns and left things pretty much as they were in the public beta. In short, the Filter Bar uses 'AND' between the columns and filtering within a column is an 'OR' function (i.e. hold down Ctrl/Cmd key then make appropriate selections within column). Using multiple keyword columns it is therefore possible for both 'AND' and 'OR' keyword filtering.

As mentioned above, the Filter Bar is also the location in which text based searches and attribute based filtering is carried out. The rule set for text based searches has changed little since Lightroom 1.x and they remain relatively self explanatory. However, it's worth mentioning a few of the less obvious filtering rules that come in handy for fine-tuned searches within the text entry field. For example, placing a '+' at the beginning of a word is the same as Starts With, placing a '+' at the the end of a word is the same as Ends With, and placing a '!' at the beginning of a word is the same as Doesn't Contain. Also, worth noting that the Attribute bar now contains White and Gray label chips for Custom Label and No Label respectively. Finally, multiple filters are activated by shift clicking the respective filter name (e.g. click Text then Shift+click Attribute followed by Shift+click Metadata).

Keywording

If you have been using the public beta you'll already be familiar with most of the changes that have taken place for Keywording. For example, the Keyword List panel being relocated to the right panel track along with other enhancements such a new Keyword Set called Suggested Keywords. The suggested keyword is particularly useful and is based on existing keywords already applied to the photo and any  photo that is considered to be close a neighbour in terms of capture time.

Nevertheless, even suggested keywords have their limitations. For example, you have a photo to which you want to apply a keyword that is probably already within the keyword set, but the capture time isn't sufficiently close to other similar photos for Suggested Keywords to be of any help. Even worse, the keyword is buried so deep within the keyword hierarchy that finding it will be more time consuming than retyping it and hoping that you don't end up with an out of place duplicate. This is where the new Keyword Filter comes into play. The following series of screen shots demonstrates the Keyword Filter in use. The actual photo (not shown) is of a winter scene taken taken at Kelly Warm Springs in the Grand Teton National Park. I've visited the area twice, once in January 2006 and then again in January 2008. So, Suggested Keywords is going to be of little help.

 

Figures 8 and 8a - Keyword Filter in use

Figure 8 (above left) shows that I have already applied a number of keywords that describe the photo, but not its location. In figure 8a (above right) I began by typing the location (i.e. Kelly Warm Springs), but after only three letters the filter has removed eight of the top level keywords, and is already homing in on the location. By Alt/Option clicking on the word Places all locations beginning "kel" will be exposed in the keyword hierarchy (figure 9).

 

Figure 9 - Applying the filtered keyword

Applying a keyword - In above example I clicked on the checkbox, but I could also have used the drag-and-drop method to drop the keyword onto the photo, or vice versa. Also, notice the arrow on the right side of the panel. When the arrow is clicked Lightroom will filter the content window to show only those photos taken at Kelly Warm Springs.

Removing a keyword - There are a couple of options within the Keyword List panel for removing keywords from selected photos. The first method involves a context menu in the Keyword List panel from which you choose "Remove this keyword from selected photo". Alternatively, you can select the photo and simply uncheck the keyword in the Keyword List panel. I'm not a heavy user of keywords, so it's possible that my description makes the process more complicated than it actually is. Nevertheless, I think the changes outlined above make the workflow for keywording much more logical and frustration free than it was in Lightroom 1.x.

Multiple Display Support

Support for multiple displays was included in the public beta, albeit quite buggy. Even so, many users expressed the view that by not providing tare off panels it didn't go far enough. If these users expected this to change then they are going to be sorely disappointed because tare off panels are not included.

As with the version first shown in the public beta, the new second display window is based on the same module picker concept that's used in the main display window, except that the options include: Grid (Shift+G), Loupe (Shift+E), Compare (Shift+C) and Survey (Shift+N) views. I have listed the keyboard shortcut for each in brackets, but clicking on the name will also switch views. Each of these views has enhanced functionality over the same view in the main window. To activate the second window display press on 'Shift+\' keys.

 

Figure 10 - Second Display Live View

Loupe view on the second display window includes options for: Normal mode, Live mode and Locked mode.

• With Normal mode the photo previewed on the second window is the same photo as is previewed on the main display. However, the second display window can be set to a different zoom ratio, if required. This come is very be useful when adjusting the sharpness or noise controls.

• With Live mode the second display preview is continually updated to reflect the area of the photo that the mouse is being hovered over on the main display.

• With Locked mode the photo previewed on the second display window is fixed. To preview another photo you  press the 'Alt/Option+Enter' keys.

Given the extent of the feature set associated the second display support you will be pleased to note that a comprehensive set of menu options is available under the Window menu in each module. Keyboard shortcuts are also available for most of the second display window commands.

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