Question about exporting

[PicCrazy16]

I'm new to this group and fairly new to using Lightroom. I have a simple question. After I import photos into Lightroom, edit a photo in the develop menu, export it out of Lightroom, can I go back to that photo, hit reset and edit it again to export a second time? Thank you

 

[Johan Elzenga]

Yes, of course, but what do you want to achieve? That second export would be an unedited photo (because you just hit 'Reset'), so you could also export the photo before you begin editing.

 

[Replytoken]

Welcome to the forum! Yes you can. You can also create virtual copies of an image so you can edit it in a different manner and be able to compare the different versions. This way you retain your first edited image rather than resetting it.

Good luck,

--Ken

 

[PicCrazy16]

I guess my question would be after you export an edited photo, and you want to apply a new preset to that photo or edit it in a different way, what steps would I need to go through to achieve this?

 

[clee01l]

Welcome to the forum. You don't even need to hit reset. You can make additional development adjustments to what you have already then export a new derivative file. Additionally, if you want to preserve the develop adjustments that were used to make the first export, you can create a virtual copy (of the master adjustments) and reset the virtual copy back to the initial state or add additional adjustment to the virtual copy of the adjustment settings.

LR manages the develop adjustments in the catalog file and a reference to the original image. An export is a new derivative image file created by applying a set of adjustments to the original. So, Original Plus adjustment "one" equal new export file "one". Original Plus adjustment "two" equal new export file "two".

 

[PicCrazy16]

Welcome to the forum! Yes you can. You can also create virtual copies of an image so you can edit it in a different manner and be able to compare the different versions. This way you retain your first edited image rather than resetting it.

Good luck,

--Ken

 

[IanL]

Another, probably better, way to go is to create a virtual copy and edit that your second way. Then you have both versions of your photograph in your catalogue so you never loose editing work that you are happy with.

 

[PicCrazy16]

Thank you Ken. How do I create a virtual copy of an image to re edit?

 

[IanL]

Mastering Lightroom: How to Use Virtual Copies
Lightroom Q&A: Snapshots Vs. Virtual Copies - Lightroom Killer Tips

 

[clee01l]

I guess my question would be after you export an edited photo, and you want to apply a new preset to that photo or edit it in a different way, what steps would I need to go through to achieve this?

If you look at the Develop panel you can see a series of "sliders". Each represents an instruction to LR to be applied to the original image. When you create an export, you apply every setting as defined in the Develop Panel. Of course some sliders are in their default or neutral position. You can set these "sliders" to a predetermined state using a preset. A preset only affects certain sliders to achieve the effect. If the slider is not adjusted by the preset it will still have the value it had before the preset was applied. This is where the reset function helps as it "resets" the develop adjustments to their initial position.

A virtual copy takes the image development settings as they exist at this point in time and create a new copy of those instructions as a starting point. You can decide whether you need a virtual copy to preserve the state of the first export (so it can be reproduced by reexporting) . Or you can simply make changes to the existing state and not easily reproduce the first export. New exports will take the develop settings as they exist at the point when the new export is made.

Just remember nothing to do as a develop setting in LR is going to be irreversible. The original image file will only be read by the LR app.

 

[PicCrazy16]

Okay I'm going to try the virtual copy method. So the original file I imported into a collection will always remain the original copy? I can edit a photo numerous times and always keep the original in tact. I apologize for the questions. I'm still learning Lightroom and although it's a little more complicated than other photo editors I have tried, I really like it. Also what exactly is the reset button used for?

 

[Conrad Chavez]

I can edit a photo numerous times and always keep the original in tact...Also what exactly is the reset button used for?

When you are in the Develop module, open up the History panel on the left. I think that will answer a lot of your questions. You will see that the History panel records every edit you make, and you can return to any step, even all the way back to the beginning, and even your Export step is recorded. Don't like the 12 edits you made after your last export? Just click the last Export step in History to back up to that version. All of your Lightroom edits are kept separate from the original photo, the edits are only applied to the copy you export, so your original is always preserved.

If you go all the way to the bottom of the History stack, you will see the first step is Import. That is the state before you started editing. You can click that first step to return to that state, but the Reset button you asked about is an instant way to get back there and throw out all of your edits since then.

You only need to make a virtual copy if you want to branch off a different set of edits from the current one, like wanting to store a square-cropped version for Instagram along with the rectangular color original.

I'm still learning Lightroom and although it's a little more complicated than other photo editors I have tried, I really like it.

It's important to learn how Lightroom works because it's consistent with how many newer photo editors are designed. For example, Apple Photos handles photos very similarly: The original is not altered, your edits are stored in a database and only applied to derivative copies.

 

[PicCrazy16]

Thank you all so much for your fast responses and being very understanding.

 

[Rob_Cullen]

Select an image, Hold down the [Control] key and press [ ' ] several times. (that's the quote key ". Think of it as 'Ditto' to repeat the item)
Now you have several Virtual copies that you can edit individually for different results.

Virtual copies makes the different edits all visible in the Grid view, which can be an advantage. Selecting a step in Edit history will only show you the one preview as at the selected step.

 

[LRheinz]

Select an image, Hold down the [Control] key and press [ ' ] several times.

In my LR 6.6.1 and Windows 10 I have to hold down [Control] and to press [T] for virtual copies.

Heinz

 

[Rob_Cullen]

Heinz,
Your keyboard must be re-mapped for the different language.
In the Develop module if you press [Ctrl+/] (Ctrl+the key with ? ) do you get the help page of keyboard shortcuts?
I thought that LR key shortcuts were (almost) universal.

 

[LRheinz]

Lightseer,
I get the help page of keyboard shortcuts by clicking [Strg(=Ctrl) + <]. That's one of the differences between Australia and Austria

Heinz