If you need to know the way I exploit Lightroom Before and After performance in my pictures and the way it helps me visualize my edits, it is advisable learn this tutorial.
To use Lightroom earlier than and after characteristic, soar to the Develop module first and use the “” keyboard shortcut to preview the unedited model of the chosen picture. Ultimately, you press ‘Shift+Tab” first to cover enhancing panels after which hit the “” key to make use of the earlier than and after in unobstructed full-screen mode.
If you ask me in regards to the Lightroom software or operate that I exploit most frequently, you’ll be stunned by my reply. It isn’t Split Toning or Panorama Merging, neither is it a preset performance. The obscure Before and After characteristic is my reply.
I’m not saying it’s the most helpful or essentially the most thrilling software, however it’s the software I exploit most frequently throughout enhancing.
When you shoot in RAW format, the pictures straight from the digital camera should not very thrilling or interesting. By design, RAW photos are low in distinction and saturation; the collected uncooked knowledge should be processed first.
The transformation from the unique RAW seize to the ultimate, ready-for-publishing picture could be drastic. I discover it’s simple for me to get carried away and overprocess a picture when working in Lightroom.
See additionally: How to Duplicate Image in Lightroom
That’s the place the Before and After characteristic comes into play. The operate serves as a actuality examine and helps make sure that I’m on the fitting enhancing observe. When I’m within the means of enhancing, particularly when enhancing a photograph that has the potential of changing into a portfolio piece, I exploit the Before and After operate each jiffy.
There are many alternative methods of utilizing Before and After in Lightroom, however I solely often use the operate in two particular methods.
Using Lightroom Before and After Feature
In right this moment’s article, I’ll present you the way I exploit Before and After in Lightroom and the varied different methods you should utilize the operate in your enhancing workflow.
1. Before Only
This is the best manner of displaying the unique, unedited state of the chosen picture.
Hit the “” key in your keyboard, and the chosen picture is changed with an unedited model of the identical picture.
This doesn’t change the Crop Overlay changes; the picture within the “Before” state has the identical dimensions.
By hitting the “” key as soon as extra, the picture is changed with the at present edited model.
I sometimes hit the keyboard shortcut 4 to five occasions earlier than deciding on my enhancing–if I have to dial it down or push my enhancing even additional.
Here is a variation of the identical technique that I usually use.
I discover that one of many most helpful shortcuts in Lightroom is the “Full Screen” shortcut. By urgent the “F” key, the chosen picture goes into full-screen mode and covers the complete monitor. I usually use this software to judge the edited picture in a view unobstructed by the Lightroom person interface (UI).
Unfortunately, the “Before Only” characteristic doesn’t work in full-screen mode. When you employ the “” key in full-screen mode, it instantly goes again to the usual Lightroom interface.
Here is how I work round this limitation:
First, I exploit the “Shift + Tab” shortcut to inform Lightroom to cover all its panels (high, backside, left, and proper). This maximizes the UI actual property for the chosen picture.
Next, I exploit the “” key to show the unedited model of the chosen picture.
2. Before and After with Snapshot Panel
I discover that the Snapshot Panel is an underappreciated and underutilized characteristic in Lightroom. I do know {many professional} photographers who by no means use it.
I like the Snapshot software and use it with practically each picture I edit in Lightroom.
Snapshot permits you to save any enhancing occasion from the History Panel as a snapshot.
Let me present you the way my Snapshot Panel appears to be like for one in all my processed images.
00. Unprocessed – I created the Snapshot or occasion of an unprocessed RAW picture at first of my enhancing.
01a. – I used the Crop Overlay software to enhance the composition by making it a bit tighter. Then, I created one other Snapshot.
01b. Natural – The Snapshot tells me that I used the Natural preset and three changes from the TOOLKIT.
01c. Color Correction – I created the following Snapshot after I used the Lightroom enhancing sliders for guide coloration correction. I desaturated the sky space and emphasised the vegetation areas.
Finally, I created 5 extra Snapshots for 5 enhancing variations that I made utilizing the Split Toning Panel in Lightroom.
The Snapshot setup permits me to leap to the unique, unedited model of the picture and the varied intermediate states through the enhancing course of.
Another advantage of the Snapshot software is that after I open the identical picture later, even months or years into the long run, it would assist me higher perceive the prepare of thought current through the enhancing course of.
As I discussed earlier than, the Snapshot Panel is a vital a part of my Lightroom enhancing workflow.
Next, I’ll present you a number of different methods to make use of Lightroom’s Before and After operate. Although I don’t use these strategies usually, they are often helpful generally.
Lightroom has a whole Before and After operate which you could entry by means of the UI, keyboard shortcuts, or the primary menu.
3. Before and After Left/Right
If you need to show the present enhancing state of the picture subsequent to the unedited model in a side-by-side comparability, listed here are your choices:
a. Use the “Y” shortcut.
b. Click the YY icon under the picture.
c. Use the highest menu View > Before/After > Left Right.
I discover this specific view to be essentially the most helpful. But the side-by-side view could be too small for correct analysis once you edit images within the panorama orientation.
In these cases, use the trick I outlined above.
- Use the “Shift + Tab” shortcut to cover all of the panels in Lightroom and maximize the UI.
- Next, use the “Y” shortcut to entry the Before and After side-by-side view.
4. Before and After Left/Right Split
The break up view is a variation of the Left/Right possibility, however as a substitute of two photos displayed side-by-side, one picture is break up in half with the unedited half of the picture on the left and the present, edited half of the picture on the fitting.
a. Use the “Shift + Y” shortcut.
b. Select the “Before/After Left/Right Split” possibility below the YY icon.
c. Use the highest menu View > Before/After > Split.
I by no means discovered this break up view to be very helpful, however this feature is accessible should you want it.
5. Before and After Top/Bottom
Here is one other variation of the side-by-side possibility however with the pictures displayed in a vertical orientation from high to backside.
a. Use the “Alt + Y” shortcut.
b. Select the “Before/After Top/Bottom” possibility below the YY icon.
C. Use the highest menu View > Before/After > Top/Bottom.
6. Before and After Top/Bottom Split
This is identical concept because the Left/Right Split, however the break up is positioned horizontally.
See additionally: Luminocity Masking in Lightroom
a. Use the “Alt + Y” shortcut to entry the highest/backside view. Then, change to separate utilizing the “Shift + Y” shortcut.
b. Select the “Before/After Top/Bottom Split” possibility below the YY icon.
C. Use the highest menu View > Before/After > Split.
Additional Options
By default, the “Before” state is displayed on the left when utilizing the side-by-side format (or on the high within the top-to-bottom format). You can swap the Before and After default show choices utilizing:
a. The Swap View icon below the picture.
B. “Ctrl + Alt + Shift + Arrow Up” (“Cmd + Option + Shift + Arrow Up” on Mac).
When you employ any of the Before and After choices, the default view shows the unique, unprocessed picture with the present edited model. But you aren’t restricted to solely the default views.
See additionally: How to Use Histogram in Lightroom
When you open the History Panel and drag any of the enhancing steps from the History Panel to the Before picture, the default unprocessed view modifications to the chosen enhancing step.
Once once more, I’m not positive how helpful this characteristic is, however you could have the choice in case you ever want it.
7. Using Virtual Copy to Display Before and After
The Virtual Copy operate in Lightroom permits you to create cases of edited images with out duplicating the unique picture. You can apply completely different enhancing choices to every Virtual Copy to separate the varied enhancing variations.
Ctrl + ‘ (apostrophe)(Cmd + ‘) – to create a Virtual Copy of the chosen picture.
Using the Before and After possibility with Virtual Copies is much like how I exploit Snapshots. Instead of utilizing Snapshots, you merely use Virtual Copies to trace your enhancing steps.
Lightroom Before and After Shortcuts
“” – replaces the present enhancing state with the unique unedited model.
Shift + Tag, “” – a mix of shortcuts hides all of the panels first.
“Y” – shows Before & After Side by Side.
“Shift” + “Y” – shows Before & After Left/Right Split.
“Alt”+”Y” – shows Before & After Top/Bottom
“Alt”+”Y” and “Shift + Y” – shows Before & After Top/Bottom Split
“Ctrl” + “Alt” + “Shift” + “Arrow Up” – Before & Afte Swap View
Lightroom Before and After | Final Thoughts
As you’ll be able to see, Lightroom gives a number of choices to show the earlier than and after states of the edited picture. But, you would not have to memorize all of them. The objective is to search out essentially the most helpful choices in your particular workflow and to stay with them.
In my case, I nearly solely use choices #1 Before Only and #2 Before and After with Snapshot Panel.