LR3: export to web resolution, then crop?

[budbranch]

Hi -

New to Lightroom3.

My old CS3 workflow was 1) make adjustments to RAW, 2) resize to 72dpi, 3) crop to specific, fixed pixel dimensions, 4) save for web.

After adjusting and exporting 72dpi in LR, do I have to RE-import the 72dpi images for cropping in LR, then RE-export? I gotta be missing something...!
TIA!

[sk66]

Edit the image as desired and just use the resize dialogue box on export. DPI/PPI is irrelevant for the web.

[karen_s]

No, you don't need to re-import to crop. You can do everything you need before export.

Lightroom is a little different in that it is considered a "non-destructive" editor as opposed to CS3 which is considered destructive (although there are ways around this to some degree). Simply put, you can do all you want to an image inside lightroom and it will not affect the original image (wether your original is RAW or JPEG doesn't matter). What lightroom does is takes your edits and applies them at time of export, creating a separate file while retaining the original in it's pristine untouched form.

I use Lightroom3 and often save images for web use, mainly to share on Flickr. In the Export panel, I can set a maximum width or height and set the ppi. I typically set the max width/height setting at 700px (just a size I like) and the ppi to 72. I also select sRGB color space since that tends to be the standard option among different browsers.

Although I have not tried it, I do believe LR3 has a direct upload tool to popular websites like Flickr and Facebook which might be just what you are looking for. No clue how it works but I am sure you could find a tutorial for it.

You might find this blog a good resource for learning about Lightroom (and Photoshop) ...

Adobe Photoshop Lightroom Killer Tips

[jdepould]

You could export 2000 ppi and it wouldn't change the file size if you specify 700px. It's not resampling the image.

[sk66]

Originally Posted by jdepould

You could export 2000 ppi and it wouldn't change the file size if you specify 700px. It's not resampling the image.

It "shouldn't" but it does if you do not have the "do not enlarge" (resample) checkbox checked...

[karen_s]

DOH! I guess I thought I understood this a little better than I really do. I edited my post to rid it of misinformation and removed the part about using 72ppi for faster upload. I hate being THAT person.

Anyway, am I right in thinking that if you check the 'resize to fit' box, you will get get the same size file (k size and dimensions) no matter what ppi you select? And, if you don't select the 'resize to fit' and select a larger ppi, say 300, well, that's when you get the really big files?

Help me, as i think I am so close to getting it. (where is the cross eyed smily when you need it?)

[sk66]

Originally Posted by karen_s

DOH! I guess I thought I understood this a little better than I really do. I edited my post to rid it of misinformation and removed the part about using 72ppi for faster upload. I hate being THAT person.

Anyway, am I right in thinking that if you check the 'resize to fit' box, you will get get the same size file (k size and dimensions) no matter what ppi you select? And, if you don't select the 'resize to fit' and select a larger ppi, say 300, well, that's when you get the really big files?

Help me, as i think I am so close to getting it. (where is the cross eyed smily when you need it?)

That's backwards...
I wrote THIS ARTICLE on the topic a bit ago....over 400 views and only a couple comments from others so either I got it right or no-one else knows either.

Probably the first post I made, and the last post I made in the series are the easiest to understand/clearest/simplest explanation.

[karen_s]

I guess I'm about to the point of just saying I'm getting good prints, I'll just stick with what I am doing.

Anyway, I use both Photoshop (graphic arts mainly) and Lightroom (photography) and they seem to operate a bit differently which may be leading to my confusion. I played around with Lightroom1 at work and when I hit the 'resize to fit' box in the export panel, the image came out the exact same ppi no matter what I set. I set one to 72ppi and another to 300ppi. They both came out at 180k and when I opened each in Photoshop, they were both 72ppi. It's like Lightroom just ignored my 300ppi request. On the other hand, when I didn't check the box, I got a nice giant file that Photoshop read as 300ppi as requested. I've never had Photoshop ignore me so maybe they just handle these requests differently. I am going to try the same with Lightroom3 when I get a chance.

I followed that thread and found it rather enlightening. If I read it, say, 10 more times it might sink in. I can be a bit slow at times.

[sk66]

Originally Posted by karen_s

I guess I'm about to the point of just saying I'm getting good prints, I'll just stick with what I am doing.

Anyway, I use both Photoshop (graphic arts mainly) and Lightroom (photography) and they seem to operate a bit differently which may be leading to my confusion. I played around with Lightroom1 at work and when I hit the 'resize to fit' box in the export panel, the image came out the exact same ppi no matter what I set. I set one to 72ppi and another to 300ppi. They both came out at 180k and when I opened each in Photoshop, they were both 72ppi. It's like Lightroom just ignored my 300ppi request. On the other hand, when I didn't check the box, I got a nice giant file that Photoshop read as 300ppi as requested. I've never had Photoshop ignore me so maybe they just handle these requests differently. I am going to try the same with Lightroom3 when I get a chance.

I followed that thread and found it rather enlightening. If I read it, say, 10 more times it might sink in. I can be a bit slow at times.

Sounds like a glitch in your LR installation...
But there are a bunch of other things could be going on...not opening the exported files but rather an original due to file location, not selecting edit "with LR changes" etc etc...

Also, when opening in PS it may set the PPI to the program's defaults (since PPI is irrelevant to the program). Same with ACR.