Explore a comprehensive tutorial on how to edit a Lightroom photo using Adobe Photoshop and then return the edited photo to Lightroom. This tutorial provides step-by-step instructions on how to effectively navigate between these two powerful tools, making it a valuable resource for those seeking to advance their digital photography and editing skills.
Key Insights
- The tutorial covers how to open and adjust a Lightroom photo in Photoshop, and subsequently locate the edited photo within Lightroom.
- In order to complete the exercise, Photoshop must be installed on your computer.
- The tutorial provides a guided, step-by-step process on how to edit a photo in Photoshop from the Library module in Lightroom.
- Instructions include details on how to desaturate the image, adjust brightness and contrast, and save changes.
- Upon completion of the editing, users are directed to quit Photoshop and return to Lightroom, where they'll find both the original and edited photos side-by-side.
- The tutorial emphasizes the ease and convenience of editing between Lightroom and Photoshop, making it an efficient workflow for digital photo editing.
This exercise is excerpted from Noble Desktop’s past Lightroom training materials and is compatible with Lightroom updates through 2020. To learn current skills in Lightroom, check out our Photo Retouching Certificate and graphic design classes in NYC and live online.
Lightroom vs Photoshop
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Lightroom for Volume
Process hundreds of photos quickly with consistent edits.
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Photoshop for Pixel-Level
Composites, retouching, and detailed corrections.
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Round-Trip Workflow
Right-click → Edit In Photoshop, returns as a copy in Lightroom.
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Non-Destructive
Both apps preserve originals — edits stored separately.
Topics Covered in This Lightroom Tutorial:
Opening a Lightroom Photo in Photoshop, Adjusting a Lightroom Photo in Photoshop, Locating the Photoshop-edited Photo in Lightroom
Exercise Preview
Exercise Overview
In this exercise, you’ll edit a Lightroom photo in Adobe Photoshop and then return the edited photo to Lightroom.
NOTE: You must have Photoshop installed on your computer to finish the exercise.
Editing in Photoshop
Make sure you’re in the Library module.
In the Catalog panel on the left, click on All Photographs.
CTRL–click (Mac) or Right–click (Windows) on the first Washington Monument photo (_CAS2074). If you don’t see this photo, complete the first part of Exercise 4G: Creating a Basic Web Gallery to import this set of photos.
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Select Edit In > Edit in Adobe Photoshop CC 2018.
NOTE: Your version of Adobe Photoshop may be different.
If a dialog opens asking what to edit, choose Edit a Copy with Lightroom Adjustments and click Edit.
If a dialog opens regarding the Photoshop Camera Raw plug-in for full compatibility, click Render using Lightroom.
After the photo loads in Photoshop, at the top of the screen, go to Image > Adjustments > Desaturate.
Go to Image > Adjustments > Brightness/Contrast.
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In the dialog that appears, set the following:
Brightness: 15 Contrast: 60 Click OK.
Go to File > Save.
Quit Photoshop and return to Lightroom.
Notice that both the original photo and the Photoshop-edited version are listed side-by-side. The Photoshop-edited version has been renamed
_CAS2074-Edit.-
CTRL–Click (Mac) or Right–click (Windows) on the
_CAS2074-Edit photo and select Show in Finder (Mac) or Show in Explorer (Windows).The edited photo appears in the original photo’s folder as well.
As you can see, editing between Lightroom and Photoshop is quick, convenient and simple!
