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As we approach the end of the series, we’re focusing on the critical step of exporting, so you can share your work with the world! Learn file naming, resizing, and settings for perfect sharing. We’ll demystify the export dialog, ensuring your photos shine. A free RAW file is included, so you can practice these new skills.
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Master Export Settings
Exporting is a crucial step in the Lightroom workflow. It allows you to share your edited images in various formats and sizes, optimized for different purposes like social media, web, or print. Mastering export settings ensures your photos look their best wherever you use them. Let’s dive into how to effectively export your images in Lightroom Classic.
Exporting Basics
1. Go to File > Export. Alternatively, you can use the keyboard shortcut Ctrl + Shift + E (Windows) or Cmd + Shift + E (Mac).
2. Choose where to save your exported files.”Choose folder later” is recommended for presets, as it prompts you to select a location after configuring the export settings.
3. Enable renaming to customize your exported file names.
4. Click “Edit” to access the File Name Template Editor for advanced customization.
You can insert various elements like file name, sequence, or custom text. To add custom text, type it directly into the template. This allows you to create descriptive file names (e.g., “export-final-color”).
File Settings
5. Select the desired file format (e.g., JPEG, DNG, Original).
6. JPEG is commonly used for web and social media.
7. Adjust the quality setting (e.g., 100 for maximum quality).
8. Select “sRGB” if exporting for web and social media display.
9. Resize images for specific purposes (e.g., smaller sizes for websites).
Additional Tips
When preparing images for print, it’s advisable to utilize the crop tool to establish the desired aspect ratio prior to exporting, ensuring precise dimensions. Regarding output sharpening, it’s generally best to avoid this, particularly for social media, as these platforms often automatically apply their own sharpening algorithms, which can lead to over-sharpened results. Always ensure that all metadata is included during export, as this embeds crucial information such as copyright details and other relevant data directly into the file. Lastly, consider saving your preferred export settings as presets, which streamlines future exporting tasks and maintains consistency across your work.
Experiment with these export settings to find what works best for your needs. Don’t miss tomorrow’s session, where we’ll cover the important topic of image credentialing.
