If you are finding that many of the photos being edited in Lightroom are winding up with noticeable color banding more often than not, you are not alone. Many people are presented with the issue of color banding when exporting images. Knowing what causes this issue and how to prevent it will restore your faith in the software and help you to produce better images.

For tips on how to prevent or reduce color banding on images being exported from Lightroom continue reading.

What is Color Banding and Why Does It Happen?

Generally, color banding is an effect that happens when a photo has been over-processed. When color banding occurs you will see distinct lines between the different tones of color.

An example of when this commonly happens is when there are large areas of color in a photograph such as a sprawling field of green or an expansive blue sky.

The banding between the different tones of green or blue occur when color settings and filters are not correctly adjusted.

Now that you have a better understanding of what banding is and why it happens you can continue reading to learn how to prevent or at least significantly reduce the issue.

How to Fix Color Banding In Lightroom

The point of using a photo editing program such as Adobe Lightroom is to improve the quality of the image, not the other way around.

Exporting an image that has clear color banding will make your photo look like it was printed on an old printer with low ink.  To combat this issue try following the simple tips in this section.

Keep It RAW From The Start

The best way to prevent color banding from occurring in your photography is to remove any processing effects or filter settings from your camera and take your shots in RAW form.

Importing an image in its RAW state allows your more freedom to make adjustments and corrections with little to no banding issues.

This is an important tip for any photographer regardless of the editing software they use as it means fewer adjustments have to be made once imported.

Restore To Default Settings

If you are sure your camera settings are where they need to be and you are still experiencing color banding in Lightroom there is a good chance you need to check the settings for any filters or effects that are being applied to the photo.

Oftentimes a photo will display banding because it has been over-processed. For example, if you check the hue or saturation settings and find that they have been scrolled all the way up to %100 then you have probably found the issue.

You can simply restore the settings to the default and make any corrections from there if necessary. Many times restoring the settings will take care of the problem or at least reduce the visibility of the banding.

Hide The Banding With Editing Techniques

Another way to fix banding for images being exported from Lightroom is to edit the problem before it even enters Lightroom by disguising the banding in another editing program such as Photoshop or any one of its equivalents.

You can disguise color banding in other programs by:

Distracting The Eye With Noise

Not the preferred method by most photographers however it can be effective if you need to blend large areas of banding. Creating noise is done by using spots or patches of color to blend the tones together and distract from the obvious lines

Adding A Blending Layer

One of the best ways to disguise color banding in a photo is to simply add a duplicate layer. Then you can fill in the spaces with color and merge the layers once satisfied with the result.

Use Blur Or Masking Tool

Another quick way to reduce the visibility of color banding is to use the blur tool or filter to make the edges of the bands less sharp.

This method can also be a little tricky as you don’t want to do too much blurring because it will affect the quality of the photo and make it look unclear.

Over-Processing and Lack of Skill Lead to Lightroom Banding

Overprocessing from a lack of experience is common among photographers which is why so many encounter banding issues when exporting from Lightroom. Learning to shoot RAW photos and understanding how to use the settings in Lightroom will strengthen you as a photographer and increase the quality of your work and have fewer banding issues in the future.

If you create logos with tools like Placeit or Canva, there might come a time when you may need to make adjustments to the logo, or break it apart only to use certain parts of it. The easiest way to do this is in Adobe Illustrator, but how is it done?

Objects like shapes and logos can be broken apart in Illustrator by using several different methods:

• Isolation Mode
• Pathfinder Effects
• Ungrouping

Working with logos can sometimes be complicated, especially if you’re trying to make changes to single elements of a completed design. Keep reading to learn more about breaking apart logos in Illustrator.

How to Break Apart a Logo in Isolation Mode

Adobe Illustrator’s Isolation Mode allows you to edit single objects or paths by isolating them from the rest of the design.

To enter Isolation Mode:

1. Double-click on the different elements to isolate the design
2. This can also be done through the Layers Panel by clicking the object layers and selecting Enter Isolation Mode
3. Now, you can delete, replace, and create new objects relative to your isolated object
4. When you’re done, simply hit Esc or click Exit Isolation mode in the Layers Panel

Now, let’s see how to break a logo using pathfinder on Illustrator.

Break Apart a Logo In Illustrator With Pathfinder

Different pathfinder effects allow you to cut and divide objects into standalone shapes. This can be used to break apart a logo into geometric and freehand shapes so that they can be rearranged or removed from the design altogether.

To use the pathfinder method, start by opening your document in Illustrator. Next, you will need to determine which is the best way to break the logo apart depending on the different design elements.

Some of the ways you can break a logo apart include:

• Cut through objects
• Cut objects freehand
• Divide into a grid
• Hide portions of an object

Once you’ve decided how you want to break apart your logo, follow the steps below.

Cut Through Objects With the Scissors Tool

Here’s how to cut through your logo with the scissors tool:

1. Grab the Scissors tool. This can be found on the toolbar by clicking and holding the Eraser
2. Select Scissors
3. Decide where you would like your split to happen
4. Click the path
5. Once the path is split, two anchor points will be created

Now, let’s see how to do this with the knife tool.

Cut Objects Freehand With the Knife Tool

Another way to cut through objects is using the Knife tool. This allows you to cut freehand along a path, dividing the object.

Here’s how to use it:

1. Grab the Knife tool by clicking and holding the Eraser tool
2. Select Knife
3. Click and drag the pointer over the area you want to cut out
4. The cuts you create will appear as strokes across the object
5. Switch to your Direct Selection tool
6. Drag the part away

Now, let’s see how to divide it into a grid.

Divide Your Logo Into a Grid

If your logo is made up of repeating patterns or sections, you may want to try breaking it up into a grid of equal parts.

To do this:

1. Make sure the object is selected
2. Click on Object from the options menu
3. Select Path
4. Select Split Into Grid
5. In the dialog box, enter the number of rows and columns that you would like to see
6. Click OK

Now, let’s see how to hide portions of a logo.

Hide Portions Of a Logo

If you would like to hide portions of your design, this can be done with the help of a clipping mask.

Here’s how:

1. Create the object you will use as a clipping mask
2. Move the object over the area you would like to mask
3. From the options menu
4. Select Object
5. Click Clipping Mask

That area should now be hidden from sight.

UnGrouping Logos to Break Them Apart

One of the easiest ways to break a logo apart starts with building it in Illustrator to begin with.

For example, let’s say you’ve worked on creating a logo with various shapes, and decided to group the objects together after finishing your design. Now, let’s say you would like to break that logo apart to make changes or only use certain aspects of the design.

To do this:

1. Grab your Selection tool
2. Click the object you would like to break up
3. Right-click on the object
4. Select Ungroup

You can now move the objects around freely, editing them to your liking.

Final Thoughts

Working with logos is never easy. Hopefully, this simple guide gave you a few ideas on how to break apart a logo in Adobe Illustrator so that you can keep on creating without getting caught up in the design process.

Inkscape gives you numerous ways to create great designs from scratch. You can draw everything by hand or use the many preset shapes. From there you can modify the lines, or paths, to create something unique and personal. You can even overlap and combine those paths if you so desire.

Because everything relies on the output, you must first plan out your design before you start messing with your paths. Therefore, by reading further, you will learn the appropriate times to use each method while learning how to implement them into your designs.

The Many Ways You Can Combine Overlapping Paths in Inkscape

Designing a complex work of art requires combining several smaller shapes and designs until your vision reveals itself. It does not matter if you are using Inkscape or another drawing program. That said, at the end of the day, you could use some way to convert these objects into one closed shape to finish the job. This could be because you like the design, or you must export it to a specialty printer such as a laser cutter.

Fortunately, Inkscape offers multiple ways to merge and link paths together, including:

• Group Object Tool
• Pattern Object Tool
• Combine Path Tool
• Union Path Tool

Some of these methods just require clicking a few buttons. Others require more manual labor. Either way, these methods result in a unique design you can further modify as needed.

To get you started, we listed every path merging method currently available in Inkscape along with reasons to use them. Depending on your desired result, several of these methods may get you there. However, there may be times when your options will be much more limited.

Group the Paths

Grouping the paths is by far the simplest and easiest way to combine them. Groups allow you to define multiple objects and paths as one single item. However, grouping keeps the individual items separate internally, letting you edit them like you normally would. You can even ungroup them later as needed.

To group several paths:

1. Use the rectangle selection tool to choose the paths you want to group together
2. Select the “Object>Group” menu item or press “Ctrl+G”

Once complete, your paths will act as a single object. From there you can move them around or change their stroke size, effects, and color just by clicking inside the group boundary. This makes the grouping method perfect for when you want to quickly apply certain effects to every path at once.

Create a Pattern for the Paths

Creating a pattern is similar to making a group as they function the same way. However, editing a pattern applies the alterations to a new layer, leaving the original paths intact. You can even make presets that will copy the paths as a unit. This makes patterns useful when you must repeat the paths multiple times. You just cannot change their color.

To convert a set of paths into a pattern:

1. Select the paths you want to convert
2. Select the “Object>Pattern> Object to Pattern” menu item or press “Alt+I”

You can convert the design back into paths using the “Pattern to Path” option.

Use the Combine Tool on the Paths

The previous methods treated your overlapping paths as objects, but if you must treat them as curves, you must use either the Combine or Union tools.

The Combine tool does what you think it does. It combines the paths into a single virtual path. All editing tools will see this virtual path, giving you full control over it. However, the individual paths remain separate, letting you modify them individually as needed.

You perform this task by:

1. Convert to path any path Inkscape still registers as objects
2. Select the paths
3. Choose the “Paths>Combine” menu item or press “Ctrl+K”

You can then use the “Break Apart” option from the Path tab to decouple the paths if needed.

Use the Union Tool to Permanently Combine the Overlapping Paths

If you must go all the way and convert your overlapping paths into one, you must use the Union tool. The Inkscape Union Tool comes in two flavors. One is for objects. The other is for paths. Both versions do the same thing. They take your selected elements and turn them into a single element with no going back, effectively deleting the overlap.

While you cannot undo a Union, the tool will give you full control over the result. The new united path is just an ordinary path. So, Inkscape treats it as such. The process also reduces your project’s object count, which can speed up your computer’s performance.

If you are ready to merge your paths,

1. Convert any path Inkscape sees as objects to paths
2. Select the paths you want to merge
3. Choose the “Path>Union” menu option or press “Ctrl++”

Only use this method if you need to merge the paths but do not expect to modify them further. For instance, Union works great when sending your designs for 3D printing, laser cutting, or to a CNC machine.

Manually Combine Overlapping Paths in Inkscape

The above path merging methods should work in most cases. However, they limit you to Inscape’s built-in functionality. As such, they may make a connection you do not want or leave artifacts on certain designs. In those cases, your best bet to combine your overlapping paths is to do it manually.

Luckily, you have options here as well:

• Join the Nodes – the simplest manual method is to go through each overlapping coordinate and join the nodes together (“Shift+j”). You might have to do this a thousand times (once per coordinate), but you get to decide which nodes to join and which to leave out.
• Edit the SVG file – The SVG format uses an extensible markup language (XML) that works similarly to HTML. Editing the code would give you full control over the merger, but you must be technically inclined, or you could corrupt and lose your design.

Now you know how to combine overlapping paths in Inkscape.

Conclusion

Inkscape offers several ways you can merge overlapping paths into a single element. Most of these methods are reversible as well. However, they all have their purpose which is based on your desired results.

Usually, when you open your Adobe Lightroom application and see the notification that it “needs to do some housekeeping” all you have to do is wait a few minutes while its progress bar fills, and the software undergoes any updates or changes it needs. However, some Lightroom users have noticed an error with this notification that freezes the progress bar in place and/or leaves the application in a housekeeping limbo that prevents them from using it indefinitely.

In this article, we will walk you through a detailed guide on how to fix the “Lightroom needs to do some housekeeping” error. As you read, you’ll learn some quick fixes might get back into Lightroom within minutes, as well as more time-consuming methods, such as cleaning your Lightroom messes, that you might need to try when all else fails.

Restart The Lightroom Application And Your Device

Once you notice that the dreaded housekeeping notification doesn’t seem to be going anywhere, you’ll want to start troubleshooting with the easiest and least influential possibilities first, and then work your way down the list.

Hopefully, the reason why your Lightroom application is stuck in housekeeping mode is because a simple error occurred somewhere in the process and all the program needs is a little push. Signing out and then closing out of Lightroom completely before reopening it and signing back in might be the quick fix you need.

This is probably one of the first things anyone will try when this issue occurs, so if you’ve already restarted Lightroom and are faced with the same issue, you might find that closing down the application and then restarting, or even shutting down and rebooting your device, might help.

Oftentimes, the process of restarting your application or device will trigger the housekeeping process to terminate and then start anew, which might remove an error that caused the problem.  

Check Your Adobe and Device Software

In an ideal world, a simple restart or reboot of your device was all you needed, and you haven’t even needed to get to this point. Unfortunately, it is all too common for technical issues such as this to require more trial and error until a resolution is found.

The next step here to try and end the housekeeping process in your Lightroom application would be to check related software.

Another reason why the housekeeping error might occur is from outdated software that is either preventing the process from completing or lacks certain fixes and improvements it needs.

To determine if your Lightroom application needs to be updated, open the “Help” menu and select the “Updates” option. If you can’t reach this on your device that is stuck in housekeeping, you could try updating the application on a separate device using the same account.

Alternatively, you could update the software by signing into your account on the Creative Cloud application and selecting your Lightroom subscription.

If you’ve determined that your Creative Cloud and Lightroom software are up to date, you’ll want to check your device’s software next for any simple updates or even a significant software upgrade if you’re using an older version.

Check Your Device’s Available RAM

Arguably the last method you can try that will have minimal to no effect on your device and Lightroom application is to check your device’s available RAM.

Lightroom might remain in housekeeping mode if it started this process without recognizing that your device did not have sufficient RAM space for it to complete the process. This is most commonly the case if it is trying to update the software.

Looking at Lightroom’s system requirements, you’ll notice that 8 GB of RAM is the minimum. However, since the application’s requirements can vary significantly depending on the size and number of images it houses, Adobe recommends systems dedicate at least 16 GB of RAM to the program.

If you check your device’s RAM and notice that it is full or close to it, then you might want to look through your other applications, folders, etc. and quickly eliminate anything you don’t need and can bear to lose. This will help free up space that Lightroom might need to complete the housekeeping process.

Check For The Folder Error

An odd error that sometimes occurs and prevents Lightroom from completing and closing this housekeeping process can be found in one of your device’s folders.

Removing it has helped more than one person resolve this issue, but be warned that while this might free Lightroom, it will likely result in the loss of any photos or editing work you had in progress before this notification appeared that wasn’t properly saved.

To find and remove this folder error, follow the steps listed below:

1. Ensure Lightroom is closed
2. Open the “Finder” window
3. Select “Go”
4. Open the “Go to Folder” option
5. Type and enter “ ~/pictures ”
6. Locate the bundle labeled “Lightroom Library.lrlibrary”
7. Right click or control click the bundle
8. Select the “Show Package Contents” option
9. Locate the folder inside that appears out of place and solely consist of a long sting of numbers and letters (ex. d1a4f88d2b534c7d91022136fd182532)
10. Open the folder found in the previous step
11. Delete all files named “Managed Catalog. [anything]” and “Previews.db”
12. Launch Lightroom

While this is an uncommon error to come across, it’s listed on the Adobe website under “Known issues in Lightroom” so it is worth a shot before progressing to the next method, which is much more influential and tedious.

Uninstall and Reinstall Lightroom

It’s no one’s favorite solution, but sometimes the best way to solve this issue is with a clean start by completely uninstalling and reinstalling Lightroom.

To manually uninstall Lightroom on a Windows device, simply select the “Start” button, open the “Control Panel” and then select the “Programs and Features” option. Under programs, you’ll Find Adobe Photoshop Lightroom. Click on it select the “Uninstall” option. For the most thorough uninstallation, you’ll also want to delete any preferences, catalog, and Lightroom files associated with the application.

To manually uninstall Lightroom on mac device, go to the “Finder” and open the “Applications” folder. Locate the Lightroom application inside and drag it to the Trash. Again, you’ll want to delete relevant files for a complete uninstallation.

Once you’ve done this, sign into the Adobe Create Cloud application to reinstall Lightroom and determining if the housekeeping issue is finally fixed.

Final Thoughts

Hopefully, by the end of this guide, your Lightroom application should be back to normal. If it isn’t, you’ll want to reach out to Adobe for help. A piece of advice that we’ll leave you with is that the housekeeping notification will often appear when your Lightroom files need to be cleaned up and organized. So after you resolve this problem, you might want to quickly check how messy your Lightroom is and manually perform any necessary housekeeping it might need.  

Photoshop and Illustrator are two of the most prominent editing tools in the online world. However, moving between the two can prove confusing in some instances. If you work in Illustrator, you may have layers to your project. Is it possible to keep those layers when moving a project from Illustrator to Photoshop?

If you’re interested in learning more about keeping Illustrator layers in Photoshop, you’ve come to the right place. Read on to learn more about the steps necessary to keep your Illustrator layers intact, even as you shift to another application. It won’t take too long to master the process.

Find Release to Layers Function

First, open your project in Illustrator. Ensure you have the project in front of you and everything is in place before moving forward. You should know how many layers you need and what goes on each layer for your proj

Once you have the file open in Illustrator, you need to:

1. Access layers: Open the layers function in Illustrator. You need to open layers to ensure everything is in place before the export process.
2. Put items in individual layers if needed: If you don’t have the layers separated, it’s critical to do so before moving forward. If you do, you can move forward in the process without doing anything.
3. Select release to layers: Place each item in a layer by copying and pasting each item in a designated spot.

You should have everything in each layer.

It’s critical to ensure every item is on its layer before moving forward to the next step. If you don’t separate everything, you will find it impossible to separate when in Photoshop. Once you have the layers, it’s time to begin the transfer process from one platform to the next.

Export the File

Once you’ve released the layers, it’s time to export the file for the first time. This step is critical. It’s the moment when the Illustrator file shifts to Photoshop. You will see all your layers shift back in place, or you will need to go back and complete the process again.

Here’s what you need to do to export the file:

1. Export: Locate the export button and press it.
2. Select: Choose PSD as the proper format for your exported file. Ensure you don’t pick another version, or the layers won’t transfer to Photoshop. 
3. Double-check: Take note of the exported file and repeat the process if necessary. If you don’t see the file after pressing export, hit the button again.

It will be in the right format and location after this point.

Once you press the export button, double-check to ensure the file is in the right place and the correct format for the next step. If it’s not in a PSD file, you won’t be able to complete the next step and open the file in Photoshop. If it is in PSD form, you can move forward.

Open in Photoshop

Next, it’s time to open Photoshop and open the exported file. You can examine Photoshop to determine if it got the job done or if there are missing Illustrator layers. When Photoshop opens, look in the right-bottom corner of the program. You will either see multiple layers or one single block of layers.

If you see a block, something went wrong, and the layers didn’t save. Head back to Illustrator to fix the trouble and continue to export until the file goes through. Take time with your steps to ensure you complete the process correctly.

Make Changes As Needed

With the layers in Photoshop, you can make all the changes you need to the project on a different platform. If you have all your layers, you can easily edit and change items that would be impossible to fix if the piece was stuck in one unit. The transfer of layers from Illustrator allows for more freedom in Photoshop.

If layers are not separated and transferred over to Photoshop, all shifts must occur in Illustrator before moving the project into Photoshop. Once in Photoshop, the changes could only be on the singular image. Exporting layers makes a world of a difference in the creative process.

Once you’ve made all the changes you need in Photoshop, it’s time to move on to the last step. Save your project and get ready to export.

Export and Repeat if Necessary

Once you have your final project in Photoshop, you can export the file. Check the export to determine everything is there, and then utilize the work to fit your needs. The export process means the end of Illustrator layers – it can all come together after the final Photoshop edits occur in the system.

When you have the process down, you can repeat it if necessary. It may take multiple exports to gather together all the images you need for your final endeavor.

What if you can’t get the hang of keeping your Illustrator layers in Photoshop? We have one solution in mind to ensure you master the process without too much time behind the computer. Practice, as with any new skill, makes perfect.

Continue to Practice

As with any new technique, it may take time to get used to moving files from Illustrator to Photoshop. It’s easy to hit an incorrect button and make a change you didn’t want for your work. However, it’s critical to remember that practice makes perfect when mastering your skills in the Adobe Suite.

If you don’t master it the first time, try again until it makes more sense. Eventually, you will be a master at shifting from Illustrator to Photoshop while keeping all layers intact. 

There are other ways to work with Illustrator and Photoshop while keeping your layers separate. The more you work with the provided tools, the more secrets you will uncover.

Nothing is worse than being in a good workflow and you are suddenly signed out of Lightroom. There are ways to fix the problem, and knowing the steps to prevent further work stoppages is a guaranteed path to success with the software. So why does Lightroom keep signing you out?

Lightroom may keep signing you out if the app has been corrupted or glitched or your license information is incorrect.

Lightroom is like the other Adobe Creative Cloud applications in that it can run processes that are meant to protect the users but could ultimately keep them from accessing their work. So read on and learn why Lightroom keeps signing you out!

Why Lightroom Keeps Signing You Out

Being repetitively signed out of Lightroom makes it hard to complete basic job tasks and will add time to your work day. Knowing a few reasons, you can prevent yourself from being ejected from your workspace and removed from the CC servers.

Reinstall the Software

It sounds like the scariest option but reinstalling the software could help repair the processes. It could also give the system time to process licenses and other information that could have gotten missed or didn’t load before. You don’t need to worry about deleting the software if you keep the program files on your computer.

The steps to reinstall the Lightroom software on your computer are as follows:

1. Uninstall Lightroom – You can remove the program by using the Adobe Lightroom Uninstall icon on the computer. Locate the Lightroom app with Finder and drag it to the bottom corner and the trash can. Once moved, the Lightroom uninstall will populate your screen.
2. Follow the prompts – One of the great things about Adobe software is that it only takes a few clicks to get it moving onto your computer. Following the prompts, you can select the download destination and choose if you want icons on your desktop.
3. Circle back – Once the last remnants of the program have gone, you should have an empty spot on your desktop where the icon was before. Don’t be sad! You can be back on the Adobe page by opening your internet icon and doing a quick search.
4. Fill the gap – Once you are back on the Adobe page, look for the Creativity & Design option on the top. A menu will come down with several options as you hover over it. Look under Featured Products, and Lightroom will be listed there. Click on it.
5. Back to work – Now that you are on the Lightroom page, there should be a large icon with the Lr emblem. The Lr emblem should have a large icon on your desktop and in the CC menu in the top right corner. By double-clicking on it, you open the installation process. Follow the prompts, and Lightroom will be reinstalled on your computer.

Once you are back to full strength, you can test the interface and see if you are still being signed up periodically. Often a new installation will cure any loading problems that could eject you from the program and restart the log-in process.

Check Your License Information

Another big problem that will cause you to log out constantly is your license information. Licenses are small bits of information that show the validity of your software and protect the company against theft and virus intrusions. If there are problems verifying it or it has trouble loading, you could be asked to log in again.

How to Check Your License Information on MacOS

There are several ways to check your license information (MacOS).

They include:

• Applications – The place to start looking for your license on a Mac is in the Applications folder. Inside there, you should be looking for the Utilities option. Utilities are just a catch-all folder that rounds up the informational aspects of Lightroom and shares them back and forth with the central server. Next, click Keychain access.
• Keychain access – Now that you are in the Keychain access, you should look for the Keychains option. It should be easy to find and somewhere up in the top left-hand corner of the screen. Once in this box, you should look for the Adobe User Profile and Adobe User OS Info folders.
• Restart Lightroom – Often, the folders can become overrun with other bits of info and need to be restarted to make them function properly. Restarting should only take a few moments, and you should know quickly if the process worked.

Working with Mac and Windows is different, but the license-sharing and retrieving process is almost identical.

How to Check Your License Information on Windows

Windows users have a similar process to Mac but a much quicker process that doesn’t require you to search multiple windows or drop-down menus.

The steps to reset the license information on Windows are as follows:

• Services – From the Start Menu, search for Services. Services is like Utilities in that it contains folders and programs that work beneath the surface to connect your Lightroom version with Adobe’s mainframe. The files inside could have weird names or be critical. Don’t delete files without purpose, as you will create a problem.
• Credential Manager – Inside the Services folder, you should look for the Credential Manager option. Credential Manager sounds like a fancy title for a banker, but it is where your authenticity certificates and the like are stored. Once you find Credential Manager, right-click and select Restart.

When you restart Credential Manager, it will reload all your access certificates and log-in information—just like with Mac, having the correct files that aren’t corrupted will enable you to get back to work without logging in consistently.

Conclusion

When you are constantly being asked to log in with Lightroom, you will see a fall-off in production and an increase spent working with the application. There are ways to prevent unwanted log-ins, and by quickly checking your computer, you can find out why the problem continues.

Working with Mac and Windows means you will have different methods for each system. While they are similar, additional file and menu names could prevent you from getting to the right place to correct the problem. When you are constantly asked to log in to Lightroom, ensure you have the proper licenses and the latest software version.

Lightroom is a powerful post-processing tool that has become a necessity for many photographers. Not only can it edit photos, but it acts as a photo management tool as well. But what happens when files are exported at a much smaller size than expected?

Often, files are uploaded to Lightroom in RAW format, which is a large file size with a lot of information. When a file is exported from Lightroom, it is usually done in the form of a JPEG. This is a compressed file format, meaning the file size is smaller than the original upload.

Seeing a file shrink from 25MB to 800KB can come as a bit of a shock. Keep reading for more information on why Lightroom exports such small file sizes.

Why Are You Lightroom Exports So Small?

There are several reasons why exported finalized photos from Lightroom are so small. However, it’s not as detrimental to your photo as it might seem. In fact, it is completely normal that Lightroom is exporting much smaller files.

To start with, many photographers shoot in RAW with cameras that have a lot of megapixels. Because of the vast amount of information these files hold, they are generally quite large.

Images in RAW format are not compressed. The way these files are saved in Lightroom enables you to always have access to the original pictures. However, once editing is done, the file needs to be exported in a different format.

The compression technology built into JPEG is very effective. When you export to JPEG, data that was present before compression is lost and the pixel values that are produced are lossy compressed. However, you won’t be able to tell the difference because of how cleverly this is done. JPEGs will always be smaller than their RAW file sources as a result.

How Do You Export A Full Size In Lightroom?

When exporting photos from Lightroom, you want to do so without losing quality. This generally means you’ll want full-sixed files, which usually results in large file sizes.

If you are exporting for print, using a full-sized file is recommended. However, if your photos are intended for use in the digital space, large image files are not necessary. Still, full-sized is generally the norm. Follow these steps to export full-sized images in Lightroom.

Choose Which Files To Export

One of the appealing aspects of Lightroom is batch editing. This also means that you can export multiple images at a time without having to repeat the process for each one. So, your first step is to select your photos.

Once your files are chosen, click the Export button to open the Export dialog box. From here, set the save destination and either choose an export preset or specify custom export settings.

Select Export Settings

If you want to export your photos using the presets that already exist within Lightroom, simply select the preset and click export. These Lightroom presets may include:

• Burn Full-Sized JPEGs
• Export to PNG
• For Email
• Social (Facebook, Instagram, Web)

The preset export options in Lightroom have basic functionality that may make them seem convenient, but may also prevent you from getting the best results.

Another approach is to manually specify each export option. As a result, you have more control over the export process and can select the precise options that are best for each format.

You can then select export settings for quality and color space based on the format you select. Additionally, there are options for image sizing in the Export dialog box. These options can be based on predefined dimensions, a maximum width or height, or a predetermined resolution.

Exporting From Lightroom: What Is The Best Setting?

How you export your photos will depend on how those images will be used.

Prints for photography, for instance, can range in size from wallet-sized images to extra-large, frame-ready prints. One of the biggest export concerns is making sure the photos maintain the highest level of quality because they can be printed in very large formats.

On the other hand, there are a variety of uses for images created for online use, so you should make sure you have the best Lightroom export settings for the web. Each photographer will have different preferences, but when it comes to exporting images from Lightroom for online viewing, a smaller file size takes precedence over an exceptionally high resolution.

Final Thoughts

This article hopefully gave you a better understanding of why Lightroom is exporting such small files. Knowing how to export photos from Lightroom is only one aspect of the multi-functional program. However, this knowledge can help you avoid mishaps such as poor image quality or image size limitations in printing.

If you’ve ever watched a speedpainting video, you may have wondered how the artist was able to get smooth lines and flawless textures without switching between programs. Photoshop is arguably one of the most popular editing software programs on the market, but that doesn’t mean it can do everything, at least not without a bit of help.

Plugins are a great way to enhance your Photoshop experience and turn this jack-of-all-trades software into an expert painting program. But, you first need to know which plugins to use. Keep reading to learn about the 7 best speedpaint plugins to add to Photoshop.

1. Coolorus 2

This is a color wheel plugin that can help speed up workflow by offering a variety of features that help you choose the colors for your painting.

With features such as Gamut lock and Color Mixer, you can easily pick and organized colors for your palette so that you don’t waste time trying to figure out the best combinations to use. Gamut lock provides a limited color wheel that can help you create a clean and cohesive look and speed up painting.

Other features include:

• Color modes
• Color harmonies
• Luminosity lock
• 6 color spaces
• Simple mode

Coolorus 2 is a paid plugin, but it is one of the best on the market for anyone working with painting in Photoshop.

2. Rebelle 5

If you are a speedpainter, then Rebelle 5 is definitely one to check out. This is a digital painting program that allows artists to create hyper-realistic paintings with the look of oils, acrylics, watercolors, and more. On top of that, the program offers a Record Time-Lapse tool, so that you can record your painting from start to finish.

With their new Photoshop plugin, artists can access functions found in Rebelle 5 without having to switch between programs, saving time and making the creative process extremely smooth.

3. Lazy Nezumi Pro

This is a plugin that allows you to create smooth lines with the use of your pen or mouse. It works by adding stabilizers and scripting to Photoshop so that you can create clean line art and painting without the need to slow down and backtrack.

If you are an artist who spends ages trying to get the lines right, then Lazy Nezumi is definitely a plugin you’ll want to try out.

4. MagicSquire

Organization is a must when it comes to speedpainting. MagicSquire is a plugin that allows you to organize your brushes for easy access by color groups. You can also create preset settings so that when you select a brush all of your saved features will populate automatically.

5. Perspective Tools

Perspective is often the bane of many artists’ existence. It can also take up quite a bit of time to get it right. However, with a plugin like Perspective Tools, artists can place textures in the correct perspective in a flash.

Keep in mind that this plugin does require a bit of knowledge about perspective to get it right. However, once you have the hang of it, Perspective Tools can help speed up productivity, helping you get your painting done in no time at all.

6. Color Constructor

If you work with a lot of shadows and lighting, Color Constructor is a must. This plugin allows artists to get an idea of how different lighting affects the colors of a scene.

Instead of spending time looking for the right reference picture on the internet, simply download this plugin and let Photoshop do the work for you. This can help cut down on research time, allowing you to keep up with the flow of painting without sacrificing believability in your art.

7. ParticleShop

If you work with a lot of particle effects, then this is the plugin for you. ParticleShop is a brush plugin for Photoshop that can create speckled strokes in a flash.

If you are a speedpainter, you probably don’t want to spend too much time adding every little fleck of dust or spark from an ember. Still, these are the details that enhance a painting and give it life.

Need to add dust to an old book? Or maybe you want to paint a sweater with frayed pieces of yarn. Simply grab the brush you need from the extensive library and start painting.

Final Thoughts

Though Photoshop is a powerful tool, it can’t do everything. But switching between programs in the middle of a project isn’t always viable either. Hopefully, these 7 plugins for Photoshop can help you keep up with the flow and enhance your imagery during your speedpainting projects. 

There are several reasons why Lightroom is expensive, especially to hobbyists or those outside of the US and you may be curious as to what those are.

I’ve discovered 5 main reasons why Lightroom is so expensive and what that means for you and other consumers of Adobe creative products!

1. Subscription Model

Lightroom used to have a standalone version of Lightroom. However, with all things these days, they went to a subscription model. It costs, on the cheapest end, $9.99. While that may not seem like a lot, on a monthly basis that can add up, especially for hobby users or those outside of the US.

Many people have complained about the subscription model because they would rather pay an upfront licensing cost instead of the monthly based subscription. However, doing it this way does allow for updates and new features to come out and update easier.

It also means that they don’t have to keep releasing versions of it. This means you do not have to keep paying the entire upfront cost anytime a better version comes out. So, while it does seem to be a little pricey, in the long run, you won’t have to drop hundreds of dollars on newer versions.

You may still be able to find older standalone versions for sale or the licenses at least. Anything relatively new must go through the subscriptions. It does also do automatic updates and things like that which can be a problem if you like a specific version more than a newer one.

Subscriptions are the way that almost every tech industry is heading toward, but in some cases, it can feel more like a hindrance than a help.

2. Cloud Storage

One of the big perks is cloud storage. You get 20-100GB, depending on which package you choose. However, you can always spend a little extra and get even more storage. For photographers, this means having a place to keep and store RAW files easily.

Cloud storage doesn’t come super cheap though because when you store files in a cloud it is using space on servers and can make it more expensive for them to host these files. That is why cloud storage prices are how they are.

Some people feel like cloud storage isn’t worth the extra costs that are automatically tacked on, but in reality, it came everything much easier. Storing and accessing your files right from cloud storage can be helpful for a lot of people.

Cloud storage can also help keep things organized, especially for those that may have a hard time keeping things separated via folders on the computer. It can also be helpful if you only have so much space available on your computer.

3. Add Ons

Not only can you get lightroom, but you also have the option to get packages from the complete adobe suite. Obviously, these options will increase the cost of the base monthly price, but depending on what you need to achieve, it could be worth it.

For instance, an extra $10 a month can get you photoshop and 20GB of cloud, compared to $9.99 for lightroom with 1TB of storage.

You may also want to try dabbling in other things and the Adobe Creative Cloud, for the entire thing, is $54.99, which comes with things like illustrator. You may also note that there is an option for a free trial of adobe stock. That is not included in the packages. It is a standalone subscription that costs $29.99 a month. However, if you are doing a lot with stock photos, it may be a good addition to your arsenal of creative tools.

4. Quality

Lightroom is by far one of the best photo editing tools available. Now if you are doing less editing and more manipulation, that’s more of a photoshop tool. However, for photographers/photo editors, you will find that lightroom offers everything you need.

It’s fairly easy to learn with a clean UI that makes it an easy-to-navigate program. It’s also incredibly popular which means if there is something you aren’t sure how to do in Lightroom, there will most likely be a tutorial somewhere online.

Adobe also has the support you can contact for any bugs or issues with any of the Adobe products under the Creative Cloud umbrella.

Lightroom also helps tremendously with keeping everything organized. This means you shouldn’t have a ton of problems keeping track of all your photos, RAW or otherwise. If you choose to use their cloud service, all those photos will be backed up as well.

There is no longer the issue of losing photos that you have on your PC because of a hardware failure, All these little features and perks may not seem like they are worth the money separately, but when you add them all together, you can make your life so much easier!

5. Name Brand Recognition

As with all popular things, the name can make a product worth a lot more just on reputation alone. Adobe has been a leader in photo editing and photo manipulation. There are free or semi-free alternatives out there, but nothing even touches on Lightroom.

The reason why name recognition and reputation play such a large role in the pricing of goods or services is that you know what you are most likely to get. Obviously, sometimes things go wrong, but when a majority of users are reporting good things, you can have peace of mind.

With how popular Adobe products are, it’s surprising that they aren’t charging more for some of the services that they offer. They do also offer free trials, which is something that a lot of companies have moved away from.

So, you can try it risk-free before you invest your hard-earned money into it, especially if you aren’t sure you’d like to pay for the monthly subscriptions.

Conclusion

As you can see, there are quite a few reasons why Lightroom is expensive. It’s a good quality product that is backed by years of customer raves and reviews. There are also plenty of tutorials online, which makes learning very easy.

The cost can seem intimidating to some, but there are so many perks that make it worth it. And if you are still unsure, you can always give it a test run and you don’t lose anything by trying it.

DNG or Digital Negative files are an image format created by Adobe that caters specifically to digital photography. Those using Adobe Lightroom may see their uncompressed RAW files converted to DNG during the importing process.

On average, Lightroom converts RAW files to DNG when this option is selected when importing photos. It can also be automatically saved as a preference once checked, and users should know what this conversion entails for their files.

If you are a Lightroom user interested in finding out why it converts RAW files to DNG, read on below to find out more about how this works and what it means for your photos.

Why Does Lightroom Convert RAW Files to DNG?

Adobe Lightroom is an image editing software usually preferred by photographers for post-processing RAW files. Usually, users will import uncompressed RAW files from their cameras to Lightroom. At times, these may be converted to DNG, another RAW format.

There are several reasons why Lightroom converts RAW files to DNG. These are the most common ones:

• The ‘Copy as DNG’ setting is checked when importing: This can easily happen when files are being imported to Lightroom. You will see several options in the dialogue that pops up, including ‘Copy as DNG’, ‘Copy’, and ‘Add’.
• The prior setting is automatically used: Whichever import setting you’ve used last in Lightroom will usually be automatically applied on the next import. If you forget to uncheck the ‘Copy as DNG’ option, Lightroom will continue to convert RAW to DNG.

Regardless of the reason why Lightroom converts RAW files to DNG, you should be aware of what this conversion means for your images.

Should You Convert RAW Files to DNG?

When deciding whether or not to let Lightroom convert RAW files to DNG, you may wonder which of these formats is the most suitable for your work. The DNG file format was created by Adobe as an open-source, royalty-free option designed specifically for photo editing.

There are benefits to both file formats. DNG files are overall more straightforward to edit. Unprocessed RAW images can’t be edited directly, as the data on them must be preserved. This also means that RAW files carry the full information of the photo, including all metadata.

While DNG files are smaller, the difference in overall image quality is minimal. You can choose to have a DNG copy of an image that contains the full RAW information within itself, which will double the size.

You should convert RAW files to DNG if you want to have an easy and quick editing experience in Adobe products. The DNG file format was created to provide assistance with post-processing, especially in Lightroom.

What Does Converting to DNG Mean?

When you select the option to convert RAW files to DNG in Lightroom, they will be added to your Lightroom catalog. The DNG files will occupy less space on your hard drive, and will be easier to edit, from exposure settings to presets.

Converting RAW files to DNG means that you will have more space to work on your images while sacrificing minimal quality in the process. You will also get to avoid managing the .XMP files you would otherwise have to deal with when editing unprocessed RAW images.

Converting to DNG involves the data on the RAW file getting processed into something that works seamlessly with Adobe products like Lightroom and Camera Raw. This process doesn’t alter the RAW data, it simply compresses it and prepares it for editing.

Why Did Adobe Create the DNG File Format?

Adobe created the DNG or Digital Negative Specification file format back in 2004, in an effort to give photographers a standardized file format for RAW images. Since then, DNG has become a file format supported by some of the biggest names in tech, including Google.

The DNG file format was created using the TIFF 6.0 model, and has significantly reduced compatibility issues with RAW files. Photographers around the world have been able to use, edit, and share RAW images much more easily than before DNG appeared as an option.

Adobe also created the DNG file format to provide a highly compatible file format for their software. Beyond offering a consistently compatible format, DNG also adds to the benefits of using Lightroom and other Adobe products.

Can You Convert DNG Back to RAW?

Once Lightroom converts RAW files to DNG, you may wonder if you can reverse the process. While it is easy to convert RAW to DNG, the same is not true when you want to convert DNG back to RAW.

DNG cannot be converted back to proprietary RAW file formats, but there is a way to get around this issue. When you import RAW files into Lightroom and choose to copy them as DNG, you should also select the option to preserve the original RAW data in the conversion.

While this will double the size of the file, you will be able to continue having access to the full RAW data. When needed, this can be extracted with a separate application like the Adobe DNG Converter.

If you want to preserve the original RAW information when converting to DNG, you will have to access the Preferences tab in Lightroom. There, go to File Handling and check the ‘Embed Original RAW File’ option. This will be applied automatically when converting to DNG.

How to Stop Lightroom From Converting to DNG

There is a straightforward way to ensure that Lightroom does not convert RAW files to DNG. When you import your RAW files into this Adobe product, make sure to check the import dialogue box.

You will see several options there, including ‘Copy’, ‘Copy as DNG’, and ‘Add’. You can use ‘Copy’ and ‘Add’ to import RAW files either from your camera or from your hard drive. Not selecting ‘Copy as DNG’ will ensure that your files will be imported as RAW files.

If you want to stop Lightroom from converting to DNG after a batch of DNG files, remember to select ‘Copy’ or ‘Add’ manually the next time you wish to add media to it.

Conclusion

Lightroom converts RAW files to DNG to make the editing process smoother and to create a compatible format for RAW images. This can be done when selecting the appropriate option during the import process, and will automatically apply this option on subsequent imports.