Exporting Photos: Free Lightroom Tutorial

Topics Covered in This Lightroom Tutorial:

Professional Photo Exporting Techniques, Custom Export Preset Creation

Exercise Preview

Exercise Overview

In this comprehensive exercise, you'll master the art of exporting your carefully edited photos from Lightroom's Develop module. This workflow represents the final, crucial step in your digital photography process—transforming your RAW edits into publication-ready files. By the end of this tutorial, you'll have created a custom export preset that streamlines your future workflow and ensures consistent, professional output every time.

Exporting Photos

1. Navigate to the Library module to access your complete photo collection and organizational tools.

2. In the Folders panel on the left sidebar, locate and click on the Develop folder to display your edited images.

3. Select your entire batch of edited photos by pressing Cmd–A (Mac) or CTRL−A (Windows). This bulk selection approach saves significant time when processing multiple images with identical export settings.

4. Access the export dialog by navigating to File > Export, which opens Lightroom's comprehensive export control panel.

5. At the dialog's top section, ensure the first Export To dropdown menu displays Hard Drive. This setting directs your exports to local storage rather than cloud services or third-party platforms.

6. Keep this dialog open—we'll configure multiple settings before executing the export. Under the Export Location section, select Specific folder from the Export To menu to maintain precise control over your file destinations.

7. Click the Choose button to browse your system's folder structure.

8. Navigate to your Desktop for easy access to your exported files. The Desktop location ensures your processed images remain immediately visible and accessible.

9. Create a new destination by clicking the New Folder button.

10. Name your new folder YourName Pictures, replacing "YourName" with your actual name or project identifier. Confirm the folder remains selected after creation.

11. Finalize your destination selection by clicking Choose (Mac) or Select Folder (Windows).

12. Enable the Put in Subfolder option to create additional organizational structure within your main export directory.

13. In the subfolder text field, enter Developed Photos. This naming convention clearly distinguishes processed images from original files.

14. Configure your file output parameters under File Settings (scroll down if necessary). These settings determine your final image quality and compatibility:

    Image Format:	Select JPEG from the dropdown menu for maximum compatibility across devices and platforms.
    Quality:	Set to 100 to preserve maximum image fidelity and detail.
    Color Space:	Choose sRGB for optimal web display and general-purpose viewing.

15. Under Output Sharpening, activate the Sharpen For checkbox to apply appropriate sharpening algorithms. Configure these critical sharpening parameters:

    Sharpen For:	Select Screen from the dropdown to optimize for digital display viewing.
    Amount:	Choose Standard for balanced sharpening that enhances detail without creating artifacts.

16. In the Metadata section, select All Metadata from the Include dropdown menu. This preserves your complete EXIF data, copyright information, and keywords for future reference.

    Verify that all additional metadata options in this section remain unchecked to prevent unwanted data modifications.

17. Under Watermarking, confirm that the Watermark option remains unchecked unless you specifically require branded output.

18. In the Post-Processing section, set After Export to Do nothing. This prevents automatic launching of external applications that might slow your workflow.

19. Before proceeding to create your export preset, carefully review all settings against this reference image. These configurations will become your template for future exports:

    

Saving an Export Preset

Now that you've configured the optimal export settings, let's create a reusable preset that will dramatically accelerate your future workflow efficiency.

1. Locate the Add button in the dialog's bottom-left corner and click it to create your custom preset.

2. In the New Preset dialog box, enter Export to YourName Pictures Folder in the Preset Name field. Use descriptive preset names that clearly indicate both destination and settings for easy identification in future projects.

3. Click Create to save your custom preset configuration. This preset now appears in your presets panel for instant access.

4. Execute your export by clicking the Export button. Lightroom will now process each selected image according to your specified parameters.

5. Monitor the export progress via the progress indicator in the top-left corner of the Lightroom interface. Processing time varies based on image count, file sizes, and your system's processing power.

   Excellent work! You've successfully completed a professional-grade export workflow. Your processed images now exist as high-quality, properly formatted files ready for sharing, printing, or further distribution. The custom preset you created will streamline all future exports with identical requirements, saving valuable time on recurring projects.