This is the general scope and sequence of image editing steps I take, and teach my students to use in Lightroom Develop or Adobe Camera Raw.

Why it Matters:

Having a basic sequence to follow can shorten the time spent, help create better imageS, and prevent some edits from having to be readjusted over and over.

But, it should be noted that everyone develops there own “normal” sequence over time with experience. So, take these suggestions as just that, not as rules.

And, of course, not all images need all the possible adjustments. And some images just do not follow a normal sequence at all. Experience will help you decide what to do or not do. Further, even in the best of circumstances, some later edits may interact poorly with edits you made at the beginning...so going back and adjusting is very common. Stating over is common. Creating versions is common. Using the Auto correct button is commonly used as starting point, especially for those without a lot of experience or for images you think of as “snapshots”.

• Choose a Profile, but only if you know one will help the image from the get-go, these can be helpful and leave all your sliders at Zero. Note, Profiles are not necessary if you would rather start on an image from the raw/untouched data.

• ACR only, not Lightroom Develop, look into the Workflow Options (this is the old style linked text at the bottom of the ACR window: If you are prepping images for a certain print size or use this can save a lot of time. If you just want highest quality and most flexible workflow then this can be your normal settings

• Crop and Straighten

• White Balance settings

• Basics panel for exposure and contrast, adjustments on the whole image

• Color Adjustments

• The targeted adjustments: The Masking options

• Noise Reduction – Note if using Enhance or Topaz for severe noise, it makes more sense to move this to the TOP of the list

• Sharpen, might be done last and only on the publishable archive

• Other Choices that depend on a number of criteria: Vignette, Transform, Lens Blur

• Archive the finished image

How to set your Default Settings for the Develop Module

Once you have worked with Adobe Camera Raw editing controls in the Develop Module for awhile you will want to save the default values for your workflow. Carefully go thru and set all that you want to have be the defaults. Then create a Preset that holds those edits. Then go to the Preferences and choose the Presets Panel. Next to the word “Global” select the Preset you made. Then restart Lightroom.