By Andrew Hales, Lead Photographer, New Zealand Maritime Museum
Produced by New Zealand Maritime Museum 2025
Brief Summary
This is a basic post-processing workflow for image files using Adobe Lightroom Classic. LRC is a professional photo processing program aimed at advanced and professional photography, so it has a lot of features not needed for basic heritage imaging. But it can be easily used to check images for quality control and create derivatives for access, linking to your CMS and saving to your digital archive.
It can work with batches or large collections of images at once, which along with being a huge time saver, ensures consistency in how files are handled.
Because LRC uses a database, files need to be imported, which shows the program with which you want to work.
Files are then exported to create the derivatives that are saved for access and archiving.
One advantage LRC has is it does a checksum-based file validation of the files it creates during the export. This occurs automatically, and the user is only made aware if something goes wrong, allowing them to run the export again or seek further assistance.
Note: Adobe Lightroom is a different program without the useful features found in Adobe Lightroom Classic.
Open Adobe Lightroom Classic
In the bottom left corner, click Import.
This will bring up your import screen:
- Navigate to the required folder.
- Make sure all relevant images are ticked.
- On the right-hand side, build previews to standard and tick don’t import suspected duplicates.
Click Import at the bottom right.
After clicking Import, a progress bar will begin at the top right corner. Wait until this has finished.
Processing
Finished processing
Check through your work.
- Are your images orientated around the right way? If not, rotate to the correct orientation.
- Did you catch anything in the image you shouldn’t have?
Your hand
Card/paper
Foam block! - Do you need to retake anything? Note this for the next session if so.
- Are your filenames correct?
Use Ctrl-A to select all images within the folder.
On the right-hand side. Under Quick Develop.
- To the right of Saved Preset.
Click the drop-down menu (it will say Default Settings or Custom to begin with)
User presets
Without a preset, image correction settings are as follows:
Sharpening
- Amount: 92
- Radius: 1.0
- Detail: 25
- Masking: 0
Lens Correction
- Tick ‘Enable Profile Corrections’
White Balance
- Custom for your set up
Tone
- -5 Blacks
These settings can be applied by using the Develop Tab if required.
Save these settings as a preset to use next time
With all images selected, in the bottom left corner, click Export.
Under User Presets, select (tick the box) the following:
- EITHER 8-bit TIFF OR 16-bit TIFF
Use the 8-bit TIFF for archives
Use the 16-bit TIFF for 3D objects, albums, and artworks - JPEG for Access
- JPEG for Vernon
- Original Archive Master
Click Batch Export.
Select the destination folder for each file type.
- Save TIFF and Original are saved to the Digital Archive
- Save JPEG to access the folder or folders for access and linking to CMS
- Click Export
Exportation Settings are saved within Lightroom Classic as User Presets.
The following are standards we use and have set up for various other Museums
- Original for archive
File settings: Image format original
No settings changed upon export
Exports the RAW file if photographed and TIFF file if scanned
Used for all object types
- 8-bit TIFF
File export 8-bit TIFF
No file compression
sRGB colour space
Used for paper-based archives
- 16-bit TIFF
File export 16-bit TIFF
No file compression
Adobe RGB colour space
Used for objects, albums, artworks
- JPEG for Collection Management System (these settings are for Vernon CMS, adjust to suit your needs).
File export JPEG
Quality: 60
sRGB colour space
Image sizing: 3000 pixels along longest side, don’t enlarge is ticked
Output sharpening: sharpen for screen, amount, low
Exports one JPEG file
Used for all object types
- JPEG Access Master, no image resizing
File export JPEG
Quality: 80
sRGB colour space
Output sharpening: sharpen for screen, amount, low
Exports one JPEG file
Used for all object types