Developing a Complete Workflow: From Import to Export
(Foundational Tutorial Series — Lesson 8 — Series 1 Finale)
You’ve made it through the foundational lessons — from organizing and editing to creating presets and fine-tuning the final details.
Now it’s time to bring everything together into a complete Lightroom workflow.
A consistent workflow not only saves time but also helps you stay creative and confident while editing.
When you know what comes next, you can focus on the artistic side of the process instead of getting lost in the technical steps.
This lesson walks through a full start-to-finish edit, showing how each part of the Lightroom process fits together.
Think of it as a roadmap — flexible enough to fit your own style, but structured enough to guide you through every session efficiently.
This final lesson in Series 1 ties everything together — turning the individual techniques you’ve learned into a cohesive, repeatable editing process you can make your own.
1. Start with Organization and Import
A smooth workflow starts before you ever touch a slider.
Having your images imported and organized properly makes everything that follows easier.
Quick Recap:
- Use a consistent folder structure (e.g., Photos → Year → Location or Project).
- Add keywords and metadata during import for easier searching later.
- Apply an import preset if you have one — basic lens corrections or a preferred starting profile.
After import, go to the Library Module and flag or rate your selects.
Cull out duplicates and near-misses so you’re only spending time on your strongest photos.
2. Apply a Preset (Optional Starting Point)
Before you begin adjusting sliders manually, you can apply one of your existing presets as a starting point.
Presets serve as creative baselines — they give you a quick way to establish color, tone, or mood.
How to Use Presets Effectively:
- Hover over a preset in the Presets Panel to preview the effect.
- Choose one that fits your lighting or intended style.
- Treat presets as a starting point — not a finished edit.
If you prefer building every edit from scratch, you can skip this step.
But as your preset library grows, applying one here can speed up your workflow and help maintain consistency across similar images.
3. Begin with Global Adjustments
Move to the Develop Module and start with the big picture.
The Basic panel is where you’ll establish the overall balance of your image.
Suggested Order:
- White Balance: Correct or set the mood.
- Exposure: Dial in overall brightness.
- Contrast: Add global separation between lights and darks.
- Highlights/Shadows: Recover detail where needed.
- Whites/Blacks: Fine-tune tonal range using the histogram.
Your goal here is simple: create a balanced, natural foundation.
Don’t worry about perfection — subtle is best at this stage.
4. Refine with Tone and Color
Once exposure and balance feel right, move into the creative adjustments that shape the look and feel of your image.
Tone Curve: Add contrast with a gentle S-curve or lift the blacks for a softer look.
HSL / Color: Adjust hue, saturation, and luminance to emphasize specific colors.
Color Grading: Add warmth to highlights or cool tones to shadows.
Calibration: Make small global color shifts to fine-tune the overall palette.
Always make these adjustments intentionally.
Each tweak should support the story or mood of your photo.
Don’t forget — these creative tone and color decisions often define your style.
If you find yourself repeating certain looks, that’s a sign you’re building consistency (and possibly a preset worth saving later).
5. Add Local Adjustments
With your foundation in place, now it’s time to guide the viewer’s eye and refine specific areas.
Use masks, brushes, or gradients to adjust only what needs attention.
Common Local Adjustments:
- Lighten the main subject with a subtle Exposure brush.
- Add Texture or Clarity to foreground elements.
- Use radial or linear gradients to darken edges and add depth.
- Apply Dehaze selectively to skies or backgrounds.
Small, purposeful adjustments here can dramatically improve the image without making the edit look heavy-handed.
6. Apply Finishing Touches
Now add the subtle refinements that give your photo polish and dimension.
Recommended Ranges:
- Texture: +10 to +25 (negative for portraits)
- Clarity: +10 for punch; –10 for softness
- Dehaze: +5 to +15 for haze control
- Sharpening: Only if needed — 40–60 Amount, with Masking
- Grain: 10–20 Amount for a filmic finish
Toggle Before/After (\) frequently at this stage.
You should see improvement — not transformation.
These finishing adjustments should feel almost invisible.
They’re meant to complete the image, not call attention to themselves.
7. Save a New Preset
If the final edit captures a look you want to revisit, now is the perfect time to save it as a preset.
How to Save It:
- In the Presets Panel, click the “+” icon.
- Select Create Preset.
- Name it clearly.
- Choose which settings to include (leave out Crop, Transform, etc.).
- Click Create.
This preset can now be used at the beginning of future edits — tying your workflow and style together over time.
8. Exporting Your Final Image
Exporting is how you deliver your finished photo to the world.
It brings together your color space, sharpening, size, and quality settings.
Recommended Export Settings (General Use)
- File Type: JPEG
- Color Space: sRGB
- Quality: 80–90
- Resolution:
- 300 ppi (print)
- 72 ppi (web/social)
- Output Sharpening:
- Screen (Standard) for web
- Matte or Glossy Paper for print
Exporting for Different Uses
For Social Media:
- Resize to long edge 2048 px (Facebook) or 2160 px (Instagram)
- Keep file size under ~2–3 MB
For Printing:
- Export at full resolution
- 300 ppi, correct paper type sharpening
- Consider exporting as TIFF for pro labs
For Archiving or Clients:
- High-quality JPEG or TIFF
- Include metadata
- Keep edits and exported files separate for flexibility
Creating Export Presets
Export presets save time and ensure consistency.
Examples:
- Instagram Upload
- Facebook Web
- Full-Resolution Print
- Client Delivery
Each preset stores size, sharpening, watermark, and file type settings.
Looking Ahead
Exporting is a topic with a lot of depth.
In a future bonus lesson or Series 2, we’ll cover advanced export workflows, resizing strategies, output sharpening, and preparing files for professional labs.
For now, these core settings will ensure reliable, high-quality results.
My Workflow Tip
My own editing sessions follow this same structure, but I don’t treat it as a checklist.
It’s more like a rhythm — a way to stay organized while still leaving room for creativity.
When I feel stuck, I step away instead of forcing the image to work.
Often, coming back later with fresh eyes shows me exactly what it needs.
A consistent workflow isn’t about rigidity — it’s about freeing mental space so creativity can take the lead.
Conclusion
A complete Lightroom workflow isn’t just about efficiency — it’s about intention.
By following a logical order and keeping your edits purposeful, you build consistency and confidence with every image.
This marks the end of Series 1: Lightroom Foundations, but it’s only the beginning of what you can create.
Now that you understand how each tool fits into the bigger picture, you can approach any photo with a clear plan and a creative mindset.
In the next series, we’ll explore more advanced techniques — from color grading and texture overlays to building cohesive project themes — expanding your editing toolbox one layer at a time.
Thank you for following along through Series 1 of the Photo Editing Tutorial Series.
Stay tuned for Series 2, where we’ll take creative editing and visual storytelling to the next level.