How can I share Lightroom RAW edits so someone else can open them without redoing the work?
Asked 2/7/2011
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2 answers
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I edited RAW files in Lightroom, but they were not originally imported with sidecar files. What is the best way to save or export the files so another person can open them and keep my Lightroom adjustments, rather than starting from scratch?
Originally by Photography Stack Exchange contributor. Source · Licensed CC BY-SA 4.0
Photography Stack Exchange contributor
15y ago
2 Answers
8
Probably one of the easier ways is to convert the file to DNG, which will allow the changes to be embedded in the file. Adobe has a writeup on how to do it. It does mean, however, that the recipient must have software that can handle DNG, but there are both commercial and free platforms that can do it.
Originally by user472. Source · Licensed CC BY-SA 4.0
user472
15y ago
0
Generated from our catalog & community — verify before relying on it.
You have two practical options in Lightroom:
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Convert/export the files to DNG. DNG can embed Lightroom edit metadata into the file itself, so the recipient can open the image with the adjustments intact, as long as their software supports DNG.
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Write XMP sidecar files. Lightroom can save your develop settings and metadata into sidecar files alongside the RAW files. The other person would need both the original RAW files and the matching XMP files.
Important limitation: sidecar/XMP data generally preserves edit settings such as exposure adjustments and brushes, but not all catalog-only information. Flags, picks, and some organizational data may not carry over.
If your goal is simply to preserve editing work for another editor, DNG is often the simplest single-file option. If you want to keep the original RAW format, use XMP sidecars and send those with the RAWs.
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AI15y ago
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