Should I be using Adobe Bridge?

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wotan1

wotan1

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A very accomplished photographer friend of mine suggested I use Adobe Bridge to organize my images and workflow.

Do any of you use Bridge? Also where do I go to get training so I know how to use it.
 
If you use lightroom classic there is no reason to use bridge. Lightroom gives you mostly the same features once you import the images into lightroom library. Bridge started pre lightroom so If you don't like lightroom you can start in bridge and use Adobe camera raw as the raw converter instead of lightroom.
 
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I use Bridge/ACR and PS. The LR Develop module is essentially the same as ACR (Adobe Camera Raw).

FWIW - I'll share my workflow.

First, know that I have a folder structure set up on my four internal HD's. When I want to find something, I know which internal HD it will be on and what folder it will be in.

After returning from a shoot, I transfer the files - using a card reader - from one of my 2 external HDs I use when on a photo trip.

Depending on the volume of very similar images (i.e. birds in flight, etc) I will either do initial culling in Photo Mechanic or Bridge. For wildlife images I sometimes use Photo Mechanic, all other images I use Bridge.

While in Bridge, I also use star ratings and do keywording.

I process raw images in ACR (Adobe Camera Raw).

I do final clean up, if necessary is done in PS. I also use Nik Color Efex Pro filter Pro Contrast to correct for any color cast and Darken/Lighten center to add a vignette if desired. Then I do output sharpening on a separate layer in PS.

Then I create a jpg.

Then I review all the images slated for deletion. Once satisfied that I've dealt with all the keepers, I delete the outtakes.

THEN - I import the folder to LR Classic to take advantage of the catalogue features.

It is very rare that I want to re-process an image, but when I do, I usually use ACR/PS and then re-synch the folder in LR Classic.
 
wotan1 said:
My friend is not a fan of Lightroom he suggests doing more in photoshop because you have better control.
Click to expand...

You can jump to photoshop and back from lightroom easily. And you still need a raw converter before being able to use photoshop as photoshop by itself can't convert raw. So from bridge if you try to open a raw file for editing in photoshop it automatically opens Adobe camera raw to convert the raw, then it opens the converted tiff or psd in photoshop. Adobe camera raw is functionally identical to the lightroom develop module. If you start in lightroom you you can right click to choose edit in photoshop it will send the converted tiff or psd to photoshop then when finished in photoshop hit ctrl s to save the tiff back in the same folder and automatically import it into the lightroom library.

So tell your friend there is no functional difference as far as image quality between bridge and lightroom, it's more if you like the organization of the lightroom library.
 
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Butlerkid said:
I don't use it so I don't know. I find the masking presets a bit inaccurate in LR/ACR and prefer to use a brush to get them more accurate. Masking in PS is much more accurate - and faster.
Click to expand...
It's not the masking that LRc has that I am asking about; it's the presets you apply to the mask. I don't believe these are in ACR for PS.
@bleirer do you know if these can be used in ACR for PS.
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Butlerkid said:
I use Bridge/ACR and PS. The LR Develop module is essentially the same as ACR (Adobe Camera Raw).

FWIW - I'll share my workflow.

First, know that I have a folder structure set up on my four internal HD's. When I want to find something, I know which internal HD it will be on and what folder it will be in.

After returning from a shoot, I transfer the files - using a card reader - from one of my 2 external HDs I use when on a photo trip.

Depending on the volume of very similar images (i.e. birds in flight, etc) I will either do initial culling in Photo Mechanic or Bridge. For wildlife images I sometimes use Photo Mechanic, all other images I use Bridge.

While in Bridge, I also use star ratings and do keywording.

I process raw images in ACR (Adobe Camera Raw).

I do final clean up, if necessary is done in PS. I also use Nik Color Efex Pro filter Pro Contrast to correct for any color cast and Darken/Lighten center to add a vignette if desired. Then I do output sharpening on a separate layer in PS.

Then I create a jpg.

Then I review all the images slated for deletion. Once satisfied that I've dealt with all the keepers, I delete the outtakes.

THEN - I import the folder to LR Classic to take advantage of the catalogue features.

It is very rare that I want to re-process an image, but when I do, I usually use ACR/PS and then re-synch the folder in LR Classic.
Click to expand...
Thanks Karen this is pretty close to what my friend is recommending.
 
I believe any preset you have in either will be usable in both, but I'd double check. As far as I know they are both using the same underlying software.
 
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ACR is like the Develop module in LR.....just layed out a bit differently. Open up Bridge, double click on a raw image - and play! LOL!

Or visit me in Tennessee................
 
wotan1 said:
I am currently using Lightroom and occasionally wandering into PS
Click to expand...
Since you use lightroom already the best bet is to max your knowledge of lightroom and start delving more into phtoshop as you jump there from lightroom. Bridge won't add anything that lightroom can't do.
 
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Also using bridge for studio sessions.
I manage my own organization on the SSD. I don’t need LRC to take care of it.
If needed I open it in PS.

For a birding trip, I do use LRC, because Bridge would not allow me to scroll through thousands of images vs. LRC I can build 1:1 previews. And that is THE ONLY reason I’m using LRC, To scroll through a larger amount of photos.
 
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JoelKlein said:
Also using bridge for studio sessions.
I manage my own organization on the SSD. I don’t need LRC to take care of it.
If needed I open it in PS.

For a birding trip, I do use LRC, because Bridge would not allow me to scroll through thousands of images vs. LRC I can build 1:1 previews. And that is THE ONLY reason I’m using LRC, To scroll through a larger amount of photos.
Click to expand...
That is the direction I want to go. It is a perfect time for me to build a workflow and structure.
 
I think one reason other folks here aren't joining in the conversation is that they have never used Bridge or rarely. Why have they never used it? There is a bit of a learning curve to is as it is a powerful professional tool but mostly I think it's because they'd rather keep everything within lightroom and the need for bridge doesn't arise because lightroom can do the same tasks. Though bridge can be a lot faster for culling and such.
 
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@wotan1 maybe these video can help you decide.
I was using Bridge, but now use Fast Raw Viewer for a few reasons - you can use shadow boost to see what happens (highlight too), you can see areas of underexposure, but most importantly -
The High Contrast Filter shows contrasting, but not necessarily very sharp areas of the image.
The Fine Detail Filter outlines small, acute, but not necessarily contrasting details.
This comes into play when two high frame rate wildlife images look nearly identical, especially the fine detail aspect.
I have it set up to use P like the LRc. What that does is move the Picked image into a separate subfolder. I import only those into LRc.
Bridge can be very useful too.

 
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