Lightroom Workflow Guide

Consistent import settings save time and keep your catalog organized from the start.

• File Handling: Set to Copy or Copy as DNG. Avoid "Add" if you shoot to a single card—always keep a backup copy on your drive.
• Build Previews: Choose Standard for a good balance of speed and quality. Check "Build Smart Previews" if you edit on the go.
• Don't Import Suspected Duplicates: Always keep this checked.
• Apply During Import — Develop Preset: Apply your base real estate preset here (e.g., lens corrections + white balance starting point) to save time later.
• Keywords: Tag every import with the property address, date, and agent name. Example: 123 Main St, 2024-03-15, Smith Realty
• File Renaming: Use a custom template: PropertyAddress_Sequence# for easy identification.

Efficient culling is the biggest time-saver in your workflow. Aim to deliver 25–40 photos per property.

• Switch to Library Module → Loupe View (E).
• First pass — Flag: Press P to flag keepers (Pick), X to reject. Move through images with arrow keys.
• Second pass — Rate: Use 1–5 star ratings on flagged images to rank composition and quality.
• Filter: Use the Library filter bar (\) to show only Picks, then sort by capture time to arrange in logical walkthrough order.
• Delete Rejects: Press Cmd/Ctrl + Delete to remove rejected photos from disk.

Always apply lens corrections before other adjustments to start with an optically accurate image.

• Enable Profile Corrections: Check "Remove Distortion" under the Lens Corrections panel → Profile tab. Lightroom auto-detects your lens.
• Remove Chromatic Aberration: Always check this box. Purple/green fringing around high-contrast edges (window frames, rooflines) is common in real estate shots.
• Manual tab: If fringing persists, use the Defringe eyedropper to sample the color and dial in the amount.
• Vignetting: The profile correction handles most vignetting. If shooting ultra-wide (10–16mm), add +10 to +20 vignetting manually if needed.

Straight vertical lines are non-negotiable in real estate photography. This is what separates amateur from professional work.

• Upright Corrections: Start with Auto. If walls still converge, try Vertical or Full.
• Guided Upright: For complex scenes, use the Guided tool. Draw two vertical guides along door frames or wall edges, and two horizontal guides along countertops or ceiling lines.
• Aspect Ratio: Upright can stretch the image. Use the Constrain Crop checkbox or manually adjust the Aspect slider to compensate.
• Rotate: Fine-tune rotation so horizontal lines (countertops, baseboards) are perfectly level.

Mixed lighting is the #1 challenge in real estate interiors. Getting white balance right sets the foundation for everything else.

• Daylight-dominant rooms: Start with the Daylight preset (~5500K) or As Shot if you set a custom WB in-camera.
• Tungsten-heavy rooms: Start around 3800–4200K. Use the Tint slider to correct green/magenta shifts from fluorescent or LED bulbs.
• Mixed lighting: Aim for a compromise around 4400–4800K. Prioritize neutral-looking walls and surfaces—slight warmth is acceptable and inviting.
• Eyedropper tool: Click W and sample a neutral gray surface (countertop, white wall in shadow). Avoid sampling anything in direct sunlight or under a single artificial source.
• Tint: Typically +5 to +15 for interiors to counteract slight green casts from windows or LEDs.

These sliders add perceived sharpness and color pop, but restraint is key to a natural look.

• Texture: +10 to +20 — Enhances fine detail in brick, tile, granite, and hardwood without adding halos. Great for kitchens and bathrooms.
• Clarity: +10 to +25 — Adds midtone contrast for a crisp look. Keep it under +30 to avoid an HDR-like, crunchy appearance.
• Dehaze: 0 to +10 — Use sparingly for hazy exterior shots. Skip for interiors unless there is visible atmospheric haze.
• Vibrance: +10 to +20 — Boosts muted colors without over-saturating skin tones or already-vivid objects. Safer than Saturation for real estate.
• Saturation: 0 to +5 — Keep this very low or at zero. Over-saturation is one of the most common amateur mistakes.

Targeted color adjustments make specific elements pop without affecting the whole image.

• Green grass & landscaping:
  • Hue: shift Green slightly toward Yellow (−10 to −20) for a warmer, lush lawn
  • Saturation: Green +10 to +20 for vibrant turf
  • Luminance: Green +10 to +15 to brighten foliage
• Blue skies:
  • Hue: leave as-is or nudge Blue slightly toward Aqua (−5)
  • Saturation: Blue +10 to +25, Aqua +10
  • Luminance: Blue −15 to −25 to deepen the sky without over-saturating
• Warm wood tones & hardwood floors:
  • Hue: Orange +5 to +10 to warm up wood tones
  • Saturation: Orange −5 to −15 to reduce any overly orange cast
  • Luminance: Orange +5 to +15, Yellow +5 to brighten without shifting color

Sharpening brings out architectural detail; noise reduction keeps low-light interiors clean.

• Sharpening (Interiors):
  • Amount: 40–60
  • Radius: 1.0–1.2
  • Detail: 25–35
  • Masking: 60–80 — Hold Alt/Option while dragging. White areas get sharpened, black areas are protected. This prevents sharpening smooth walls and ceilings.
• Sharpening (Exteriors):
  • Amount: 50–70
  • Radius: 1.0
  • Detail: 30–40
  • Masking: 40–60 — Less masking needed since exteriors have more detail everywhere.
• Noise Reduction (Luminance): 0–15 at ISO 100–400; 20–35 at ISO 800–1600; 40+ at ISO 3200+. Keep Detail at 50 and Contrast at 0.
• Noise Reduction (Color): Default of 25 is usually fine. Increase to 40–50 for high-ISO shots with visible color noise.

Deliver files that meet MLS requirements and look great everywhere they are displayed.

• File Format: JPEG
• Color Space: sRGB — Always. MLS, web browsers, and social media all expect sRGB. Never export AdobeRGB or ProPhoto for delivery.
• Quality: 85–95% — 90% is the sweet spot. Above 95% gives negligible quality gain for significantly larger file sizes.
• Resolution: Full resolution (do not resize). Most MLS systems accept up to 100MB and will resize on their own. Deliver the highest quality.
• Output Sharpening: Screen → Standard amount.
• Metadata: Include Copyright & Contact Info Only to protect your work while stripping GPS and camera serial data.
• File Naming: PropertyAddress_01, PropertyAddress_02, etc. — Use sequential numbering in walkthrough order.
• Subfolder: Export into a folder named with the property address and date for easy retrieval.