Resize, Create a Preset & Add a Stroke with Lightroom
for Submission to the Caveman Camera Club
Video Tutorial to Resize & Create a Preset:
Video Tutorial to add a Stroke with Lightroom:
After you’ve finished post-processing your image, including adding a stroke if desired, you’re ready to resize your image. If you are adding a stroke (using Photoshop), see the second section below.
Text Tutorial
In Lightroom you can create a preset to quickly resize your photo in the future.
How to Create A Preset:
1. Go to File then down to Export
2. Choose your export locations in the Export to: box on top and in the Export Location
3. In the File Naming box, Click Rename To: and Choose Custom Name. Enter your name, FirstLast, without spaces. Then an underscore, CAVE, and another underscore. For example: YourName_CAVE_ or JaneDoe_CAVE_ (When creating the preset for the first time, don’t enter the picture name.)
4. In the File Settings box, Image Format is: jpg; Color Space is: sRGB. Then check Limit File Size to: and enter 2 Mb.
5. In the Image Sizing box, click Resize to Fit: and choose Width & Height. Click the Don’t Enlarge box. For W: enter 1400 and for H: enter 1050.
6. In the Output Sharpening box, Click Sharpen For: and choose Screen. Choose Amount: Standard is OK.
7. In the Metadata, Watermarking, and Post-Processing boxes, make your choices.
8. Now go to the bottom left side and click ADD. A box will pop up titled New Preset. In Preset Name: Enter a name you will recognize as your Caveman Camera Club resize settings. In Folder: choose User Presets. Click Create. This will create a preset you can use to resize your photos in the future without having to enter all the choices. You should see your new preset on the upper left under User Presets.
9. Click Export at the bottom right.
10. When finished,send the image to the Electronic Image Coordinator as directed on the website, including instructions about which category the image is to be in (Assigned or Open). The official guidelines are at cavemancameraclub.com – under Learn>Prepare your Photo for Competition>Caveman Camera Club Competition Rules.
In the future, when you are ready to resize, just go to File: then down to Export: and click your UserPreset name.
Add the picture name (without spaces) to your preset custom name (example: YourName_CAVE_RaceCar or JaneDoe_CAVE_PrettyFlower.
Click Export and you’re all done.
To see your image on a black background, hit “L” twice. L is for “lights out”. Hitting “L” twice again brings you back to the edit page.
Add a Stroke using Photoshop Editor:
A stroke is desirable if your image has dark edges. The stroke will outline the image to more clearly define the edges against a black projection screen.
Start from Library in Lightroom.
Go to Photo then drop down and click Edit In: Choose Photoshop.
Choose the first one – Edit a copy with Lightroom Adjustments. Then click Edit.
You are now in Photoshop.
Hit Select – All.
You should now see “marching ants” (little dashed lines) around your image.
Hit Edit – Stroke (outline) selection.
A box pops up – Choose the width you want (start with 3 -5 pixels).
Then choose the color. Clicking on the color block brings up a color selector. Or you can place your cursor anywhere on your image and an eye-dropper appears which allows you to choose an exact color from your image.
Then in the next box, click
You can experiment with the blending modes, but start with Normal 100% (default).
Click OK.
Now go back to Select, but this time choose Deselect. The “marching ants” are gone and your image now has a stroke around it.
Now click File and Save (not Save As). Do not change or add anything to the name of the image.
Go back to Lightroom. Your image should appear with the stroke on it.
Proceed with resizing in Lightroom using the instructions above.
“I joined the Caveman Camera Club several years ago to push myself creatively. As a portrait and team/event photographer it can be easy to fall into a predictable pattern (not that that is all bad!). I enjoy the camaraderie and companionship of my fellow photographers, some of whom are very much beginners and some who are very skilled and accomplished. I urge anyone with a passion for photography to join our club to share, learn and grow. It’s a lot of fun and it beats trying to read that 500 page owners manual you got with that new fancy camera!”
“Alicia’s Repose” by Jim Ingraham
‘Alicia’s Repose’ is a studio shot of local dancer Alicia Avalos. It is lit with studio lights from the sides and back to outline her shape. Nikon D810 @ 50mm, ISO 64, F5.6
September – Insects
They are everywhere, think small. Steady hand or tripod will help.
October Fear/Horror
Image should portray or express our basic fear instinct. Things that are
scary.
November – Bridges
We cross them daily in some form, by foot or car. Can also refer to
some other form of bridge by definition.
December – Humor
Portray your lighter side. Find or create a humorous moment that
needs no explanation.
January – Nostalgia
Rekindle the feeling of a simpler time. Nothing new here, bring back
the feel of yesteryear.
February – Drip, Dribble, Splash
Freeze the action of liquid in motion. Pouring, drip-drops, splash down
moments. Not intended for river or landscape scenes.
March – From Above
Change your perspective. Get elevated and point the camera
downward from a ladder, bridge, over-pass, escalator, tree….wherever,
just point down. Even shoe shots are accepted.
April – Out of Place
It stands apart from the rest. draws attention to itself.
May – Seasons
For landscape lovers. Specifically outdoor scenes. Needs to be
identified as a particular season. No green forest photos here. Must
convey the feel of spring, summer, fall, or winter.
I am using Photoshop Elements 4, so depending upon what you are using, there might be some slight variations but the basic process should be the same for all versions of Photoshop.
Use the Crop tool to crop a square portion of your selected image. I’ve been using a 5×5 format for convenience. You can select a fairly small part of your image and still come out with a decent “ornament” – with 10 megapixel images I’ve cropped a section as small as 1/4 of the image.
Next, go to Filter→ Distort → Polar Coordinates, and select the Polar to Rectangular option.
Next, go to Image → Rotate → 180 degrees
Then go back to Filter → Distort → Polar Coordinates, and this time click on the Rectangular to Polar option.
