Head over to the Layout Style panel on the right-hand side and pick a layout option: Step 2: Select Your Layout Style and Image Settings (Note that you need to get the size of your paper right this will affect the rest of the process!) Then select the name of your printer from the dropdown menu: (If it’s not displayed, then make sure you select it from the filmstrip across the bottom of the screen.) In the center of the window, you should see the image you’re aiming to print.
This will open up Lightroom’s dedicated printing area, which is where you’ll do all of your printing preparation: Then click on the Lightroom Print module: Once you have your edited image, here’s where to start… Step 1: Head Into the Lightroom Print Module and Select Your Printer and Paperįirst, you’ll want to select your edited image.
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Now let’s take a look at how to print from Lightroom: How to Print From Lightroom: Your Step-By-Step Plan That way, you can make sure the image is bright enough, saturated enough, and more (and you’ll get better at making these corrections after you’ve done a few prints).īut there’s one post-processing aspect that you’ll need to do as part of your Lightroom printing process, and that’s output sharpening, which I’ll take you through later on in this article. Generally, you’ll want to edit your image knowing it’s destined for your printer. If it’s not, prepare for some potentially frustrating results (though if you’re willing to do some test prints, you can make even an uncalibrated monitor work). When it comes to monitors, yours should ideally be calibrated. Lightroom does allow you to preview possible printer paper–and adjust your image accordingly–so if that appeals to you, check out our tutorial on Lightroom soft-proofing. This has to do with a few factors, including the printer, your monitor, and the type of printer paper you use. If you’ve done any cloning or compositing, zoom in to 100% and check your entire image for mistakes.Īlso note that images look different when printed compared to displayed on a computer monitor. There are quite a few options here, and you’ll want to make sure the paper is compatible with your printer.īear in mind that image blemishes are far more obvious in print, so if you’re planning to print large, you’ll need to carefully go over your image file before starting. Lightroom does give you the option to print to your computer desktop (i.e., print a file), which is useful if you’re planning to submit a JPEG to a printing lab.īut if you’re looking to print directly from Lightroom, then a printer is required. To print in Lightroom, you need three things.įirst, you need a printer, and you need it to be connected to your computer. Printing in Lightroom: How to Get Started If you eventually reach a point where you need to take your printing options to the next level, then you can consider other software. So I highly recommend printing in Lightroom, especially when you’re starting out. And it’ll do it quickly, easily, and with a carefully designed user interface that’s frustrating to work with. Lightroom will allow you to satisfy nearly all of your printing needs–especially if you’re a beginner. The truth is that Lightroom isn’t the most powerful printing program out there.īut it’s really, really good. If you’ve never printed your photos before, you might be wondering:ĭoes it even make sense to use Lightroom for printing? Or should you print in some other program, such as Photoshop, or dedicated printing software? Should You Use Lightroom to Print Your Photos? I’ll take you through everything you need to know, from selecting paper to output sharpening to sizing your print.īy the time you’re done, you’ll be able to print photos from Lightroom like an expert. I’m going to give you a step-by-step rundown of the Lightroom printing process. In fact, it’s positively fast, once you get the hang of it.Īnd that’s what this article is designed to do. If you’re looking to print in Lightroom, you may be feeling confused or even a little overwhelmed.