How to Master Before and After Comparisons in Lightroom Classic
As a photographer, one of the most powerful tools at your disposal is the ability to compare your edited photo with the original version. Seeing the before and after not only showcases the improvements you‘ve made, but also helps you evaluate your editing choices and know when to call it finished.
Lightroom Classic offers several ways to view before and after versions of your photo. In this in-depth guide, we‘ll cover everything you need to know to master this essential feature, including:
- Keyboard shortcuts for instant before/after comparisons
- Customizing your before/after view
- Comparing current edits to a previous history state
- Saving before and after versions using Virtual Copies
- Exporting original and edited photos together
- Pro tips for using before/after to perfect your editing workflow
Whether you‘re new to Lightroom Classic or a seasoned pro, learning to leverage before and after comparisons will help you work faster and make better edits. Let‘s dive in!
Instant Before/After with a Keyboard Shortcut
The fastest way to check your edits is by pressing the \ (backslash) key. This keyboard shortcut acts as a toggle, instantly switching between your edited photo and the original version.
Simply press \ once to view the original, and again to return to your edited version. As you toggle back and forth, you‘ll see a "Before" label appear in the top-right corner when viewing the original.
This shortcut only works while in Lightroom‘s Develop module. If you press \ while in Library module, you‘ll instead switch between Loupe and Grid views of your photo thumbnails.
Pro Tip: Checking your before and after frequently is a great way to stay on track as you edit. I recommend toggling that \ key after every few tweaks to make sure you‘re moving in the right direction. Think of it like checking a map to make sure you‘re still on course!
Customizing Your Before/After View
In addition to the quick \ shortcut, Lightroom Classic offers several ways to customize your before/after view. To cycle through the various options, press the Y key or click the Before/After View icon in the Toolbar below your photo.
Here are the available layouts:
- Left/Right Split: Your original photo on the left, edited on the right
- Top/Bottom Split: Original on top, edited version below
- Split Screen: Original and edited overlaid, with a movable divider line
- Full Screen – Left/Right: Edited photo, with a left/right split showing the original
- Full Screen – Top/Bottom: Edited photo, with a top/bottom split showing the original
To quickly select a specific before/after layout, click the arrow next to the Before/After View icon in the Toolbar. You can also press Alt+Y (Windows) or Option+Y (Mac) to jump straight to the Top/Bottom Split layout.
Personally, I tend to gravitate towards the simple Left/Right Split view. I find it provides a clean, distraction-free comparison that makes it easy to evaluate my edits. However, the Split Screen overlay comes in handy when I want to check how my edits have affected fine details and edges.
Pro Tip: Use Lightroom‘s Zoom controls in tandem with your before/after view to examine your edits up close. Hold down the Alt (Windows) or Option (Mac) key and click to zoom in to 100% on a specific point in both the before and after versions.
Compare Current to Previous Editing State
By default, Lightroom‘s before/after feature compares your current edited version to the original, unedited photo. But what if you want to compare against an earlier point in your editing process?
To do this, open the before/after view using one of the methods above. Then, go to the History panel on the left side of your screen. There you‘ll see a list of every adjustment you‘ve made to your photo, in chronological order.
Click and drag any history state onto the Before pane of your comparison view. Lightroom will then update the Before photo to reflect your image at that earlier point in the editing process.
This is incredibly useful for A/B testing different editing paths. For example, suppose you‘ve made a series of adjustments to a landscape photo – boosting contrast and saturation, adding a graduated filter to the sky, etc. You then try applying a color grading, but you‘re not sure if you prefer the photo with or without that effect.
By dragging the history state prior to your color grading onto the Before pane, you can now compare the version with color grading (After) and without it (Before). In this context, the before/after comparison becomes a powerful decision-making tool.
Pro Tip: If you find yourself frequently returning to a specific history state, right-click that state in the History panel and choose "Create Snapshot." Give your snapshot a descriptive name. Now you can easily access that version from the Snapshots panel anytime without having to dig through the History list.
Saving Before and After with Virtual Copies
To save the before and after versions of your photo, use Lightroom Classic‘s Virtual Copies feature. Virtual Copies allow you to create multiple variations of an image without duplicating the original photo file. They‘re an excellent way to experiment with different editing treatments or present clients with editing options.
Here‘s how to create a Virtual Copy of your unedited photo:
- Press the \ key to view the Before version of your photo.
- Right-click the photo and choose "Create Virtual Copy" from the menu.
- A Virtual Copy of your original, unedited photo will appear in the Filmstrip.
You‘ll now see two thumbnails for your image – the edited version, and the Virtual Copy showing the unedited original. To distinguish the Virtual Copy, it will have a turned-up corner icon.
Pro Tip: Virtual Copies don‘t automatically inherit ratings, flags, or color labels applied to the original photo. To filter your catalog and show both the original and Virtual Copy, either add the same pick flag or star rating to both, or go to View > Show All.
Exporting Your Before and After
When you‘re ready to share your before and after results, select both the edited photo and its Virtual Copy in the Filmstrip. Then, go to File > Export to launch the Export dialog box.
In the Export dialog, choose your desired file settings (Format, Color Space, Quality, etc.). Under File Naming, check the "Rename To" box and choose a naming convention that will help you distinguish the before and after versions, such as "Custom Name – Original" and "Custom Name – Edited."
Click Export and Lightroom Classic will generate two separate image files representing your before and after versions. You can then share these files side-by-side on social media, your website, or with clients.
Pro Tip: If you frequently share before/after comparisons, consider creating an Export Preset to streamline the process. From the Export dialog, click "Add" under Preset on the left, and give your preset a descriptive name like "Before and After Versions." Then in the future, you can quickly access those export settings with a single click.
Editing with the End in Mind
As you can see, Lightroom Classic provides a robust set of tools for comparing before and after versions of your photos. But knowing how to access and customize those comparison views is only half the story. Equally important is learning how to analyze those before and after comparisons to guide your editing strategy.
Here are a few tips for getting the most out of Lightroom Classic‘s before and after feature:
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Check your before/after early and often. Toggling between views frequently will help you avoid going too far with your edits.
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Use before/after to test different editing approaches. Saving snapshots or Virtual Copies at key points lets you experiment and compare results to find the best treatment for your photo.
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Focus on meaningful improvements. It‘s easy to get caught up obsessing over minor differences. Ask yourself, "Does this edit make the photo significantly better, or am I just spinning my wheels?"
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Know when to step away. If you find yourself struggling to see a difference between the before and after, it‘s probably time to call it finished and move on to the next photo.
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Use before/after to train your eye. The more you study your edited photos compared to the originals, the better you‘ll become at evaluating and refining your work.
Lightroom Classic‘s before and after comparisons are a key part of an efficient, intentional editing workflow. With the keyboard shortcuts, layout options, and Virtual Copy tools covered here, you‘ll be well-equipped to master this feature and take your editing to the next level!