Adobe Lightroom: DON'T touch that BUTTON - it's killing your creativity

[@blivieriphoto]

I'll use auto when I'm in a hurry, usually while culling, to make the image visible while checking if stuff is in focus and sharp enough for my tastes. But when I'm ready to process, I hit the reset button and start from scratch.

[@Alister_Benn]

Ok, I’ll buy that ❤️❤️❤️

[@admay316]

Agreed. I never use the auto button as part of editing, but find it quite useful in culling. I upload my photos, sync with the auto button, cull, and then do a batch reset on them before starting the editing process.

[@Warrior_Resisting_Colonialism]

That thumbnail is gold! lol Yes, I sometimes use the auto button. I understand fully, you're side of the coin, however I think claiming you should "never" start with the auto button, isn't taking into account the purpose of ones photo. Sometimes photos don't require creativity. They just need basic, and minor processing that I find the auto helps save time with. I wont use this for photos of great importance, or when attempting to provide my best work but often photos are just for temp purposes and photos we don't plan to keep. Sometimes I'll hit the auto button on a great photo and say; is there anything I'd do better than that anyway? Sometimes, the answer is actually no. The creativity was done in taking the shot. I see many photographers these days, spending soooo much time in lightroom, that by the time their done, they didn't process anything. They've totally created a whole different and unrealistic photo of what they took in the field, "creating art". To me, the auto button is FAR less of a sin, than manipulating a photo so drastic, it's a completely different and fake photo. I've got nothing against the auto button, but I think it's shameful to manipulate a photo into digital unrealistic mess and call it "photography". In this day and age, the auto button is on the low side of concerns. However, I do understand the sentiment, fully.

[@lennartphotography]

Never use auto button, love to move every slider and look and feel what's the right choise for every photograph. Very much the same with presets. But very good topic to lift.Thanks Alister.

[@ZOly62]

Alister you have a very good way of expression and learning, and the key question, that you mention, is always "Why"? Уоu explain very vell WHY we have to avoid Auto button that many others Lr educators suggest to be a starting point in processing images. Many times I have asked various "educators" who suggest some correction method to explain why it is something better way than another, for example, to adjust the contrast with a curve rather than a slider, but there has been no answer. Of course I KNOW why is that better, but what about begginers and other users of Lr? That was just one example but it's always the crucial thing for understanding anything, to have an answer to why you do something in that way. Those answers have often been lacking and that is not good way for educating anything.. So thanks for this video which gives clear answer why to avoid Auto button in Lr. 👌

[@Alister_Benn]

Thanks for the great feedback, I appreciate it. Why is our best friend in life ❤️

[@TimSeraphiel]

I find the use of the auto button akin to that of using presets.

[@pascalthiebaud]

I promise you I've never used this button...maybe 1 time 😊 The comparison with GPS is very telling. If you want to be creative it makes sense to play with the cursors. It's funny to see that vibrance is often at +15. To be honest at the begining of my journey a photographer on youTube said "push up the shadow push down the highlight , set the black and the white" And I did that many years until I meet you and learned about the five triggers and Lumiosity&contrast e-book. You brought me back on the right path. Thank you.

[@Alister_Benn]

Thank you so much Pascal for the really kind words. All I have ever wanted to do is ask "why" and if the answer is "just because" then that isn't good enough for me. Too many people follow blindly to others processes without taking control of their own destinations.

[@Ruscombephotos]

Thanks Alister. I so agree with you on this. My views on the Auto button are very similar to using presets. I used the Auto button once when I first began shooting in RAW, making that leap of faith from what I thought was the safety of the JPEG. I am sure I did so because of my surprise at how flat my first RAW file looked and not knowing where to begin. I don’t remember what Auto did to my image, but I knew I did not like what I saw. I also knew that I was injecting somebody else’s vision into my work. Somebody at Adobe has made the decision that everything should have highlights squished, shadows opened up and vibrance added. Mercifully, I realised there was no point. If I was going to use the Auto button, I might just as well have continued shooting in JPEG, a file in which somebody else’s vision of what a photograph should be is added and we only see the result. RAW allows us to make those adjustments and decisions. It did take me a while to figure out how to process my images, but the experience was liberating. I am still learning. When I make a photograph I know what I saw and what emotional triggers made me press the shutter release at the moment I did and I often have an idea of what the image will look like and, the moment somebody else’s vision is applied to my work, it can destroy the vision I originally had. Even if I press reset, once I’ve seen somebody else’s vision my own cannot be recovered. That’s the reason why I also don’t like using preset, not even my own. I once made a few and have never used them and I have never been tempted to buy anyone else’s presets.

[@Alister_Benn]

Thanks so much for your reply and the points you make. All very much valid and I am really pleased the video works for you. All the very best and happy creating.

[@nickshepherd8377]

You are quite right to highlight that auto often opens shadows to the extent that contrast suffers and realism disappears.

[@abqben56]

I love it. The highlight and shadow sliders have ruined a lot of good photos. I've fixed that in all my old photos and it always helped.

[@Alister_Benn]

Yeah, very much so, thanks for the comment,.

[@trishf29]

You are so right, Alister. I sometimes use the auto button then spend time correcting it! I will definitely forget about it from now on. Many thanks!🇦🇺

[@Alister_Benn]

Cool, happy to hear that. Enjoy your cresting 👍

[@ADR1ANBUTT0N]

I do use the auto functions in editing software (not a Lightroom user yet but intend to switch hopefully), but currently using Capture One (I did use the express version for Sony but they killed that off so at some point will be going to Lightroom). But my point of comment is I do use and have used auto functions, as a learning and development tool, to see what actually happens with editing a RAW image.

[@andrewdennes1608]

I agree with what you are saying. I occasionally click the Auto button out of curiosity as to what effect it has on the photograph I'm editing, but I invariably click Back or Undo. I prefer to make my own initial adjustments to black and white points, exposure, and white balance. I also find it is worth casting my back my back to the scene when I photographed it; if it was late afternoon in midwinter for instance, light levels may have been lower than the exposure calculated by the camera to render 18% grey if using aperture- or shutter priority. Now, on reflection, it occurs to me that aperture- and shutter priority, and Programme mode settings are further examples the Auto Button. Switching to Manual.....

[@tjmanou6422]

The only photography channel that is actually teaching you something valuable. And I have watched too many. :) the rest all look and sound the same tbh. Thank you

[@Alister_Benn]

Very happy to hear that as I really want to make a difference - thanks for the kind words

[@lesladbrook4508]

I think your comments are very true Alister, I have used the auto button a lot, this gives me great food for thought and I will experiament leaving it alone. I think once I get past the auto button my creativity will improve. :-)

[@helenoliver7006]

That surprises me. I didn't think anyone would use that button. I've never even considered using it for the very reasons you point out.

[@Alister_Benn]

Delighted to hear that, plenty of people do advocate using it

[@dallasthomas9298]

Thanks for the wake up Alister, I needed it to get out of editing hole.

[@Alister_Benn]

Glad to help

[@tonyb2760]

I don't use the "Auto" button nor do I use any of the Adobe "profiles" as they destroy information with their heavy contrast laden settings. I always start with a camera specific "Linear" profile for the best starting point with the most information.

[@danrdgreen]

I actually forgot therevwas an auto button till yesterday when i saw it and thought what the heck and have it a shot. What it did was laughable and i quickly went back to my usual way of processing.

[@Alister_Benn]

HAHA, good stuff... it should be deleted! :-)

[@pulykamell]

I never use the auto button because it's absolutely horrible for the reasons you say. What I don't understand is why, in the age of AI, can't Adobe figure out a workable auto that analyzes what your image is and adjusts it appropriately. When I'm toning 800 images from a wedding, I don't care if each is toned to my artistic vision or whatnot (that's a separate cull.) I just want something that looks solid. Even services like Imagen are OK at best. I would have thought with what AIs do with generating images, music, and text from scratch, this would be an easy problem to solve.

[@DickHoskins]

Ansel Adams did not use an auto button in the darkroom. And actually if he used the standard way to make a print there would be no iconic Ansel Adams photos.

[@matsfotografi]

Great video as always! I find that hitting the auto button derails my train of thoughts considering the editing I had in mind. I wonder if the adjustments it makes are more suited for other kinds of photography?

[@howardallen5390]

I did use that button after watching one of the videos that you mention, but not for long. Most things “auto” in photography go against the grain and sets alarm bells ringing. An exception, for me at least, is auto ISO particularly for photographing wildlife.

[@Alister_Benn]

Yeah, that’s quite a different thing, and of course that works great as it’s not making creative decisions

[@boatman222345]

Every time I've hit the Auto button I've wound up with an overexposed image. I suspect someone at Adobe tends to underexpose their own images and thus feels it necessary to increase exposure with the Auto button😊

[@johnhubble5156]

I feel there is an exception to your thesis: using the auto button in LR to process a raw file is analogous to shooting jpegs in camera i.e. someone else has made artistic choices for you. However for a person starting out this can be a valuable first step in demystifying the potentially daunting switch to capturing raw images.

[@puddy007]

Not a big fan of the auto button either for exactly the same reasons. I also don’t like using presets. I’d be interested to know how you feel about using presets. Roger

[@Alister_Benn]

Thanks for that. I was talking to my workshop group last night about this as I often use the film simulations in the GFX100ii. I guess they count as a preset, all be it a very specific niche to replicate some old film looks. I never use presets in Lightroom though. But I would use filters in Nik etc to achieve a look I like. Whatever the mood takes me, but the Auto button feels like a false start masquerading as a benefit.

[@bang1432]

I Never use that auto butten. I much prefer lighroom profiles as starting point. Post is for me where I need to express my self. Auto is not going to do it for me.

[@billbarraclough9653]

Insightful as always, Alister!

[@Alister_Benn]

Much appreciated!

[@martinoberstein8431]

Being an Average-Joe at least I want my edits to be unique… no auto-adjustments for me! As always: thank you ever so much, Alister!

[@Alister_Benn]

Nice one, and thanks for the comment

[@JohnDrummondPhoto]

I haven't hit that auto button in years. If I make a mistake, it's gonna be MY mistake. 😉😁

[@Alister_Benn]

😂😂😂 well said ❤️

[@ChristopherGoetting]

I agree the auto button is trash. If you want to experiment with some auto options but have more control, you can hold Shift and double click a slider to have just that setting shift. I've found this often works pretty well for the white and black sliders, at least, though most of the rest are better left to a manual touch.

[@Alister_Benn]

Feel is the best skill to develop in processing (as with guitar playing or dance, or any other expressive art form) - thanks for the great feedback and tio

[@tjcuneo]

The reset button is a powerful tool!

[@Alister_Benn]

That holds some credibility 😂👍

[@robertnear7470]

I was at that point a year ago always hitting auto button, but final realised it was the wrong way to go by spending to much time redoing the auto. I am no longer using the auto button and tweaking the development sliders to my liking.

[@Alister_Benn]

Nice, delighted to hear that

[@iaincphotography6051]

I can't imagine many photographers using their cameras in fully auto mode, so why hit the auto button on LR.

[@manueldinisphotography]

I might have tried once or twice, but like you said, it renders something that it is not want I want, I feel that if I were to use the AUTO on LrC, I might as well leave the camera in P (for professionals 🤣). Thanks!

[@ClintonFerrara]

Very good presentation. Well done.

[@Alister_Benn]

Many thanks

[@SamuelLetecheur]

Tested for the sake of it a while ago, definitely not an editing time saviour for me. Never again.

[@Alister_Benn]

Happy to hear that 🙏

[@stevehayward1854]

I fell for the "good starting point" ploy a few years ago, but I spent more time undoing what it had done, so I have never used it since, it made more work for me

[@Alister_Benn]

Exactly, I was quite proud of the GPS analogy

[@stevehayward1854]

@@Alister_BennIt's a great analogy, you should never put you art in the hands of a machine, how does a machine know what you have in mind, all they want to do is turn everything to average grey

[@Alister_Benn]

That’s really true, an algorithm cannot begin to predict creative intent ❤

[@SimonWillig]

The underlying problem ofcourse is that as a relative beginner one can be quite overwhelmed by the choice of options and possibilities that Lightroom offers. It is understandable that one is tempted to take a shortcut.

[@Alister_Benn]

@simonwillig of course, I get that, but many of us learned Lightroom decades ago before the auto button existed. A perceived short term gain can come up the cost of long term growth.

[@anisab9506]

I never realized there was an AUTO button 😂 I guess I have had good teachers and mentors.

[@Alister_Benn]

Haha, don’t look 😂😂😂

[@esanford]

Well stated...

[@Alister_Benn]

Thanks buddy ❤️