Add "Apply LUT" to Workflows to enable batch application of LUTs

[Matthew Block]

I can apply Presets to multiple images using Workflows, however I cannot apply LUTs.

If your workflow involves applying the same LUT to an entire photo album or hundreds of images, there is no efficient way to do this in Photomator - You must apply the LUT to each photo.

Applying LUTs in workflows would be useful because LUT settings are on top of all of the settings that Presets affect (basic Exposure/Highlights/Shadows, Hue & Saturation, etc.). This means I can revert to a "baseline edit" of my image that has some adjustments applied.

For example, say that I underexpose an image on purpose in order to protect my highlights. I then use the Basic adjustment settings to increase by Shadows level - Let's call this shadows-boosted image my "baseline edit".

Presets
If I apply a Preset, my Shadows level is replaced by the Preset's Shadows level. If I want to go back to my "baseline edit", I can't - I can only "Revert to Original", which will wipe out all adjustments.

LUTs
Using LUTs, I can apply the LUT. If I don't like the adjustment, I can remove the LUT and go back to my baseline edit, and my boosted-shadows level will remain.

How adding LUTs to Workflows could improve my current editing process
My current workflow is to edit all images to the "baseline edit" stage by correcting exposure, saturation, etc. Then, I apply a LUT on top of this baseline edit. I must do this per photo - There is no way to batch apply LUTs to multiple photos.

If LUTs were added to workflows, I could apply LUTs to my base edits non-destructively. If needed, I could remove the LUTs (although this would probably be another Workflow feature request).

[Martin Chalifoux]

In Photomator Presets are meant to be applied to set a starting point. You do your manual adjustments after applying your preset. You try to work backward.

I understand you try to take a set of edited images and apply a LUT to create a new look. The only way I can think off is to export the images as JPEG or TIFF and apply the LUT to those using a workflow.

The way to add a LUT to a workflow is to first create a Preset that only apply that LUT, and make a workflow that apply that preset. Since this will erase any pre-applied adjustments, you need to first bake them into a file, hence the export test prior to doing it.

[Matthew Block]

In Photomator Presets are meant to be applied to set a starting point. You do your manual adjustments after applying your preset. You try to work backward.

Why work backward? If a preset is designed with a properly exposed image as a starting point, why would I apply it first, then "properly expose" the image afterward? I then lose the intent of the preset.

For example, say "Warm" preset was designed to increase the warmth of an image. My starting image was taken with its white balance (incorrectly) set very warm. After applying the preset, my image is now very, very warm. The creators of the preset never intended my image to look that warm.

That's the usefulness of LUTs vs. Presets - it's an adjustment separate of the other adjustments (exposure, color, etc.) that I can apply non-destructively. If I apply a Preset and tweak some settings, I am now "outside" of the Preset. If I want to go back to my "base edit", I can only re-apply the whole Preset, which destroys my base edit.

I understand you try to take a set of edited images and apply a LUT to create a new look. The only way I can think off is to export the images as JPEG or TIFF and apply the LUT to those using a workflow.

Right - I edit RAW, so I lose all my edits. Adding "Apply LUT" to workflow would make this process non-destructive.

The way to add a LUT to a workflow is to first create a Preset that only apply that LUT, and make a workflow that apply that preset. Since this will erase any pre-applied adjustments, you need to first bake them into a file, hence the export test prior to doing it.

This is interesting - More generally, maybe Workflows should be able to apply a single adjustment, including applying a LUT, not just apply a whole Preset. e.g. adjusting white balance for a batch of images.

There is some precedent for batch applying LUTs - there is even a tutorial doc for how to do it in Pixelmator Pro using AppleScript. If it's useful enough to be in a doc, IMO it should be a supported feature.
https://www.pixelmator.com/tutorials/an ... mator-pro/