Basic PS question

[Nostromo]

I don't use PS very often (I use LR most of the time), usually only for cloning or content aware. Lately I've been using it for more, layer masks, adding texture overlays etc. So now I have many different layers.
My work flow is, edit in LR as usual, then click edit in PS, I'll do what I need to do. I've then been clicking, 'save as', which will send the photo back too LR, where I might or might not do some more bits and pieces to it.
My question is, is 'save as' the best way or should I use 'save', what's the difference?
If I want to take that photo back into PS, will it open with all the previous layers?
I'm not that au fait with PS, so simple answers please.

 

[droj]

'Save' overwrites the file and keeps the name, 'save as' produces a version that you can choose the name for, and leaves the original as it was.

A tif with PS layers will be visible in LR and the layers will still be there if you re-open in PS. You can't edit the layers in LR.

 

[Nod]

Save will save the new version over the original at the same quality setting last used while save as gives you more options. If I'm planning on another session, I'll save as a PSD (IIRC!) which retains any layers etc. Best bet is for you to have a play with some disposable files (copies of others?) and see what happens when you do it either way. Bear in mind that I do as little PP as possible so am by no means an expert in the field...

 

[sirch]

You've got me wondering now. I'm fairly sure I usually use "Save" and it saves a .tif file which is the PS default format, this file has the same name as the original* RAW/JPEG file but a different file extension so the original is not overwritten. Annoyingly older versions of LR often did not automatically add the TIFF to the catalogue but the latest version and probably the one before seem to have fixed that issue. TBH I don't think it makes a whole lot of difference unless you want to rename the file when it is saved, in that case use save as.


* actually I think it has "-Edit" suffixed to it, e.g. if the original was 123456.CR2 then doing a Save writes a file called 123456-Edit.tif

 

[Nod]

It goes to the format that the "original" file was saved as and starts with the same file name. When you simply hit the return key, it tells you that the file name already exists and asks if you want to overwrite the original. It then goes into other options, much the same as Save As does. In Save As, if you have layers, it defaults to PSD to save the layers but will simplify them if you ask it to save as a JPEG, then goes into compression options etc..

 

[Nostromo]

Thanks everyone. I've been using the save as option up until now, which seem to be working fine. I was just curious as to the differences.

 

[Major Eazy]

Thanks everyone. I've been using the save as option up until now, which seem to be working fine. I was just curious as to the differences.

I would have thought you would already know the difference between Save and Save As... when using other software, such as Microsoft Word, Microsoft Excel, and all those other software that we all install on our computers? They're very much a similar operation.

Save = It is like telling the computer to "save " the changes, extra work, deleted work, that you have done to the file, just updating your file

Save As... = The clue is in the English word "as" like saying "Save the file as something else" This can happens in two different ways...

• Saving the file under a different filename, thus you get two copies (either same or changed) but they get different filenames. An example would be: Writing one letter addressed to one person and save the document. Change the name of the person, so it would be the same letter but addressed to another person, then save as another file by giving it a different filename. In the case of using LR and PS, it could be like [open] 012345.jpg and after editing [Save As...] 012345-cropped.jpg
• Saving the file under a different format, thus you get two copies (again same or changed), both using same filename but in different format. An example would be like you saved the image file in a PSD format, then you decided to save as a JPEG format, so you end up with same image file, same name, but different formats. Examples: photo1.psd and [Save As...] photo1.jpg (In the case of using a word processor, it could be Report.docx and [Save As...] Report.txt)

 

[Dangerous]

Doesn't it depend on the original file? ie. When SAVE is used PS will default to PSD (PSB if large) if original is CR2 or CR3. I think NEF is the same.

I usually make the printable/up-loadable version JPS or PNG. Most times editing one of these SAVE will overwrite it.

I tend to use SAVE AS every time as I have the added safeguard that it will ask before overwriting. Some file I have opened will mot save as JPG unless I save as TIFF first then open & save the TIFF as JPG.

I've not used LR for editing, What can LR do that PS can't to make it worthwhile using both (or even just LR)?