Switching Lanes: A Lightroom Veteran's First Month with Capture One
For over 15 years, Adobe Lightroom Classic has been my digital darkroom. It’s been the constant companion to my camera, the place where my images come to life. But the photography industry is always evolving, and to stay current, you have to evolve with it. Recently, I found myself in a position where proficiency in Capture One was no longer a "nice to have," but a necessity for upcoming projects. So, I took the plunge.
For the past month, I've been immersing myself in Capture One, testing its capabilities with a variety of images and shooting scenarios. It’s been a journey of discovery, with moments of frustration and flashes of brilliance. If you're a long-time Lightroom user contemplating a similar move, here are my initial thoughts and findings from one veteran to another.
The Good, The Bad, and The "Is This a Feature?"
Image Flagging: A Simple System That Needs More
In Lightroom, I live by the "Pick" and "Reject" flags. It’s a quick and decisive way to cull images. Capture One relies on a star rating and colour-coding system. While these are useful for categorisation, they don't quite replace the simple, binary efficiency of a flag. Yes, you can use them in a similar way (for example, assigning one star as a "pick"), but it feels like a workaround rather than a dedicated feature.
A universal flagging system that persists across different collections and albums is also something I found myself longing for. I want the tags I apply in my initial import to be consistent when I view those same images in a user collection. In my experience, this wasn't always the case; the consistency seemed to waver, which can disrupt a smooth workflow.
AI Masking: So Close, Yet So Far
The AI Masking tool in Capture One is impressive, particularly for selecting subjects. However, I found myself wishing for more specific sub-categories. When working with portraits, having a dedicated "Clothing" mask within the "People" category would be a game-changer for targeted adjustments.
Retouching: A Strong Start, But Needs More
The retouching tools in Capture One are genuinely good. The face retouching options are a solid starting point for portraits. However, the functionality feels incomplete without a dedicated "Skin" retouching feature that extends beyond the face.
The "Contour" tool in the retouching section also felt a bit too generic for my taste. Without the ability to fine-tune colours and other parameters, I found it wasn't something I would regularly incorporate into my workflow.
The “How Do I...?” Questions for Capture One
Where is the Editing History?
This was a big one for me. In Lightroom, the History panel is my safety net, allowing me to step back through my edits. I couldn't, for the life of me, find a similar panel in Capture One. It turns out, there isn't one in the same vein as Lightroom's. While you can undo your last actions, there isn't a persistent, step-by-step history of every adjustment you've made to an image. This is a significant workflow change to adapt to.
Overwriting Adjustments on Another Image
In Lightroom, it’s simple to copy the settings from one image and paste them onto another, completely overwriting the previous adjustments. In Capture One, I struggled with this initially. If you want to do this, you first need to reset the adjustments on the target image before pasting the new settings. It's an extra step that can slow you down when you're working through a large batch of photos.
The "Match Look" Feature
I had high hopes for the "Match Look" feature to quickly apply a consistent look across a series of images. In practice, I found the results to be inconsistent. I would dare to say that it works best when used as a "Match Total Exposure" tool rather than for replicating a complex colour grade.
The Road Ahead
My first month with Capture One has been a learning experience. It’s clear that this is a powerful piece of software with a different philosophy than Lightroom. For a Lightroom veteran, it requires a shift in mindset and a willingness to adapt to new workflows. While I've highlighted some of my initial gripes, I'm also excited by the possibilities that Capture One offers, especially in its colour editing capabilities.
As I continue to use Capture One, I'm sure I'll discover more workarounds and new techniques. The journey from Lightroom proficiency to Capture One competence is a marathon, not a sprint. But in an industry that demands versatility, it's a journey worth taking.