Upload and download editing projects with Lightroom, Photoshop, and Bridge

  • Updated

Imagen is compatible with Lightroom Classic but also supports:

  • Lightroom
  • Photoshop (Adobe Camera Raw)
  • Bridge (Adobe Camera Raw)

This guide covers uploading and downloading projects when the source photos are from Lightroom, Photoshop, or Bridge.

For real estate photographers, see these guidelines.

Keep in mind

  • Imagen doesn’t change or overwrite the original photos. It updates the edit metadata for each photo to match your AI profile. See this guide for more information about how this works.
  • When you upload a project, you set the location of your photos on your computer.  When you download the edit metadata, Imagen downloads it to this location, and your photos are edited.
  • If you must move your photos, before you download the edits, make sure to browse to their new location. This way, the edit metadata will align correctly with your photos.
    download-edits.png
  • Your photos must be stored locally on your computer or on an external hard drive. They can’t be stored in the cloud.

Upload a project

    1. From the Projects tab, click Create a new project. Then, choose Edit. 

    2. Choose the editing software you use.
      If you only have the option to choose a Lightroom Classic catalog, see Switch between Adobe editing software in this guide.

      If you don't see the list of supported software, see this troubleshooting guide.

    3. Choose the folder where your photos are located. Imagen supports uploading JPEG, TIFF, or RAW files. Hover over the (!) next to RAW formats to see all supported file types.

    4. Drag and drop the folder containing the photos, or click Browse to find them. Do not move the folder from this location until you've reviewed your edits.


    5. Name your project, and choose your AI Profile and the photography type. JPEG photos can only be edited with JPEG AI Profiles and RAW photos with RAW AI Profiles.


    6. (As needed) Click the + sign next to an AI tool to add it to your project.  Hover over it to see a GIF of how it works. If you don’t find the AI tool you want, scroll down for more tools in the Other AI tools list. The AI tools you add to your project appear as chips at the top of the list.


      If you choose AI tools from the Other AI tools list, you might need to choose between an AI tool you’ve already chosen and a newer one from the list. For example, you can’t have Crop and Portrait Crop in the same project. You need to choose one or the other.
    7. Click Edit to upload your photos and start the editing process. If the upload stops unexpectedly, the next time you open Imagen, the upload will continue.

 

Download a project

      1. Once the edits are ready, click Download to review.  
        download-for-review.png
        The Download edits window opens.
        download-edits.png

      2. Check the download path. By default, it's the same folder as the original photos. If you moved your photos, click Browse to set their new location. Your photos must be stored locally on your computer or on an external hard drive. They can’t be stored in the cloud.

      3. Click Download edits. Imagen downloads the edit metadata to the folder in the Folder path.

      4. Click Next.
        2024-09-24_12-32-29.png

      5. Choose your Adobe editing software.
        2024-09-24_12-32-47.png
        If you choose Photoshop or Bridge, you might be prompted to update Camera Raw.

        Your edited photos open in the software you chose. For photos in RAW format, Imagen creates a sidecar XMP file in the same folder as the original photos. For photos in JPEG and DNG format, the XMP information is embedded, so you won't see the sidecar files. For more information about seeing your edits, see one of these guides:

Switch between Adobe editing software

Switch from Lightroom Classic to another Adobe software

  1. On the page to select your Lightroom Catalog, at the bottom left of the page, click the Click here link to select a different software.
    toggle LRc.png
     
  2. Choose your editing software. 
    toggle LRc further.png
     

Switch to Lightroom Classic from another Adobe software

  1. On the page to select your folder, at the bottom left of the page, click the Click here link.
    toggle from folder.png
  2. Select a Lightroom catalog.
    drop Lrc further.png

 

Common questions

How long does it take to edit?

Once you upload a project for editing, your photos are edited on our servers. Imagen's editing speed is fast, averaging around 0.33 seconds per photo. For example, a project of 1000 photos will typically take around 5 minutes to complete. The turnaround time may be slightly longer if you use AI tools, like Subject Mask, Straighten, and Crop.

My project download is not available

If you uploaded a project with up to 1,000 photos more than an hour ago, try these steps:

  • If you didn't get an email that your edits are ready, open the Imagen app, and check your project.
  • Open the Imagen app to check if you have any outstanding payments. If this is the case, there is a notification at the top of the screen that we deactivated your account until this issue is resolved.
  • Contact us if the project hasn't been edited or if you need help settling your payment for Imagen. 

How many times can I download my edits?

Your edited project downloads are unlimited and always accessible. To download an edited project again:

  1. Go to the Projects page. See Projects page explained.
  2. Find the relevant project on either the Active or Archive tabs.
  3. Click on the three dots at the end of the row, and choose Download Edits.

Supported file types

Imagen supports editing JPEG, TIFF, and RAW formats. If your photos are in one of these formats and you can’t upload them, see Upload troubleshooting.

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