Adobe has unveiled its latest updates to the Lightroom ecosystem, which includes both Lightroom and Lightroom Classic. Amongst these updates are a new Texture slider in all programs as well as contextual help and step-by-step tutorials in Lightroom.

These updates are available today.

Help and interactive tutorials

Lightroom — formerly known as Lightroom CC — received the brunt of the updates. The new contextual help will allow users to fully understand what each slider does.

For more in-depth assistance, users can take a look at several sample images and see an interactive, step-by-step process of how they were edited in the program, called “Inspiration Edits.” These tutorials highlight work and edits from several photographers, including Matt Kloskowski, Katrin Eismann, Kristina Sherk and Nicole Young. The new tutorials and contextual help tools are available on both desktop and mobile versions of Lightroom.

In addition, on both Mac and Windows, the help menu has been greatly expanded and is now searchable.

Texture slider

The biggest update is with the new Texture slider, available in both Lightroom, Lightroom Classic and Camera Raw. It marks the first new editing control added to the platform since Dehaze in 2015. This new tool helps photographers accentuate or smooth medium-sized details such as skin, bark, water and hair without increasing the presence of noise, impacting bokeh or affecting other details.

New collaboration tools

In Lightroom, users can now invite others to collaborate in certain albums, adding their own photos. Once someone contributes their own photos to your album, you have complete access to the full resolution in the format that was added, including RAW. You can also share a link where people can request access to your album.

Other updates

Defringe

Lightroom for Mac and Windows also now has a Defringe option, available in the Optics section. This helps to remove purple or green fringes caused by lens chromatic aberrations. First, users can turn on the Remove Chromatic Aberrations checkbox. Then if there are still chromatic aberrations visible, you can use the eyedropper to select an area of your image that has a color fringe, to help identify the hue that needs to be reduced throughout your photograph.

Batch editing for Android

Lightroom for Android also has the option to batch edit, allowing users to copy settings from one image and paste them to multiple images. To get started with this, click a photo you wish to copy the edits from. Then click the three-dot menu in the top-right of the screen, and select Copy Settings. Then, go to the grid view and long-press to enter select mode. Select the photos you wish to apply the edits to, click the three-dot menu again, and select Paste Settings.

Batch editing will be made available for iOS in a future update.

Flat-Field Correction

Lightroom Classic also obtains Flat-Field Correction, a tool that was previously available as a plugin. This helps correct for sensor and lens characteristics that can result in asymmetrical color casts. Users can start by capturing a calibration photo by shooting a flat, evenly illuminated reflective surface (or use an ExpoDisc or similar tool). Then, after importing your photos, select the photo plus the calibration photo and navigate to Library > Flat-Field Correction.

This analyzes the calibration photo and then removes any color casts due to the lens and sensor combination, resulting in a new DNG file.

To learn more about the above updates and much more, visit the Adobe Blog.