Can't export cropped PNG screenshot images

[process]

Lightroom Version Number

6.14

Operating System

1. macOS 10.13 High Sierra

I've imported some screenshots from an iPad which are all PNG files.
I've then made virtual copies of them which have further been cropped, and now I want to export those cropped screenshots (for uploading to online forums), and where the trouble starts....

First I see no PNG option, and since I don't want to go for a lossy format (JPG) or end up with a larger and more limited file (GIF) I assumed "original" would be the way to go. This does indeed export a PNG file, but it's not cropped. I tried to search the web for an explanation and read someone saying "original" does exactly what it says: exporting the original/unedited file, so I suppose I just got an identical copy of the file I imported into Lightroom.

I suppose I could just export the original files, then crop them with some other image editor (Photoshop, Affinity Photo or even plain old Preview) but that seems rather cumbersome to me. Is there a better solution to this?

 

[clee01l]

Actually, a lossy JPEG is really what you should be exporting. Minimally compressed JPEGs will not show the compression. Some online forums may only accept JPEG. Others (eg FB) will put the image data into their own compression algorithms.

Compressed JPEGs only become an issue when you try to further edit the image. No one should be trying to edit your images that you sent to the online forum.


Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk

 

[Conrad Chavez]

…I assumed "original" would be the way to go. This does indeed export a PNG file, but it's not cropped. I tried to search the web for an explanation and read someone saying "original" does exactly what it says: exporting the original/unedited file, so I suppose I just got an identical copy of the file I imported into Lightroom.

That’s right. In the Export dialog box, choosing Original as the format really does do what it says: The original file…with absolutely no edits. Not cropping, not anything. It’s a straight duplicate of the imported file.

The scope of Lightroom is tightly focused to photography formats, such as TIFF and JPEG. PNG and GIF are not really thought of as photography formats, more as web graphics formats (buttons, line art). That’s one reason PNG is not an export option.

I do understand when it’s preferable to post a PNG on an online forum, but not for photographs. PNG is useful when uploading a diagram or other synthetic graphic and you want to take advantage of PNG transparency for the empty areas in the graphic, or when you want to preserve semi-transparent areas such as macOS screen shot drop shadows. The problem with JPEG is that it doesn’t support transparency, so if the forum uses a non-white background (or flips to a black background in Night Mode), JPEG graphics can only display their solid white background rectangle against the white page background, and that can look ugly.

 

[process]

Thanks to everybody for clearing all this up.
It's a pity that LR doesn't support other formats than the typical photography formats in this day and age, but I can live with that
However, is there a workaround with some sort of third party plugin?

 

[Rob_Cullen]

It's a pity that LR doesn't support other formats than the typical photography formats in this day and age, but I can live with that
However, is there a workaround with some sort of third party plugin?

It's called Photoshop!
Consider that LrC can only 'Catalog' PNG files with transparency.
Any editing to a PNG has to be done in Photoshop, which is easy using the [Edit-in] command.