Apply a set of modifications to a different JPG image

[Bill S]

Let's say I have a JPG image that I make several modifications to. Brightness, auto levels, shadows, etc. I export the new JPG. I save the document.

Now I want to make the same changes to another image. Same brightness mods, auto level mods, shadow mods, etc. Is there a way to do this without having to manually make the mods again. Can I save the mods in a "process" file that I can then apply to the different image?

[PixelPest]

It seems so: Select your Adjustments and "Copy" - go to you next loaded image and "paste" into the Layers panel.

[walt.farrell]

17 minutes ago, Bill S said:

Now I want to make the same changes to another image. Same brightness mods, auto level mods, shadow mods, etc. Is there a way to do this without having to manually make the mods again.

Auto-level? No (but see below).

Anything that created an Adjustment layer, and assuming you did not Merge the Adjustment: Yes. Just copy the layer and paste it into the other document.

Alternative that may also work (even with Auto-levels):

1. Export an original JPG of your first document, without the adjustments.
2. Make adjustments.
3. Export a new JPG, including those adjustments.
4. Open a new document that you want to adjust.
5. Add a LUT adjustment. In the adjustment dialog, click Infer LUT...
6. In the file management dialog that opens, first select the "original" JPG from (1), then the adjusted JPG from (3). This will create a LUT adjustment to describe the differences between the two files, and apply it to your new file (4).
   Help: https://affinity.help/photo/en-US.lproj/pages/Adjustments/adjustment_3dLut.html

[Bill S]

Great responses. I will give this a try. Also thanks for the message about Merge. I could post this elsewhere, but since I do not understand, it will be easier to ask here.

What exactly does "Merge" do. I see that it creates an item in the Adjustments list called Merge Down. When I do not do the Merge after making other adjustments, I am unable to do an Unsharp Mask (Sharpen) adjustment.

Which then takes me to another item... Why is it called "Unsharp Mask"? Why not just call it Sharpen? And then what is High Pass? What is the difference between the three Sharpen filters... Unsharp Mask, Clarity, and High Pass?

Sorry for all the divergent questions. I have been using this for a couple of years, but obviously do not know how best to use these features. I click on Help, and put these parameters there, and I do not seem to get a proper answer.

[thomaso]

5 hours ago, Bill S said:

Now I want to make the same changes to another image. Same brightness mods, auto level mods, shadow mods, etc. Is there a way to do this without having to manually make the mods again.

Besides the already mentioned workflows: You can place other images into this same document right above your current image layer (below the adjustment layers). Use the layer visibility option to export the various image results individually.

If the images have different dimensions it can work to increase the canvas, e.g. for the largest image, and, with an image layer selected, choose in the export option "Selection Area" to get the exported canvas cropped to the currently selected image layer and with all adjustments included.

If you are in APhoto there is also another workflow to apply a certain bunch of edits to other images within one document. Unfortunately I only vaguely remember a serif video tutorial, but can't remember the workflow or title. Maybe another user will know what I refer to … ?

You might also be interested in a completely different feature for APhoto, which also has efficiency in mind: the option of linked layers, selectively for various parameters. This Serif Affinity video demonstrates the advantage: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Oi941vsNLnY

[carl123]

7 hours ago, Bill S said:

Now I want to make the same changes to another image.

If you know in advance that you will need to do this, you can try creating a macro

[thomaso]

Or: Adjustments saved in the Asset panel are available for every new document. Can get saved as Group, too.
(works well in APub, I just experienced issues* in APhoto)
*EDIT: the issue in APh can get avoided with a vector mask layer for the adjustment or the Group of adjustments. See linked thread.

Edited November 3, 2022 by thomaso

[walt.farrell]

11 hours ago, Bill S said:

Also thanks for the message about Merge. I could post this elsewhere, but since I do not understand, it will be easier to ask here.

What exactly does "Merge" do. I see that it creates an item in the Adjustments list called Merge Down. When I do not do the Merge after making other adjustments, I am unable to do an Unsharp Mask (Sharpen) adjustment.

The Merge I was referring to is something you can do to Adjustment layers, from the Adjustment dialog. It "bakes" the adjustment into the layer permanently, rather than leaving it separate and subject to further tweaking via the adjustment layer dialog. Once you've done that, creating a LUT from the image won't work the same.

11 hours ago, Bill S said:

Which then takes me to another item... Why is it called "Unsharp Mask"? Why not just call it Sharpen? And then what is High Pass? What is the difference between the three Sharpen filters... Unsharp Mask, Clarity, and High Pass?

I will let someone else answer those. And, by the way, it might be better to post separate topics to ask such unrelated questions. You're more likely to get good answers.

[Bill S]

On 11/2/2022 at 11:16 PM, thomaso said:

Or: Adjustments saved in the Asset panel are available for every new document. Can get saved as Group, too.
(works well in APub, I just experienced issues* in APhoto)
*EDIT: the issue in APh can get avoided with a vector mask layer for the adjustment or the Group of adjustments. See linked thread.

Thanks. I cannot figure out how to copy a modification from one document into an Asset. The help for assets just says "drag and drop" and "import from selection."

[walt.farrell]

6 minutes ago, Bill S said:

I cannot figure out how to copy a modification from one document into an Asset.

First, you would need your original .afphoto file with the adjustment layers present in it.

Next, you would select them all (releasing them from any layer they're nested into, first), and Group them.

Then in the Assets panel, select the category you want them in, and the subcategory, and in the subcategory's panel options use Add from Selection. You'll also want to configure the panel options to Show as List.

Then, in theory, you can drag the Group from the Assets panel onto another image. In practice, it doesn't seem to work for me in either V1 or V2 of Photo. The Adjustments do not seem to take effect. My guess at this point is that they are located somewhere off the canvas, and thus not having a visible effect.

[Bill S]

On 11/2/2022 at 2:26 PM, walt.farrell said:

Auto-level? No (but see below).

Anything that created an Adjustment layer, and assuming you did not Merge the Adjustment: Yes. Just copy the layer and paste it into the other document.

Alternative that may also work (even with Auto-levels):

1. Export an original JPG of your first document, without the adjustments.
2. Make adjustments.
3. Export a new JPG, including those adjustments.
4. Open a new document that you want to adjust.
5. Add a LUT adjustment. In the adjustment dialog, click Infer LUT...
6. In the file management dialog that opens, first select the "original" JPG from (1), then the adjusted JPG from (3). This will create a LUT adjustment to describe the differences between the two files, and apply it to your new file (4).
   Help: https://affinity.help/photo/en-US.lproj/pages/Adjustments/adjustment_3dLut.html

I am working with this method. I am ok at "4. Open a new document that you want to adjust." I cannot see where to do "5. Add a LUT adjustment."

I have searched for it, but cannot find it. I am use APhoto 2.0.3. Thank you so much

[walt.farrell]

2 minutes ago, Bill S said:

I cannot see where to do "5. Add a LUT adjustment."

Click the Adjustment icon at the bottom of the Layers panel, then choose LUT. Or use the Adjustments panel.

[Bill S]

On 11/2/2022 at 2:26 PM, walt.farrell said:

Auto-level? No (but see below).

Anything that created an Adjustment layer, and assuming you did not Merge the Adjustment: Yes. Just copy the layer and paste it into the other document.

Alternative that may also work (even with Auto-levels):

1. Export an original JPG of your first document, without the adjustments.
2. Make adjustments.
3. Export a new JPG, including those adjustments.
4. Open a new document that you want to adjust.
5. Add a LUT adjustment. In the adjustment dialog, click Infer LUT...
6. In the file management dialog that opens, first select the "original" JPG from (1), then the adjusted JPG from (3). This will create a LUT adjustment to describe the differences between the two files, and apply it to your new file (4).
   Help: https://affinity.help/photo/en-US.lproj/pages/Adjustments/adjustment_3dLut.html

Thank you so much Walt.

It worked perfectly, and it was very simple. I watched a video from Karen Stone Photography. In it she explains that layers are included in the LUT, but filters are not.

Since I had sharpened the image as the very last task, all I had to do was a bit of sharpening and it was done.