Cull first, edit second
Before any edits, cull ruthlessly. In Library, hit P to pick keepers, X to reject. Filter by flag (Library → Filter Bar) and delete rejects with Photo → Delete Rejected Photos. A 2,000-image wedding should cull to 600–800 before editing.
Establish the look on one hero shot
Pick the best image of the session, edit it fully — white balance, exposure, color grading, lens corrections. This is your reference, the look the rest of the shoot will inherit.
Sync settings
Select the edited hero in filmstrip, Shift-click 50 similar shots, click Sync at the bottom right of Develop. Tick every setting except Spot Removal and Crop. Lightroom applies the entire edit to the selection in seconds.
Auto Sync for fine tuning
Hold Cmd/Ctrl and click Sync to switch to Auto Sync mode. Every slider move now applies live to all selected photos — perfect for fine-tuning exposure across a slightly inconsistent run of shots.
Reference view
Press Shift+R. The hero shot pins on the left, the photo you're editing on the right. Match exposure and color side-by-side — essential for venue swaps where lighting changes between shots.
Smart Previews for off-laptop editing
Library → Previews → Build Smart Previews. These are lightweight DNG proxies (about 2 MB each) — disconnect your hard drive and keep editing on the road. Lightroom syncs back to originals when the drive returns.
Export presets
Set up two export presets: Client Web (sRGB, 2048 px long edge, 80% JPEG, sharpen for screen) and Print (Adobe RGB, full resolution, 100% JPEG, sharpen for matte paper). One click delivers both versions.
End-of-session checklist
Backup the catalog, eject all drives, archive the project folder to your NAS. Lightroom's database stays clean and your edits travel with the catalog file — ready for the next shoot the moment you open the laptop.