Timelapse Movies from Lightroom

Santa Ponsa from Sean McCormack on Vimeo.

As you may or may not know, I'm a huge fan of Timelapse movies. Now I haven't exactly been going around the world shooting stuff like Ross Ching, but I have shot timelapse all around Connemara, County Clare, in Scotland, London and even Mallorca in Spain. I even begged Jeffrey Friedl to help in the form of writing a script that allowed me to create panning and zooming using only Lightroom metadata.

Well last night, with a lot of help from some buddies on the Lightroom SDK forum, I managed to do something that I'd been hinting at to Timothy Armes.. I wrote a post process plugin, that allows me to send the exported files to FFMPEG and create a movie from them. FFMPEG is a cross platform, open source video application. It doesn't come compiled and needs substantial massaging to get it compiled. Still I found a compiled version for both Windows (untested) and Mac OS X.
Now the plugin is very fragile and needs a lot of polish. I'm not sure it's something I intend releasing, because of this fragility. However, if you are a timelapse creator that uses Lightroom, please contact me and we can test and work on it further. Basically if you mix the panning ability from Jeffrey's Pan script and this Export plugin, you can pretty much create cool timelapse within Lightroom.

The movie at the top was creating using panning from the Pan script and exported from Lightroom via my export plugin.

Lr2Twitpic plugin

Update: for those linking, please use http://lightroom-blog.com/lr2twitpic

Lr2Twitpic is a plugin for Lightroom 2 that allows the user to export a photo to the Twitpic online service. As with the website, this allows you to either upload the image, or upload and post a message on Twitter, along with a link to the image. This link, the Twitter Username and the URL of the image on Twitpic are stored in metadata and accessible via the provided Lr2Twitpic Metadata Tagset (or Metadata Viewer Preset as it has been called). The image generated is an sRGB Jpeg, and is put in a temporary location, which is then deleted once the export is finished. You can of course download the file via the link if so desired. If you opt not to post to Twitter, the Message box becomes inaccessible. A Signup button is built in to allow new users to create a Twitter account.

The plugin comes in 2 forms, a demo version that allows 10 exports before being disabled. As Twitpic tends to be a single image at a time service, this should be more than enough to form an opinion about requiring the plugin or not. The full version works in exactly the same way, but is not restricted. The full version is available for download via e-junkie for a coffee busting €2.50 (introductory offer).

Errors
The Plugin traps Twitpic errors and displays the text in a dialog. The list is not exhaustive, but covers incorrect username and password, incorrect file type and file too large (over 5Mb).

Note: As with the FTP presets in Lightroom, this sends text, including the password, in the clear, so be warned if you are using someone else's network, they can snoop out your password.

Known issues: Sometimes if the plugin is used immediately after starting, Twitpic will return an incorrect file type error. As the plugin automatically creates an sRGB Jpeg, it can't create the wrong file type. I suspect the file sends before it finishes processing. Simply resend the file and it will work the second time.

Install and use. To install this plugin, open the Plugin Manager (File>Plugin Manager) and click Add on the bottom left. Navigate to the unzipped file and choose it. The Plugin is now installed. To use click the Export button in the Left Panel of Library. Alternatively use the shortcut Shift Command E on Mac or Shift Control E on PC. Click the top of the Dialog (default says File on Disk) and choose Lr2Twitpic from the list. Enter your Twitter Username and password, along with an optional message. Choose from the other options including file sizing (recommended!) and watermarking. Click Export when ready.

Metadata
To view the custom metadata associated with this plugin, click the preset field beside the title of the Metadata panel and select Lr2Twitpic from the list.

Demo Download
Click to download demo. By clicking the link the user agrees to the EULA agreement.

Purchase
Click Add to Cart to be taken to E-junkie where payment can be processed. By purchasing the user agrees to the EULA agreement.




Support
Support can be obtained at http://lightroom-blog.com/forum

Teaser announcement... New Export Plugin

Those of you paying attention on Twitter might have been as surprised as I when my first ever Export Plugin worked. I'd been having an issue getting one part of the plugin to talk to the other. The plugin worked with manual entries internally, so I know it wasn't there. All good now. I've got the error codes working and the plugin now returns the Twitpic URL when completed.

And on to the announcement.

Lightroom-Blog.com is pleased to announce it's forthcoming Lightroom to Twitpic export plugin. This plugin allows the user to upload to Twitpic and have the option of posting the link to Twitter, along with a message, or simply to upload the image. If unsuccesful, the plugin posts the Twitpic error message, or if successful, it posts the URL into metadata, accessible via a custom Tagset in the Metadata Panel.

The plugin needs a little polish before it's ready for general release, like a better logo than I have, and a bottom of dialog section to link back to the plugin details and twitter signup page.

Metadata Plugin Schema got you down?

The Lightroom SDK covers the basics of creating a Metadata Plugin quite well. Detailed examples and explanations abound. I got a basic plugin going quickly and then went on to add new features to it. Two things I noticed I could add to the fields were

searchable=true,
browsable=true,

So I added searchable=true and then restarted Lightroom. Yes I know I can just reload the plugin, but sometimes restarting can rule out silly issues that may arise. All was well, or was it?
When I enabled the plugin I got a message I simply did not understand. It referred to a change in schema, with an increment in field version number needed to correct it. I had no idea what to do.. I tried expanding the schemaVersion code section and incrementing the schemaVersion. No joy. In the end I rang John Beardsworth. We'd been chinwagging online about Lua and the SDK and I figured he might be able to direct me. He was. It was all quite simple really. Each field you create also needs to have a 'version=x.x' line, which must be incremented when you change the properties of the field.

Obviously I got this all sorted, because lots of you are downloading LRB Releases. No reflection on the SDK writers as versioning is mentioned in the SDK (page 55 to be precise). It's marked as optional, but if you are making changes to the field, then you need to use it.

LRB Releases

For my first metadata plugin, I've created an extension of the SDK examples. This plugins allows you to tag an image with a Model Release or a Propery Release as required. For the more organised it also allows you to give it a number. The even more organised could scan in the release and name it with this number, making it easy to search for.

As with any Plugin, open the Plugin Manager (File>Plugin Manager). Click Add on the bottom left to start the process. In the window that appears, navigate to where you've stored the plugin (e.g. you could put it in My Documents/LR Plugins, or Documents/LR Plugins), then select it. Finally click the Add Plugin button on the bottom right.

You may get a request asking to Update the Catalog. Lightroom does this to add the new fields to the catalog. Click Update.

To use the plugin, open the Metadata panel at the bottom right Panel. From the preset list choose 'Release Forms Tagset'.

From here you can use the Model and Property Release menu to choose Yes, Not Required and No Release from the list. You can also enter the form number if you use such things.

Disclaimer. This Plugin is free and is offered as is. Use is at your own risk. I have used it successfully here, but offer no warranty or guarantee that it will be successful for you. By downloading this plugin you accept all liability for any damage that may occur, and release me from any such liability.


Click Add to Cart to be taken to E-Junkie.com for your download.
This product is donationware. If you find it useful, then please return and donate.





Known issues: The link button in the Plugin Manager isn't happening :)

To come.. Metadata Plugin #1

So I delve into the madness that is Lightroom Plugins. While they are Lua based, they are very much removed from the world of Web Engines.
The SDK only covers so much and you'd need to be aware of everything in it to get by. For instance the metadata examples don't contain version numbers, when you need this to allow the plugin to update. Also I think (only guessing) that because I started without one, and tried updating schema, that it is need there also.
So enough bellyaching about it, and off I got to make a nice post and polish up my first plugin.

LRB Portfolio 2.0 released

In the midst of all the current madness going on in the country around me, I'm pleased to announce that LRB Portfolio 2.0 has been released and is available to buy now. Users of older versions can use their download link to get the new version.
A new website is now online for the product: http://lrbportfolio.com/. The site will be the most up to date place to look for news on LRB Portfolio.

Changes

Changed charset to UTF-16 to allow for further languages

Fixed Content Area font size issues by adding a Content Font Size control

Added image choice to Menu

Added provisional code to allow Google Analytics code to be pasted:WARNING, each gallery loading will open the Google Analytics code in a browser window. This is how Lightroom deals with external resources and cannot be prevented. If you don't like this, then leave the Insert Analytics Code box unticked.

Added IE8 conditional code

Added an image choice to the mail page

Change the Page title on the mail page to whatever is in the Page Title

Addition of the Dynamic Drive scroll script and making the internal script options available in the Output Settings panel.

Added on text editing for home, about and blank pages

added a body width option

Fixed float issues with images dropping down.

Go to LRB Portfolio Website.

Links and news.

I've posted again on Lightroom news, but you should check out Tim Armes new plugin for Lightroom: LR2/Blog. It's a photoblog plugin for Lightroom that lets you publish blog posts to blogger and Wordpress (or those that use the metaWebLog API) blogs. You can add text to the post, overwrite previous files, etc. It's a great idea for a plugin and works well.

On the 'please release V2 of LRB Portfolio' front, well maybe if people would take a break from mailing in feature requests, it might actually get out the door. As it is I have to rewrite some of the user guide before release! Soon, I promise. And quit asking for beta versions.... :)


One thing I have been doing is spending some time on Lynda.com. I have the bones of a book on writing web galleries done from 1.3, so I've been looking at InDesign course, and of course I'm doing Eric Meyer's CSS course. I've even applied one or 2 ideas to the gallery since (like the dropping image when the window is too narrow issue - now it just hides instead).
Even though I'm only there a week, I really recommend it. I'll take a peek at the Lightroom courses there and do a mini review in time.
Anyhow, back to the grindstone.

LRB Portfolio updated to 1.1

LRB Portfolio, the website in a gallery plugin for Lightroom has been updated to version 1.1. New features include an error page for galleries lacking enough images, body font settings and background image control. Bug fixes include an issue with mail.php generation in 1.03. Current users can get the update through the download email they received with product purchase. If you have mislaid this, it went to your paypal email address. If you've used up all the downloads, reply with the download email and I'll reset it.

Where to keep your Lightroom Plugins.

There's been some questions and concern expressed in a few places about the where you should keep your Lightroom plugins (I'm not referring to Web Engines here, they do have a specific place).

The SDK tells us that Lightroom looks in a specific place for Plugins.

In Mac OS (current user) ~/Library/Application Support/Adobe/Lightroom/Modules
In Mac OS (all users) /Library/Application Support/Adobe/Lightroom/Modules
In Windows XP C:\Documents and Settings\username\Application Data\Adobe\Lightroom\Modules
In Windows Vista C:\Users\username\AppData\Roaming\Adobe\Lightroom\Modules

Plugins located here are automatically loaded and can be both enabled or disabled by the Plugin Manager, but not removed.

This lack of removal is causing pain for a number of users, so a few Lightroom users/gurus/developers were talking about this a while ago. We bantered back and forth about how we work around this limitation. In the end we figured on a simple solution. Manually create a folder beside Modules called 'Plugins' and store your plugins there. This allows you to have a central repository for all your Lightroom plugins, and to be able to add or remove them using the Plugin Manager. This isn't any kind of mandatory or definitive solution, but may be of use if you feel you need to be able to remove plugins without losing them.

Export Plugin: Lightroom to Gallery2

A number of developers have jumped on board with Export Plugins for Gallery 2

Fototagebuch has a 0.1.1 version of the plugin available. It's quite feature laden for what is essentially a Beta Version of the Plugin.

Meanwhile Ubermind have their own Beta plugin for Gallery. Ubermind have created quite a lot of Aperture plugins, so it's good to see them on board with Lightroom also.