Retouch a consistent photo series

What you will do

Give similar photographs from a shoot a consistent starting point, then refine any photographs that need different treatment. Reuse a named preset when you expect to need the setup again, or copy the current image settings when the setup is only for the photographs you have selected. You can then export full-size JPEG copies without replacing your originals.

The screenshots use Heal at Sensitivity 75 as an example. Choose tools and values for your own photographs: consistent settings do not guarantee identical corrections when faces, poses, or lighting differ.

Before you start

• Sign in and make sure the retouching tools you want to use are installed and activated for Local processing.
• Create a project and import the photographs from your series.
• Keep the original files unchanged. Export finished photographs to a new subfolder so that you can return to the originals later.

For a detailed explanation of the controls used here, see Choose retouching tools and settings, Use retouching presets, and Understand and verify local processing.

Steps

Choose how to reuse the settings

Use one of these routes:

• Preset: best when you want a named setup that you can apply again.
• Copy and paste: best for a one-time transfer from a reference photograph to the photographs currently selected. This does not create a preset, and it does not keep the photographs synchronized.

Whichever route you choose, treat the shared settings as a starting point. Similar settings can produce different visible results when faces, poses, or lighting differ.

Apply a named preset

1. Select a representative photograph, open the retouching controls, and choose Local.
2. In All, enable every tool you want to include in the shared setup. Keep every tool you want in the finished photographs enabled.
3. Adjust each setting while watching the photograph. For example, enable Heal and choose a Sensitivity that removes the distractions you want without flattening natural skin texture.
4. Under Presets, choose Create preset, enter a name that identifies the series or look, and accept the name.
5. For each other similar photograph, select it and choose the new preset from Presets.

A named preset gives another photograph in the series the same starting Heal setting. Arams 1.10.2 · Windows · American English

Copy current image settings to selected photographs

Use this route instead of creating a preset when you only need the reference photograph’s current settings on a particular selection. The copy/paste route includes the Heal setting and RGB Curves used here. If your setup includes other controls, check that they transferred before exporting the series.

1. Select the photograph whose settings you want to reuse.
2. Choose Local and finish configuring the image settings you want to reuse.
3. Right-click the photograph and choose Copy image settings.

Copy image settings copies the photograph's current settings; the menu provides separate commands for crop. Arams 1.10.2 · Windows · American English

The same menu provides separate Copy crop and Paste crop commands. Crop transfer is not part of this workflow.

Pasting can replace adjustments already stored on every selected photograph. Confirm the selection before pasting so that you do not overwrite adjustments you meant to keep.

4. Select the photographs that need the same starting settings.
5. Right-click the selection and choose Paste image settings.

Paste image settings gives the selected photographs the copied Heal setting. Arams 1.10.2 · Windows · American English

Adjust one photograph without changing the others

1. Select a photograph that needs different treatment and adjust its settings. For example, reduce Sensitivity if the shared setting removes too much texture.

After copying, one photograph can be adjusted without changing the others. Arams 1.10.2 · Windows · American English

Example: the other photographs keep their settings

The source photograph keeps its own settings after a copied photograph is adjusted. Arams 1.10.2 · Windows · American English

Other photographs keep their copied settings until you adjust or paste to them again. Arams 1.10.2 · Windows · American English

After pasting, each photograph has independent settings. Changing one does not update the source or the other photographs. If you later change the source and want that change elsewhere in the series, copy and paste its settings again.

Optional: preview photographs before export

Creating a Retouch preview is optional. Use it when you want to inspect a rendered photograph closely before exporting a larger selection; otherwise, continue to export with the current settings.

1. Return to the gallery and select a representative photograph or one that may need extra attention.
2. Choose Retouch preview and wait for processing to finish.
3. Open the photograph in the larger viewer. Check skin texture and the edges around hair, clothing, and the background for unwanted changes.

Retouch preview opens a rendered photograph for a closer check of texture and edges. Arams 1.10.2 · Windows · American English

Example: previewing another photograph in the series

A different pose can use the same preset while still benefiting from its own preview. Arams 1.10.2 · Windows · American English

If the correction is too strong or misses an area, adjust that photograph and create a new preview. Preview other photographs when their pose, lighting, or settings make a closer check useful.

Export the series

1. Return to the gallery and select the photographs whose current settings you want to export. Leave every retouching tool you want in the finished photographs enabled; the Heal setup in the screenshots is only an example.
2. Open Export settings and choose Hard drive.
3. Set Photos to Export to the selected photographs and choose Original Files Folder.
4. Enable Put in Subfolder and enter a new, unique subfolder name.
5. Under Naming and Overwriting, add a suffix such as -retouched to the filename. Enable Add to Current Project if you want the exported copies to appear in this project.
6. To keep the original pixel dimensions, leave Resize to fit off and choose JPEG.
7. Choose Export and wait until the export history reports Completed at 100%.
8. If you enabled Add to Current Project, open All Folders to find the exported copies beside the originals. Otherwise, open the export subfolder to find the saved files.

Export creates full-size JPEG copies with new names while keeping the originals beside them. Arams 1.10.2 · Windows · American English

9. Open representative saved JPEGs at full size and check the retouching before delivering the series.

Exporting to a new subfolder with new filenames creates separate copies. Add to Current Project adds those copies to the project; it does not replace the originals.

Example: export immediately after copying settings

The same export route works immediately after copying and refining settings; you do not need to create previews first.

Direct export creates full-resolution JPEG copies without requiring Retouch preview first. Arams 1.10.2 · Windows · American English

Check the result

The photographs should share a consistent starting setup while retaining any individual adjustments you made afterward. Look across the series for abrupt changes in skin texture, color, or edge treatment, and refine only the photographs that need it.

The task is complete when the export history shows Completed at 100% and the new subfolder contains the newly named JPEG copies. If Resize to fit was off, they should retain the originals’ pixel dimensions. Keep the source files until you have opened representative exports and approved the series.

If it does not work

• A retouching tool is missing or unavailable: confirm that it is installed and activated for Local processing.
• A photograph has different settings: select the preset again, or copy the settings from the correct source and paste them onto that photograph.
• Paste changes the wrong photographs: reapply their intended preset, or copy the correct settings from another photograph. Then select only the intended photographs before choosing Paste image settings again.
• A preview does not finish: open the processing history and check the reported status or error. Resolve the error and try the preview again, or continue with direct export and inspect representative saved files afterward.
• Too few photographs are exported: return to the gallery, select every photograph intended for this export, and confirm the selected counter before opening Export settings again.
• An output has unexpected dimensions: check that Resize to fit is off and repeat the export to a new subfolder. Do not overwrite or delete the originals while troubleshooting.
• The result looks inconsistent: inspect the photographs separately. If only one needs correction, adjust that photograph rather than changing the shared preset. If the whole series needs the change, update the preset and apply it again to every affected photograph.

Related topics

• Use retouching presets
• Understand and verify local processing
• Review processing tasks
• Prepare files for delivery