lightroom to cs3 workflow

I like to have more control in the sharpening phase of the process when I am going to submit a file for printing. Currently I do all my adjustments in lightroom(adding vignette, and cropping) export to a cr2 file, open in camera raw, check to make sure it is set to 300dpi and than open in cs3. Am I wasting a step (trying to preserve any losses)by exporting to cr2 instead of just exporting to a psd file and working with that in cs3??

"Am I wasting a step ...?" I think so. Remember LR does not actually change the file so the original RAW (cr2 for Canon) is always available. Here is what I do on a file of any importance:

Make a virtual copy in Lightroom. All this does is 'remember' two different ways of handling the RAW file. With one of the copies, go to Develop in LR and set the parameters the way you want them - LR 'remembers' these. Right click the image and click Edit In>Photoshop. Adobe Camera Raw (ACR) will now apply the adjustments you specified in LR while rendering the RAW file and open it in Photoshop. You now (for the first time) have an actual image file that you can manipulate.

Make sense?

I would also ask, if you are making all your adjustments in LR, why take it to CS3?

TF

I guess I didn't think of going back to the library view(that is what you are talking about right) after developing it and right click(?) edit in photoshop. The reason I go to CS3 is for more control over the sharpening process. It may just be my lack of knowledge of LR though. The place I print at requires that I embed a color space, and save as jpg, 300 dpi quality level 10. Why can't LR be more like ps when saving a jpeg?? using same quality levels rather than 0-100 in LR and 0-12 in PS.

Lightroom gives you several choices for embedded color space in JPEGS.

Don't try to use the print to jpeg option unless you are running your own RIP engine printer or have your own printer that you can tweak.

Just export the file as a JPEG. Most high end printers would prefer a TIFF file anyway as to avoid the JPEG artifact problem at any quality level.

drg, the only time I export to jpg is for posting online, which can be a pain in the butt, tried a few different settings last night and ended up having to redo them 5 times because the file size was still too large. I don't do any sharpening in LR as I would like more control. The place I send my pictures off to whcc.com requests them in jpg format, with a color space embeded, and suggests saving them at quality 10 300dpi. Apparently they are using actual photo sensitive papers, not inkjet printing them(up to a certain size).