Stacks in Lightroom...

[OldClicker]

Does anyone use Stacks in Lightroom? They don't really seem to offer the functionality that they did in Elements. Edits (using Photoshop) aren't automatically Stacked, you cannot Stack across folders and you cannot search in LR for images within a collapsed Stack. Do you find a use for Stacks? – TF

[Medley]

I use Aperture, but the stack function operates essentially the same.

I actually use the autostack feature quite a bit to stack burst images. I can then switch to compare (stack) mode, and choose the best image from each burst as the top image. Closing all open stacks then gives me the top images from the shoot.

I do a lot of Photoshop work, and tend not to delete lesser images, as they still have potential use as photo stock. Stacking those images underneath the choice shots allows me an uncluttered view of the best images, while preserving the others for future use.

- Joe U.

[readingr]

I use stacks to group shots and edits together to make the interface cleaner. I just wish I could stack across folders because before lightroom I used to keep edits in a modified folder.

Roger R.

[SmartWombat]

But because LR is non-destructive you don't need to keep edits separate.
Until you go out to PS for editing.

[drg]

Stacks are perfect for making HDR or Panorama photos.

1. Select the images you want to include in either type of 'collection'.
2. Do any global adjustments such a exposure matching. Be sure to remember that you will have to expand the stack or only the top image is adjusted.
3. Export to you application of choice either directly for CS4 or via an export to a program like Photomatix.

The panorama I did recently of Farm Progress 2009 was optimized by choosing images for the assembly with stacks.

Either HDR or Pano's can benefit by using the Auto-Stack by capture time to limit the range of when to select photos for use. If you have a HDR series where the camera is taking photos over several minutes or an hour, it can help to select the rotating bracketed images for use within a narrow time to eliminate motion or 'changes'.

Another place where I regularly use Stacks is with Virtual Copies. This blog link is about the possibilities with different type of 'treatments' to the same image. Just stack 'em and the return later to see what is the 'best' option - or not.

Here are some additional Tips for Using Stacks from the earlier post, Lightroom 2 Tips, Tricks, and Techniques.

Hope this is somewhat of a 'Start'.

[OldClicker]

Thanks all. This helps redirect how I think about LR/PS. Elements (with Organizer) is a great, inexpensive cataloging and editing tool, but I think having used it makes LR/PS more difficult [EDIT: in some ways]. – TF