> ## Documentation Index
> Fetch the complete documentation index at: https://docs.shootbin.com/llms.txt
> Use this file to discover all available pages before exploring further.

# Upload photos directly from Adobe Lightroom

> Export photos from Lightroom Classic into Shootbin projects and albums without leaving your editing workflow. Available on all plans.

The Shootbin Lightroom plugin lets you send photos from Lightroom Classic directly into a Shootbin project and album. You select your exports in Lightroom, choose the destination project and album, and the photos appear in Shootbin,no manual uploading or browser switching required.

The Lightroom plugin is available on the Studio and Agency plans.

## Before you start

<CardGroup cols={2}>
  <Card title="Lightroom Classic required" icon="camera">
    The plugin works with Adobe Lightroom Classic. Lightroom CC (cloud-based) is not supported.
  </Card>

  <Card title="API token for Studio & Agency" icon="key">
    API token authentication requires the **Studio** or **Agency** plan. Studio users can create a dedicated Lightroom API key from their account settings under the Studio tab.
  </Card>
</CardGroup>

## Install the plugin

<Steps>
  <Step title="Download the plugin">
    Download the Shootbin Lightroom plugin from your Shootbin account settings or the plugin download page provided to you.
  </Step>

  <Step title="Install in Lightroom Classic">
    Open Lightroom Classic and go to **File → Plug-in Manager**. Click **Add**, then navigate to the downloaded plugin file (`.lrplugin`) and select it. Click **Done** to close the manager.
  </Step>

  <Step title="Authenticate with Shootbin">
    The first time you use the plugin, it will prompt you to sign in to your Shootbin account. Follow the on-screen steps to connect the plugin to your account.

    If you're on the **Studio** or **Agency** plan and prefer to use an API token instead, generate one in your Shootbin account settings under the **Studio** tab, then enter it in the plugin's authentication settings.
  </Step>
</Steps>

<Info>
  API token access (direct Bearer token authentication) requires the Studio or Agency plan. Studio users can create a Lightroom API key from the Studio tab in account settings. Agency users can create both regular API tokens and a dedicated Lightroom API key.
</Info>

## Generate a Lightroom API key (Studio & Agency plans)

If you're on the Studio or Agency plan and want to use token-based authentication:

<Steps>
  <Step title="Open account settings">
    Go to your Shootbin account settings and navigate to the **Studio** tab.
  </Step>

  <Step title="Create a Lightroom API key">
    Click **Create Lightroom API key**. Copy the key immediately,it is only shown once.
  </Step>

  <Step title="Enter the key in the plugin">
    In Lightroom's plug-in settings for Shootbin, paste the key into the API token field.
  </Step>
</Steps>

For a full overview of the Shootbin API, see the [API reference](/api/introduction).

## Upload photos from Lightroom

<Steps>
  <Step title="Select photos in Lightroom">
    In the Library or Develop module, select the photos you want to upload to Shootbin. You can select individual images or an entire collection.
  </Step>

  <Step title="Open the export dialog">
    Go to **File → Export** (or press `Shift + Cmd + E` on Mac / `Shift + Ctrl + E` on Windows). In the export dialog, choose **Shootbin** from the list of export destinations in the left panel.
  </Step>

  <Step title="Choose a project and album">
    In the Shootbin export settings, select the target project and the album within that project where you want the photos to appear. If the album doesn't exist yet, you can create one directly from the export dialog.
  </Step>

  <Step title="Configure export settings">
    Set your preferred file format, quality, and sizing options as you would for any Lightroom export. These settings apply to the files sent to Shootbin.
  </Step>

  <Step title="Export">
    Click **Export**. Lightroom processes and uploads the photos to the selected Shootbin album. You'll see progress in Lightroom's task bar. Once complete, the photos appear in your Shootbin project ready for client review.
  </Step>
</Steps>

<Tip>
  Set up a Lightroom export preset for Shootbin so you don't have to reconfigure the export settings every time. Go to **Add** in the preset list on the left side of the export dialog after configuring your settings.
</Tip>

## What happens after upload

Once photos land in Shootbin, they go through the same processing pipeline as any other upload:

* Web-optimized variants are generated for fast proofing
* Watermarks are applied if you have watermarking enabled on your account
* Photos are immediately visible to anyone with access to the album

Your client can then open the project in their browser and start reviewing,approving, rejecting, and leaving annotations,just as they would with photos uploaded through the web app.

## Where to manage your albums

To avoid confusion and keep your albums consistent, Shootbin separates Lightroom-managed albums from web-managed albums:

<Info>
  **An album can only be managed from where it was created.** Photos uploaded via the Lightroom plugin live in Lightroom-managed albums. Photos uploaded via the Shootbin website live in web-managed albums. The two do not mix.
</Info>

### Lightroom-managed albums

Albums you create and upload to from the Lightroom plugin are **Lightroom-managed**. You can only add, remove, or update photos in these albums through Lightroom. The Shootbin website shows these albums as read-only for photo management, you can still review, annotate, approve, and reject photos, but you cannot upload or delete photos from the web interface.

In the Shootbin web app, Lightroom-managed albums show a label indicating they are managed through Lightroom.

### Web-managed albums

Albums you create and upload to from the Shootbin website are **web-managed**. You can only manage photos in these albums through the website.

In Lightroom, web-managed albums appear with a `[Web]` prefix in the album name so you can identify them at a glance. If you click a `[Web]` album in Lightroom, the plugin shows a notification explaining that the album is managed through the website and cannot be modified from Lightroom. Uploads and deletions from Lightroom to web-managed albums are blocked.

### Why this matters

Keeping uploads separated by source prevents conflicts between Lightroom's catalog and Shootbin's web interface. If you uploaded photos from both places into the same album, Lightroom would not know about the web-uploaded photos, leading to missing images and sync issues. The separation ensures every album stays consistent, whether you work in Lightroom or the browser.

## Plan and access summary

| Feature            | Hobby | Studio               | Agency |
| ------------------ | ----- | -------------------- | ------ |
| Lightroom plugin   | —     | Yes                  | Yes    |
| API token auth     | —     | Yes (Lightroom only) | Yes    |
| Uploads via plugin | —     | Yes                  | Yes    |

<Note>
  Photos uploaded through the Lightroom plugin count toward your plan's per-project photo limit, the same as web uploads.
</Note>