Introduction
[Roger Seng]: If you're a photographer who likes to use mood boards to brainstorm concepts for a photoshoot or share style, lighting, or location ideas with a client, you can start that process directly in Lightroom or Lightroom Classic.
Hi, I'm Roger Seng, and in the next few minutes, I'll show you how to select images in Lightroom and send them directly to Firefly Boards to create a photography mood board.
Create a mood board from Lightroom images
I'm starting here in Lightroom on desktop with the set of images I've already selected.
You can use up to ten images for a mood board.
These references can cover things like location possibilities, posing, lighting, texture, wardrobe, composition, or even different editing styles.
These images represent ideas for a brand campaign for an action camera.
Once your images are selected, go to the Photo menu, choose Generate in Firefly, and then Start a mood board.
If you're using Lightroom Classic, you can find this option under the File menu.
You can also right-click your selected images and access the same option from the Contextual menu.
This sends your selected Lightroom images directly into Firefly Boards, where you can begin arranging them into a more intentional layout.
When Firefly opens, the images are attached to your cursor and you can click to place them on the Board.
To get a better working view, use the Zoom menu at the top of the screen.
I'll choose Fit all content so I can see all the images.
You can also zoom in and out using Cmd or Ctrl + or -.
This makes it easier to see the full Board and start organizing the images in a way that feels clear and readable.
Now I can start arranging these images into a visual direction.
For example, I might place my strongest hero image first, then group supporting references around it.
You can arrange the content in rows, columns, or a loser mosaic, depending on the kind of structure you want.
Organize images on an artboard
Once the images are in place, I can drag a marquee around the group to select them, and in the Contextual Task Bar, I'll click the Collect icon to collect them into an artboard.
This gives the mood board a more defined frame, and also helps the board feel more intentional, especially if you plan to share it with a client or collaborator.
One thing that is helpful to know is that moving the artboard is different than from moving the images inside of it.
If I select the artboard, I can reposition the whole mood board, but if I click into the content inside of the artboard, I can adjust individual images on their own.
That gives me flexibility to refine the mood board without rebuilding the whole layout.
From here, I could resize the artboard or resize individual images to create a stronger visual hierarchy.
For example, I might make one or two key references larger so they carry more weight while supporting images stay smaller.
Combine multiple mood boards and add new content
At the present time, you can add up to ten images from Lightroom into a mood board.
If you go back to Lightroom, select new images and start again, those images will open into a new mood board in a different browser tab.
But there's an easy way to combine the contents of mood boards using Firefly.
Let me show you.
If you want to add the images from one mood board into another, just drag the marquee around the images on the board, click the three-dot menu, and choose Copy.
Then go to another Firefly Board, right-click, and choose Paste to add those images.
If you want to add images that are not in Lightroom, click the Add content icon on the left side, or you can just drag and drop files directly onto the Board.
If you have multiple mood boards you've created, you can click the Firefly icon in the upper left to go to the Firefly Boards home page, where you can see all of the Boards you've been working on.
You can create as many Boards as you like, and they don't require any credits.
Share mood boards with clients and collaborators
If I'm sharing a mood board with someone else, I can use the Text tool to add a few simple text labels.
This can be especially helpful when you want to make sure a client or collaborator understands what each reference is contributing to the overall direction.
You can share a board by clicking the three dots in the Contextual Task Bar for the artboard and choosing Copy link or clicking Share in the upper right, where you have standard options for who can access the link.
If you want to limit access to only people you invite, just add their email address and set their access to edit the board or just comment.
That makes it easy to send the mood board to a client, teammate, or collaborator so everyone can review the visual direction in one place.
Explore new creative ideas with generative AI
Firefly also offers generative AI tools to modify images, turn a photo into a short video clip, or even create variations of a specific image.
For instance, I like the concept of the flowers arranged with a guitar, so I'll click Vary, choose Keep subject, then click on the Board to have Firefly generate 16 new variations based on the selected image.
This can come in handy if you're brainstorming initial concepts for a photo shoot, and want to explore ideas for new ways to photograph your subject.
Now you know how to create a photography mood board by sending selected images from Lightroom or Lightroom Classic into Firefly Boards.
Give it a try with one of your own projects and see how it fits into your creative workflow.
I'm Roger Seng, and thanks for watching.
