The Print module gives you precise control over how your images land on paper — whether you're printing at home, creating contact sheets for client review, or sending print-ready files to a professional lab.
🖼️
Single Print Layout
One image per page at maximum quality. Full control over margins and cell size.
📋
Contact Sheets
Grid of multiple images on one page. Client proof sheets, archival records, and shoot overviews.
📁
Print to JPEG
Send a print-ready file to a lab — sized, profiled, and sharpened exactly to spec.
💡The Print module gives you precise control over how your images land on paper — whether printing at home, making contact sheets, or sending files to a professional lab.
The Interface
Accessing the Print Module
Click Print in the module picker. The interface mirrors other output modules — left panels for templates, center for preview, right panels for settings.
Left Panel — Template Browser
Built-in print templates for common layouts — single image, contact sheets, picture packages. Save your own.
Center — Print Preview
Shows the page with a white paper background. Images populate from the filmstrip. Multiple pages shown if the layout spans pages.
Right Panels
Layout Style · Image Settings · Layout · Guides · Page · Print Job — work top to bottom through these for every print job.
Right Panel — Layout Style
Three Fundamental Layout Styles
The first panel you'll set. Everything downstream depends on which layout style you choose.
Single Image / Contact Sheet
One image per cell — OR — a grid of multiple images per page. Set the grid with Columns and Rows in the Layout panel. The same mode handles both uses.
Picture Package
Multiple sizes of the same image on one page — the classic photo package. Example: 1×8x10 + 2×5x7 + 4×4x6. All from one image, one sheet of paper.
Custom Package
Drag and drop any images at any size anywhere on the page. Fully freeform — mix different images at different sizes on one sheet.
Single Image Mode
Single Image Layout
One image per page at the size you specify. The Layout panel controls the relationship between the page, the margins, and the image cell.
Margins
Top, bottom, left, right — set in inches. For maximum print size: set all margins to minimum. Linked margins adjust all four equally.
Cell Size
How large the image is within the page. Drag the sliders or type values. Linked to maintain aspect ratio.
Page Grid
Set Columns and Rows to switch to contact sheet mode within the same Layout Style selection.
Auto-Rotate to Fit
Rotates the image (portrait or landscape) to best fill the cell — useful when printing mixed orientations.
Grid Mode
Contact Sheets
Set Columns and Rows in the Layout panel and Lightroom distributes all filmstrip images across a grid — spanning multiple pages if needed.
Use Cases
Client proof sheets · shoot catalog prints · archival contact records · selection review sheets
Page Numbers
The preview shows page count at the bottom — useful when a shoot spans many contact sheet pages.
Captions Under Each Image
In the Page panel: enable Photo Info → choose Filename, Caption, or any metadata field. Prints a small label under each cell — essential for archival contact sheets.
A 4×5 grid on a letter-size page gives 20 images per sheet — a classic contact sheet format. A 5×7 grid gives 35 images for archival reference prints.
Right Panel — Image Settings
Image Settings Panel
Controls how images fill their cells — cropping, repeating, and border treatment.
Zoom to Fill
Crops the image to completely fill the cell. No white borders around the image — full bleed within the cell. Uncheck to show the full image with white space.
Rotate to Fill
Rotates the image within the cell to fill more area. Useful in contact sheets with mixed portrait and landscape images.
Repeat One Photo per Page
Fills every cell on the page with the same image — useful for printing multiples of one photo (e.g., wallet prints: 8 copies of one portrait).
Stroke Border
Adds a thin border or mat line around each image cell. Set width and color — a thin black or gray border adds a clean, finished look.
Right Panel — Page
Page Panel — Overlays and Identity Plate
Add printed elements to every page — branding, page numbers, crop marks, and per-image metadata captions.
1
Identity Plate — your logo or name on every printed page
Position by dragging in the preview. Scale with the slider. Opacity control for subtle watermarking.
2
Page Numbers — printed page count
Appears at the bottom of each page. Essential for multi-page contact sheet print jobs.
3
Crop Marks — corner cutting guides
Small corner marks that show where to cut. Use when printing smaller images on larger paper for clean trimming.
4
Photo Info — per-image caption under each cell
Choose from filename, title, caption, date, or any IPTC field. Printed in small text below each image cell.
Right Panel — Print Job
Print Job Panel — The Most Important Panel
This panel controls the technical output: where you're printing, at what resolution, and how color is managed.
Print To: Printer vs JPEG File
Printer = direct print to your connected printer. JPEG File = save a print-ready JPEG to send to a lab.
Print Resolution
240 ppi minimum · 300 ppi for most labs · 360 ppi for Epson printers. Always set this — don't leave it at the default.
Print Sharpening
Low / Standard / High. Choose paper type: Matte or Glossy. Always enable — same logic as export output sharpening.
Color Management
Managed by Printer (easy, less precise) or a specific ICC profile (accurate, requires disabling color in printer driver).
Lab Workflow
Print to JPEG — Sending to a Lab
Set "Print To: JPEG File" in the Print Job panel. LR saves a pixel-perfect, print-ready JPEG sized exactly for your layout. Send this file directly to the lab.
1
Set Print To: JPEG File in the Print Job panel
The "Print" button at the bottom right changes to "Print to File."
2
Set resolution to 300 ppi (or the lab's specified requirement)
Most labs accept 300 ppi. Some specify 240 or 360 — check with your lab before ordering.
3
Set color profile to the lab's requirement — usually sRGB or AdobeRGB
Most consumer labs want sRGB. Professional fine art labs typically specify AdobeRGB. Ask if unsure.
4
Set JPEG quality to 100 · enable Print Sharpening · click Print to File
LR saves the JPEG. Send it to your lab — no guessing about sizing or DPI. The file is exactly the right dimensions for the paper size you set up.
Color Accuracy
Color Management for Printing
Two approaches to color management in the Print Job panel. The choice depends on your workflow and how critical color accuracy is.
Managed by Printer
Let the printer driver handle color conversion. Easy — no extra setup. Less precise but perfectly acceptable for home printing and casual use.
Specific ICC Profile
Choose the exact ICC profile for your paper/printer combination. Disable color management in the printer driver ("print in raw color"). Most accurate for gallery and lab prints.
Rule of thumb: For home printing, "Managed by Printer" is fine. For gallery-quality prints or professional lab output, use a specific ICC profile and soft proof first (LR 44) to preview the result before committing paper and ink.
Your Turn
Challenge + Recap
3-Part Challenge:
Create a 4×4 contact sheet of your best 16 images and export it as a JPEG at 300 ppi.
Set up a single-image full-bleed print layout — minimum margins, maximum cell size.
Use Print to JPEG at 300 ppi with sRGB profile — save a lab-ready file for an 8×10.
Three Layout Styles
Single/Contact Sheet · Picture Package · Custom Package. Layout Style is set first.
Single vs Contact Sheet
Same layout style — change Columns and Rows to switch between one image and a grid.
Picture Package
Multiple sizes of the same image — 1×8x10 + 2×5x7 + 4×4x6 — classic photo package layout.
Print to JPEG for Lab
Print To: JPEG File → 300 ppi → sRGB → quality 100 → Print to File. Lab-ready in one step.
Print Sharpening
Always enable. Match paper type (Matte or Glossy). Standard amount for most prints.
ICC Profile vs Managed
Managed by Printer for home use. Specific ICC profile + soft proofing for gallery and lab quality.
Up Next
LR 47 — The Book Module
Design a professional photo book and order through Blurb or export as PDF for any printer.