# After import images going dark



## snapper (Jul 15, 2018)

After I've imported my RAW images, the thumbnails are turning dark.

Is this because I left D-lighting turned on (I'd been shooting Jpeg and decided to switch to RAW, and didn't turn active D-lighting off). I've done this before, but never had such a bad effect importing in to Lightroom - is this a by-product of using one of the new profiles on import?


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## Hal P Anderson (Jul 15, 2018)

That indeed sounds like Active D-Lighting. I think there are more than one level of ADL. Perhaps you used a less aggressive flavour in the past. Try turning that off and importing more NEFs to help diagnose the problem.


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## AlanHaynes.com (Aug 5, 2018)

D-Lighting should only affect raw files. Is it possible you're shooting Raw+Jpeg? If so, when you import an image, Lightroom's default behavior is to stack the two images with the JPEG on top. 

If that's the case, even though you're seeing a dark preview thumbnail in the Library module, you may still have a perfectly usable NEF available. To find out, bring the photo into the Develop module. Lightroom will use the raw NEF file in develop. If you still see a dark image even in Develop, it's a different problem.

Alan


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## Hal P Anderson (Aug 5, 2018)

snapper said he's shooting raw. Anyway, if ADL is turned on, the raw file will be under-exposed and the JPEG will look normal. ADL underexposes the image to keep from blowing highlights and then bumps the exposure when the JPEG gets created.


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