Lightroom Classic is the editing software of choice for the majority of sports photographers. Its export presets, fast culling tools and non-destructive RAW workflow make it the obvious choice at events from the Premier League to the ATP Tour, from Formula 1 to the Olympics.

What Lightroom Classic does not do natively is upload files automatically to an FTP server the moment you export. That step has historically required either a separate FTP client (FileZilla, Transmit, Cyberduck) or a plugin that slows down the export process. There is a simpler approach: point Lightroom's export destination at a local folder, and let FTPush handle the upload automatically in the background.

This guide explains exactly how to set that up.

The core concept: export folder as delivery trigger

FTPush watches a local folder. The moment any file appears in that folder, FTPush uploads it to your FTP/SFTP server. The trigger is the file appearing, not a button you click.

Lightroom Classic, when you export, writes files to a folder you specify. If that folder is the one FTPush is watching, the export and the delivery happen as one continuous action: from your perspective, you press Export in Lightroom and the file is on the server within seconds.

Select image in Lightroom Library
↓
File, Export (or Shift+Ctrl+E)
↓
Lightroom writes JPEG to watched folder
↓
FTPush detects file, uploads immediately
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File arrives at agency / server in seconds

Step 1: Set up FTPush

  1. Download and install FTPush. Available at ftpsuite.com/push/ or as part of the FTPSuite bundle. 14-day free trial included.
  2. Create a new connection. Click the FTPush menu bar icon, go to Settings, Connections. Add a connection for your agency or delivery server.
  3. Choose your protocol. SFTP (port 22) is recommended for most sports event networks: it is more reliable on congested WiFi than plain FTP, and required by most news agencies.
  4. Create the watched folder. Create a dedicated folder on your Mac. Example: ~/Pictures/Delivery/. This is the folder FTPush will watch and Lightroom will export to.
  5. Set the watched folder in FTPush. In the connection settings, set Local Folder to the folder you just created.
  6. Set the remote folder. The path on your server. Confirm this with your agency or photo desk.
  7. Test the connection. Drop a test JPEG into the watched folder and verify it arrives on the server.

Step 2: Configure Lightroom Classic export presets

Export presets in Lightroom are saved configurations you can trigger with a single click (or keyboard shortcut). Create a preset for each delivery scenario you work regularly.

  1. Open the Export dialog. Select an image in the Library module. Go to File, Export (Shift+Ctrl+E on Windows, Shift+Cmd+E on Mac).
  2. Set Export Location. Choose "Specific folder" and select your FTPush watched folder (e.g., ~/Pictures/Delivery/). Disable "Put in subfolder" unless your server expects a subdirectory structure.
  3. Configure File Settings. For most sports delivery: JPEG, quality 85–90, sRGB colour space. Check with your agency for their specific requirements: some require AdobeRGB.
  4. Set Image Sizing. "Resize to fit" is optional. Most agencies want full resolution. Confirm this before the event.
  5. Configure Output Sharpening. Standard: Screen sharpening, Amount Standard. For wire delivery, this is usually appropriate.
  6. Set Metadata. Include all metadata (for agency delivery with IPTC captions), or strip metadata if client confidentiality requires it.
  7. Save as a preset. Click "Add" in the Preset panel on the left side of the Export dialog. Name it clearly: "Agency delivery: JPEG" or "World Cup SFTP".
For match-day speed: right-click any image in Lightroom and go to Export, then select your preset directly from the context menu. This skips the Export dialog entirely and triggers the export in one click.

IPTC captions and metadata in Lightroom

Lightroom's Metadata panel lets you add IPTC captions, credits, copyright and keywords. For press photography, a complete IPTC caption (Caption/Description field, Creator, Credit Line, Source) is often mandatory.

For live sports, you typically add the caption after the match. A practical workflow:

If you use FTPush's IPTC Presets feature, you can inject keywords (including ScorePlay routing keywords) automatically before each file is uploaded, without touching Lightroom's metadata fields at all. See: Auto-Route Photos to ScorePlay with IPTC Keywords.

Sport-specific workflow notes

Football (Premier League, Champions League, La Liga, World Cup)

High-volume events. You may export 20–50 selects per half. Use the context menu shortcut to export immediately. Keep your FTPush watched folder clean between matches (archive or delete previous files) to avoid confusion in the upload log.

Formula 1

Pit lane and garage photography often means tethered shooting directly into Lightroom. The tethered capture destination can be the FTPush watched folder, meaning images go from camera to server with zero intermediate steps.

Tennis (ATP, WTA, Grand Slams)

Centre court positions often have wired ethernet available in the photo position. Use a wired connection for more reliable SFTP uploads during tiebreaks when server load spikes.

NBA and basketball

Fast-paced events. Consider using Lightroom's "Export as Catalog" to batch your selects at the end of each quarter rather than exporting individually.

Athletics and Olympics

Multi-venue events require multiple FTPush connections: one per venue or per event. The Personal plan (2 Macs) or Team plan (5 Macs) lets you cover multiple positions simultaneously.

Practical tips for live events

Lightroom Classic is one of several editing tools used by sports photographers. If you also work in Photoshop, Capture One or Photo Mechanic, the same FTPush watched folder approach works identically. See the hub guide for a full overview: Sports Photography FTP Workflow: The Complete Guide.

For the World Cup 2026 specifically, see: The Pitchside Photographer's World Cup Delivery Workflow.