Lightroom

[Iron Flatline]

My Goodness I love that software. Who knew a piece of code could make me so happy...

...I've been a die-hard PS CS user, running CS3 quite happily. I knew it wasn't the perfect workflow, esp. something simple as developing a set of images from a family shoot.

I just took some Lightroom lessons from a teacher who has become a friend of mine, and that accelerated intro has made all the difference. Like any program that can do THAT much, regular Photoshop or Excel come to mind, it helps to have someone show you the ropes. But if you really know PS, Lightroom is really for photographers.

I know I'm a day late to the praise-choral, but I wanted to throw my voice out into the ether anyway.

 

[Overread]

I've used been using lightroom recently (uni computers) and I must say it does make a lot of things much easier and quicker. Why it can't be incorperated into photoshop CS is beyond me (though it does mean that its more affordable at least)

 

[Casshew]

I am playing with the trial version right now (but I am going to buy it) the only thing that is daunting is the folders/library system, you really need to overhaul how you have your folders set up for everything to work seamlessly with Lightroom. That seems to be main issue to get past.

 

[rufus5150]

I'd developed a very efficient bridge/cs3 workflow that was second nature to me. In August, I finally decided to throw myself into lightroom completely and learn it as I'd bought it, just hadn't really used anything but the web galleries. It was difficult, but in the end, yes, I love it. It's a brilliant, brilliant piece of software.

 

[r9jackson]

You will love Lightroom2 and Lightroom3 will be even better. When I started with LR I didn't know why I would use it instead of Bridge. Now I never go to Bridge. If you can you should join NAPP for some great Lightroom training and support.

 

[Josh66]

Why it can't be incorperated into photoshop CS is beyond me (though it does mean that its more affordable at least)

I think that's the point of Lightroom. It's not PS. It has everything (or, at least, almost everything) that a photographer wants, without all the extra stuff PS does that isn't really required for a photographer.

Before LR came out, I always just used Canon's DPP. I thought it was pretty good...

When Lightroom came out, I got that - and WOW! ...Never went back.

 

[usayit]

My Goodness I love that software. Who knew a piece of code could make me so happy...

Welcome to the Lightroom camp. I've been using it for well over a year now and I LOVE IT. Went from using Canon's raw processor + PS to Phase One's Capture One to just Lightroom. I still use PS once in a while.. but rarely now a days.

Didn't you used to use Capture One? Yeh.. great results but wasn't that UI so confusing? It didn't have good management/cataloging abilities either.

 

[Pugs]

Yeah... Lightroom truly is the single greatest photography tool that I've come across, other than my cameras...

 

[Iron Flatline]

Why it can't be incorperated into photoshop CS is beyond me (though it does mean that its more affordable at least)

I think that's the point of Lightroom. It's not PS. It has everything (or, at least, almost everything) that a photographer wants, without all the extra stuff PS does that isn't really required for a photographer.

Before LR came out, I always just used Canon's DPP. I thought it was pretty good...

When Lightroom came out, I got that - and WOW! ...Never went back.

Well, I still don't understand why Dodging and Burning aren't somehow integral to the software, but I guess there is no way to do that non-destructively without getting into layers... and that's what PS is for.

I used C1 one for a while, but I couldn't get into the GUI, you're right about that Usayit. It came with the M8, and I liked being able to have profiles. But it wasn't that important to me, and now LR includes it anyway.

 

[Josh66]

Well, I still don't understand why Dodging and Burning aren't somehow integral to the software, but I guess there is no way to do that non-destructively without getting into layers... and that's what PS is for.

They Are!!

Adjustment brush -> exposure -> + or -

 

[MarcAnthonyPhoto]

I love Lightroom. In fact, I only use Photoshop for album designing. ALL of my processing is done in Lightroom. I suggest using Nik Color Efex Pro and Silver Efex Pro plugin for Lightroom along with the Dfine plugin. You can do some amazing cross processing and tons of other effects right in Lightroom. It's wicked. Wait until Lightroom 3. I've read some great things about that too.

 

[Iron Flatline]

Well, I still don't understand why Dodging and Burning aren't somehow integral to the software, but I guess there is no way to do that non-destructively without getting into layers... and that's what PS is for.

They Are!!

Adjustment brush -> exposure -> + or -

Not at 300% magnification, which is a great way of eeking out detail

 

[usayit]

Not at 300% magnification, which is a great way of eeking out detail

Iron,

In develop mode, on the left side top panel is the navigator. In that box you will normally have "Fit", "Fill", "1:1", and something else with ^/v arrows. Click on the up and down arrows to select a magnification. You can go all the way to 11:1 which is more than 300% magnification. Once set, click on the setting and you'll be zoomed in at that magnification. Once zoomed in, you select the brush tool, set your brush size, feather, flow, and density. Mask out the area to be manipulated and then adjust Exposure, Brightness, contrast, saturation, clarity, sharpness and color with the sliders in the brush dialog to the right panel.

I actually fine it easier and faster than PS but not as powerful.

 

[Casshew]

In develop mode, on the left side top panel is the navigator. In that box you will normally have "Fit", "Fill", "1:1", and something else with ^/v arrows. Click on the up and down arrows to select a magnification.

That was a great tip, thanks :thumbup:

 

[bentcountershaft]

Please forgive the noobness of this question, but I have no experience with any post processing software other than Canon's DPP and the software that came with my HP printer. Is Lightroom a stand alone type application, or is it an add on for PS? Will it do RAW conversion or will I still need to use DPP for that? I'm fairly limited with what I have now and can't afford to spend more than two or three hundred dollars on a program at this time. I'm planning ahead for what to ask for Valentine's Day . Thanks.