how did you learn lightroom?

[DebbieHodge]

i visited Erin the other day and she showed me the wonders of lightroom and I've downloaded a trial --- unfortunately I have no time the next couple of days to figure it out ---- but how did you learn to use it? thanks.

[ptknox]

In two words ... Scott Kelby!

http://www.amazon.com/Photoshop-Ligh...2384341&sr=1-1

[laura grimes]

Debbie, I just jumped in there! I knew what preset I wanted to try and kept hunting and pecking until I found it. I am so happy with. You can down load a ton of fun presets from the internet and just play!

So get in there!

[Jen D]

I learned so much from Scott Kelby! These online classes are great... and reasonable = ) There is a ton of stuff on both lightroom and PS. Very cool site!

http://www.kelbytraining.com/

[nirecreations]

Hey Debbie,

I loaded in some of the presets and just started to play around. It is actually pretty intuitive.

Here is a link to a thread in the forum that talks about a BUNCH or presets:
http://www.designerdigitals.com/ddms...htroom+presets
I find myself going to the WOW presets all of the time!!

So glad you are trying it out. I KNOW you will love it and won't know how you lived without it!

[Kayleigh]

Honestly, I just have used the free presets so far & have not really learned how to really use it. I am always happy with the presets so I have not investigated any further & don`t really have the time to learn it further!

[Kirsty85]

Yep, what Kayleigh said!!

[sarahorton]

I went to a Scott Kelby Lightroom workshop in Dallas. It was awesome - if it's ever in your area, I highly recommend it.
I'm also a big fan of the Kelby online training, though I don't get to use it as much as I'd like.

[Mary Rogers]

I am a self-taught junkie - just played around until I found a process that I like - I am hoplessly addicted to "aged photo" with the black turned down, then autotone and punch!!

dh bought the Scott Kelby book so he is reading that - but heck no for me - just flying by the seat of my pants!

[kari]

thanks for posting this!!
I'm needing more ideas on how to learn to use it better as now all I do is go to my presets!

[teeleedee]

Originally Posted by Kayleigh

Honestly, I just have used the free presets so far & have not really learned how to really use it. I am always happy with the presets so I have not investigated any further & don`t really have the time to learn it further!

I just got Light Room for Christmas and haven't had time to play. I've been like Kayleigh just using the presents and I've been happy so far too. I do plan on learning it though. I have video tutorials to follow but I haven't done them yet.
Scott Kelby is an excellent person to learn from.

Tara

[Cassie Jones (1gr8muggle)]

Definitely check out Matt Kloskowski's Lightroom Killer Tips blog.

[iUma]

If you buy Lightroom 2 you will probably get a free month at Lynda.com, a learning site for softwares of all types. There is a Lightroom Course on there which I did and learned a lot. I also have Scott's book, which is a great reference. PLAY, PLAY, PLAY. It' s the way to really learn. I am using it to make a retrospective of my Father's life. Did a slide show for his 90th birthday. It is great for developing photos, in and out of PS CS3 is easy (once you know how) and the software is also really good for organizing and accessing your pictures. And it is relatively easy to move stuff and have it relocated. It is worth the effort to learn.
Have fun. O and there is a big difference between the first and second versions. Get 2, for sure.

[quilter422]

Originally Posted by Kayleigh

Honestly, I just have used the free presets so far & have not really learned how to really use it. I am always happy with the presets so I have not investigated any further & don`t really have the time to learn it further!

ditto what Kayleigh said

[katrinak]

Mine has been trial and error and a lot of Matt K's blog! The best tip I was given in the develop mode is to start at the top and work your way down!

Post specific questions to the photog thread too and we can help you along the way! (and hopefully discover some cool new things ourselves!)

[patriciaz]

Originally Posted by Kayleigh

Honestly, I just have used the free presets so far & have not really learned how to really use it. I am always happy with the presets so I have not investigated any further & don`t really have the time to learn it further!

Exactly what Kayleigh said
One of my goals this year is to learn more about Lightroom, Photoshop and photography

[Elena]

So much to learn... so little time! I WANT to learn new stuff, but time learning new stuff takes away from scrapping time... but scrapping would be SO much better if I took time away to learn! It's a dilemma. What's a girl to do?

[audrey77]

I also recommend Scott Kelby's book!

[audrey77]

Did you gals see this?
http://www.flickr.com/groups/presets...7612664073371/

I also forgot to add... always add the Adobe camera profiles if you shoot RAW!!!
http://labs.adobe.com/wiki/index.php/DNG_Profiles

[anke]

wow, lots of info here. I have just been playing with it myself and using some of the presets. It's amazing what you can do to a photo by just playing with the sliders! I just went and ordered the book, so I'll have something to read on vacation LOL.

[kathie02]

Originally Posted by Kayleigh

Honestly, I just have used the free presets so far & have not really learned how to really use it. I am always happy with the presets so I have not investigated any further & don`t really have the time to learn it further!

exactly

[tomkat]

I bought Scott Kelby's book, too, and love it, though I really need to reference it more often. Most of the time, though, I'm pretty happy with all my presets...and I have a ton of them!

[JALong]

I have been playing with Lightroom a bit and have downloaded some presets, but I wondered if there is a sharpen feature. Do you just use the clarity slider or is there something else I can do? Or should I just sharpen in photoshop?

[Aino]

I think Lightroom is very intuitive and easy to use once you get the basics - and the basics are to use presets. Then you can venture out and do your own stuff.

I just started playing around in there, like many of the others. I also have Scott Kelby's book, but I haven't gotten around to reading it yet.

There is, by the way, another preset- site now - presetsheaven.com - which quite a bit of useful ones and he puts up new ones all the time.

Have fun!

[DebbieHodge]

i want to use it to manage my workflow as well as edit photos, so I'm working through the video tutorials on adobe's site . . . and I definately want to get the kelby book.

[katrinak]

oh Debbie you will love how much easier it makes work flow. Mine has become:

1. import from card to LR by date
2. tag photos with star rating and keep or not
3. create collections for things I think I will scrap
4. edit as I want unless I'm working on someone else's

keep us posted on your progress!

[iUma]

As for work flow, I have learned a trick for my 365 photos. Like Katrina I now import directly from the camera card into LR and it then ejects the card for me. I have them saved by default to my 365 file, they open in LR, I work on them, then I have an Export preset that I created so they go directly to the file called 365 to post. Then they are easy to access from Photoshop (access from Finder).

AND I just discovered the gradient tool for fixing gray skies when you have a split exposure ( know this is not the correct term for too light on top as exposure is set for ground).
This program is as full of surprises as PS!!

FUN.

[tracydigigirl]

Has anyone mentioned the Adobe Video Workshop???

[deanie]

Scott Kelby's book was my starting point-after that it was just playing around. Love my presets and am thinking of upgrading. Thanks for your recommendation, Patricia.

[DebbieHodge]

Originally Posted by tracydigigirl

Has anyone mentioned the Adobe Video Workshop???

Tracy --- thanks! that's what I found last night and have been going through.