Just Got Lightroom . . . now what?

[BillieBee]

Okay, thank you to all you enablers! I just got Lightroom and have absolutely no idea how to use it, where to start, etc. Right now, all my photos import directly to iphoto. Should I change that? Any advice on where/how to get started using this program would be greatly appreciated. TIA!

Billie

[Cassie Jones (1gr8muggle)]

I would just start here and then go buy Scott Kelby's Lightroom book. A beta version of LR 2.0 was just released, so I'm sure there will be revised books once that version is officially released.

[BillieBee]

Thanks, Cassie! I'm sure I jumped the gun by getting it now, especially since a newer version will be coming out soon -- but I'm so bad -- once I decide to get something, I have to have it NOW

[tomkat]

Definitely get Kelby's book. I really like it (just a few more pages to go!). I import my photos into LR not iPhoto. But, I have never used iPhoto since I just bought my Mac, so I can't really say which way is best.

Have fun with it!

[ptknox]

Just have to chime in with another vote for Kelby's book Billie! I started playing with Lightroom when the first beta version came out and knew that it could do much more than I was accomplishing...frustrated the beejeebers out of me. Once I began reading Kelby's book it all started to fall into place. He does an AMAZING job of walking you through the process step by step. Well worth investing in!

[BillieBee]

Omg, Pattie, Cassie, and Katina! Lightroom is completely paralyzing me -- and I'm just playing with the presets, mind you. I can't scrap, because I can't figure out which version of the photo to use . . . Ack! BTW, Pattie, you were so right about shooting in RAW -- that's the only way I'm going to do it from now on

[Cassie Jones (1gr8muggle)]

lol, Billie . . . you will also notice that if you try and run a preset on a jpg version and a RAW version of a photo, the effects will be different.

I remember when Dagmar started using LR. She said the same exact thing. It was mind blowing to get so many fabulous photos, but then you had to actually scrap one!

I have MULTIPLE versions of many photos in lightroom. Be sure and use the "virtual copy" feature. I like to do that with shots I love, so that I can really play around with them and keep several versions in plain view instead of having to backtrack through the history.

[sam ellis]

ok so all you LR users.....

convince me . I use bridge in PS cs2 and I have used cs3 and see it has much more control than cs2.

But what are the advantages of LR - if it is great cos you can do great b&w and other effects - can you not do those effects in Imagenomic - real grain ?

Just don't wanna spend money on stuff that I already have in other software.

thanks

[bluelemur01]

I second Sam's question. To be honest, I don't even know what Lightroom IS or does! I have CS3 and I love it...have been upgrading since I first got Photoshop several years ago. I seem to be able to do everything I want/need with CS3. WHat is the advantage of Lightroom? Does it do stuff PS does not? Does it do it better/more quickly? Help!
Jennifer

[Cassie Jones (1gr8muggle)]

Ladies, I suggest that you go to the Adobe site and read what they have to say about Lightroom, because they can explain it's pros much better than I.

I'm also pretty sure you can download a free 30-day trial.

I just love that it organizes my photos and lets me do nondestructive editing to them (in other words, "play"). It is my only photo organizer/editing tool. There are some things you can't do in LR that you can do in PS (like run those Imagenomic filters, for example), but it does let you go back and forth with an image from LR to PS. Basically, I do everything except retouching and noiseware in LR.

Give the trial a shot. Download some free presets. I think you will be impressed.

And, OH! Don't forget to check the academic discount software sites. I only paid around $90 for my copy.

[BillieBee]

Hey Cassie,
I will definitely be getting the book you (and others) suggested. Until then, would you answer one teensy question? After fooling with a picture, do you export, or do you click "edit in PS"? It turns into a TIFF in either case (I think) and that seems wrong.

[tomkat]

Billie, so far I've always exported, but I've changed my settings so that it exports as a JPEG. I haven't tried the 'edit in PS' yet, but I'm interested to hear what others do. I'm all for a better way!

[kathie02]

Thanks for asking this Billie, and thanks everyone else for the answers!! I just got LR too....figures the day I finally order it, they announce the upgrade....and I haven't even had a chance to unwrap the box...your timing was perfect!!! I can't wait to play

[Cassie Jones (1gr8muggle)]

Don't worry, Kathie. The upgrade is just a BETA version. It will be a while! lol

[calligraphybycarol]

Lightroom is such a timesaver!! You can do SO much with it, you almost never need to use photoshop for editing. I have been taking lots of portraits lately, and most of the white balance correction, sharpening and transforming to B&W can be done in Lightroom. I have had to retouch some of the photos, and use the "Edit in Photoshop" option for that. It's awesome! You can edit in photoshop and then when you "SAVE", it goes BACK to Lightroom and so that you can still have the photo with the original file. It makes a copy of the original, so you never lose your original. It can save it as a TIFF or as a PSD file; those both allow layers so you can go back and edit some more if you forgot something, or want to tweak it some more.
You can't (yet) do the pixel manipulations in Lightroom that you can do in PS, so things like removing blemishes (boy, do teenagers have a lot of those! LOL), whitening the teeth, etc, still needs to be done in Photoshop, but being able to go from Lightroom right into Photoshop and back is seamless and very easy. I love it!

When I am done editing the photo, and it's back in Lightroom, I export the file as a JPEG at 300dpi (in sRGB) and then resize to put on the web.

[digigal]

Thanks for starting this thread, Billie, I'm going to dl the trial version soon.

[MeEmMom]

Wow... I was avoiding anymore software because I didn't want to have to learn MORE stuff! Now you've all got me interested. I think I will have to download LR and give it a try. (NOTE to self . . . stop spending so much time here or I will spend too much money!)

[trudem]

Billie - along with what everybody else recommends, I would recommend reading the Lightroom Killer Tips blog. The guy that writes it is a Photoshop pro (let me put it this way - he's one of Scott Kelby's good friends and co-authors), and offers free presets and tips every week. In addition to a book, it's a nice way to keep up-to-date with any updates Adobe offers, or just finding a different way to do something. He'll also respond to questions and stuff.

I would also only import the photos you know you want to edit/play with, and iPhoto to really organize and see everything you have.

And Sam - all I have to say is ONE CLICK PRESETS! Download the trial, I think you'll see! I love actions and stuff in PS, but with LR you can apply what's basically a photo action but they call it a preset, and all it takes is one click. There's a ton of great free ones out there to get you started.

I'm like Cassie - I do basically all my editing in LR, then import to PSE to do any other edits like teeth, skin, or Noiseware.

[trudem]

Oh, and did I mention you can edit RAW and save JPEGs in LR? Who needs Bridge?