What is Lightroom?
Adobe Photoshop Lightroom is a relatively new program, created for photographers by photographers.
Lightroom is intended to simplify and manage the photographic workflow - moving images efficiently from capture through development to output as sideshows, prints or web galleries.
Someone described it as "a raw processor on steroids" but that is only tells a small part of what you can do with this wonderful tool. A number of club members are already using Lightroom as their first port-of-call for image editing.
Why use Lightroom rather than Photoshop or Photoshop Elements
Because it's easier! Although there are some things, some times that you won't be able to do in Lightroom that you can in Photoshop, for most people Lightroom may be the only tool they need to manage, edit and present their photographs. It's easier to learn, quicker to use and has (arguably) a much more intuitive interface.
| Lightroom vs. Photoshop discussion | a movie discussing the pros & cons |
Getting help with Lightroom
Search for Lightroom in Google and you'll get more hits than you could possibly read - there's no shortage of stuff on the web.
Here are a few of our favourite sites:
| M & M's musings | No, it's not chocolate treats - it's Lightroom treats instead; much better for the figure. |
| the digital photography connection | Information & free movie tutorials for Lightroom & Photoshop |
| lightroom killer tips | regularly updated tips & tutorials from Matt Kloskowski from Photoshop User TV |
| the Image Space lightroom tips | lots of help on many things Lightroom |
| sharpening in Lightroom | A great explanation of how to use Lightroom sharpening (in the Detail panel of LR3). |
|
Club member, Chris Sharples, has
a useful and regularly updated page of useful links. |
|
Print tutorials
Resources prepared specifically for club members.
| catalogue organisation | A tried-and-tested approach to organising
the Lightroom Catalogue. Prepared in response to a member's query. |
| using Flags to filter your photos | Prepared in response to a member's query. |
| some keyboard shortcuts you ought to know | Prepared to support "Digital Workflow using Lightroom" lectures |
| Using
Lightroom to prepare your images (for a slideshow) |
Learn about using quick collections, defined collections, cropping, virtual copies and the export dialogue in Lightroom 2. |
| Lightroom and Flickr | If you regularly upload photos to Flickr,
installing a plug-in can make your life easier. Read about it
here. This is built-in if you're using LR3! |
