About Lightroom

[SciAggie]

Ok, I will reveal my ignorance. Can some one explain Lightroom to me? I have PSE 7 and PS CS4 that are supplied on my work computer. Rather than just do some blind googling, I thought someone might share some brief insight as to what it does and why I might need it in addition to or instead of photoshop.

 

[SciAggie]

Can lightroom presets be used in photoshop?

 

[SciAggie]

I went to Adobe's website and since Lightroom and photoshop are both editing software, I don't see the reason to spend $299 on Lightroom. Then again, lots of folks use it and talk about the presets.

 

[Doug]

Gary, I have a history with CaptureOne, but haven't used PS in many years (although I do have CS4). A LR license came bundled with a camera I got last year, and I delayed using it because it seemed so impenetrable. I can often poke around with the controls and menus of a program and figure much of it out, but not LR.

There are some resources on the Adobe website that can help. I chose to buy their "Classroom in a Book" for Lightroom, which comes with a DVD of sample lesson material. I'm very pleased with that choice, as it got me productive pretty quickly and thoroughly. And now I'm happy to use LR...

 

[SciAggie]

Gary, I have a history with CaptureOne, but haven't used PS in many years (although I do have CS4). A LR license came bundled with a camera I got last year, and I delayed using it because it seemed so impenetrable. I can often poke around with the controls and menus of a program and figure much of it out, but not LR.

There are some resources on the Adobe website that can help. I chose to buy their "Classroom in a Book" for Lightroom, which comes with a DVD of sample lesson material. I'm very pleased with that choice, as it got me productive pretty quickly and thoroughly. And now I'm happy to use LR...

Thanks Doug,

My question still is what is it that lightroom does that photoshop does not do?

 

[Doug]

Ah, I see you're shopping for LR, not already in possession, so it's early for purchasing learning materials. There is a downloadable trial version, but without good instruction that wouldn't do me much good.

I see PS as a wide-ranging program with a very broad capability, whereas LR is dedicated to photography related tasks, more focused, if you will. 🙂 I'm not really familiar with PS so can't help with comparisons. Except I think PS has some HDR merging and stitching features that would be a good adjunct to LR.

 

[mto'brien]

LR is good for processing a bunch of images rather quickly. It also neatly catalogs your images. Saves and adjustments are "non destructive". 99.9% of my images are processed through LR, but if there is an image that requires extra attention -more powerful tools- it goes through PS. I don't think there are presets for PS, could be wrong, but I use them all the time in LR. Maybe you could download a demo copy and give it a whirl.

 

[SciAggie]

Thanks guys. The trial version may be worth a test drive. Are most presets a freeware sort of thing or do you purchase them?

 

[Ranchu]

The conversions use the same engine and profiles as ACR, there are a few more sliders to goof around with, and it has an integrated library system for the photos, and various versions of them. I never used it as I never thought much of Adobes conversions, or their "hey change all your photos from the camera manufacturer's file type to our DNG. Trust Us! We'd never hold you hostage to upgrade, Promise!" BS. But Mainly the conversions. There's nothing more to lightroom than CS4 Bridge and ACR as far as I know.

 

[srtiwari]

Gary,
I have an old version of PS, and Lightroom 3
As a Photographer, LR3 allows me to " batch-fix " bunches of images, and catalog the pictures. The Presets and the editing tools are more than enough, and I never use PS (now) except to apply some filters, or use layers etc. I Luuuv LR and hope to never use PS, as LR does 90% of what PS does, and many other things it doesn't.
(Psst: It is currently available for $100 off from B&H until the 20th of August)
YMMV
Subhash

 

[cosmonaut]

Light room is the best and easiest to use raw developer on the market. If you are really good at PS you might not need it. You can process files much easier and faster than PS Plus LR has grad filters, noise reduction and many presets for b&w conversions and many more. My E5s raw files are not usable in ACR. You won't regret the purchuse.

 

[Bob Michaels]

I can tell you that the steep learning curve we went through in Photoshop seems to have very little carry-through to Lightroom. I have about 10 years using Photoshop but Lightroom baffles me. I own the latest versions of both.

I do know that Lightroom has a predetermined way that it wants to manage your files. I have my own file management system that I use for .PSD and other files. That is the conflict that has kept me from following through with Lightroom.

Lightroom appears to be designed for someone who wants to make common adjustments to hundreds of files (those with digital cameras). I shoot film, edit tightly from the negs, and scan very few. So every file I work on and every adjustment I make is unique.

However, many rave about Lightroom. That is why I bought it. I am sure they will chime in with good information. I am going to read the responses as well. But today I remain unable to select a file, open in Lightroom, adjust, save and print.

Can anyone suggest a good tutorial explaining the current version of Lightroom to experienced Photoshop users?

SciAggie: you should thank someone in your school administration for getting you Photoshop and Lightroom. Do I remember correctly that you are not an upper level arts educator, the ones whose curriculum would use these?

 

[mto'brien]

Thanks guys. The trial version may be worth a test drive. Are most presets a freeware sort of thing or do you purchase them?

there are tons of free ones around just google "lightroom presets" and have fun!

 

[SciAggie]

SciAggie: you should thank someone in your school administration for getting you Photoshop and Lightroom. Do I remember correctly that you are not an upper level arts educator, the ones whose curriculum would use these?

You are correct that we should be thankful. We do not have lightroom - just photoshop - both elements and CS4. Our small district is very blessed. Students grades 5-12 ALL have latops. Teachers have interactive white boards, documents cameras, digital cameras, student response systems, and easy access to video equipment. I don't teach arts; I am a middle school science teacher. Our county has the highest percentage of welfare recipients in the state and our county has an extremely high percentage of low socio-economic children. Despite this, our standardized test scores compete well with districts that have fewer social and economic hardships. I feel priveledged to be one of a group of educators in our school that has worked very hard to provide our teachers with great resources. It is our goal to offer students the best opportunity for an education that has the potential to change their lives.

 

[mto'brien]

You are correct that we should be thankful. We do not have lightroom - just photoshop - both elements and CS4. Our small district is very blessed. Students grades 5-12 ALL have latops. Teachers have interactive white boards, documents cameras, digital cameras, student response systems, and easy access to video equipment. I don't teach arts; I am a middle school science teacher. Our county has the highest percentage of welfare recipients in the state and our county has an extremely high percentage of low socio-economic children. Despite this, our standardized test scores compete well with districts that have fewer social and economic hardships. I feel priveledged to be one of a group of educators in our school that has worked very hard to provide our teachers with great resources. It is our goal to offer students the best opportunity for an education that has the potential to change their lives.

Good on you, man! There are a few teachers that really made a big difference in my life. Thanks to all teachers like you that do!

 

[david.elliott]

I find lightroom very intuitive and easy to use. I have a very difficult time in photoshop. 🙂

All of my edits are performed in lightroom and in my opinion it is a very powerful tool. It does everything I need. I do wish dodging and burning were a bit better, but whatever.

Feel free to check out my photos via the link in my sig.

If you can get an educational license, lightroom is very reasonably priced at $99 (last I checked anyway).

 

[SciAggie]

Good on you, man! There are a few teachers that really made a big difference in my life. Thanks to all teachers like you that do!

That is the kind of feedback that makes teacher come back and do it all over again - year after year. I hope you let those folks that touched your life know it - no matter how long ago.

 

[mto'brien]

That is the kind of feedback that makes teacher come back and do it all over again - year after year. I hope you let those folks that touched your life know it - no matter how long ago.

I do, indeed. I teach for the first time this fall and I hope to pass it on...

 

[venchka]

I bought LR 1 the week it hit the market. Skipped LR 2 and now have LR 3.4.1. I use it for all of my files: from film or Canon digital. I also use Microsoft ICE for stitching. FREE. I use a LR plugin called LR/Enfuse for exposure and focus blending without the HDR "look". $10.
Presets: I haven't found many-3 or 4 - that I thought useful. LR allows you to make your own. That is more useful to me. I even made pseudo-EXIF data for my analog lenes, developers, etc.
My theory: If I can't do what I want with the 3 software packages above, I don't need to do it.
The LR print module is amazing.
I'm a self-taught fan. YMMV.

 

[Bob Michaels]

..............................
Can anyone suggest a good tutorial explaining the current version of Lightroom to experienced Photoshop users?
...............................

Asking again. I paid good money for Lightroom and sure would like to see what everyone raves about. I just don't want to start over from Photoshop.

So far my use of Lightroom has shown no advantages over Photoshop working on individual files. And I don't work with groups of files. Is there something I am missing?