Introduction to Lightroom - Step by Step
These days, being a photographer is more than just having a DSLR camera and taking pictures whenever we want. We have to learn in the context of photography about how we can improve our style by taking lessons from what photographers can tell us about their work, but learning to understand the technical skills they provide is also an important part of this process.
In 2006, Adobe Lightroom (its partner) came into being as an independent Project created by the creators of Adobe Photoshop. Created with the invention of a software program designed for photographers and photographers, today Lightroom stands as a beacon in many cases - using workflows that remind users of old-fashioned school-based film processing in a non-digital way.
Lightroom provides the user with an intuitive interface, designed to enhance all aspects of photography that we may encounter in our daily work. In addition to the level of your ability to use the same types of software, Lightroom quickly adapts to the needs of the user, becoming a lifelong friend.
Therefore, I would like to offer you an invitation to learn more about this amazing software, provided by Adobe guys.
Lightroom vs Photoshop
The first question that might arise when we read about the existence of Lightroom may be: 'Why do I need another software program, when I already have Photoshop?' Because it would be a crime to ignore Lightroom's ability to get the most out of images in a very short time, something Photoshop can't do on its own, even if he could call it 'cousins'.
Although it is a state-of-the-art digital photo editing software, Adobe Photoshop certainly does not have a well-designed interface to meet the needs of a photographer. Too many quick reset is easy, and unless you know exactly how to get around Photoshop, you may end up wasting your work, too, because Photoshop doesn't work in a safe way.
You will also need the right amount of filters and functions to make more sophisticated enhancements, perhaps depending on the third-party plugins needed to add more detail to the image or with some adjustments to the image.
On the other hand, Lightroom does not have these visual limitations, or for Adobe Photoshop users it can be very shocking to see that there are no layers within Lightroom: every single adjustment is made to the imported image, and if, for some reason, you need to reset image parameters to their values original, all you need to do is undo the change or restore the sliders to their original position.
Nowadays, famous photographers do not have to argue and decide to choose one or the other software, they work with a combination of these two extensive workflow applications, because they realize that certain things can only be done in Lightroom, and some can only be found within Photoshop (art effects, for example).
Adobe Lightroom interface
It has been a long way from development since the first version of Lightroom, the most significant and important changes in the tools between versions 3 and 4 (with the transition from the old school "Fill Light" option to the current slide to control Highlights, Whites, Shadows, and Blacks perfect).
With their ideas for expanding their products to a wider market worldwide, Adobe now has two options to get your software in your hands.
Adobe Lightroom 6
Lifetime license type (which is the most expensive way to get Lightroom even if updating to new versions requires 'upgrade money'.)
Registration for Adobe Lightroom Creative Cloud
In 2012 Adobe introduced a subscription program for each of the programs they offer, which also applies to Lightroom. The most popular package is the Adobe Creative Cloud Photography program, which includes Adobe Photoshop CC and Lightroom desktop, mobile and web. One of the benefits is that we can suspend the service whenever we want without losing data in the process, or we may not be able to edit any new images without a valid license.
The main difference between the two versions is actually updated several times, Cloud users often get software updates before Standalone users do.
The Lightroom interface is divided into panels and tabs. The tabs in the section above describe the natural module, which we work with:
Library: Our photographic catalog and main module in Lightroom. It also offers a Quick Develop section that can be used with Presets installed in Lightroom.
Upgrade: Main Lightroom module for adjustment. This is a module where you can fully edit your photos
Map: Works with Metadata information on your photos, geotagging your photos to find a convenient location.
Book: Regarding Blurb, Lightroom gives us access to many (paid) types of templates, so we can use our images to create beautiful books in PDF format
Slideshow: Designed to create videos and presentations within Lightroom
Print: In contrast to Adobe Photoshop, Lightroom looks at all the variables needed for the printing process, developing its own print module to make the task easier for the user. Provides are provided (or you can design / purchase new ones) to make the layout of our work plan before printing it.
Web: This module, designed for use in conjunction with web design tools; creates web drawings with images that we have processed inside Lightroom
In short, how you get the most out of Adobe Lightroom actually depends on your purpose. For digital graphics needs, you will probably only use Library and Develop modules, but if you plan to use Lightroom firmly in all printing processes, Lightroom actually offers enough tools, so you won't have to worry about getting new software like InDesign or Illustrator by making the right composition for your documents.
Lightroom workflow and tools
Workflow in Lightroom can be categorized according to the following options:
Photo editing
Rethinking beauty
Working with presets
This does not mean that you cannot combine steps from one to create a beautiful work of art.
By using Photography and optimization, we aim to get the most out of the photo we take. This will depend largely on the image format, because you, when working with a JPEG file, make changes to a pre-processed file, and you, when using RAW as your preferred file format (please do this if your camera allows it), have full control over how the image will look , as RAW (as the name implies) is an unprocessed file format for digital photography.
Beauty remodeling can be managed with tools like the Adjustment Brush, as well as Graduated / Radial filters, which you can apply to modifications in specific areas with very straightforward parameters. Although it may require additional modifications within Photoshop, it can be quickly integrated with the reset.
And as a well-respected Lightroom maid, the pre-set gives us enough features that we could continue to talk about for days. You can only work with setup, which will require having a good pre-set library, or you can combine it with the smooth running of your photography work.
Start by importing images into the software itself. When you open Lightroom, the software will take you inside the Library section. In the event that you have uploaded photos, the Library module will look like this
In case you want to import photos, go to the import button on the left panel, and this new dialog box will appear
In this new window Lightroom will provide the necessary options for importing our photos, so we can be absolutely sure that this will be taken as a first step within our Lightroom workflow. Note that unless you disable the option in the Preferences menu, every time you insert a Memory Card, USB drive or CD / DVD disc, Lightroom will open on the same screen, displaying the options for importing media files.
Metadata (if embedded in a file) can also be accessed in the Library section. Preview of photo shooting scenarios appear within the Histogram panel with ISO-related values, Focal length, Aperture, and Shutter Speed.
Now, switch to Development Module. The UI will change to match this change.
In the bottom left panel, Lightroom shows all the pre-installed settings. Our image preview is displayed on the top left panel, which can be very useful for testing certain effects without pre-setting.
To the right of the first interface we see Histogram data, which, in addition to providing the details we mentioned earlier, also provides information about blacks, shadows, exposures, highlights, and whites
Next, we have several tools shown below the Histogram, the following in order from left to right:
Planting tool: By cropping our image
Spot Removal: Very similar to the Healing Spot tool within Photoshop. You can sample a specific area, and work your way up, using adjustments where needed
Red eye correction: The word means everything - it is very quick to apply the required correction
Graduated filter: Creates a gradient area where customizations are made, evenly distributed according to their gradient location
Radial Filter: Works exactly the same as the Graduated Filter, but depending on the radio there is a gradient area
Correction brush: Works with the same parameters as previous tools, but allows you to use the correction where needed
With these tools and slides in the panels below, you can create as many changes as you need. Consider the following tips for improving your work within Lightroom:
Start by adjusting the White Balance of the image. This will explain all the other adjustments you can add later, such as the color scheme in the image. Always sample a neutral gray area (which can be defined by having the same values in R, G, B) or work your way with custom effect slides.
Use the slideshow to save. The image is prone to data loss due to hot spots, so when you add an expansion with an Exposure slide you make things worse. If you compensate for your self-disclosure by using prominent, white, shadows, and blacks, you will end up with a more professional-looking effect than simply exposing the exposure.
Raising prices on sliders will depend on your purpose. When we talk about increasing whites and highlighting, this means going for better prices on the sliders. In case you want to raise Blacks and Shadows, go with the negative numbers of those who are slippery, as good can reduce the number of Blacks and Shadows present in the picture.
The changes made to the images are often easily seen, and the most admirable feature of Lightroom is that the process works smoothly, which means that the original image is maintained, even if it is able to change the values given in the image whenever we feel like doing so.
A quick way to create more detail in an image by enlarging the clarity slide, as it will add more light and detail to the image, but be careful as it can also add a lot of sound too.
Vibrance and Saturation slides how Lightroom (similar to Photoshop) handles the amount of hue present in our images.
Work with Before / After, as this shows a quick and effective way to detect editing without extracting an image to compare it to an original file.
Vignetting and Split Toning always end well in all types of situations. Learn your way around those effects, if you want to understand Lightroom.
Redesign within Lightroom
Instead of needing third-party plugins, which will reduce Lightroom performance, Presets are all the additional tools we need to achieve great results with our images. They can be defined as a set of commands created by the parameters of traditional Lightroom tools to get the desired result.
These features allow us to change the landscape quickly and can be used in combination with traditional Lightroom tools, as well as by combining multiple sets made by various designers.
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