Anyone use Lightroom and give input?

[d2vasquez]

Thinking about getting Lightroom but not sure about it and thought I would ask if anyone used it and what their thoughts are about it. I edit my photos in PS and am ok with the results but just wondered if there was more that could be done with this software instead. Thanks!

[DawnMarch]

Which version of PS do you use? I think Lightroom does basically the same thing as Adobe Camera Raw which is built into CS3 and CS4. If you don't have ACR, then I'd highly recommend Lightroom -- it's such an easier way to edit than dealing with adjustment layers and all that.

[d2vasquez]

I have CS3 and will be updating to CS5 within the next month.....

[scrappurple]

I have both. I like Lightroom. I like how I can view my pictures and do a lot of basic stuff in there. I save the "heavy" items for CS4 (clone, patch, etc.). You can see a photo effect before applying it which I LOVE. Every photo is different and not all treatments look the same. I also love their crop tool. I don't use it to it's full potential, but I always open my photos in LR first. HTH!

[ColleenSwerb]

I have it and I love it. Since I'm way back on CS2, I don't have ACR.

I like the way that it can organize things and create collections. You can tag things to keep stuff organized and easy to find (think ACDSee). It's easy to use. I like having the ability to copy and paste settings from one photo in a series to all the others, very easily.

I don't do even half of what I think LR can do, but I don't know how I managed without it.

[d2vasquez]

Thanks for the input - there is an adobe class coming to Los Angeles in July that my dh wants to go to but it would require purchasing the software and I am on the fence on which purchase I should do first - CS5 or Lightroom. I am a point and shoot girl and truly have no patience for editing beyond what actions I have can do automatically for me but he is looking for something more. Personally, I think he just needs to learn how to use Photoshop lol.

[ColleenSwerb]

Well, I use LR because I shoot RAW. Do you have a DSLR? Would he be going towards RAW?

If I was strictly a point and shoot family, I would skip LR and get CS5.

[Traci Reed]

I've used both ACR and Lightroom before and they both have their perks but I prefer to do all my photo editing in ONE program and ACR is virtually the same when editing RAW files so I just use CS4.

[d2vasquez]

Originally Posted by Traci Reed

I've used both ACR and Lightroom before and they both have their perks but I prefer to do all my photo editing in ONE program and ACR is virtually the same when editing RAW files so I just use CS4.

thanks I was reading up on it and thinking may try to convince my dh to use Photoshop....

[DawnMarch]

yeah, go to Adobe Bridge, chose your file and hit File<Open in Camera Raw. You will see the photo and there are a bunch of sliders over on the right that you just slide left of right to edit the photo (exposure, saturation, etc). It's really quite easy and you can see what each one does as you use them.