Synopses & Reviews
Adobe Photoshop Lightroom is the primary software-of-choice for today's digital photographer. As a new tool, using Lightroom requires mastering new skills—not always an easy task. Compounding the challenge, many photographers don't have fundamental knowledge of digital image processing.
Lightroom 2: Streamlining your Digital Photography Process offers you the digital imaging fundamentals and the Lightroom-specific skills you need to quickly learn and retain a mastery of Lightroom.
Written and designed by a professional photographer, designer, fine art printmaker and instructor, this book is designed to simplify and accelerate the learning process and is unique in both content and presentation. Nat Coalson is an Adobe Certified Expert in Lightroom and Photoshop, and has taught photography and imaging classes and workshops for many years. The approach taken by Lightroom 2: Streamlining your Digital Photography Process is based on over 20 years of professional experience in photography, printing, and imaging, and the methods of instruction were developed through the author's work with students and clients.
At 400 pages, this book clearly explains how to use all of Lightroom's controls, and much more. Beginning with the original image capture, all the way through importing, editing, processing and presenting photos, the text also explains fundamental imaging concepts every modern photographer needs to know. Not just the "how" but also the "why". Not just recipes, but core skills you will use again and again. And by developing stronger technical skills, you will be able to focus more on creative expression.
The content of Lightroom 2: Streamlining your Digital Photography Process also demonstrates a simple, practical workflow. You will learn real-world, professional-level production techniques through straightforward examples and easy-to-follow instructions.
The book is divided into nine chapters:
- Chapter 1. Digital Imaging Foundations: resolution, bit depth, color spaces, etc.
- Chapter 2. Digital Photography Workflow: step-by-step outline of the processing pipeline
- Chapter 3. The Lightroom Workspace: modules, panels, tools, view modes, etc.
- Chapter 4. Digital Image Capture: benefits of raw, using histograms, critical exposure settings, capturing the most possible data, etc.
- Chapter 5. Import Photos into Lightroom: creating efficient file systems, automation and batch processing, using presets, etc.
- Chapter 6. Organize your Photos in Library: identifying selects, using filters and collections, working with metadata, keywording strategies, etc.
- Chapter 7. Process your Photos in Develop: evaluating the photo, adjusting global tone, contrast and color; local adjustment brushes and graduated filters, retouching, etc.
- Chapter 8. Export Images from Lightroom: choosing the right file formats, post-processing actions, using export plug-ins, etc.
- Chapter 9. Presenting your Work: working in the Slideshow, Print and Web modules
Each chapter describes in detail specific aspects of the Lightroom workflow and includes step-by-step sequences that summarize the topics presented. Throughout the book, you will learn and integrate concepts quickly and easily through numerous shortcuts, tips, reminders and warnings. Lightroom 2: Streamlining your Digital Photography Process includes over 300 color figures, including screenshots and illustrations, plus dozens of the author's own photographs.
In addition, Appendices provide a reference sheet for the most useful shortcuts, a comprehensive list of additional online Lightroom resources and a guide to optimizing Lightroom performance.
Lightroom 2: Streamlining your Digital Photography Process gives you a complete mastery of Lightroom and the digital photography workflow, as well as a solid foundation in digital imaging. As a result, you will be able to produce the best possible photographs with the least possible effort.
Foreword by renowned landscape photographer William Neill.
Synopsis
Professional advice that can revolutionize your workflow
In this book, photographer Nathaniel Coalson teaches you the most efficient and effective ways to process images in Lightroom 2, allowing you to work smarter and faster to produce high quality images. You will learn professional techniques and shortcuts that let you spend less time in front of your computer and more time behind the camera, where creativity and vision begin.
- Save time by getting familiar with the Lightroom workspace
Speed your processing with presets and templates
Easily adjust tone, color, and contrast
Apply localized adjustments including dodging/burning and retouching
Convert color originals to black and white
Shorten editing time by using the optimal camera settings at the time of capture
Synopsis
LIOM is the primary software-of-choice for today's digital photographer. As a new tool, using LIOM requires mastering new skills—not always an easy task. Compounding the challenge, many photographers don't have fundamental knowledge of digital image processing.
LIOM: Streamlining your Digital Photography Process offers you the digital imaging fundamentals and the LIOM-specific skills you need to quickly learn and retain a mastery of LIOM.
Written and designed by a professional photographer, designer, and instructor, this book is designed to simplify and accelerate the learning process and is unique in both content and presentation. Nat Coalson is an Adobe Certified Expert in LIOM and Photoshop, and has taught photography and imaging classes and workshops for many years. The approach taken by LIOM: Streamlining your Digital Photography Process is based on over 20 years of professional experience in photography, printing, and imaging, and the methods of instruction were developed through the author's work with students and clients. At 400 pages, this book clearly explains how to use all of LIOM's controls, and much more. Beginning with the original image capture, all the way through importing, editing, processing and presenting photos, the text also explains fundamental imaging concepts every modern photographer needs to know. Not just the "how" but also the "why". Not just recipes, but core skills you will use again and again. And by developing stronger technical skills, you will be able to focus more on creative expression. The content of LIOM: Streamlining your Digital Photography Process also demonstrates a simple, practical workflow. You will learn real-world, professional-level production techniques through straightforward examples and easy-to-follow instructions.
Synopsis
"Nat Coalson is passionate about sharing his experience and knowledge on Lightroom 4 to help you professionally organize, process, and present your images. This book has been completely revised and updated to include the newest Lightroom features to make your images look their very best!"
—
Katrin Eismann, Chair, Masters in Digital Photography, School of Visual Arts, New York, New York
Working with your photos is fast, easy, and fun with Lightroom 4!
Most photographers want to make their photos look good, find them easily, and protect them from loss. And they'd rather be out in the field than learning a new software program. If this is you, you'll love Nat Coalson's step-by-step, task-focused approach to Lightroom 4. Designed for new users and those upgrading from an earlier version, this book leads you on a straightforward path to great results.
Learn to
Organize your photo library to quickly find what you're looking for
Optimize every photo with powerful, easy image adjustments
Edit videos and publish your finished clips to the web
Create beautiful photo books, web galleries, and slideshows
Synchronize your collections with photo-sharing and social media websites
Print photos with precise color accuracy
Use the map to plot locations where your photos were taken
About the Author
Nat Coalson is a visual artist working in photography and mixed media. His work has been extensively exhibited and has received national awards. An Adobe Certified Expert in Photoshop and Photoshop Lightroom, Nat has written two previous editions of this book as well as Nature Photography Photo Workshop, also published by Wiley.
Table of Contents
INTRODUCTION.Foreword.
Preface.
Acknowledgements.
How to use this book.
Conventions.
Icons.
CHAPTER 1. DIGITAL IMAGING FOUNDATIONS.
The State of the Art.
Anatomy of a Digital Image.
Pixels and resolution.
Digital color.
Color Management Essentials.
Color spaces.
ICC profi les.
Calibrating and profi ling your display.
File Formats.
CHAPTER 2. DIGITAL PHOTOGRAPHY WORKFLOW.
Criteria for an Effi cient Workflow.
The Digital Photography Workflow.
Non-destructive image processing.
Enter Lightroom.
Introduction to Develop presets.
Saving your work.
DNG.
Original, master and derivative files.
Bringing it All Together.
CHAPTER 3. THE LIGHTROOM WORKSPACE.
Modules.
Library.
Develop.
Slideshow.
Print.
Web.
Toolbars.
Panels.
Image display area.
Top panel (Module Picker).
Bottom panel (Filmstrip).
Left module panels.
Right module panels.
Hiding and showing panel groups.
Change panel size.
Expand and collapse individual panels.
Add and remove individual panels.
Solo Mode.
Panel end marks.
Scrolling panel tracks.
Panel Input Controls.
Triangle buttons.
Arrow buttons.
Sliders.
Panel switches.
Tooltips.
Lightroom Menus and Commands.
Contextual menus.
Commands and shortcuts.
The Lightroom Application Window.
Screen Modes.
Lights Out.
The Secondary Window.
CHAPTER 4. DIGITAL IMAGE CAPTURE.
Capturing High Quality Image Data.
How a digital camera captures an image.
Raw image capture.
Why not JPG?
Digital Exposure.
Expose carefully.
Maximizing dynamic range.
Camera histograms.
Clipping.
Camera Settings.
Color space.
White balance.
ISO setting.
Getting Sharp Captures.
Handheld shooting.
Using a tripod.
Using Lens Filters in the Digital Workflow.
Polarizing filters.
Neutral density filters.
Obsolete lens filters.
Workflow: Digital Capture .
CHAPTER 5. IMPORT PHOTOS INTO LIGHTROOM.
Lightroom Data Architecture.
Lightroom catalogs.
Image files.
Lightroom previews.
Digital Photo Storage.
Folder structures.
Guidelines for folder and file naming.
Renaming photo files.
Import Photos into Lightroom.
About batch processing.
Setting up the import.
File handling.
Presets and templates.
Keywords.
Previews.
Workfl ow: Copy Files from Your Camera and Import them into Lightroom.
What Happens During the Import.
Workflow: Import Existing Files from Your Hard Disk.
Workflow: Shooting Tethered with Auto Import.
Alternative Import Workflows.
Catalog and Image File Backups.
Backing up Lightroom catalogs.
Backing up image files.
CHAPTER 6. ORGANIZE YOUR PHOTOS IN LIBRARY.
Image Sources.
Catalog panel sources.
Folder panel sources.
Hard disk drives and volumes.
Folders and subfolders.
Managing folders and photos.
Dealing with missing folders and photos.
Keywords as sources.
Collection and fi lter sources.
Working with Thumbnails in Grid View.
Changing thumbnail size.
Sort Order.
Thumbnail badges.
Grid view style.
Grid view options.
Selecting and Deselecting Images.
The active photo (most selected).
Select All.
Select None.
Add, Subtract, Intersect.
Grouping Thumbnails into Stacks.
Rotating and Flipping Images.
Working with Large Previews in Loupe View.
Zooming in and out of images in Loupe view.
Showing photo info in Loupe view.
Comparing Two Images.
Comparing More than Two Images.
The Secondary Display Window.
Metadata.
The Metadata panel.
Titles and captions.
EXIF.
IPTC.
GPS and altitude.
Audio files.
Metadata presets.
Metadata status.
Saving metadata to files.
Reading metadata from files.
Keywords.
Keywording strategies.
Keywording panel.
Keyword List panel.
Rating Photos with Lightroom Attributes.
Star ratings.
Color labels.
Flags.
Marking rejected photos.
Using Filters to Create and Modify Image Sources.
Text.
Attributes.
Metadata.
None.
Filters controls on the Filmstrip.
Saving fi lter presets.
Photo Collections.
Collections.
Quick Collection.
Smart Collections.
Collection Sets.
Processing Photos in Library.
Histogram overview.
Quick Develop.
Sync Settings.
Copy/Paste Settings.
Reset Settings.
Removing all Develop settings.
Fast metadata changes with the Painter.
Converting raw fi les to DNG.
Workfl ow: Editing the Shoot.
CHAPTER 7. PROCESS YOUR PHOTOS IN DEVELOP.
Plan for Processing.
Evaluating the photo.
Lightroom defaults.
Maintaining maximum quality.
About composite images.
Developing Photos.
Undo/Redo.
Applying camera profiles.
Cropping.
Adjusting tone and contrast.
Targeted adjustments.
Adjusting color.
Removing artifacts.
Dodging and burning.
Sharpening.
Retouching.
Special eff ects.
Comparing before and after.
Creating multiple versions of a photo.
Resetting adjustments.
Applying Settings to Multiple Photos.
Copy/Paste.
Sync Settings.
Develop presets.
Auto and Default Settings.
Workfl ow: Develop a Photo.
Workfl ow: Roundtrip Editing with Photoshop.
Example Before/After Photos.
CHAPTER 8. EXPORT IMAGES FROM LIGHTROOM.
You’re Done in Develop…Now What?
Original and derivative files.
Planning the export.
The Export Dialog Box.
Export Location.
File Naming.
File Settings.
Image Sizing.
Output Sharpening.
Metadata.
Post-Processing.
Export Plug-Ins.
Export Presets.
Export Workfl ows.
Burning a DVD.
Emailing photos.
Watermarking images.
Exporting Catalogs.
CHAPTER 9. PRESENTING YOUR WORK.
Making and Presenting Slideshows.
Setting up the slideshow.
Previewing the slideshow.
Presenting the slideshow.
Printing photos from Lightroom.
Setting up the print job.
Printing the job.
Workfl ow: print from Lightroom.
Making Web Galleries.
Selecting a template.
Customizing the template.
Deploying your Web gallery.
Exporting Web galleries.
APPENDICES.
Most Useful Shortcuts.
Resources.
Optimizing Lightroom Performance.