New Adobe Lightroom User needs workflow

[jmknights]

Hi, my name is Jim, I'm a drag racing photographer, actual I'm the track photographer for a local track. Examples of my photos can be seen at:
http://photosbyjim.smugmug.com/

As mentioned I'm a new Adobe Lightroom 1.1 user, previously and in conjunction w/Elements 5.0.
what I have:
software Elements 4.0/5.0/ LR v1.1
cameras: Sony Alpha, R1,828,717 W7.
lenses: 50mm 1.4,16-80 Zeiss, 24-70 Sigma 2.85 DG macro,
70- 200 2.8 Sigma EX, 70-300 Sigma 4-5.6 APO DG Macro,
Tamron 200-500 5-6.3 DI LD IF.
Shoot Jpegs only best resolution, at least now.
Customers buy 4x6 to 30x40 prints.

Current workflow.
Post Process in Elements 5, includes cropping to 8x10 adjust levels, brightness, contrast etc. Save at 9 compression Jpegs.
Upload to SmugMug account using there uploads software.

Need workflow suggestion for LR1.1.
Crop, what size, knowing my customers will buy 4x6 to 30x40's.
Adjust brightness,contrast, etc in LR1.1.
Export Snapshot, what quality level 100%,75% etc.
Goals quality photos for my customers buying 4x6 to 30x40 prints, upload time minimized.

Any help would be appreciated....

Jim in VT

[greenpea]

I'm still learning LR myself, but "Adobe Photoshop Lightroom Book for Digital Photographers (http://www.amazon.com/Photoshop-Lightroom-Digital-Photographers-Voices/dp/0321492161/ref=pd_bbs_sr_1/102-9796526-0062557?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1185127201&sr=1-1)" by Scott Kelby has some pretty good suggestions for work flow in Lightroom for different scenarios such as wedding photography or landscape photography (although nothing specific to drag racing photography :D).

[jmknights]

I'm still learning LR myself, but "Adobe Photoshop Lightroom Book for Digital Photographers (http://www.amazon.com/Photoshop-Lightroom-Digital-Photographers-Voices/dp/0321492161/ref=pd_bbs_sr_1/102-9796526-0062557?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1185127201&sr=1-1)" by Scott Kelby has some pretty good suggestions for work flow in Lightroom for different scenarios such as wedding photography or landscape photography (although nothing specific to drag racing photography :D).


thx jim

[arodney]

Shoot Jpegs only best resolution, at least now.

The biggest strengths of LR are its a Raw processing module and its a decent DAM (Digital Assist Manager). If you're not shooting Raw, you probably want to reconsider using LR.

I would recommend you consider JPEG and Raw based on this very excellent article that just went up a few weeks ago:

http://wwwimages.adobe.com/www.adobe.com/products/photoshop/family/prophotographer/pdfs/pscs3_renderprint.pdf

Yes, you CAN use LR on existing rendered JPEGs but that's not really its deign goal and you're not really using it to a fraction of its potential.