New to Lightroom - help me get going?

LiveAwake · November 8, 2010

Hey all,

I tried Lightroom eons ago, and didn't like it. Convinced by a number of fellow photographers that it's improved greatly (and seeing the need for a faster way to process larger quantities of images), I'm giving it a second shot. I'm guessing I will have many questions as I get going on it, but right now I just need help getting started.

I think one of the reasons Lightroom rubbed me the wrong way before - and I'm trying to be open minded here - is that I don't really get the benefit of the whole import/catalog thing. Why can't lightroom just show all of the pictures in a given folder like any other program? It seems like Lightroom is determined to create extra steps, including when I want to delete a photo . . . Why keep previews and metadata for deleted images? It just makes me think they're still there, and confuses me about which items I have deleted.

So, before all the nitty gritty questions arise, can someone just talk me through why this system is so great? Is there a way to use lightroom to look through ALL of my pictures, and to delete the bad ones before processing the good ones, a bit more easily?

Sam · November 8, 2010

Seriously...buy a book. It is the only way I can get started.

As to why you have to import, LR is a data base. Bridge and other programs can not sort through 20,000 or 60,000 images for the ones you key worded with "Fuffy" in a blink of an eye.

You also have a gazillion options when importing as to file names, key wording, dng conversion.

I am very far from a power user but I guarantee it will be worth the effort to learn.

Sam

pathfinder · November 8, 2010

Go here - http://www.luminous-landscape.com/videos/lr3.shtml

While I agree with Sam that books are quite helpful, I really do find the videos made by Reichman and Schewe about Lightroom to be outstanding and easy to follow. As well as being entertaining, and funny. But that is just me.

I used to feel that Bridge was all I needed too, but that was before I had 40,000 images on my hard drives to sort through and edit. Lightroom is what I use now as my primary editor, with Photoshop used only for selections and editing unable to be done in Lightroom.

RobSylvan · November 9, 2010

Lightroom isn't a file browser, but it kind of acts like one, so people have good reason to expect it to behave like a file browser should. However, in my experience, if you can put aside your assumptions about how you think Lightroom should work and simply learn how it does work, it isn't that hard to get used to, and then get quite dependent upon.

Lightroom's main advantage is in its ability to efficiently and expertly process digital captures, especially raw captures, from the point they leave your camera to a variety of output scenarios (new copies, prints, web, etc).

One video I highly recommend to all new Lightroom users is this one by George Jardine called Where are my photos? It is free, and should be included in the installation package IMHO. George also has an entire series (not free) of videos on the Library module and Develop, which are extremely thorough and professional. The Luminous Landscape series is also excellent.

There are some great books, such as Martin Evening's, and Scott Kelby's, which are the most popular, but Nat Coalson has a book that is worth checking out.

Beyond books, there are a wealth of free resources to trawl through, such as Lightroom Killer Tips, X-Equals, Lightroom Secrets, and Julieanne Kost to get you started. Actually, start with Julieanne's videos on Adobe TV to get a good walk through.

arodney · November 9, 2010

pathfinder wrote: »

Go here - http://www.luminous-landscape.com/videos/lr3.shtml
While I agree with Sam that books are quite helpful, I really do find the videos made by Reichman and Schewe about Lightroom to be outstanding and easy to follow.

Best deal out there and a great way to learn about LR, I agree.

And to be some what self serving, I should mention this webinar:

http://www.retouchpro.com/index.php?page=rodney

RobSylvan · November 9, 2010

Andrew, is that a variation of the session you did at Photoshop World a year or so ago? If so, that was one of the best Lightroom file management sessions I've seen.

arodney · November 9, 2010

RobSylvan wrote: »

Andrew, is that a variation of the session you did at Photoshop World a year or so ago? If so, that was one of the best Lightroom file management sessions I've seen.

Thanks. Its updated for LR 3 and has some new content. Plus I have at least two hours unlike PSW and of the three previous webinars for RetouchPro, we go as long as 2.5 hours with lots of Q&A.

LiveAwake · November 9, 2010

Hey everyone - thanks for the great tips a resources. I will definitely be doing some reading/watching over the next few days . . . expect more questions to follow.

One quick one here: understanding that a "database" is different than a "file browser," I would still like to find a way to configure my workflow such that I can quickly and easily delete files (actually delete the file, and remove any preview or other indication that it still might exist somewhere, hopefully with just ONE keystroke) as I'm going through and making my first round of selections and basic adjustments. I'm interested in lightroom partly because it is easier to make quick adjustments to lots of pictures, but it's frustrating to me if I have to take up all of the time I may be saving to take extra steps in deleting photos. Is there a way to configure this to fill that need?

Thanks!!

zoomer · November 9, 2010

I click on the photo, hit delete and it is gone, I never see it again, can also do it with a right click.
Not sure I understand the problem you are having with deletes.

arodney · November 9, 2010

Delete from within what, Lightroom, the finder?

In Lightroom, its an easy process. Usually as you move though your images just imported, you can simply click the X key to set that for a reject, then after you’ve gone through the images, the Command (Control on Windows)-Delete key will allow you to remove the images from the database (they still remain on the hard drive) OR send them directly to the trash. The Option (alt on Windows) plus delete will delete them without asking you making it a one keystroke delete operation.

paddler4 · November 9, 2010

You can also also easily delete images without bothering to flag them in the way that Andrew describes. Just select an image (or several) in either the Library or Develop module and hit delete. It will ask you whether you want to just remove the images from the database or delete from the disk. Done. I follow Andrew's approach and flag them when I am culling a big stack of images, but when I am working with fewer, I just delete as a go along.

If you want to delete from other software (sometimes, I find it quicker to do it from a file browser like ExplorerPlus), the next time you open lightroom, go to the folders from which you deleted the images and resync the folder.

Qarik · November 10, 2010

arodney wrote: »

Delete from within what, Lightroom, the finder?

In Lightroom, its an easy process. Usually as you move though your images just imported, you can simply click the X key to set that for a reject, then after you’ve gone through the images, the Command (Control on Windows)-Delete key will allow you to remove the images from the database (they still remain on the hard drive) OR send them directly to the trash. The Option (alt on Windows) plus delete will delete them without asking you making it a one keystroke delete operation.

Yup, X them and then select "delete from disk", this gets rid of everything associated with that image.

LiveAwake · November 16, 2010

Sorry for my delayed response - I got busy and had to table the project of learning lightroom for a bit. I was actually working from memory, and from Adobe's help files, which state "Unless manually removed, the previews and metadata stay in the catalog, even if you move the corresponding photos off your computer to archive them at a different storage location."

Is there a way to get rid of the confirmation dialog so that I can just hit delete and have it always know that I mean delete, not "remove"?

RobSylvan · November 17, 2010

LiveAwake wrote: »

...

Is there a way to get rid of the confirmation dialog so that I can just hit delete and have it always know that I mean delete, not "remove"?

No, but you can use this key-combo instead:

Win: Ctrl + Alt + Shift + Backspace

Mac: Command + Option + Shift + Delete

Jason Hermann · November 17, 2010

This video tutorial I made should help you get going

It's 3 parts and covers an aweful lot for the beginner especially!!

http://www.jhpvideotutorials.com/tutorials/lightroom/lr_setup_import_1.html

Best,
Jay

LiveAwake · February 24, 2011

Jason Hermann wrote: »

This video tutorial I made should help you get going It's 3 parts and covers an aweful lot for the beginner especially!!

http://www.jhpvideotutorials.com/tutorials/lightroom/lr_setup_import_1.html

Best,
Jay

Link comes up not found.

W.W. Webster · February 24, 2011

LiveAwake wrote: »

Why can't lightroom just show all of the pictures in a given folder like any other program?

It can, and does for me!

LiveAwake wrote: »

Why keep previews and metadata for deleted images? It just makes me think they're still there, and confuses me about which items I have deleted.

There's no good reason.

LiveAwake wrote: »

So, before all the nitty gritty questions arise, can someone just talk me through why this system is so great?

No, but you should presume that the hundreds of thousands of present users see something in it that you, apparently, don't, and which suggests you should do some research. You clearly don't know how it works.

LiveAwake wrote: »

Is there a way to use lightroom to look through ALL of my pictures, and to delete the bad ones before processing the good ones, a bit more easily?

Yes. Just point it at all your images ('import' them in the folder(s) they are already in) and then just tell it to delete (and remove from disk) those that you will have no further use for. Then just 'process' the ones you are interested in - as and when you want to.

pathfinder · February 24, 2011

Or just never import that bad ones in the first place, when you are choosing which photos to import from your memory card. I try to be ruthless about this aspect, but still find myself deleting more later, just the same.

Jason Hermann · February 25, 2011

LiveAwake wrote: »

Link comes up not found.

Sorry, that was the old Website. All the Lightroom Video Tutorials are located here now

www.jhpvideotutorials.com/tutorials/lightroom

Best,
Jay

Jason Hermann · February 25, 2011

pathfinder wrote: »

Or just never import that bad ones in the first place, when you are choosing which photos to import from your memory card. I try to be ruthless about this aspect, but still find myself deleting more later, just the same.

I also try and do this to save time on importing ect..... I find with the Portrait work I really need to see full res on a lot of them before I delete them, so I just delete the obvious bad shots before import.

Best,
Jay

elgauchogrub · April 23, 2011

Does anyone have any recommendations on a good Lightroom book?

Anthony · April 23, 2011

I would always recommend the Julianne Kost videos (free) on Adobe TV...

http://tv.adobe.com/show/the-complete-picture-with-julieanne-kost

Anthony.

RobSylvan · April 23, 2011

I'd suggest either:

The Adobe Photoshop Lightroom 3 Book for Digital Photographers (Voices That Matter) by Scott Kelby

Lightroom 3: Streamlining Your Digital Photography Process by Nat Coalson

You may also find this helpful:

http://photofocus.com/2009/10/16/10-things-i-wish-i-could-tell-every-new-lightroom-user/

Art Scott · April 23, 2011

RobSylvan wrote: »

I'd suggest either:

The Adobe Photoshop Lightroom 3 Book for Digital Photographers (Voices That Matter) by Scott Kelby

+++1

thumb

bow

sara505 · April 23, 2011

Anthony wrote: »

I would always recommend the Julianne Kost videos (free) on Adobe TV...

http://tv.adobe.com/show/the-complete-picture-with-julieanne-kost

Anthony.

+1

Also, the times I have come up against problems, the LR forum is a great resource, with fantastically knowledgeable and helpful folks.

DonRicklin · April 23, 2011

sara505 wrote: »

+1

Also, the times I have come up against problems, the LR forum is a great resource, with fantastically knowledgeable and helpful folks.

And some are even SmugMug/Dgrinners

Don

Sent from my iPod touch using Tapatalk

sara505 · April 23, 2011

DonRicklin wrote: »

And some are even SmugMug/Dgrinners

Don

Sent from my iPod touch using Tapatalk

Let's hope so!

elgauchogrub · April 24, 2011

Thank you all for the suggestions!

New to Lightroom - help me get going?

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