As a serious nature photographer I want to spend my time taking pictures and not processing them on the computer. We all know what a great tool Lightroom is and this book is the tool to learn Lightroom for Photographers. We all want to spend less time at the computer and the same is true for learning new computer software. Rob breaks down everything you need in an easy to read well thought out way that makes sense for photographers. Our needs are different and Rob gets it right with this book. Through each chapter Rob will highlight the need to know stuff through great examples and step by step instructions. I keep my copy right next to the computer and use it as reference piece all the time. Now go out and capture some great images and then use Lightroom to organize & edit them. Great book!

Strengths: Very nice glossary and index. Instruction is top notch and instructional tutorials are extremely well laid out and easy to read. The instruction is solid and the screenshots and photos integrate with the instructions. Book can be used as a good resource to skip around with the book or read sequentially. Great instruction in the use of Lightroom software. Even if you don't use Lightroom you may gain valuable ideas from the author and the instructions by using another image processing software like iPhoto etc.
Weaknesses: Vertical titling of the chapter names, down the outside of the pages, is disconcerting. These and the page numbers should have been place horizontally on the top of the page.

Introduction

Interestingly, Photoshop it is said, was never designed for photographers even though it is the best image - processing applications. The highlight of the book is what the software can do for you and how you can apply the software to complete your best photographs. While Photoshop elements was created to fill part of the this void, Lightroom is not focused on graphics but organizing your photographs to make them easy to find, search and use. Lightflow sounds like a version of iPhoto that connects with Photoshop. My main aim was to see whether this tool is equal to or greater than iPhoto or other image processing collection applications so that Mac users and myself can learn about different image collection programs.

The author is the editor of Outdoor Photography and HDVideoPro magazines, has authored several books and his works have appeared in National Geographic.

The books 323 pages cover three part/ sections and 13 chapters. It is nice that the pages have tabs that correspond to chapter selections. However, I do not like that the chapters' titles run down the sides vertically. There was ample room to place these on the top of the pages with the pages numbers as well. I don't like having to turn the book sideways to read the titles. Each chapter has a Q&A (Question and Answer instructions and additional assistance about specifically targeted ways to use the photos (slideshows etc ).

Side notes include: Pro tips, X-ref (additional reference guides within the book). The author has provided nicely sized screenshots (using Macintosh OSX interface) so that photos and screenshots are readable. But what is missing are arrows, circles or additional icons that "can zone in on" the selections to show the instructions for displaying even more clearer. While there are a couple of white arrows and bulls eye icons, its not enough. Still the instruction is quite suitable and for the most part easy to understand as integrated with the tutorials.

Part 1 is about all you want to know about Lightroom, introduction to the Lightroom concept, basics and working with the camera. Part 2 covers the Library Module, image processing presentations possibilities, working with slide shows, printing and working with the web module. Part 3 provides knowledge about Lightroom and Photoshop.

What also makes the text readable is that each page is separated into two columns, uses bold text to highlight the beginning of the instructional paragraphs. Numbers with the paragraphs and spacing of the paragraphs makes for manageable reading.


Conclusions

In many cases, tips are provided for both Windows and Mac operations. The section on Library module including information concerning keywords is well done. The Lightroom allows the creation, storage and use of Keywords as in iPhoto. Folders and collections can also be used with the selection process as iPhoto. The Lightroom interface for the keywords seems a little more straightforward then iPhoto but both seem to operate in the same manner. I like the section on Lightroom modules (ch.6) and the nice screenshots of the tone curves and other basic calibrations. The tonal, color setting and color corrections curve instructions are very well done. I also like way the author provides instructions when working with slideshow module.

While it sounds like a version of iPhoto, Lightroom seems a little more elegant but functions in much the same way. Where the book and the instructions from the author excel is not only how to perform basic functions using the software but more specifically how to take these instructions to the next level. This book is well done and in many ways entices you into trying Lightroom.

The author provides you with the instructions and more ideas to work with regarding photographs. This book is a great guide and resource if you are using Lightroom. If you don't have Lightroom, you might find the instructions can be used with other image processing programs and possibly with iPhoto (instructions don't come with iPhoto as you know). Clear and very well done, you can learn much from this author.

This is yet another very lavishly produced Lightroom book. It has lots of colorful illustrations (which are not really necessary), and lots of very old-fashioned "practical advice" based on outmoded practices from times before software like Aperture or Lightroom was available.

On the other hand, it's very thin on advanced features, and on things that Lightroom makes possible, even for a novice.

To give just a few examples: The author suggests (extensively) creating unnecessarily elaborate folder structure, meant to easily recognize what photos are in which folder (he names the folders by state in which photos were taken, and descriptive labels such as Tony's Birthday party). This is absolutely unnecessary, and in fact has many disadvantages, e.g., at the time of making backups to optical media (DVDs).

On the other hand, he merely mentions keywords and declares their use "tedious". But he clearly doesn't understand how they work in the software. There is no SINGLE mention of keyword hierarchies (and how they can reduce the "tedium" of entering multiple keywords), and of the numerous ways to assign keywords: the stamper / painter tool, MULTIPLE drag and drop options, keyword spell check, custom keyword sets, automatic recent keyword feature, or dynamic character of keyword hierarchies which can be easily re-arranged later as the library grows, without any loss of already assigned keywords. No mention of the fact you can easily export or import keyword sets. He points out that sometimes you might assign different keywords when you mean the same (like flower and flowers and plant); yet, fails to mention the fact that the SYNONYMS feature takes care of exactly that problem. Reading the book you would think that Lightroom's keywords work like those in iPhoto or other, consumer-level software (they do not - they are SO much better here).

Similarly, the author says he doesn't use all of available star ratings. He gives an example of using star ratings to winnow out the rejects from a large shoot. That's OK if he wants to do it that way, but this is not the best tool for that purpose. Unfortunately, he does not mention the one tool which WAS meant to do JUST THAT, i.e., the use of pick-flags, especially in conjunction with the "Refine Photos" command (which is meant exactly for that purpose, and works very easily and efficiently, without affecting the star ratings).

The book misses mentioning many basic keyboard shortcuts when they might be useful - to mention star ratings again - readers will not know that it can go much faster if you hold the shift key when you use number keys, which will move you automatically to the next, yet unrated photo. Yes, the author is right that rating, and THEN moving to the next photo is somewhat awkward and slow, BUT of course there is a much faster, and much more efficient way to do this.


That's too bad, because otherwise, this would be a sensible, very visually attractive, and mostly well written intro to the most basic features. Unfortunately it misses too many opportunities to give new users the efficient tools which are at their fingertips, and which they already paid for.

I got both this book and Kelby's "Adobe Photoshop Lightroom Book for Digital Photographers" at the same time as I began to learn Lightroom. Of the two, I found this to be much more helpful and clear. Sheppard's style is clear and his explanations of the tools in Lightroom are quite helpful. He's clearly giving his opinions as to how the tools should be used, but he also reaffirms that these are opinions, not rules carved in stone. His "Pro Tips" boxes are full of good advice about the program, photography, and why two button mice are important for Mac users (perhaps he hasn't yet seen the Mighty Mouse). All in all, an excellent book introducing the power and versatility of Lightroom.

Well written, with clear instructions. Helped me understand Lightroom and get the most out of it. Has made using Lightroom both productive and enjoyable.

Adobe products are not intuitive. I've used Photoshop for a number of years, but it's impossible to sort and edit a set of raw photographs quickly with Photoshop. Bridge is better for sorting, but it crashes fairly consistently. So I decided to try Lightroom. Turns out that Lightroom is also far from intuitive and its controls are similar to, but not the same as, their Photoshop counterparts. So I looked for a book on Amazon and settled on this one. This book is great for explaining how to use the Lightroom Develop controls and adequate for the other Modules. I upgraded to Lightroom 1.1 and most of the information in the book still applies. The reason I don't give the book five stars is that I felt it was light on explaining how Lightroom handles files (the Library Module) and how that relates to the underlying file system. If you're looking for a book to help you get started with Lightroom, I doubt that you'll find a better one.

Adobe products are not intuitive. I've used Photoshop for a number of years, but it's impossible to sort and edit a set of raw photographs quickly with Photoshop. Bridge is better for sorting, but it crashes fairly consistently. So I decided to try Lightroom. Turns out that Lightroom is also far from intuitive and its controls are similar to, but not the same as, their Photoshop counterparts. So I looked for a book on Amazon and settled on this one. This book is great for explaining how to use the Lightroom Develop controls and adequate for the other Modules. I upgraded to Lightroom 1.1 and most of the information in the book still applies. The reason I don't give the book five stars is that I felt it was light on explaining how Lightroom handles files (the Library Module) and how that relates to the underlying file system. If you're looking for a book to help you get started with Lightroom, I doubt that you'll find a better one.

This book is one of the new editions detailing the use of Adobe's new software, Photoshop Lightroom. It is more that a minimal how-to book. It will move you into mainstream use of this powerful software. The strongest thread running through the book is the leveraging of Lightroom and workflow. Knowing how to use the sliders and other tools is important, but without a good workflow it is less effective in a professional environment.

Here's another entry in the list of books about Adobe Photoshop Lightroom, the new software from the manufacturer of the leading image processing software. Although the software is far more intuitive than Photoshop, and is laid out to mirror the order in which most photographers develop digital photographs, it still requires more instruction then the small paper manual that comes with Lightroom or the complete but hard to use on-line help facility that Lightroom offers.

Rob Sheppard's book offers that instruction in a way that helps photographers who are interested in learning more than just the effect of each button and slider on the digital image. The author follows the workflow model of each of the modules of Lightroom, from the importing of images into the Library Module, through the Development Module that allows for overall adjustments to digital images, to outputs for slideshows, prints and web sites. The writing is accurate and easy to understand.

What makes this book so good is that Sheppard goes beyond just showing the functions of Lightroom. For example, before discussing the operation of the Library Module, he discusses the importance of creating a good logical file structure in one's computer for images outside of Lightroom, so that the file structure can be reflected in Lightroom. Similarly, he recognizes that there are certain adjustments to digital images that Lightroom is not capable of, and so require adjustment in the Photoshop, or other, program. He briefly describes those adjustments and the benefits of using them in a final chapter. This is not enough of an explanation to learn how to make such adjustments in Photoshop but it helps to make the transition. Experienced users will probably not learn anything new with this approach, but it will serve as a healthy reminder. The information will be most useful to the less experienced and those whose previous practices don't lend themselves to effective use of Lightroom.

Unfortunately, there is a lot about Lightroom that isn't covered. One of Lightroom's most impressive features to me is the keywording facility that allows for quick recovery of photographs from a large collection. It includes functions like synonyms and parent-child relations that are extremely useful, but not covered in this book. There are also Lightroom functions that are not mentioned at all. For example, the creation of JPG images to embed in e-mail is a common need of most photographers. Lightroom allows the creation of such images in its export function. Experienced Photoshop users will probably be able to figure out how to do this, but the menus involved in creating a preset to do this are complex, and I would have liked a little help.

Lightroom users looking for a good explanation of its functions, who want to do more than just know what the controls do, will benefit from reading this book. However, this is not the complete guide to everything Lightroom.