Really good book, follows workflow and takes you through all the steps from set up to advanced features. So far any questions have been answered by this book.

I highly recommend this book.

Scott Kelby writes easy-to-apply instructions for all things Lightroom in this book. Makes my job MUCH easier!

I really like this guide, there are so many little details that are unfolded in this book. I like Scott's goofy humor it's right up my alley.

The layout is nice if you follow his instructions to start at the beginning and read it through, if you skip around you may lose some details.
Yes, you can use it as a reference but Scott has a direction he wants you to use.

I would highly recommend this if your new to Lightroom 2, it will save you time and help you gain some great understanding.

Scott made e-mailing from Lr so easy with my Mac, the masking/sharpening technique was an excellent, I use it frequently with portrait work. Theses are just a couple of great things in this guide.

You can't go wrong with this guide, I highly recommend it to new, intermediate and experienced users.

Scott Kelby has done it again.
In The Adobe Photoshop Lightroom 2 Book for Digital Photographers, Scott Kelby uses photos from some of his professional photoshoots as examples to take the reader step by step through organizing, developing, and printing your digital photographs. Along the way he points out all of the hidden secrets and nuances that make Lightroom 2 such a powerful package. Things most of us could never discover on our own were we to purchase and use Lightroom 2 without Scott's help.
Because, among other things, Lightroom 2 is a workflow program Scott recommends readers do not "jump around" in the book, but rather, start at the beginning and work right through chapter by chapter. Since it is a 419 page tutorial this seems a little daunting, but believe me, it is well worth the effort.
If you are a digital photographer, whether professional or amateur, and want to use Lightroom 2; do yourself a favor and purchase Scott Kelby's excellent book.
You won't be disappointed.

Scott Kelby has again written a book that makes getting started using Lightroom 2 easy.

I had never used Lightroom before in my life.. I wasn't even sure what all it COULD do. I just knew that a lot of people recommended it so I thought I'd give it a try. I installed the software and then stared at it blankly. I had no clue where to begin. I clicked a few buttons but got really lost really fast. I began to wonder if I'd wasted my money. But luckily I'd also picked up Scott Kelby's book. :)

First of all i LOVE Scott's humor. I love "mental breaks" and always get a chuckle out of his chapter introductions. I read the intro to the book which recommends downloading a video, and his sample files so you can follow along. I think some of the chapter 4 pictures may be mis-filed under chapter 5 though so if you can't find a picture, check another chapter file.

So I stayed up past 1am the first night going through the first 5 chapters. I was hooked and amazed! His book was easy to follow and really got me excited about what this program can do. The first 3 chapters or so are all about organization. A part of me wanted to skip this part, but i didn't.. it's worth a read. It's amazing what they've built into this.. much different than the organizer used in Photoshop Elements. It has ways to compare photos side by side, or show a before and after edits... very cool stuff! Finally I got to the first chapter on developing photos. Good stuff.

I'm only half way through the book, but at least I'm up and running. I know enough to be dangerous. :) Enough to be excited and in love with Lightroom! I love that he even showed you the settings to get that trendy gritty look in your photographs!

I haven't looked at any other Lightroom books but if you're new to Lightroom I can attest that this book is fantastic. it'll teach you step by step the proper workflow to maximize your use of Lightroom! So hurry up and hit that Buy button! :)

Scott Kelby's books teach me in such a way that I end up being much more adept at actually using the software. I'm not a professional, and his step by step methods show me what to do and how to do it as only a professional can.
Makes me a better photographer, and much better at using both Lightroom and Photoshop.
Buy, read and enjoy.

lov Scott kelby but this is layed out like a soap opera and very confusing
back and forth back and forth no real direction.
There are a few things you might learn but I am really not satisfied.

I bought the book for obvious reasons...did not have a clue what Lightroom was all about and knew I need some help. Normally the best way for me to learn a program is to simply test drive it for a while and learn the little intricacies on my own. Well this time it was a little different because there is a BUNCH of stuff to learn about Lightroom. This book helps you from the basic stuff to the advanced stuff. If you want to learn as you go, then this is the best book on the market for that. I've compared it to others and this book is like 4-5 other books in one! GET IT!

What a great book! I just recently purchased LR 2 and could not be happier. I am a freelance photographer and have always enjoyed Mr. Kelby's books. Thanks for helping to make editing easier than ever before! Awesome!

Kelby is very easy to read and understand. Funny too!

The beautiful photos throughout the book make it a joy to follow along.

Highly recommend getting this book.

I have been using lightroom since its release as well as am a big fan of Scott Kelby books. It is simple to read, gives practical examples and is set up so you can use it as a quick reference in addition to learning the ins and outs of Lightroom 2. Buy it, Use it, Love it....

Once again, Scott Kelby has written a book that totally explains a piece of Adobe software and does it in a way that everyone can understand.

Where a number of Lightroom and/or Photoshop books talk about "theory" and what a program can do, Kelby lays it out in a fashion where he tells you exactly what each slider/button/tab does and what his recommended setting is for that setting.

He also take time towards the end of the book to tell the reader how to achieve some of the effects that are commonly seen in images online and in print. He takes you step-by-step through each process, so that your final image achieves the same effect as what you hoped.

Lastly, he takes you through his entire workflow from start to finish which was very enlightening to a non-professional like myself as I learned many tricks/tips that I have already put to use.

Cutting to the chase: This is a good introduction to understanding what Adobe Photoshop Lightroom (LR) is and how to use it. It's a worthwhile read for beginners and more experienced photographers alike, even those who have used LR 1.

Here are my reasons: LR is a significant innovation in photography generally and digital photography particularly. Specifically designed for photographers, LR is intended to provide a comprehensive workflow that integrates cataloging, processing, and output functions.

Kelby understands what this means for photographers who have long relied on Photoshop (PS), with its graphic design orientation and tool-based approach (also found in PS Elements). Most photographers learn relatively few tools in PS, reaching for them on an "as needed" basis. Kelby helps photographers understand why LR's workflow approach is more effective. His discussion carefully follows the LR workflow from capture to output, emphasizing how it all fits together. Readers are explicitly warned they will get the most from the book by reading it straight through, rather than jumping around the way one might if reading about tool-based software. This is an important aspect of LR; I think Kelby does a better job with it than other writers.

LR 2 offers some powerful tools, including new ones for nondestructive local adjustments to images. Kelby provides thorough, clear, step-by-step instructions on using these tools. Throughout the book, Kelby takes a straightforward approach to getting things done efficiently and effectively -- this is one of the book's strengths. Kelby shows you how to use LR's features, without losing sight of each feature's place in an overall workflow.

I've been using LR since it was in version 1 beta, have read a number of books on LR, and follow discussions on some related web sites. But I'm definitely not a LR power user. Neither am I a big Kelby fan, though I've read some of his books, including the one on LR 1. This is both one of the better books on LR 2 and one of Kelby's better efforts. He keeps himself more under control and is consequently a better instructor. I can do more with LR 2 now after reading the book than I could before -- which is the bottom line, of course.

I am on my second reading of this book because it is so full of good instruction that I want to make sure I understand all of the capabilities of the LR2 program. The book is sequenced logically and fully explains how to use the various LR2 features by using tutorals that can be followed along with if you download the images from the website. My only criticism is that the downloaded images do not match all of the tutorial images in the book. Some are missing and some are in different chapters as compared to the downlad. But this is not a serious flaw and one can use their own images as well to follow the tutorials. Also, the book assumes you have CS3 or later versions of Photoshop. I didn't, so I could not follow some of the tutorials. Overall, after seriously reading the book and practicing the tutorials, I can truly say that I have learned how to effectively use this great program. Highly recommended.

As a seasoned Lightroom user, I was skeptical that this author - known for hoary jocularity and being first on the scene with the cream skimmed off the top - would have much to add to Martin Evening's 'Bible'. A casual bookstore browse, however, made me reconsider. I read the book module by Lightroom module, and picked up some slick workflow tips that came in mighty handy in the transition to version 2 [LR2].

This book was written with hands-on insight and fire-in-the-belly passion by a gifted photographer. It's much more than a comprehensive tutorial covering the fundamentals, for it it is laced with pearls for pros, and offers glimpses of the powerful engine under the glossy hood. The writing is smoothly professional, the numerous color graphics are crisp and on point (as well reproduced as any I've seen of Lighroom's low key screens). The layout is attractive, printing is clear, and paper is top-grade for stunning color rendering. Mr Kelby deserves great credit for the spirited upbeat writing of an even-paced and consistently thorough introduction to Lightroom-2.

Adding to the sense of author redemption is that his oft-distracting 'jokes' are now relegated to a chapter's introductory page that you can skip over; the many filler pages of thank-you's have been shortened to just two; the downloadable tutorial photos, many of RAW quality, have a tastefully subdued copyright watermark (no longer disfigured by Kelby's trademark diver's flag); images are zipped in chapter-by-chapter packages, rather than the tedious individual downloads of the past; the instruction style is based on a well-honed step-wise photograph flow [intake, processing, output] rather than on picking an isolated topic ('botoxing wrinkles') as in the past. Paced deliberate workflow, of course, demands more of the reader (as well as of the author) as it builds on preceding skills.

Beginning or intermediate LR2 users will get a flying start using this book. Once you feel comfortable with the LR2 basic workflow, add Martin Evening's "The Lightroom2 Book" to your library to broaden your skills and learn of advanced techniques; I doubt that you'd find much new not covered by these two books that complement and supplement one another surprisingly well.

I knew I would like this book when I read that you could download sample images and make the same adjustments while you read about them. That should be a requirement for all digital imaging books.

The author is funny, very funny. I have laughed about as much as I have learned from the book and I've learned a lot. This book has given me the knowledge I need to get the most out of LightRoom.

Kelby's books are all fantastic learning tools. Easy to follow, lots of pictures so they are very visual. Well written and up to date. I only bought one for the software and I think this was the best choice. Same thing with the Photoshop series.

Kelby does it again! His books are so easy to follow and understand as well as very well organized.

Kelby does it again! His books are so easy to follow and understand as well as very well organized.

When Lightroom 1.0 was introduced, everyone who tried it was a new user, even the folks who had tried the beta editions that Adobe had offered. That meant that it was easy to say that Scott Kelby's older book, "the Adobe Photoshop Lightroom Book for Digital Photographers" was one of the best of the hoard of Lightroom books for all users. Lightroom 2 (LR2) is a different matter. There is already a large base of competent Lightroom users who are mostly interested in learning how to use the newest upgrades to the software. As a result, recommendations for Kelby's Lightroom 2 book have to be slightly tempered.

As with his first volume, Kelby covers all the basics of Lightroom 2 with step-by-step instructions with profuse illustrations. Each of the modules is covered in sufficient detail to explain to any newcomer how to use LR2. The chapter on the quick develop tools has been reduced to a few pages, the local adjustment tools are described with sufficient particularity to master the newest tools, and a full chapter has been added on Lightroom\Photoshop integration. The two workflow examples have been changed from the first book, giving readers of both volumes a little more bang for the buck.

Many of the photos used for demonstration are available for download so that the reader can follow right along with the author. A video on a workflow example of a wedding is also available for download.

Some people who were put off by Kelby's sophomoric sense of humor will be pleased to learn that there has been a substantial reduction in the jokiness.

There is no doubt that if you are a new user of Lightroom, this book is as good as it gets. On the other hand, for experienced users, there doesn't seem to be much value to reading over the sections on tools you already know how to use. As I've said before, what most LR2 users need is a book like the "Photoshop: Up to Speed" books that just cover the new tools. (Are you listening, Peachpit?) I suspect many experienced users will derive their information on the upgrade from the wide assortment of on-line sites that have introduced LR2. On the other hand, I'm replacing Kelby's Lightroom 1 book that I kept next to my computer with this volume, and I expect to refer to this opus whenever I encounter a problem in LR2 (or my aging memory fails me).

Scott Kelby delivers as usual in his latest book on Lightroom 2. Kelby never fails to disappoint me. I have several of his books. After a while you get used to his strange sense of humor.

I do not like to write a long review either...so just to say this is a fantastic book if you can digest Scott's style (maybe a good advise is to simply ignore his sense of humor).

Trying to figure out new software on your own is nearly impossible. Scott Kelby's book provides the help needed to make Lightroom @ work.

I'm one of the people that owned the first version of the book and still coughed up the $29 for version 2. I don't regret it one bit. There's an entire chapter on the new Adjustment Brush, and that chapter alone has made me my $29 back. If you're new to Lightroom, I can't help but think Scott's workflow and descriptions of the tools is the best out there. They sure helped me last year when I was starting out. However, if you're experienced in Lightroom, yes, you'll definitely find some of same "basics" stuff. But the updates (importing and sorting chapters, adjustment brush, new workflow chapters, and customizing) are worth $29 and I'd spend it again in a heartbeat. Highly recommended.

First with have the witless and idiotic humor. (Can someone tell this guy that when someone is paying money for knowledge, witless and stupid commentary is not what I am paying for )

This book is best used as a fire starter.

Look elsewhere ...

P.S. I had the first book and second verse...same as the first.
Go with the Adobe version. A++

For me it doesnt come naturally to sit with a book at my computer and work through it to learn to do it right. I am determined to quit that silly massivly time wasting habit and have successfully started my new smarter behavior with Scott Kelby's well written, logicly laid out, with easy to understand verbage instruction manual. I have thousands of images and vow to continue to follow his flow and do it right this time. Lightroom 2 is an awesome program that looks easy, but to get the most out of it you may need a little hand holding by a pro and that is what this book delivers.

For me it doesnt come naturally to sit with a book at my computer and work through it to learn to do it right. I am determined to quit that silly massivly time wasting habit and have successfully started my new smarter behavior with Scott Kelby's well written, logicly laid out, with easy to understand verbage instruction manual. I have thousands of images and vow to continue to follow his flow and do it right this time. Lightroom 2 is an awesome program that looks easy, but to get the most out of it you may need a little hand holding by a pro and that is what this book delivers.

I am going to leave the longer reviews to other reviewers, but I thought it was worth noting that this book appears to be about 80% the same as the first edition. This Lightroom 2 book is more of an update of the Lightroom 1 book than it is a brand-new book in my opinion. Scott even recycles his (in)famous "jokes" from the first book in the second one. Maybe that is not a surprise to most of you, but I was expecting a bit more new content in the second book. To add insult to injury, the book was shipped to me from Amazon damaged. :-)

If you don't own the first edition of the book, you should consider purchasing this well-written and informative Lightroom book. Scott Kelby shares a lot of useful info in an easy to understand writing style. I have purchased a couple of different Lightroom books and find Scott Kelby's Lightroom for Digital Photographers to be the best of the bunch.

First I would like to say that if the book feels a bit like the first version, there's a good reason and it's because Adobe didn't remove features from LR2. There isn't a way to write a Lightroom book without covering features that were included in version 1. This would be a disservice to those that didn't own Lightroom version 1 and are starting fresh with version 2. The other thing that might feel familiar is the layout of the book. Most all of the Kelby books have a visual style that is familiar but even that has changed slight in this book, and for the better.

The book begins with a seven step "Things you wish you would have known before reading this book". It is a quick guide that tells you how the book is organized, what to expect when you read it, where to find source material that is used in the different chapters, and even a warning about his humorous chapter intros. I am actually a fan of Scott's humor but for those that aren't, he tells you to skip the intros and move right to the chapter because that's where the good stuff is.

The actual flow of the book is very logical and moves through the workflow process just as you would in Lightroom. One of the new features of the book that I found extremely helpful are the small header banners at the top of each page which mimic the panels at the top of Lightroom. Listed at the top are the Library, Develop, Slideshow, Print, and Web headings that are so familiar to Lightroom users. Whichever module is being dealt with in the particular chapter is highlighted on the banner, just as it would be in Lightroom. This is a great way to navigate quickly in the book so if you wanted to check out chapters dedicated to printing you can quickly flip through the pages and look for the Print module heading at the top of the pages. This is a small but very clever idea that I really appreciate.

The first chapter is all about importing images into Lightroom and is laid out in an easy, step-by-step progression from where to store your images, to getting your images into the program from your memory card or from folders that already exist on the hard drive. There is even a section on shooting tethered directly to your camera and having the images go directly into Lightroom. And here's another new bonus to this book. Every chapter has a Lightroom Quicktips page following each chapter. These are helpful little hints that somehow relate to the chapter but didn't really fit but are nonetheless important nuggets of information.

The following chapters are laid out just as logically and are beautifully illustrated. Particularly helpful were the chapters on customizing the Library module to make it fit my own needs and the section on the new Adjustment Brush. This new feature in Lightroom 2 is amazing and Scott did a great job of explaining not just how to use all of the features, but also when and why you would use them. I especially liked how he showed how to use the brush as a creative tool that will keep me from having to use Photoshop quite so much.

This book covers every new feature with great depth but not in a textbook way. Every feature of the program is broken down into its basics and then reviewed in a progressive style that will benefit novice and professional alike. The one thing that sets this book (like all of the Kelby books) apart from the rest is that you feel as though he is talking directly to you thoughout the entire process. It's like having your own personal instructor right at your side.

Lightroom has changed tremendously from its humble 1.0 beginnings and any user of the new version will save themselves time and frustration by sitting down with this book which I believe is the definitive guide to using Lightroom 2.0.