Photoshop Lightroom 2 For Dummies [Paperback]

Rob Sylvan (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: September 9, 2008 | ISBN-10: 047034539X | ISBN-13: 978-0470345399 | Edition: 1

Take your digital photography to the next level by learning how to use Adobe Photoshop Lightroom 2 with Photoshop Lightroom 2 for Dummies! From how to install Lightroom and navigate the Lightroom interface to playing with advanced options like creating slideshows and sharing photos with friends and family, this easy-to-understand guide will walk you through every step.

You’ll find out all about the Lightroom modules and their functions while understanding the role of the Lightroom catalog, how to care for it, and work with its functions. You will learn everything about working with digital photographs, from distinguishing among various file formats to managing and importing photos. You’ll find out how to view, find, organize and develop photos in the library and utilize the digital darkroom. You’ll even find out how to work with external editors. After reading this book, you will know how to:

• Install and get started with Lightroom
• Recognize the role and function of the Lightroom catalog
• Manage and save files
• View, find, organize, and develop photos in the library
• Unleash your creativity with photo editing options
• Share and export files to share them with friends and family
• Create copies, slideshows, and web galleries

Complete with lists of ten resources, ten common problems and solutions, and ten favorite tips and tricks, Photoshop Lightroom 2 For Dummies is your one-stop guide to setting up, working with, and making the most of Photoshop Lightroom for all your digital photography needs.

Editorial Reviews

From the Back Cover

The secrets of Lightroom explained in plain English!

Whether you're new to Lightroom or just want to get the most out of it, you've come to the right place. Discover how Lightroom's five modules work together to improve your workflow, so you can manage data for batch processing, streamline the fine-tuning, and produce eye-popping images, prints, Web galleries, and slideshows with less hassle.

• Manage with modules — organize with Library, edit with Develop, create presentations with Slideshow, use Print for a color-managed workflow, and put images online with Web

• Save time — leverage the power of Lightroom's database to manage and process images with a single tool

• Maximize the Catalog — customize and optimize Lightroom's database nerve center

• Streamline — create file name templates for batch renaming and embed information with metadata templates

• Clean it up — customize the interface to clear away clutter and make your workspace look just the way you want

Open the book and find:

• Solutions for setting up and managing your workflow

• Steps for automatically renaming files and adding metadata when importing

• Time-saving tips using the Quick Develop panel

• How to make adjustments and fix common problems without altering the original image data

• What the Grid, Loupe, Compare, and Survey views offer

• How simple it is to generate sophisticated online Web galleries and slide shows

About the Author

Rob Sylvan is a trainer, instructional designer, writer, Web developer, and photographer. He is a Help Desk Specialist for the National Association of Photoshop Professionals and he's the Site Director for iStockphoto.com. Rob writes the Lightroom-focused "Under the Loupe" column for Photoshop User magazine.

Product Details

• Paperback: 368 pages
• Publisher: For Dummies; 1 edition (September 9, 2008)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 047034539X
• ISBN-13: 978-0470345399
• Product Dimensions: 9.2 x 7.4 x 0.7 inches
• Shipping Weight: 2.1 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.5 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (8 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #162,930 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

More About the Author

A freelance photographer, teacher, and author, who is also the Lightroom HelpDesk Specialist for the National Association of Photoshop Professionals and Kelby Training, an instructor for the Perfect Picture School of Photography, and the host of Peachpit's Lightroom Resource Center. Rob writes the "Under the Loupe" column for Photoshop User Magazine and is the author of Lightroom 2 for Dummies, Lightroom 3 Video QuickStart Guide, Editing on your iPad with PhotoGene, D5100: From Snapshots to Great Shots, and Taking Stock.

He blogs about Lightroom over at lightroomers.com.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

39 of 39 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Best "Dummies" book yet, December 24, 2008

By 

Charles I. Maas (Anchorage, AK USA) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Photoshop Lightroom 2 For Dummies (Paperback)

In the past I haven't been a huge fan of the "Dummies" books, not because they haven't filled an important need, but because for my style of learning they've seemed excessively "cute" and spent too much space on cartoons and clever comments often unrelated to the subject. I'm old-school -- I admit it -- and when I sit down to learn something I don't want to be entertained...I want clear, concise, accurate information that I can absorb as quickly as possible.

This "Dummies" book is not like any I've seen before. Right off the bat the paper and printing quality is way better; while maybe not quite in the "really slick" category, it's well beyond the black ink on heavy newsprint of many past editions. Another positive feature is the author, Rob Sylvan, whose credentials as a National Association of Photoshop Professionals Help Desk Specialist are impeccable and whose style throughout the book clearly demonstrates not only mastery of the program he's writing about but outstanding communication skills as well.

As to the subject -- Adobe Photoshop Lightroom 2 -- anyone even remotely involved with digital imaging knows how popular this program has become since its launch about two years ago. Lightroom's defining concept, parametric editing (the fancy term for non-destructive image editing) has changed the way we think about processing digital image files. This isn't the only program to use this approach -- Apple's Aperture and Light Crafts' LightZone employ a similar methodology -- but Adobe's rich history and huge market share in the image editing business provide a lot of user confidence and pave the way to better integration with other Adobe products like Photoshop and Bridge which still have a place in a complete, upper level digital workflow.

While it's nearly impossible for any one book to cover every feature of a complex program like Lightroom 2, this one does a very good job. Along the way the author provides practical tips that go well beyond just describing the features -- the kind of advice most often sought by folks learning to use the program. Rob's depth of understanding really shows, and his ability to anticipate questions and provide well-considered suggestions increases the value of the book immensely.

One feature I especially like is the list of resources at the end. When you're really trying to learn a program inside and out, knowing where to go for additional insights and answers is crucial, and Rob lists the cream of the crop within the Lightroom community.

So, while "Dummies" books are often intended (or at least perceived to be) more for beginners, this one pretty much breaks that mold. It's thorough, exceedingly well written, and both a better learning tool and reference book for Lightroom than at least 90% of the rest out there. If you use, or anticipate using Lightroom, it definitely belongs on your shelf.

15 of 15 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Very easy read, a well-organized well-written book, March 17, 2009

By 

nnsuch (USA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Photoshop Lightroom 2 For Dummies (Paperback)

I started shooting RAW a few months ago and have been wrestling with a basic Nikon RAW/NEF converter, ViewNX. ViewNX is very basic and easy to use and fits my style of photography since I don't do much postprocessing to my images - some adjusting of white balance at times, a little sharpening. The problem with ViewNX is that it keeps crashing every 5 minutes on my 64-bit Vista machine. Well, that gets old when I am trying to work on 500+ images of school plays/musicals to get to parents. So, I bought Lightroom 2.

I am not a techie at all and have zero experience with Photoshop, so I knew I would need to read about Lightroom before I could get anything really useful out of the software. I picked up this Dummies book at the library, and this is a great book. It's really easy to read and understand and apply. The author does a good job of writing in a simple, concise way about the tools and features of Lightroom and also adds in a "This is what I do" here or there. There are lots of helpful illustrations and screen captures. I returned this book back to the library a few weeks ago, and I will probably buy it from amazon to keep as a reference. Right now I am reading another Lightroom 2 book, one by Martin Evening, also from the library. For some reason, M. Evenings book doesn't seem as easily accessible to me (and the text in the screen captures is barely readable, so they aren't as helpful as they could be). It's definitely not an easy read like this Dummies book. Perhaps I will end up buying both books at some point, but right now this book is more useful to me as a complete beginner.

If you don't have it yet, Lightroom 2 is awesome btw.

11 of 12 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Great for the Lightroom newbie, December 22, 2008

By 

Danielle J. Smith "djsmith70" (Indianapolis, IN) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Photoshop Lightroom 2 For Dummies (Paperback)

This is an easy read, great book and loaded with information and additional resources.The book is broken up into manageable bits that you can sit down and take in at once, and also handy when you just need a quick bit of info. I highly recommend this book, especially for someone like me who is new to Lightroom.