Adobe Photoshop Lightroom 2 -Old Version
by Adobe
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Category: Software
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Software Summary
Manufacturer: AdobeBrand: Adobe
Audio: English (Original Language)
Format: CD-ROM
Release Date: 2008-08-15
Platform: Mac OS X 10.5 Leopard, Mac OS X Intel, Windows Vista, Windows XP
Model: 65007312
Product features:
- Enhance specific areas of a photo, or precisely adjust overall color, exposure, and tonal range nondestructively
- Present your work in dynamic slide shows, interactive web galleries, and a variety of flexible print templates;
- Easily upload your photos to popular online photo-sharing sites
- Configure your workspace to manage image workflow and presentation more efficiently thanks to support for multiple monitors
- Every change you make to an image is automatically tracked, so you can return to any state with a single click
- Automatically import, rename, and sort your entire shoot; find your photos quickly with powerful yet flexible sorting and selecting tools
- Present your work in dynamic slide shows, interactive web galleries, and a variety of flexible print templates
- Pantone MEU116 ColorMunki Create Software
- Pantone Color Bridge Set
- X-Rite ColorChecker Passport Software
Software Reviews of Adobe Photoshop Lightroom 2 -Old Version
Customer Review: A high end photofinisher and organizer--but not for the casual user
Summary: 4 Stars
PROS:
1. Excellent, high-end software. A powerhouse of a program!
2. Excellent photo organization
3. Good for 99.9% of all retouching you might need for general photos
4. Has both automatic (simple) and user adjusted (advanced)features
5. The auto-masking option when retouching photographs works incredibly well allowing you to retouch areas of the photograph without the effect 'bleeding' on to other areas of the photograph.
6. Once you learn how to use this, you'll love it
7. Integrates with Photoshop
8. Never alters your original files
CONS:
1. Poor documentation (like so many Adobe products--but as above, once you learn how to use it you'll love it)
2. May be too high-end/pricey for the casual user
THE LONG REVIEW--
Adobe is a maker of some pretty high-end software. A lot of it is aimed at professionals and it is pretty clear that they usually create the gold standard when it comes to imaging software. Photoshop is that gold standard.
Lightroom is Adobe's photo organizer for the professional photographer. But it is not simply a sorting program. Lightroom combines five basic components: library function, an exceptional photo editor, a slideshow editor, a photo printing optimizer, and component that creates web galleries.
INSTALLATION AND SET UP--
Installation the program is easy on the Macintosh. You simply load the CD, hit the icon, and follow the instructions. The program loads itself, performs quick update, and you're ready to go. In comparison to programs like Photoshop and Acrobat Professional, the installation is swift. This indicates to me that the program is either much less complicated and smaller in the aforementioned programs or that Adobe's software wizards have worked their magic on the installation process.
GENERAL USAGE--
This program is very similar experience to other Adobe programs I have used in the past. Although Adobe always has an impressive range of powerful features built into the programs, these features are not always obvious to the first-time user and the interface is not completely intuitive. This phenomenon is even worse if you are inexperienced with Adobe's products. (In many programs, if you 'mouse' over a button, a balloon pops up and tells you what it does. This does not happen in Lightroom and is one of the deficiencies. ***NOTE: Once I updated the software with the latest patch on the Mac, the balloons DID pop up.)
LACK OF DOCUMENTATION:
I do use both Photoshop and Acrobat Professional but I must admit that was a long and hard learning curve for both these programs. The help menus are often of little help and you have to try to find outside sources of information. The Adobe website is often helpful as are many other sites that have popped up that help you navigate the tangled web of these programs. That being said, once you develop the skills they become second nature and you really have incredibly powerful tools at your fingertips. But getting there isn't half the fun and even figuring out simple things can drive you crazy.
Lightroom gives one a similar Adobe experience. Many features on the surface of the program are easy use and intuitive. For example, you simply point the program in the direction of the files containing relevant media and the program quickly loads the pictures into Lightroom's interface. However, some tools start off as a little counter intuitive. I could not figure out the skin retouching tool, for example. However, after a quick search online and a quick tutorial I was able to use it. I have to say, it is an incredible tool once you know how to use it and possibly the best retouching program out there. Still, it would have been nice if the program's help menu would have been more helpful...
LIBRARY FEATURES:
Lightroom's library feature is robust. It is nice to have tools that rotate photos directly on the photo itself. It is easy create keywords and folders to organize your photographs. The program handles huge amounts of photos on my iMac effortlessly. This may be the Intel core duo processor's doing or it could be the programming itself. That being said, when compared to iPhoto, Lightroom seems fast, light, and bouncy. In this mode, you can do simple photo editing tasks, but the real photo editing occurs in Lightroom's develop mode.
DEVELOPING MODE:
To activate the developing mode, you simply the press of 'develop' button. The are many things you can do in this mode. Some are quite obvious and others require a deeper knowledge of the program. Given poor documentation within the program, I had to go to Adobe's website and some ancillary sites in order to figure out some of the more interesting components program. It is a lot of fun to do localized burning and dodging and other corrections. There is an automasking tool which allows you to do retouching to a specific area of the photograph. It picks up the edge of the retouched object and prevents 'bleeding' into undesired areas. This is an amazing tool and allows you to do a lot of correcting at lightning speed without having to magnify the image or worry about accuracy. The feature can be turned off if you need to retouch a large area without regard to edges. This saves an incredible amount of time. Skin retouching, as above, was amazing. There are even automated buttons that optimize photos incredibly well without the burden of manual retouching.
INTEGRATION WITH PHOTOSHOP:
Photos can even be sent directly to Photoshop for further manipulation. However, 99.9% of what you need for advanced retouching and to enhance your photographs is right there in Lightroom. Photoshop is only necessary if you want specific effects, complex layers, or if you want to combine images.
It should be mentioned, that the base image is always preserved. That means that your corrections are never permanent and you can always revert back to the original photo. There is also support for most raw photos. This is probably important for high-end photographers, but not much use for me.
PRINTING:
The printing features are also robust. You can easily construct contact sheets with photos of different sizes. You can select the various sizes of photographs that you wish to produce, and Lightroom will print them easily on an 8 x 10 sheet of photo paper. For example, you can select three 4 x 6 photos, two 5 x 7 photos, and 16 wallet size photos and Adobe Lightroom figure out how these will fit on the least number of 8 x 10 sheets of photo paper.
I have not used the slideshow functions extensively, but a brief look shows you that it's easy to create an effective and professional slide show. Similarly, the web functions allow you to upload photographs for web galleries. You can even upload the photos to most photo sharing sites. I did not delve into these features extensively, but they are pretty straightforward.
COMPARISON WITH SIMPLER, LESS POWERFUL, PROGRAMS:
The most apt comparison for most buyers would be to Photoshop Elements. Lightroom is once again meant for the more advanced photographer. Elements is more intuitive but a less capable editor and cannot edit raw images. Also, the photo organization aspect of Lightroom is far more advanced. However, if you are not a professional photographer it is hard to justify the price difference, even with Lightroom's flexibility. Even though Elements is more limited program, it probably has enough features for the amateur photographer or the shutterbug who just wants to make a few adjustments to some pictures.
I would also have to compare the program to Apple's iPhoto. I am not a big fan of iPhoto, but it actually does a great job of organizing your photos. If you have a Mac, you do not really need another program to do this. iPhoto's editing capabilities are far more limited, however. Lightroom has many other features that that are missing in iPhoto and the ones that the programs share in common are also more primitive in iPhoto. However, most casual users probably do not need all the bells and whistles of Lightroom. Apple also makes a program called Aperture. I am not familiar with Apple's high end editor, so I can't comment on it.
Which brings us to my favorite, simple, bargain-basement photo editing program: Picasa3. Unlike most Apple users, I like Picasa much better than iPhoto (this is considered heresy in the Apple world). I find it more intuitive and I also believe that the feature set is much broader. Once again, Picasa3 is a far more limited program than Lightroom. Lightroom has far more features, but for the average user Picasa's feature set may well be enough. So for simple organization and retouching of photos, Picasa may be the answer for the average Joe. Picasa is also free.
CONCLUSION:
But remember, Lightroom 2 is a far more advanced program with capabilities well beyond Photoshop Elements, iPhoto, and Picasa3. However, it may be hard for the casual user that to justify the $274 dollar cost of the more advanced software when the $76 Elements or (if you have an Apple computer) the free iPhoto and (for PC users) Picasa software does enough for most folks.
The robust feature set of Lightroom, is its main attraction. This is one slick program with a lot of capabilities. For general editing, you almost never have to use Photoshop. The results are professional quality and (once you figure out how to do it) incredibly easy.
With a little research and a little reading on the web, the program becomes even more powerful. However, Lightroom is aimed at professional photographers and advanced amateurs, not at the guy who simply wants to snap a few pics and upload them to a site or make some quick prints.
The buyer should be warned, however, that as with most Adobe software you have to do some web research to find all the hidden gems and features of the program or buy one of the 'how to' books that cover the "hidden secrets" of Lightroom.
With Adobe, you can 'try before you buy.' It may make sense to see if this program fits your needs before you plunk down the $274 for this program.
The four-star rating reflects the fact that all the features of the program work as promised and that the program is a powerful and impressive piece of software engineering. The program falls short of five stars, given that many of the features are not so intuitive and you really need to go to an outside source to find out how to use the program for maximum effectiveness.
Description of Adobe Photoshop Lightroom 2 -Old Version
Adobe Photoshop Lightroom 3 software helps you bring out the best in your photographs, whether you're perfecting one image, searching for ten, processing hundreds, or organizing thousands.Adobe Photoshop Lightroom 2 software is essential for today's digital photography workflow. Now you can quickly import, process, manage, and showcase your images--from one shot to an entire shoot. Quickly batch process, convert, and apply metadata to your photos on import. Easily make selections with multiple viewing and comparison options. Adjust and enhance color, exposure, and tonal curves nondestructively on more than 190 camera raw file formats, as well as JPEG, TIFF, and PSD files. Every change you make to an image is automatically tracked, so you can return to any state with a single click. With Lightroom 2, you spend less time in front of the computer and more time behind the lens.
 Adobe Photoshop Lightroom 2, designed for photographers, features an elegant, uncluttered interface that puts just the tools you need at your fingertips. |
 Enjoy more flexible, accurate enhancements by targeting a specific area for dodging and burning. |
 Sort and filter large volumes of photos using powerful metadata filters to quickly find just the photo you want. |
 Enjoy robust support for more than 190 camera raw file formats, and experiment with confidence. Adjustments you make to images in Lightroom won't alter the original data, whether you're working on a JPEG, TIFF, DNG, or camera raw file. |
 Enjoy tight integration with Adobe Photoshop software for streamlined use of Smart Objects, panorama stitching, high dynamic range (HDR) functionality, multiple layer workflow, and more. |
Work with a tool focused on photographers' needs
Adobe Photoshop Lightroom 2 is designed expressly for both amateur and professional photographers. From its elegant, uncluttered interface to its carefully tailored tools and features, Lightroom helps you process photographs faster, giving you more time to shoot. With the new and enhanced features in Lightroom 2, you canfind the photos you want faster, make more accurate adjustments, and easily present your work in more ways than ever before.
Accelerate your workflow
Lightroom is a nimble tool that moves you efficiently through every step of your workflow, from image capture to client presentation. Use flexible tools and features to manage the processing of large volumes of photographs. Customize a wide range of importing, renaming, and metadata stamping functions to suit your needs. Keep track of the changes you've made to images, including alternate versions, easily and automatically with the History panel. And when you're ready to present your work to clients, easily assemble and output high-quality printed contact sheets, online web galleries, and slide shows, or upload your photos to popular online photo-sharing sites.
Use it your way
Lightroom is adaptable and compatible with the way you work, most of the hardware you use, and open standards, so you're less likely to be limited by proprietary systems and formats. Lightroom runs on both Microsoft Windows and Mac OS. Work with more than 190 camera raw file formats, as well as JPEG, TIFF, and PSD files. Convert your images to the universal DNG format without loss of image quality. Store your photographs in the Lightroom Library--even if they're located on offline media. Using Lightroom for developing images, together with Adobe Photoshop for retouching, digital photographers now have the essential photography software toolkit. Take advantage of robust metadata support and advanced keywording capabilities help you tag and find the photographs you need quickly and easily. From developing images to presenting them, Lightroom together with Photoshop provides digital photographers with the essential photography software toolkit.
Who's It For?
Professional photographers
Photographers who shoot large volumes of images in every specialty, from fashion and fine art to portraiture and photojournalism.
Advanced amateur photographers
Photographers who don't earn a living from their images but have a deep passion for photography; take large numbers of photos, typically with a digital SLR camera; and value professional tools and results.
Educators
University and community college instructors who are shooters themselves and who teach the best tools and practices to the next generation of photographers.
The top reasons to buy Adobe Photoshop Lightroom
Enhance specific areas of a photo
Enjoy more flexible, accurate enhancements by targeting a specific area for dodging and burning.
Quickly find any photo
Sort and filter large volumes of photos using powerful metadata filters to quickly find just the photo you want.
Automatically import and process your way
Import and process large volumes of photos according to your customized settings. Rename files, organize them into folders, add metadata, and convert file formats for an entire shoot simultaneously.
Native 64-bit architecture
Utilize the advanced memory-handling capabilities on the latest Mac OS and Windows systems.
Work smoothly with Adobe Photoshop software (sold separately)
Enjoy tight integration with Adobe Photoshop software for streamlined use of Smart Objects, panorama stitching, high dynamic range (HDR) functionality, multiple layer workflow, and more. See your edits automatically updated in Lightroom.
Multiple monitor support
Add a second monitor and enjoy more room to work. Support for multiple monitors allows you to configure your workspace to manage image workflow and presentation more efficiently.
Be productive quickly
Ease your learning curve with task-oriented modules that speed you through typical workflow tasks by placing just the tools you need at your fingertips.
Edit nondestructively
Enjoy robust support for more than 190 camera raw file formats, and experiment with confidence. Adjustments you make to images in Lightroom won't alter the original data, whether you're working on a JPEG, TIFF, DNG, or camera raw file.
Easily show off your photos online
Create dynamic web galleries based on Adobe Flash technology without programming. In a few clicks, you can assemble and upload an interactive gallery to your website. Or easily upload your images to popular photo-sharing sites directly from Lightroom.
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