Table of Contents

1 Introducing Adobe Photoshop Lightroom .1

What is Adobe Photoshop Lightroom?.2

Keeping things simple.2

Modular design.2

Lightroom performance.4

Adobe Camera Raw processing.4

Color controls.5

Managing the image library.5

Where does Photoshop fit in?.6

Integrating Lightroom with Photoshop.7

What you need.8

Installing Lightroom.9

64-bit processing.10

Upgrading from an older Lightroom catalog.11

Using Lightroom for the first time.13

Lightroom preferences essentials.14

Customizing the Identity Plate and interface.18

Getting help.20

Introducing the Lightroom interface.21

A quickstart guide to Lightroom.25

Importing photos into Lightroom.25

Viewing photos in the Library module.26

Simplifying the interface.28

Zooming in.30

Adding basic informational metadata.31

Using the Map module to geotag photos.32

Reviewing and rating the photos.33

Saving the shortlisted photos as a Collection.34

Reviewing the final shortlist in Survey mode.35

Dimming the lights.36

Working in the Develop module.37

Synchronizing Develop settings.38

Retouching a photograph in Lightroom.39

Editing a copy in Photoshop.40

Soft proofing in the Develop module.41

Making a final print.42

Creating a Web photo gallery.43

Exporting the edited photos.44

Working through the book.45

2 Importing photos.47

The main Import dialog.48

Copy as DNG, Copy, Move, or Add?.50

Converting to DNG after import.50

Updating DNG previews for third-party viewing.51

Importing files from a card.52

Source panel.56

Content area.57

Content area segmenting options.58

File Handling panel.60

Making backup copies of imported files.61

Photos shot as raw + JPEG.62

File handling limitations.62

File Renaming panel.63

Renaming catalog images later.64

Apply During Import panel.65

Destination panel.66

Planning where to store your imported photos.66

Importing to a selected destination folder.68

Import Presets menu.68

Importing video files.69

Adding photos from a folder to the catalog.70

Importing photos via drag and drop.72

Auto Imports.76

Importing photos directly from the camera.77

Connecting the camera to the computer.77

Lightroom tethered shooting.78

3 The Library module.83

About Lightroom catalogs.84

Backing up the catalog file.85

Backup strategies.87

Backup software.87

Catalog corruption.88

Creating and opening catalogs.89

Creating a new catalog.89

Opening an existing catalog.90

Exporting catalogs.91

Exporting with negatives .91

Exporting without negatives.92

Including Smart Previews.92

Including available previews.93

Opening and importing catalogs.93

Limitations when excluding negatives.95

Changed Existing Photos section.95

Export and import summary.95

Working with Smart previews.96

How to create Smart Previews.96

Making the catalog portable.97

The Library Module panels.100

Navigator panel.102

The Catalog panel.102

The Library module Toolbar.102

Folders panel.103

The Folders panel/system folders relationship.104

How to locate a folder at the system level..............105

Maintaining links between Lightroom and folders.107

Synchronizing folders.108

How to add new folders via the Folders panel.110

Finding the link from the catalog to a folder.111

How to organize your folders.113

Filter bar.115

Exploring the Library module.116

Grid view options.116

Library Grid navigation.118

Working in Loupe view.120

Loupe view options.121

Working with photos in both Grid and Loupe views.122

Loupe view navigation.124

Loupe zoom views.125

Loupe view shortcuts................................125

Loupe Overlay view.126

Grid and Guides.126

Layout Image.128

The Layout Overlay feature in use.128

Previews and preview appearance.130

Initial Import Photos dialog preview building options.130

How Lightroom previews are generated.131

Camera embedded previews vs. Lightroom previews.....132

Missing previews.133

Preview size and quality.133

Working in Survey view.134

Working in Compare view.136

Compare view mode in action.138

Navigating photos via the filmstrip.140

Working with a dual-display setup.142

How to get the most out of working with two displays.144

Rating images using flags.146

Refine Photos command.147

Rating images using numbered star ratings.148

Rating images using color labels.150

Color label sets.150

Other ways you can use color labels.151

Grouping photos into stacks.152

Automatic stacking .152

Making image selections.154

Quick Collections.155

Collections.156

Module collections.157

The module collections in use.160

Editing collections.160

Target collection.161

Collections sets.162

Smart Collections.162

Removing and deleting photos.165

4 Develop module image editing.167

Image editing in Lightroom.168

Smarter image processing.168

Steps for getting accurate color.169

Calibrating the display.169

Choosing a display.169

Calibrating and profiling the display.169

White point and gamma.170

Matching white balances.170

Steps to successful calibration and profiling.171

Raw or JPEG?.174

Process versions.176

Upgrading to Process 2012.177

Camera Raw compatibility.178

The Develop module interface.180

Develop view options.182

Develop module cropping.182

Rotating a crop.182

Crop aspect ratios.186

Crop to same aspect ratio.187

Repositioning a crop.187

Crop guide overlays.187

Crop guide orientation.187

Canceling a crop.190

Tool Overlay menu.190

The Tool Overlay options.190

Quick Develop cropping.191

The Basic panel.192

White Balance tool.192

White Balance corrections.194

Creative white balance adjustments.196

The Tone editing controls.197

Exposure.197

Contrast.199

Highlights and Shadows.199

Whites and Blacks.200

Auto Tone setting.201

Histogram panel.205

The Histogram panel and image adjustments.206

Navigating the Basic panel via the keyboard.207

Correcting an overexposed image.208

Correcting an underexposed image.210

Processing HDR files in Lightroom.212

Match Total Exposures.216

Highlight clipping and Exposure Settings.218

Clipping the blacks.218

Clarity slider...................................................220

Using Clarity to decompress the Levels.221

Negative Clarity adjustments.222

Vibrance and Saturation.224

Quick Develop panel tone adjustments.226

The other Tone controls.227

A typical Quick Develop workflow.228

Editing video files in Quick Develop.231

The Tone Curve panel.236

Point Curve editing mode............................238

RGB curves.240

The Tone Curve regions.242

Combining Basic and Tone Curve adjustments.244

Tone range split point adjustments.248

HSL / Color / B&W panel.250

Selective color darkening.252

False color hue adjustments.253

Using the HSL controls to reduce gamut clipping.254

Lens Corrections panel.256

Lens profile corrections.256

Accessing and creating custom camera lens profiles.257

Profile lens corrections in use.257

Removing chromatic aberration.260

Defringe adjustments.262

The defringe controls in use.262

Eyedropper tool.263

Applying a global Defringe adjustment.264

Applying a localized Defringe adjustment.267

Upright adjustments.269

How Upright adjustments work.269

Suggested order for Upright adjustments.270

Synchronizing Upright settings.271

Perspective transform corrections.275

Lens vignetting.275

Effects panel.278

Post-Crop vignettes.278

Post-Crop vignette options.278

Adding Grain.282

Camera Calibration panel.284

Camera profiles.284

How to create a custom calibration with DNG Profile Editor.286

Creative uses of the Camera Calibration panel.289

Assessing your images.292

Comparing before and after versions.292

Managing the Before and After previews.294

Image retouching.298

Spot Removal tool.298

visualizing spots.300

Creating brush spots.301

Clone or Heal.305

Editing circle and brush spots.305

Tool Overlay options.305

Undoing/deleting spots.305

Synchronized spotting.306

Auto Sync spotting.307

Red Eye Correction tool.308

Adjusting the cursor size.308

Localized adjustments.310

Initial Adjustment Brush options.310

Editing the Adjustment Brush strokes.312

Saving effect settings.312

Adjustment Brush and gradient performance.312

Automasking.314

Previewing the brush stroke areas.316

Beauty retouching with negative clarity.316

Hand-coloring in Color mode.........................318

Localized Temperature slider adjustments.320

A localized Shadows adjustment.322

Clarity and Sharpness adjustments.324

Graduated Filter tool.326

Radial Filter tool.329

Correcting edge sharpness with the Radial Filter.331

History panel.333

Snapshots panel.334

How to synchronize snapshots.336

Easing the workflow.338

Making virtual copies.338

Making a virtual copy the new master.338

Synchronizing Develop settings .340

Auto Sync mode.340

Lightroom and Camera Raw.342

Viewing Lightroom edits in Camera Raw.342

Viewing Camera Raw edits in Lightroom.342

Keeping Lightroom edits in sync.343

Synchronizing Lightroom with Camera Raw.344

Copying and pasting develop settings.346

Applying a previous develop setting...................346

Saving Develop settings as presets.348

Auto Tone preset adjustments.349

The art of creating Develop presets.349

Creating a new Develop preset.350

Understanding how presets work.351

How to prevent preset contamination.352

Resetting the develop preset settings.355

How to set default camera develop settings.356

5 The art of black and white.359

Black-and-white conversions.360

Black-and-white Develop controls.360

Black-and-white conversion options.362

How not to convert.362

Temperature slider conversions.364

Manual black-and-white adjustments.366

Black-and-white infrared effect.369

Fine-tuning black-and-white images.372

Split Toning panel.372

Split-toning a color image.374

HSL panel: Desaturated color adjustments.376

The HSL black-and-white method.377

Camera Calibration adjustments.377

6 Sharpening and noise reduction.381

Capture sharpen for a sharp start.382

Improved Lightroom raw image processing.383

Output sharpening.385

Default Detail panel settings.385

Sharpen preset settings........................................385

Sharpen — Faces.386

Sharpen — Scenic.387

Sample sharpening image.388

Evaluate at a 1:1 view.389

Luminance targeted sharpening.389

The sharpening effect sliders.389

Amount slider.390

Radius slider.392

The modifying controls.394

Detail slider.394

Interpreting the grayscale sharpening preview.397

Masking slider.397

Masking slider preview mode.398

How to apply sharpening adjustments.400

Creative sharpening with the adjustment tools.402

Applying localized blurring.404

Noise reduction.406

Luminance noise reduction.406

Color noise reduction.408

Noise reduction tips.408

Color noise corrections.409

Selective noise reduction.410

Selective moiré reduction......................................412

Moiré removal on non-raw images.412

7 Exporting from Lightroom.415

Opening images in Photoshop.416

The Edit in Photoshop options.416

Edit in Adobe Photoshop.417

Edit in additional external editing program.418

Opening non-raw images.419

Creating additional external editor presets.419

External editing file naming options.420

The file format and other file settings options.420

Camera Raw compatibility.421

How to use the external edit feature.422

Going from Lightroom to Photoshop to Lightroom.424

Extended editing in Photoshop.428

How to speed up extended editing in Lightroom.430

Opening photos as Smart Objects in Photoshop.432

Exporting from Lightroom.436

Export presets.436

Export Location.436

Exporting to the same folder.438

File Naming.440

File Settings.440

Image Sizing.441

DNG export size options.442

When to interpolate.443

Output sharpening.444

Metadata.444

Watermarking.445

How to create new watermark settings.446

Post-Processing.447

Adding export actions in Lightroom.448

Exporting catalog images to a CD or DVD.452

Exporting catalog images as e-mail attachments.453

Third party Export plug-ins.456

Exporting video files.457

Photomatix Pro™ export plug-in.458

8 Printing.461

The Print module.462

Layout Style panel.464

Image Settings panel.464

Layout panel.467

Margins and Page Grid.468

Guides panel.469

Multiple cell printing.470

Page panel.472

How to add a photographic border to a print.474

Page Options.476

Photo Info.477

Picture Package and Custom Package.478

Image Settings panel.478

Rulers, Grid & Guides Panel.478

Cells panel.478

Custom Package layout style.482

Picture Package/Custom Package Page panel.487

Page Setup.488

Print resolution.489

Print Job panel.490

Print job color management.490

The Lightroom printing procedure.490

Managed by printer print settings (Mac).491

Managed by printer print settings (PC).492

Print Adjustment controls.493

Print.494

Printing modes.495

Print sharpening.495

16-bit output.496

Print to JPEG File.496

Custom profile printing.497

Managed by Lightroom print settings (Mac).498

Managed by Lightroom print settings (PC).499

Rendering intent.500

Soft proofing for print output.501

Why what you see isn’t always what you get.501

Soft proofing in practice.503

Before and Proof preview.504

Before state options.508

Saving a custom template.509

9 Presenting your work.511

The Book module.512

Creating a new book.513

Book Settings panel.514

PDF and JPEG book export.515

Preview panel.515

Toolbar.516

Auto Layout panel.516

Auto Layout Preset Editor.516

Editing the book pages.518

Editing the cover pages.520

Page panel.522

Marking page layouts as favorites.522

Adding page numbers to a layout.522

Saving custom page layouts .522

Guides panel.523

Cell panel.524

Text panel.524

Text box layouts.524

Adding auto text.525

Type panel .526

Type panel Character controls .526

Target adjustment tool options.528

Type panel Frame controls.528

Background panel.528

Publishing your book.529

The Slideshow module.530

The slide editor view in the content area.532

Layout panel.533

Options panel.534

Overlays panel.536

Creating a custom Identity Plate.537

Adding custom text overlays.538

Working with the anchor points.540

Backdrop panel.542

Titles panel.544

Playback panel.545

Preview and Play.546

Navigating slideshow photos .547

Slideshows and selections.547

Template Browser panel.547

Creating a Slideshow collection.548

Exporting a slideshow.549

Exporting Slideshows to PDF.549

Exporting Slideshows to JPEG.550

Exporting Slideshows to Video.550

Exporting a timelapse video.551

The Web module.552

Layout Style panel.554

The Lightroom HTML and Flash galleries.554

Lightroom HTML gallery layout.555

Lightroom Flash gallery layout.556

AutoViewer gallery.557

PostcardViewer gallery.558

SimpleViewer gallery.559

Third-party gallery styles.559

Site Info panel.561

Color Palette panel.562

Choosing a color theme.562

Appearance panel.564

Appearance settings for the HTML gallery.564

Appearance panel settings for the Flash gallery.565

Appearance panel settings for the Airtight galleries.568

Identity Plate.568

Image Info panel.569

Adding titles and captions.569

Customizing the title and caption information.570

Creating a custom Text template......................572

Output Settings panel.574

Previewing Web galleries.574

Image appearance in Slideshow and Web modules.575

Slideshow module colors.575

Web module colors.575

Exporting a Web gallery.576

Uploading a Web gallery.577

Managing your uploads.581

Template Browser panel.581

Creating a Web collection.581

10 Managing your photos in Lightroom.583

Working with metadata.584

The different types of metadata.584

A quick image search using metadata .586

Metadata panel.588

Metadata panel view modes.588

General and EXIF metadata items.590

File Name.590

Sidecar Files.590

Copy Name.590

Metadata Status.592

Cropped photos.593

Date representation.593

Capture time editing.593

Camera model and serial number.594

Artist EXIF metadata.594

Custom information metadata.595

Metadata presets.596

Editing and deleting metadata presets.598

IPTC metadata.598

IPTC Extension metadata.600

A more efficient way to add metadata.601

Metadata editing and target photos.602

Mail and Web links.604

Copyright status.605

Keywording and Keyword List panels.606

Three ways to add new keywords.608

Keeping metadata private.608

Synonyms: The hidden keywords.609

Applying and managing existing keywords.610

Auto-complete options.610

Removing keywords.612

Keyword hierarchy.612

Keyword filtering.613

Importing and exporting keyword hierarchies.613

Implied keywords.614

Keyword suggestions.615

Keyword sets.616

Creating your own custom keyword sets.617

The Painter tool.618

Photo filtering and searches..........................................620

Filtering photos in the catalog.621

Three ways you can filter the catalog.622

Filtering photos via the Filmstrip.623

Adding folders as favorites.624

Filtering flagged photos.624

Filtering options.624

Creating refined color label selections via the Filmstrip.624

Color label filtering.625

Virtual copy and master copy filtering.627

Subfolder filtering.628

Making filtered image selections.629

Filter bar.630

The Filter bar layout.631

Text filter searches.631

Search rules.632

Combined search rules.633

Fine-tuned text searches.633

Attribute filter searches.634

Metadata filter searches.634

Metadata filter options .635

Metadata filter categories.636

Locating missing photos.637

Custom filter settings.638

Empty field searches.638

No content searches.639

Advanced searches.641

Publishing photos via Lightroom.643

Saving and reading metadata.647

Saving metadata to the file.649

Tracking metadata changes.649

XMP read/write options.651

Where is the truth?.654

Synchronizing the metadata settings.655

Sorting images.656

Sort functions.657

The sort by label text solution.659

Geotagging images.660

GPS devices.660

How to embed GPS metadata in a photo.661

Reverse geocoding.662

The Map module.662

Navigation.663

Location filter bar.664

Loading GPX tracklogs.664

Matching photos to a recorded tracklog.665

Editing pins.667

Manually geotagging photos in the Map module.668

Permanently reverse geocoding images.670

Exporting GPS encoded files.670

Saved Locations panel.671

Appendix

Lightroom Preferences and Settings.673

General preferences.674

Splash screens.674

Updates.674

Catalog selection.675

Import Options.675

Completion sounds and prompts.676

Presets preferences.676

Camera-linked settings.677

Location section.677

Lightroom Defaults section.677

External Editing preferences.678

File Handling preferences.678

Import DNG Creation.678

Convert and Export DNG options.681

DNG compression.681

DNG with lossy compression .682

Checking DNG metadata status.682

Validating DNG files.683

Reading Metadata options.684

Filename generation options.684

Camera Raw and Video cache Settings.684

Interface preferences.685

Panel end mark.686

Custom panel end marks.686

How to create a custom splash screen.687

Panel font size.687

Lights Out.688

Background .688

Keyword entry.688

Filmstrip preference options.688

Interface tweaks.689

Lightroom settings and templates.690

The Lightroom preference file.690

Accessing saved template settings.691

Customizing the Lightroom contents.692

Hacking the Lightroom contents.692

Lightroom previews data.694

System information.695

The ideal computer for Lightroom.695

RAM.695

Graphics card.696

Hard drives.696

Drive configurations.697

Striped RAID.697

Mirrored RAID.698

A mirror of stripes.698

RAID 5.698

Just a bunch of disks.699

The ideal system?.699

Index.700