FAQ for Lightroom

Q. What is the difference between Lightroom and Photoshop?
A. Lightroom is cataloging and photo editing program which is not
intended to replace Photoshop. It contains a collection of tools
photographers use most in Photoshop when editing their photos. Created
with input from photographers, it allows a simplified workflow so you
are able to look through your photos and “develop or process” them
before using them in your layouts or showing them to the world.
Lightroom can interface with Photoshop for advanced editing or you can
simply use your developed photos in Photoshop when you are satisfied
with the changes you made in Lightroom. Lightroom is a fun new way to
deal with your digital photographs.

Q. What are you talking about - catalog (library or database) / non-destructive editing? Why would I want to work this way?
A. Lightroom is powerful in that you are always working with a virtual
copy (not the original) of the photos you have in your catalog.
Everything you do is recorded in a database (catalog) and not applied
to the original file giving you full creative license. A database is a
file with all the information that you have applied to your photographs
from the keywords to the color tweaks. Anything you do to edit the
photo in Lightroom is recorded in the database and not applied to the
actual photo itself. This means that you are doing “non-destructive”
editing and your original never gets touched. The only time that the
editing or metadata that you applied will become permanent is when you
export your photo for final output. This database must be backed up
regularly to ensure you keep all that hard work you have applied to
your existing photo database. Best of all, if you have a series of
photos that need the same fix or tweaks applied to them, you can easily
do this in Lightroom!

Q. How much space will the database take up?
A. My current
database holds close to 20,000 photos and is only 236MB. The area that
will be large with regards to this program will be the actual preview
folders. My preview folders currently are at about 1.65GB.

Q. Can I move the catalog or the preview folders? I work with a limited
hard drive and would like to designate where my preview folders are
located.
A. The Lightroom catalog and previews are located in a folder under My
Pictures initially. I have made a test and copied the complete folder
to another hard drive and opened the catalog (File > Open Catalog
> Browse to your new location) with success. Please note… take
care when attempting something like this. It is better to try a copy
than to completely move the entire thing and run into trouble. If you
make a copy, you at least have your original catalog in tact if your
new copy doesn’t work out. Lightroom also gives you the option in
preferences to set a backup location and schedule. This is highly
recommended. Remember, you are NOT moving your photos or original
files… you are moving the database and previews when you do this.
Lightroom never touches your original files.

Q. Can you have multiple catalogs?
A. By default, your
initial Lightroom catalog is built in My Pictures. You can start new
catalogs at any time from the file menu and choose where you want to
locate them on your hard drive giving you a lot of flexibility.

Q. What file formats are support in Lightroom?
A. Lightroom does not incorporate the ability to catalog your PNG files. It handles JPEG, RAW, TIFF, DNG

Q. Is there a trial version? Is it costly and does it only work with
CS3? Will it work alongside Photoshop Elements? Will it work with PS7?
Will it work with my current graphics program?
A. Lightroom runs $299 after a free trial period of 30 days if you
decide to purchase it. It is a stand alone software and will export
your photos to work with any graphics program available today. Click
the following link to try it free. http://www.adobe.com/go/trylightroom

Q. What is the workflow like?
A. You can follow the tools
from left to right and top to bottom to cover the most used photography
editing tools in the industry. It is intuitive in its layout and
design. Work your way through the tools in this fashion and you will
cover most of the photo editing items that the professionals use to
create their masterpieces.

Q. Where are my photos?
A. They are where you originally
stored them. You only “reference or link” them to your catalog
importing them from their current location. You can find where they are
quickly by right clicking on the photo thumb in Lightroom and selecting
“Show in Folder.” The folder that the photo is in will now open
seperately. Lightroom does not make extra copies of your originals on
your computer.

Q. I always use PS CS3 and can’t imagine needing lightroom….? What are benefits of it over CS3…if you use CS3 already?
A. Lightroom has integrated a smooth workflow taking you through many
of the tools that photographers will typically use to edit their photos
giving you flexibility and freedom to make changes/edits to your photos
without all the thought you might have to put into your editing in
Photoshop or any other photo editing software.

Q. What level is the lightroom class geared at?
A. This
class is geared to the beginner of Lightroom with some photography
terminology and knowledge. Don’t fret… it really isn’t terribly
complicated!

Q. Lightroom is a new adobe product , right?
A. Lightroom
was introduced to the photography market in 2007 and has been well
received the world over by professionals and hobbyists alike.

Q. What can you do in Lightroom that you can’t in CS3? Is it for editing photos?
A. Lightroom is geared to photo developing and allows you to quickly
develop your photos using menu commands. It allows the use of presets
and even allows you to copy your develop settings from one photo to
another. While it can crop, rotate and heal, it cannot extract or allow
you to make odd shaped selections like you can in Photoshop. Remember,
the key functionality of Lightroom is to help you get your photo
collection in order and also develop your photos for an end
output…whether that be for use in a layout, printing, sharing by
email or online.

Q. What does “develop” or “process” mean?
A. To develop or
process a photo in Lightroom means to make necessary or creative
tonality, color, white balance adjustments or crop and rotate. It is a
tool to help you get the most out of your precious photo memories and
allows you to work with them to make them the way you intended when you
clicked the camera button to take the photo.