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When processing my images I have only ever used Canon DPP or/and Elements (currently 8) but I have just been presented with Lightroom 3 - for my birthday! However after installing it I am feeling like I have jumped in at the deep end! Where do I start? It all looks so 'unfriendly'
Could somebody recommend a good book or something to guide me?
For a reference book I would suggest the ones written by Scott Kelby, but I would suggest starting with the tutorials on Adobe TV.
There are some good lightroom tutorials on the web..the one on the adobe site is a good starting point Lightroom Basics
hope this helps
cheers
Prabh
EDIT - looks like i got beaten to the post 
Thanks for the advice guys I shallhave a look where you suggest!
The Lightroom Tutorials above are good.
My suggestion would be to start by learning how the 'library' section works, how to import RAW photos in the various ways and how to use the keyword/flags/tags section.
After that, the 'develop' section is fairly intuitive, just steadily learning what the various adjustments can do and improving competence with time.
Really you have a big decision to make:
Will you import all your existing RAW files into Lightroom or will you start from scratch by only importing new images from this point in time onwards?
I would suggest that you opt for the former if your current stock of RAWs is manageable (say under 10,000).
The great thing (or one of the great things) about Lightroom is that while you might want to set up a new folder system for new images, you can import all your existing files but keep them in their current locations. Lightroom will keep track of where each image resides on your hard discs.
Just as an example of how I organise my image files (and everyone will have their own preferences):
When I use Lightroom to import new RAW files from my card reader, it copies them all on to an external Drive H: (Photo Library) and into a folder "RAW Files" and then a subfolder by date.
Also, on Drive H: I have a folder "Processed Photos" to which I export Jpegs, TIFFS, etc from Lightroom after "processing" if I am going to use them in such formats. The sub-folders in this case are subjective to suit my own needs. But, as I print direct from Lightroom, I don't automatically export anything - only if I need a Jpeg (for example to submit to an online competition, send to Flickr or some such purpose.)
Before I set up that drive and file structure, I had a lot of image files, of different types, on Drive C: and those are also imported into Lightroom in their current positions.
I have a back-up system running that automatically backs up both H: and C: to other external drives daily. (Must confess that I do not back-up to any off-site location which, of course, we all should!)
As a wee bit of encouragement - I now do 95% of all my "processing" in Lightroom, only resorting to Photoshop or Photomatix when I have very special requirements beyond the scope of Lightroom (which is not very often).
I've been working my way through this:
http://www.amazon.co.uk/Adobe-Photoshop-Lightroom-Book-Photographers/dp/03216807...
I have mixed feelings about Lightroom - some bits I don't like, and you seem to need a super computer to run it, but other areas, there are some really neat tricks that can save a lot of time. So stick with it!
As with any software you are not familiar with " Lightroom " X can be daunting at first glance.
I started with LR when it first appeared, Quite honestly I hated it, Hence I shelved it for a good while, Then for some reason ( call it madness ) I decided to give LR 2 a try.....!!!
Well I did not fall in love with that either, But persevered and almost got to like it, Despite a few reservations....!!!
Enter Lightroom 3, Only by now I'm fairly ok with the interface, Lightroom 3 is now my main image program, From importing raw files to exporting whatever format.
It can't do all the tricks that Photoshop or Elements can do, But I'm not really into tweaking my images to that extent, That said having another software such as Photoshop or Elements will still be required for extensive processing etc etc.
If you can stick with it, LR3 is well worth the time & effort required to get your head around.
Alan,
super piece of software stick with it, I found Chris Orwigs tutorials on Lynda. com top class....
or maybe the Luminous Landscape tutorials as an alternative.
I agree with the earlier comment recommending Scott Kelby s book. It explains everything in laymans terms and is very easy to learn from. It's what I use coupled with online tutorials from Adobe and there are some very good ones on YouTube too.
If you use iTunes there are some very good free podcasts too.
I also used Chris Orwig's tutorial on Lynda.com and was comfortable with Lightroom 2 after a week. However, I have become more experienced after 12 months and I am now reading through Martin Evening's book on Lightroom 2. I expect to upgrade to LR3 in the next couple of months.
Dave
Thanks for all your inputs! I have had a brief look at various help sources and have a small understanding of it.
I have never used a programme to organise/import or 'look after' my photos, and this is the main part I find the most confusing.
I am sure I will get my head around it but I think I expected it to be 'broadly similar' in operation to photoshop(s)
I initialy downloaded the trial copy from Adobe - but couldn't even get the application to run as I couldn't get past the 'select a catalog' section which seemed to be asking for some strange file extensions! I am thinking, if I had managed to get it to run - would I have requested it for my birthday? Not sure, but early days and I will persevere!
Lightroom is based on a database - and edits are non-destructive changes to your files, with the record of those changes being stored in the database. So on the computer you have all your photos as jpeg/raw and then that lightroom database, a "catalogue" of what photos you have where, and the changes you make to them - say a crop. When you open a photo, the Lightroom takes that photo, and then applies your edits to it, with the changes stored in the databse - so crops, exposure etc. A bit like adjustment layers in Photoshop on top of the original image.
When you started Lightroom, it's looking for that catalogue - a .lrcat file. You can create a new one if you don't have one.
The catalogue can also hold metadata, ratings, keywords, and snapshots of photos.
When you've finished the edit you can pick the photos you want - say by searching the catalogue and then "export them" - where by it will take your photos and save a copy with the modifications you have made. The beauty of this is that it's easy to set up different exports depending on what you want - eg a small low res highly sharpened copy for emailing- and you won't have to open every photo and save a copy of each one. You could then do another export as a high res for print, or use the export tools to push to Facebook, Flicker etc.
Obviously the catalogue becomes important as this is the record of all your editing until you have saved an exported copy of the photo with the changes.
Or think about it the way Adobe conceived it. "Lightroom" is obviously the digital equivalent of "Darkroom", the only difference being that you can work with the lights on.
The catalogue Hugo referred to is obviously the filing cabinets in your darkroom where you used to store all your negatives and slides - but with the immensely more sophisticated filing system together with grading and sorting facilities such as we never dreamt possible before computers came along to lend a hand. Think of the Library module as being your darkroom filing system.
The Develop Module is then your darkroom workbench, enabling you to do everything that you used to do with chemicals, lenses and light when processing your films and prints
The Print Module is essentially your enlarger easel and masking frame.
The Web and Slideshow modules take you out of the darkroom and become your slide projector or the album into which you stuck your prints.
I would have thought that moving to Lightroom from Elements would be easy assuming you had been fully using Elements. Elements has a catalogue based on a database plus other modules for editing, Output and sharing. Lightroom is more comprehensive but the principles are similar. Someone moving from using the Bridge and Photoshop would find a greater difference.
Dave
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