So I have been playing with Lightroom since beta 1.0 came out months ago. Now that the first rev has been released I have been able to seriously take a good look at this new application. If you are unfamiliar with what Lightroom is, check it all out here.

So here is how it has fit into my work-flow. Let me preface this with the note that I am NOT a full time shooter, not even close to a part time shooter… I do however only shoot in RAW with my D200, and jpg with my Olympus SW720.

::Import::

I have Lightroom set to allow me to control imports, I first create a folder based on the shoot, in the most recent case I have been documenting our new house being built. I have a New_house folder, then sub folders based on date. The importing goes nice and fast over USB and via Firewire card readers.

I am a sucker for high contrast and vignettes, so I was able to create a preset with my preferences, these two items get applied to every file as it imports. What a time saver!

::Organization::

After importing, I go through in the “Library” screen and remove the bad ones. It is great to have all my images sorted by keywords, folders, and catalogs.

::Develop::

This is were the magic happens. The RAW processing is wonderful. I love the control and all of the sliders are easy to use. The thing I really love is the ability to adjust JPG’s in the exact same manner as RAW files. Syncing file settings is as easy as selecting the images you want and hitting sync. One tool that is new to the Adobe RAW process is, Recovery, it is great at saving blown highlights. Check it out!

::Export:

Here’s where the time saving happens for me. Unlike ACR, Lightroom only renders your RAW files when you need them and in the size that you require. For instance, for our blog posts, I have an Export Preset that sets JPG quality, image size and file names to fit my blog requirements. For 4x prints, i have a preset for again all of the correct settings. Now my HDD isn’t filled with RAW files, Full Res JPGs, blog JPGs, proof JPGs, etc.

One more exciting thing about the export function is the ability to attach applications to the end of a process. Wholly timesaver batman… After exporting my blog JPGs, I have a shortcut to Yummy FTP (the best mac FTP client), built into Lightroom, it then logs onto our FTP server, and uploads the images. All in one click of a button!

::Slideshow and Print:

I haven’t really had the need to use these to function’s, so I can’t really give any feedback. In poking over to those two areas I have been excited to see that they look incredibly powerful and easy to use.

So did Lightroom replace Photoshop for me? NO WAY! Did it change my color correction/RAW workflow? SURE DID! I do all of my conversions and file prep in Lightroom and I do all of my “pixel level” and page layout work in Photoshop. I think Lightroom and Photoshop will live a symbiotic relationship on my Mac Book Pro.

I really strongly recommend everyone download the trial version of Lightroom and give it a good whirl. If you are a RAW shooter you owe it to your files…and it will save you time too!

Click the box to download a trial!

This is part one of a technology overview of the products and services of PRODPI!

In order to provide you with the best possible prints, PRODPI uses the best emulsion available. By running fresh batches of Fuji Crystal Archive, Super Type PD daily we provide images with vivid color, realistic skin-tones and archival qualities. This professional paper has a great thick paper base and is backprinted with Copyright Information.

From Fuji Film USA:

Fujicolor Crystal Archive Super Type PD is our newest evolution to Fujifilm’s family of professional portrait color paper. Improving our renowned Crystal Archive Paper technologies, print output results in more accurate color reproduction, more accurate whites, plus improved highlight detail. Consistently high-quality custom wedding and portrait prints are a result your customers will appreciate.

Fuji Crystal Archive image stability continues to assure your customer’s wedding and portrait prints will withstand the test of time with unparalleled print permanence.

We hope that by using the best in photographic paper we can help to highlight your work as an artist and share with your clients their cherished memories.

PRODPI has finally moved our old site off of our web-server and have gone live with our new BluDomain website! We are so excited to have this site, and we hope that you love it! You will see a ton of additions and changes as we add more content, so check back often!

PRODPI.com 

An awesome photographer on DWF (Digital Wedding Forum) lent me a helping hand today with his recomendation of File Renamer by Sherrod Computers.

John Blair from John Blair Photographer helped me with a little renaming problem that we ran into. I needed to remove a string of characters from 1000+ image files. File Renamer, for Windows, did it in a flash. It has the most file renaming tools and abilities that I have ever seen. We were able fix our problem quickly and without spending a penny!

Thanks John! Check out John’s website here. Also you can view his blog here. John shoots portrature and weddings in Arkansas, Oklahoma, Missouri and Tennessee. Beside being a wonderful photographer, he is a great assett to the DWF community, providing excellent feedback, knowledge sharing and inspiration.

Here is some info on the update:

 http://www.apple.com/aperture/newfeatures/index.html

I played around with it awhile back and wasn’t quite sold yet… but it looks like Apple is addressing users requests and suggestions.

http://labs.adobe.com/technologies/lightroom/

Here’s the skinny:

Lightroom Beta 4 also features:
-Groundbreaking changes in the way tone curve adjustments are made and displayed, giving you the highest quality results in an interface that’s easier to use than ever before.
-More streamlined and elegant user interface – We’ve made several changes to the look and feel based on your feedback in the earlier beta releases.
-Customizable interface – You can now display only the controls you want to be visible.
-Precision white balance selection tool
-Facility to easily rename and convert files to DNG after they’ve been imported to the Lightroom library
-Increased interaction between Lightroom library organizational structure and the underlying file system
-Filter and search presets to more quickly find the photographs you want
-Better performance and improved interface for the Web module features
-Develop control improvements based on community feedback, including comments from the Pixmantec user community (welcome!)

So I guess it is getting close:

There is a limited amount of time left for you to give us feedback on the Lightroom Beta project, so please continue sharing your opinions with us on the forums.

So up to getting my 17″ Mac Book Pro, I used a PCMCIA CF card reader to download CF cards. Though it was slower than a FW reader, it was so nice to be able to keep the reader in the computer or in the computer bag with no hassles with cables and the such.  The new Mac Book pros use new tech called ExpressCard 34 slots, but until now there haven’t been any readers for it.  Delkin Devices has announced a new reader to fill this need.

Here’s the skinny–

Eric Richter, Delkin’s Marketing Manager explained, “Many digital photographers use laptops in their workflow and the ExpressCard is the new standard for laptops. Our eFilm ExpressCard 34 works in both 34 and 54 mm ExpressCard slots, including the popular Apple MacBook Pro. With a transfer rate of up to 20 MB/s, it is the perfect tool for a photographer’s workflow,” sais Eric Richter, Delkin’s Marketing Manager.

Most serious pro digital photographers primarily use Apple computers in their workflow. The 34 mm slot featured in the new MacBook Pro was thought to be too small to accept the CompactFlash cards predominantly used by professionals and other serious photographers. The Delkin ExpressCard 34 solves this problem with an adapter that fits both the MacBook Pro ExpressCard slot (34 mm) and the larger 54 mm slot used in the latest PC laptops.

The eFilm ExpressCard adapter delivers high speed data transfers up to 20 MB/s. Digital photographers are delighted to learn no drivers are required for either Mac or PC, eliminating a headache whenever operating systems are upgraded.

The ExpressCard 34 is expected to begin shipping to Delkin’s USA and International network of resellers and distributors on October 16, 2006 and will retail for $59.99 USD. It will be available at that time for sale to consumers in the USA and Europe at the company’s website, www.delkin.com. Delkin will be displaying all of their products, including the new ExpressCard 34 next week at Photokina.”