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Since Lightroom 1.0 first launched, Scott’s Kelby’s The Adobe Photoshop Lightroom Book for Digital Photographers has been the world’s #1 best-selling Lightroom book (it has been translated into a dozen different languages), and in this latest version for Lightroom 5, Scott uses his same award-winning, step-by-step, plain-English style and layout to make learning Lightroom easy and fun.Scott doesn’t just show you which sliders do what (every Lightroom book will do that). Instead, by using the following three simple, yet brilliant, techniques that make it just an incredible learning tool, this book shows you how to create your own photography workflow using Lightroom:
- Throughout the book, Scott shares his own personal settings and studiotested techniques. Each year he trains thousands of Lightroom users at his live seminars and through that he’s learned what really works, what doesn’t, and he tells you flat out which techniques work best, which to avoid, and why.
- The entire book is laid out in a real workflow order with everything step by step, so you can begin using Lightroom like a pro from the start.
- What really sets this book apart is the last chapter. This is where Scott dramatically answers his #1 most-asked Lightroom question, which is: “Exactly what order am I supposed to do things in, and where does Photoshop fit in?” You’ll see Scott’s entire start-to-finish Lightroom 5 workflow and learn how to incorporate it into your own workflow.
- Plus, this book includes a downloadable collection of some of the hottest Lightroom Develop module presets to give you a bunch of amazing effects with just one click!
Scott knows first-hand the challenges today’s digital photographers are facing, and what they want to learn next to make their workflow faster, easier, and more fun. He has incorporated all of that into this major update for Lightroom 5.
It’s the first and only book to bring the whole process together in such a clear, concise, and visual way. Plus, the book includes a special chapter on integrating Adobe Photoshop seamlessly right into your workflow, and you’ll also learn some of Scott’s latest Photoshop portrait retouching techniques and special effects, which take this book to a whole new level. There is no faster, more straight-to-the-point, or more fun way to learn Lightroom than with this groundbreaking book.
Customer Review:
Adobe Lightroom 5As night follows day, so a Scott Kelby publication follows the release of another version of Adobe Photoshop Lightroom 5 (LR5). I have previously reviewed several Lightroom books by Kelby and right up front I have to tell you that this version just seemed to me to have more meat on the bones than any of its predecessors. I am not sure if it is because Lightroom itself has become a more robust program (which it is) or whether the author felt the urge to go into more depth. As evidence of this, I must note that this book is almost fifty pages longer than the previous version (LR4). So let's get into the guts of this version.
First the hard facts. It is a soft covered tome of 533 pages measuring 8 inches wide by 10 inches long (hmmm - 8 X 10, a popular printed photo size, coincidental?). As of the writing of this review, it was available on Amazon.com for $36.55 for the paper version and $23.99 for the Kindle version. This book follows the same format as previous versions in that the text flows side-by-side down the page with the illustration referring to that text. I find it the most convenient arrangement because the reader is not forced to look back or ahead for the illustration to which the text is referring. Also, the size and structure of the book makes it easy to keep it open to a specific page while referencing a subject without having to weigh it down with another book. The book is rated at an intermediate to advanced user level.
Also up front I will put in my pet peeve with Kelby's books. The author prides himself on his ability to produce "jump in anywhere" books. Yes, he advises the new Lightroom user to follow the flow of the book because it is laid out in the order that the reader will probably use the program. However if you are a veteran of Lightroom, you probably would like to quickly look at the sections on any new Lightroom features or improvements in this version. But how do you know what they are so that you can "jump" to them? I, for one, would appreciate a page or two in the beginning of the book that let's the seasoned user know what's new and where it is. As now constructed, the veteran Lightroom user must gather that knowledge from other sources or skim through the book looking for new Lightroom features.
Let's move on from that slightly negative aspect to a feeling of the book's worth. First, because of his constant contact with photographers via his training programs and his long association with anything that begins with `Adobe', he is well qualified to know what these folks want to know about a program. And that knowledge shows up in the text and illustrations. Most of the photo-type illustrations are available for downloading so that the reader can follow along on his or her computer if that makes learning easier. A web site is provided to get the photos. The illustrations that show screen shots of LR5, or a portion thereof, are usually very clear. In short, it is a well illustrated book. Kelby also provides two other information sources; one concerning the Lightroom Web module which he explains has not been revised in the last three versions and the web site of a bonus video on creating identity plate graphics with transparency.
As stated previously, the chapter layout follows a typical Lightroom workflow. It, of course, starts with getting the photos from your camera into Lightroom. It continues with an in depth description of the Library module and how to organize your photos. Now Kelby looks at customizing your way of working with Lightroom. The next several chapters get deep into the Develop module where all of the image adjustments are done. Having adjusted images, the reader is then instructed on ways of exporting the images including getting them over to and back from Photoshop.
After all of the image tweaking is done, Kelby leads the Lightroom user in ways to creatively use those images such as in photo books and slideshows. Other chapters include working on movies taken with a DLSR camera and printing your photos (including some very sophisticated print layouts). As an added bonus, Kelby provides a web site where the reader can download 24 presets that can be used in the Develop module of LR5. These presets can save considerable time and give the LR5 user a number of development options that may not occur to the user. The book ends with a section wherein Kelby describes his step-by-step process from shooting to printing a portrait; in other words, his portrait workflow. At the end of each chapter, the author provides a page or two of Lightroom Killer Tips, short blurbs that refer to the previous material but which may save effort or furnish a short cut in the use of the program
The style of the book is informal. As with his other books of this type, it is very task oriented. By that I mean the reader can have a specific task in mind for LR5 such as sharpening photos. A perusal of the Table of Contents shows a section on that specific topic. The reader can then go to the pages indicated and find a five page dissertation on exactly how to accomplish sharpening in LR5. That will be the only subject in those five pages with text and illustrations to aid the reader. Each part of the book is built on that concept of task orientation relieving the reader of the chore of trying to remember previous lessons leading up to this point in the book. The Table of Contents is a very useful tool in and of itself. When using this book as a reference volume, the TOC makes it easy to get to a specific subject.
As I stated at the beginning of this review, I think that this book on LR5 represents Scott Kelby's best effort in this series. Each chapter and section is chock full of useful information. The flow of the book is reasonable in that it follows a normal Lightroom workflow thus keeping things in a logical perspective. I would recommend this book to the new Lightroom user as well as the veteran who has several versions of Lightroom in his or her past. Because of my pet peeve stated previously, I would give this book 4.5 stars out of 5.
Best Lightroom guide in its fifth edition...
During my many years of practicing amateur photography, Adobe Lightroom is one of the most commonly used applications.
Anyone who was interested in Adobe Lightroom guides for sure had heard about Scott Kelby because since the first application version his !Lightroom Book for Digital Photographers! has been one the best and most popular guides.
In this latest edition Lightroom 5 version is discussed and he made it look everything interesting again, giving all his vast knowledge about Adobe's application in his simple to understand style which is helping user in step-by-step learning process. To be helpful even more, the book itself is laid out in a start-to-finish Lightroom workflow order.
Beside simple explanation what can be done with each part of application author is presenting his own techniques, he speaks about his personal settings and styles that will help user in becoming proficient user.
Besides writing Lightroom guides, Scott Kelby also organizes training classes and it's obvious he understands photographs and application users, he knows what is troubling them and he helps by suggesting which techniques should be good and which ones would be better to avoid, all with explanation and examples.
The book's extra value is part of the book discussing cohabitation of Lightroom and other famous Adobe application Photoshop, what can be done with Lightroom and for what Photoshop should be integrated into user workflow.
If you are searching for Lightroom guide I could recommend this one. With lot of examples from author's rich experience, you would not only learn using application but also be able to adopt some of author's distinct portrait retouching techniques and special effects.
Although I been using Lightroom for some time, Kelby's new version of guide is welcome addition to my collection of photography software.
For Beginner and Expert Alike
I scoured most of the other reviews and couldn't find the answer to what seems like an important question: what skill level is this book aimed at? I've been working with Lightroom daily since the first release and I figured it would tell me stuff I already knew. Reading the reviews, I also expected it to be loaded with forced, unfunny humor. Neither turned out to be true.
This book accomplishes the unusual feat of being helpful to beginners and experts alike. Lightroom is a powerful program, and powerful programs have lots of details and multiple ways of doing things. This book is more than a how-to guide. The rudiments are covered, but they're covered quickly, like in a sentence or two. The rest of each section tells you why and how to do things that go well beyond the basics. I wish I'd read it years ago. It would have saved me a lot of time.
Reading this book as someone who knows Lightroom is like visiting a big city where you know the street system and freeways and suddenly you meet a local who shows you all the secret passageways and shortcuts that make getting around so much more effective and fun. I didn't go two pages without learning something useful I didn't know.
Now, a lot of fuddy-duddy reviews here complain about Kelby's writing style and particularly his humor. He warns you up front that he indulges in a freeform passage at the beginning of each chapter that doesn't relate directly to the curriculum but is just there for comic relief. He even suggests that if you don't think he's funny you should skip these intros. They're harmless. Some are funny. They're really no more distracting than having illustrations at the beginning of the chapters. But judging from some of the reviews here you'd think the guy couldn't go two sentences without cutting up. It's just not true. Kelby's writing is conversational and direct. Many pages go by with no humor at all. Most of the book is useful information imparted painlessly and efficiently.
So there it is: I hope I answered the question other reviews didn't about who the book is addressed to. It's equally suited to beginners and experts--no small feat. Most software instruction guides are simplified versions of the user's manual with bigger font sizes and color illustrations. Not this one; it teaches the basics and digs deeper simultaneously.
I also hope I helped to debunk the rap that Kelby is obtrusively comedic. He's not. He's witty, clear, and describes complex things so you don't forget them the next time you sit at your computer. I can pretty much promise that you'll get more out of Lightroom, and gain a greater appreciation for it, after you read this book.