Adobe Lightroom Classic and Lightroom

Updates: Adobe Camera Raw 7.4 and Adobe Photoshop Lightroom 4.4

Lightroom 4 icon

Adobe has released Camera Raw 7.4 and Lightroom 4.4 with the same raw processing updates for both, and with a corresponding DNG Converter 7.4 update. All are free updates for current licenses of the software. The updates include the usual bug fixes and add support for new cameras (including the Canon EOS 1D C, Canon Digital Rebel SL1 and T5i, and Nikon D7100), improved processing for Fujifilm cameras with the X-Trans sensor, new lens correction profiles, and more details that you can read about on these Adobe posts:

If you have versions of Photoshop and Lightroom that are too old for these updates, you can use the latest DNG Converter, which is free, to convert raw files from new cameras into the DNG format that older software can read.

And if you’ve been using the Release Candidate (RC) versions that were released by Adobe Labs earlier this year for public testing, you should install these final versions because the customer feedback from the RC versions contributed to even more changes and fixes in the final versions. Also, the RC version will eventually expire.

How to update

There are lots of ways to get these new versions:

If you subscribe to Adobe Creative Cloud, start the Adobe Application Manager and the updates will be listed.

To update Photoshop and Camera Raw directly, start Photoshop and choose Help > Updates.

To update Lightroom, start Lightroom and choose Help > Check for Updates. If you bought Lightroom through the Mac App Store, the update may take a longer to become available there because it has to wait for Apple approval.

or:

To download the updates for a manual installation, go to:

http://www.adobe.com/downloads/updates/

(Although Camera Raw hadn’t shown up yet when I posted this article.)

Better Tools for Tones: Why I Don’t Look at the Histogram — CreativePro.com article

Better Tools for Tones- Why I Don’t Look at the Histogram on CreativePro.com

Photographers are taught to use the histogram to evaluate images, but it has shortcomings that limit its usefulness when editing. In my latest article for CreativePro.com I show you tools and techniques in Adobe Photoshop, Adobe Camera Raw, and Adobe Photoshop Lightroom that are better than the histogram for finding tone and color problems such as clipping and midtone contrast. You’ll be able to more effectively find out exactly where the problems are in your photos, so you can craft better-looking images more quickly.

Click the link below to read the article at CreativePro.com:
Better Tools for Tones- Why I Don’t Look at the Histogram on CreativePro.com

Lightroom 4.3 (Retina display update) and Adobe Camera Raw 7.3 released

Lightroom 4 icon

Adobe has released Adobe Camera Raw 7.3 and Adobe Photoshop Lightroom 4.3 with the same raw processing updates for both, and with a corresponding DNG Converter 7.3 update. All are free updates for current licenses of the software. Lightroom 4.3 includes support for Retina/HiDPI displays in the Library and Develop modules. The updates also include the usual bug fixes, adds support for new cameras including the Canon EOS 6D, Nikon D600 and Olympus PEN E-PL5, and add new lens profiles. For more details, go to:

If you’ve been using the Release Candidate (RC) versions that were released by Adobe Labs earlier this year for public testing, you should install these final versions because there have been some changes from the RC versions.

How to update

To download the updates, go to:

http://www.adobe.com/downloads/updates/

(although Camera Raw 7.3 wasn’t available when I posted this)

To update Photoshop and Camera Raw directly, start Photoshop and choose Help > Updates.

To update Lightroom, start Lightroom and choose Help > Check for Updates. If you bought Lightroom through the Mac App Store, the update may take a longer to become available there because it has to wait for Apple approval.

The Photographer’s Introduction to Video in Lightroom 4 and Photoshop CS6: Now available!

Have you upgraded to Lightroom 4 or Photoshop CS6 but are still not quite sure how to start working with video files from your cameras? With The Photographer’s Guide to Video in Lightroom 4 and Photoshop CS6, you can begin to realize the full video potential of the software you invested in. You’ll get the most out of this eBook if you’re a still photographer starting to integrate video into your workflow.

The Photographer's Introduction to Video in Lightroom 4 and Photoshop CS6 cover

Why I wrote this ebook

While Lightroom and Photoshop can work with digital video files, they’re designed to streamline very specific photographer-oriented video workflows. In addition, what they can do is different in scope than what you’d be able to accomplish if you were using a professional digital video editor such as Adobe Premiere Pro or Final Cut Pro. I wrote this ebook to help you understand when Lightroom or Photoshop is the right choice for your video project, and how to use them.

The book assumes you already know how to use Lightroom or Photoshop in a still-image workflow. I wanted to build a bridge between what you already know about your cameras and your Adobe software and the new challenges of organizing, managing, and creating output from digital video.

How to learn

Download and read The Photographer’s Introduction to Video in Lightroom 4 and Photoshop CS6 as an ebook in multiple formats, including Kindle, PDF, and  iBooks. Here are some links to get you started:
Amazon.com for Kindle
Peachpit.com for Kindle/MOBI, ePub, and PDF
iTunes store for iOS devices

More info

Below is the publisher’s marketing copy if you want to learn a bit more…

Use the image tools you already know as a photographer—Lightroom 4 and Photoshop CS6—to edit HD video from your DSLR camera or smart phone. This ebook will help you make the transition from still to motion, learning how to organize, edit, export, and upload your HD video. Take advantage of the advanced features in Adobe Lightroom and Photoshop and bring your work to life.

Highlights of this ebook include:

  • Understand which software application is right for your project
  • Get tips on planning, shooting video, and recording audio to make post-production easier
  • Organize and prep your video clips by taking advantage of metadata, filters, and using Collections
  • Prepare still images in Lightroom for video
  • Learn about the Photoshop Timeline, making basic edits and cuts and creating transitions and fades
  • Color correct your video files and adjust audio
  • Create a video slideshow of your photographs
  • Fully grasp all the concepts and techniques as you go with step-by-step instructions

Protect your images on social media with Photoshop and Lightroom — CreativePro.com article

Protect Your Images on Social Media with Photoshop and Lightroom on CreativePro.com

The same Internet that makes it easy to promote your work to a worldwide audience also makes it easy for others to download and reuse your work without permission. What can you do in your photography workflow to deter unauthorized use and also make it easier for potential clients to contact you?

In this article for CreativePro.com, I suggest practices that can help safeguard your work. I then step through how you can quickly use Adobe Photoshop CS6, Adobe Bridge CS6, and Adobe Photoshop Lightroom 4 to support this goal by limiting pixel dimensions, embedding copyright and contact metadata, adding watermarks, and doing it efficiently as part of your image exporting workflow.

Click the link below to read the article at CreativePro.com:
Protect Your Images on Social Media with Photoshop and Lightroom