Lightroom2 basic help please?

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Chivalry

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Edit My Images
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Hi :)

Ok just bought my first Dslr (A700) and have been taking a few snaps with it..
Also went for Lightroom 2 after some posts on here recomend it as 1 of the best all in 1 solutions for post processing Raw files.. now im a bit stuck.
Lightroom 2 is pretty overwhelming for someone who has never really done this kind of thing before... so was hoping that a few people might offer up some basic idiot proof steps that i can do do bring out the best in my Raw shots..
About the best i have manages is to select the `General - Punch` from the preset menu... :o(

Im happy to spend a little time shooting Raw and post processing after to get the best results... but it would help if i had a clue where to start :)

Many thanks..
 
Check out these on You Tube link

A good start though is to click the develop tab and try using the "auto" button in "tone" If you have imported in raw then it should make a substantial difference. Note what it does and if you don't like it, slide the exposure, recovery etc sliders until you do like it. Try to get the histogram to peak in the middle. If that doesn't work, just make sure that you move the historgram (you can adjust it with your cursor) to get rid of blown highlights or lost detail in the blacks. Work at these main features first and then try the more adverturous stuff down the page. But work at it - experiment. You'll get the hang of it - it's quite intuitive once you do.
 
I also the auto button as a good starting point, but the beauty of Lightroom is that it is non destructive, so you can fiddle around with an image as much as you like, then press the reset button! That is my advice too, for the develop module, fiddle around with the settings until you have developed your style.

For generally getting the best out of Lightroom I found Martin Evening's book to be very good, I had the original version and now also have the version for Lightroom 2, although I have not used this as much, due to knowing my way around a bit better.
 
You won't learn much if you start using the auto settings. My advice is do the adjustments yourself but keep it simple and you will pick it up in no time.

The basics you need to look at are:
1. Crop
2. Overall exposure
3. Curves, using the four sliders.

You can do a huge amount with those three tools. Then add another tool in a couple of weeks, and so forth.
 
In Basic, I just use the exposure, fill light, recovery and blacks sliders. It feels like they make up a good digital darkroom. Black makes a lot difference.

Crop if necessary.

Noise Reduction if necessary.

Just occasionally I boost the saturation, you can boost individual colours only if needed by using the relevant slider(s).
 
Before you even start editing your pictures - assuming you are going to take lots of them and want to be able to find them in the future - keyword them, preferably basic keywords as you import and then more detailed after you have sorted out which images to keep.

Look here for some basic tutorials on getting started, such as the different modules etc. and how to use Lightroom before you start on the editing of photos - it does help in the long run :D
 
Get yourself a Lightroom 2 book. There is so much to Lightroom it worth investing the time in learning to use it.

It will all seem a bit overwhelming at first but once you know your way around it all gets pretty easy.
 
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