Thanks for everyone's input and advice/suggestion - I certainly didn't expect so many people to respond lol. I will take a look at getting Scott Kelby's book. I didn't realise til someone mentioned it here that with all of the money I spent to pay for those 6 courses I could've taken a nice holkiday somewhere taken some great photos! Unfortunately I didn't think of that.
Is it worth studying photography? I mean, you can be a pro photographer without having to have done a degree or similar. But I'd like to work ina studio to dip my toe in the water as to working in the photography industry but everyone I've applied to always ask if I have a qualification which I don't.
Lightroom is a great tool, its like a iceburg, most of the features are not readily seen, and the usage of the controls is definitely not well described. I do a lot better if I know exactly what those sliders are supposed to do, and how to set them then just trying to observe their effect on the image.
If you want to add vibrance, for example, it is intended to increase color saturation without affecting skin tones while the saturation control affects all colors. This is not readily apparent from using the control, since many use it on flowers and other subjects with no skin tones where the saturation control might work better.
http://www.photographworks.com/2010/07/08/photoshop-explains-vibrance-versus-saturation/You can google all the sliders or buy a book, but you will know what to look for when you adjust a slider if you know what it does. There are many ways to adjust the sliders as well, sliding them with a mouse may now be the fastest way for many.
