tips on getting started shooting in raw?

[neuroanatomist]

Not being a user of Lightroom, I have no idea...sorry!  I use DxO Optics Pro for RAW conversions, and there I'd select all the relevant images, click on the WB eyedropper tool, click on the gray card in one of the images, and I'd be done.  Hopefully someone who does this in LR will chime in, if not, Adobe has help forums and the answer can probably be found with a search there or on Google...

[brando72]

No worries. Thanks Neuro.

[JR]

Ok. Thanks. Once imported into LR, how would you then apply the WB to all the pictures from the shoot using the shot of the WB card?

Kind Regards.

You have a few choices.  Once you select the picture with the right white balance in LR, you can then at the bottom of the screen, press the shift key and select all the picture you want the change to be applied.  Then on the lower right of the screen press the sync button.  A pop-up screen will appear asking you which feature you want to apply to all your picture.  Simply select the white balance and then clic synchronize again. 

This is the fastest way.  You can also access this same sync menu from the Settings menu and then Copy settings, but this way is more useful for a few picture.  For batch processing, use the Sync button.

Hope this helps. 

[JR]

Ok. Thanks. Once imported into LR, how would you then apply the WB to all the pictures from the shoot using the shot of the WB card?

Kind Regards.

You have a few choices.  Once you select the picture with the right white balance in LR, you can then at the bottom of the screen, press the shift key and select all the picture you want the change to be applied.  Then on the lower right of the screen press the sync button.  A pop-up screen will appear asking you which feature you want to apply to all your picture.  Simply select the white balance and then clic synchronize again. 

This is the fastest way.  You can also access this same sync menu from the Settings menu and then Copy settings, but this way is more useful for a few picture.  For batch processing, use the Sync button.

Hope this helps. 

Sorry forgot to mention you need to be in the Develop mode in LR for this to work.  Press Develoop from the top Right corner before the above procedure.  Good luck.  Let me know if this does not work.  I am quite familiar with LR now.  I have been using it for only 5 months but I love it!

[pwp]

Here's a whole bunch of links to help get you started with Lightroom:

http://www.lightroomforums.net/forum.php
http://www.photoshopuser.com/lightroom3
http://www.photoshopsupport.com/lightroom/tutorials.html
http://layersmagazine.com/category/lightroom
http://lightroomkillertips.com/
http://www.jkost.com/lightroom.html
http://www.lightroomqueen.com/
http://mulita.com/blog/
http://www.pixiq.com/contributors/4399

Do a Google search for Lightroom Tutorials or Lightroom Tutorials Beginners and you'll find plenty more.

It's places like these that I learned Lightroom. I have these bookmarked but hardly ever need to refer to them now.

The Lightroom Forums are good value. Register, take a look around and start asking questions.

Paul Wright

[cheeseheadsaint]

Wow thank you for all your replies! =D But I don't think I am going to be buying new software at this point. Between Photoshop Elements 7.0 and DPP which is better for raw processing? haven't installed DPP yet..

[neuroanatomist]

...select the picture with the right white balance in LR, you can then at the bottom of the screen, press the shift key and select all the picture you want the change to be applied.  Then on the lower right of the screen press the sync button.  A pop-up screen will appear asking you which feature you want to apply to all your picture.  Simply select the white balance and then clic synchronize again. 

This is the fastest way.

Sorry forgot to mention you need to be in the Develop mode in LR for this to work. 

Wow...is it just me, or does:

select all the relevant images, click on the WB eyedropper tool, click on the gray card in one of the images, and done

...sound a whole lot easier?  I really hope there's an easier way to do it in LR, else from a workflow standpoint alone I'm glad I use DxO!

[alipaulphotography]

...select the picture with the right white balance in LR, you can then at the bottom of the screen, press the shift key and select all the picture you want the change to be applied.  Then on the lower right of the screen press the sync button.  A pop-up screen will appear asking you which feature you want to apply to all your picture.  Simply select the white balance and then clic synchronize again. 

This is the fastest way.

Sorry forgot to mention you need to be in the Develop mode in LR for this to work. 

Wow...is it just me, or does:

select all the relevant images, click on the WB eyedropper tool, click on the gray card in one of the images, and done

...sound a whole lot easier?  I really hope there's an easier way to do it in LR, else from a workflow standpoint alone I'm glad I use DxO!

Yeah - you literally copy and paste.
command/control C - select white balance
then paste it onto the relevant images with command/control V.

Doesn't get easier than that.

[JR]

Wow...is it just me, or does:

select all the relevant images, click on the WB eyedropper tool, click on the gray card in one of the images, and done

...sound a whole lot easier?  I really hope there's an easier way to do it in LR, else from a workflow standpoint alone I'm glad I use DxO!

lol!  Yeah, my post did read a bit complicated does it!   

It is much easier to do then how I explained it.  I guess I could have done it shorter - was feeding my 20 month old at the same time so brain was multitasking

Good news is there is a simple way to do it...(I just wanted to make sure brando72 knew all the menu location in case he was not familiar with LR).

Cheers.

[neuroanatomist]

Yeah - you literally copy and paste.

Thanks!  Sorry, JR, but I was pretty sure there had to be a much easier way...

[bigblue1ca]

...select the picture with the right white balance in LR, you can then at the bottom of the screen, press the shift key and select all the picture you want the change to be applied.  Then on the lower right of the screen press the sync button.  A pop-up screen will appear asking you which feature you want to apply to all your picture.  Simply select the white balance and then clic synchronize again. 

This is the fastest way.

Sorry forgot to mention you need to be in the Develop mode in LR for this to work. 

Wow...is it just me, or does:

select all the relevant images, click on the WB eyedropper tool, click on the gray card in one of the images, and done

...sound a whole lot easier?  I really hope there's an easier way to do it in LR, else from a workflow standpoint alone I'm glad I use DxO!
[/quote]


Hmmm...sounds a little easier.  Although from a practical point, in LR if you are working on images you should be in Develop mode (Vs. Library, Slideshow, Print) so that's really not a step.  The only extra step really from what you describe is pressing sync and ensuring you are syncing WB only if that's all you want to do, as you can sync about 25-30 things (sorry I don't have LR on the PC I'm using to confirm the number).  As far as the sync step goes, it takes a second or two and then the whole batch is done, like most tech things, it sounds difficult when you detail it step by step, but is easy in execution.

[JR]

Yeah - you literally copy and paste.

Thanks!  Sorry, JR, but I was pretty sure there had to be a much easier way...

That's ok, I learn every day!  Especially on this site!   

[neuroanatomist]

That's ok, I learn every day!

As we all should!  For example, I've probably posted dozens of times that the "S" in EF-S stands for "short back focus" but tonight, I learned that I was wrong...

[pwp]

Wow thank you for all your replies! =D But I don't think I am going to be buying new software at this point. Between Photoshop Elements 7.0 and DPP which is better for raw processing? haven't installed DPP yet..

Just try them both. Install DPP and get to work. Run the same file through both PS E 7.0 and DPP and check the results. DPP is known to be good for skintones. Sometimes if I have a troublesome file in LR I'll pull it into DPP and get a good result. There's absolutely no doubt DPP does great conversions but while the GUI looks cool it is really pretty clunky to use on bigger projects. Do a Google search for Canon DPP Tutorial.

I've never used PS E 7.0 but quite likely it's the same processing engine as ACR in Photoshop CS5 which is also the same processing engine as Lightroom.

You have got a lot of brilliant information on this thread...now it's time to fire up and get to work. Let us know how you go.

Paul Wright

[neuroanatomist]

There's absolutely no doubt DPP does great conversions but while the GUI looks cool it is really pretty clunky to use on bigger projects. Do a Google search for Canon DPP Tutorial.

I've never used PS E 7.0 but quite likely it's the same processing engine as ACR in Photoshop CS5 which is also the same processing engine as Lightroom.

I definitely agree that DPP is clunky.  I think what i dislike the most is the modularity - a tool for cropping/rotation, a different tool for cloning/stamp - I want to work on one image then move on, not crop all my images, then adjust all my exposures, etc. 

IIRC, the version of ACR for PSE lacks some of the features and adjustments of the 'full' version run with CS or LR.