Lightroom 5 Beta Features - Hal's Favorites

The three part video demonstrates and discusses my favorite features of the Lightroom 5 beta.  The full feature list is below but my favorites are: Improved spot removal and retouching, the Radial Filter, improved crop overlay, import functionality, Smart Previews, and Upright for auto lens corrections.

In the video I reference additional keyboard shortcuts for the Spot Removal and Radial Filter tools.  The shortcuts are shown below.

Spot Removal (Q)

-New circle spot (auto-find source): Single click

-New circle spot (user-defined source): Ctrl drag

-New circle spot (scale from center): Ctrl Alt drag

-New circle spot (scale from anchor): Ctrl Shift drag

-Connect two circle spots: Single click + Shift click

-Increase circle spot size: ]

-Decrease circle spot size: [

-New brush spot: Click drag

-Constrain brush spot to straight line: Shift drag

-Cycle Spot Type: Shift + Q

-Auto-Find New Source: /

-Visualize Spots: A

-Hide Spot Overlays: H

-Delete spot: Alt select

-Delete selected spot: Delete

-Delete multiple spots: Alt drag select

Radial Filter (Shift + M)

-New elliptical mask: Drag

-Apply new mask to crop bounds: Ctrl double-click

-Expand existing mask to crop bounds: Ctrl double-click on mask

-Duplicate: Ctrl Alt drag

-Invert elliptical mask: ’ (apostrophe)

-Hide/show guide: H (short press)

-Hide guide on press, show on release: H (long press)

-Apply & dismiss: Double-click on photo

-Delete selected elliptical mask: Delete

Major feature list

-Smart Previews

-PNGs now supported in Lightroom

-New fullscreen mode.  F key is true full screen.  Legacy full screen mode is Shift + F

-Configurable grid overlays for Loupe view

-New searchable criteria for Smart Collections - File size, Image size, Image bit depth, color channels, Color mode, Color profile, Smart Preview statsus, and PNG

-Advanced healing brush for Spot Removal

-Radial Filter

-Upright auto lens corrections

-LAB color readout on histogram.  Right click on the histogram for a flyout menu.

-New book features

I will do additional videos to show some of these upgrade features.

Fiat Lux!

Rick Sammon: Color Efex Pro Tip

I photographed the “Official Parking Man” of Old Havana, Cuba. I like the straight shot, but I wanted to remove some of the reality from the scene, which is another advantage to using plug-ins. When we remove some of the reality from an image, our pictures can look more artistic and creative.

In Nik Software's Color Efex Pro
Filter: Bleach Bypass

Effect: Intensifies an image by creating a greater difference between highlights and shadows. Adds bold tones to an image.

​Filter Tip: Experiment with Saturation settings. As with many effects, less is often best, as I found with this image. This effect works well with images that have fine lines.

Photo Tip: Keep in mind that people don’t always need to be looking directly into the camera when you take their portrait.

​And check out Rick's new iPhone/iPad app with 50+ tips on using Nik's Color Efex Pro.

Before

After

Rick Sammon's New iPhone/iPad App!

​The amazing Mr. Sammon has just released a new app for the iPhone & iPad that is like an interactive eBook. If you wanted to know how to get the most out of Nik Software's Color Efex Pro, this app is for you. And it's an absolute STEAL at $0.99! Jump over to the app store today and check it out!

More info on the app on Rick's site HERE.
Buy in the App Store.​

Lightroom 4 Beta Quick Look

Adobe released the Lightroom 4 Beta earlier today and this video is a quick first look at the major changes in the program that relate to still photos.  I used a fairly broad brush to cover the changes and will go more into detail as the Beta test progresses.

Unfortunately, not a single one of my main upgrade requests is included in version 4 of the program.  Regardless, there are some interesting and useful new features and functions. 

I think the new Book module will be very useful to many users.  Adobe partnered with Blurb and it is now very simple to layout a photo book design.  For those that do not use or have not used Blurb you can also export the book to PDF. 

There is also a Map module for use with geo locating or geo tagging your images. It's pretty cool.

Inside the Develop Module, the Basic tab changed (more detail in the video), there are more options for local adjustments, and CA removal has been simplified (although I have not found it to work all that well.) Soft proofing was also added to the Develop Module for use in prepping an output file.

There are some very large changes to video handling and optimization.  I did not have the time in this quick look to go through them.  But if you do video, you will like them.

I will discuss more regarding the Beta soon.

Fiat Lux!

Back in Cali

Great to be back home after a somewhat wet, windy, and no electrical power trip out east.  The school has been busy working the California Photo Festival and I am very impressed with the work the staff has done.  Should be another killer week of fun, photography, and learning. 

Even though hurricane Irene let loose with an unreal amount of rain I was able to make some interesting images over the four days I was in New York.

The following images are from a little indoor HDR trip just down the road from Rick's place.

​3 Shot HDR with Nik's HDR Efex Pro

​Same 3 Shot HDR with HDR Soft's Photomatix Pro

I often use multiple methods to process my HDR and then pick the best option.  Of course, there are times I pick and choose different parts to use from different finished images.  Whether using Layer Blend Modes or Layers/Masks, there is no limit to what you can do.

​The B&W Effects conversion, for giggles.

All shots are from a Canon 7D and an EF 14mm f/2.8L.  I processed initially in Lightroom and then sent to the respective plug-ins.

Fiat Lux!

Topaz B&W Effects Available Tomorrow

Topaz will release B&W Effects tomorrow.  It has been fun as part of their beta test group.  What has been even better is they made quite a few changes based on input we submitted.

I think this is a strong entry into the black and white conversion market.  There are some good features you will not find other places.  I am a big fan of the brushes for local adjustment to tone, detail, smoothness, and color.

I should have some tutorials up soon and hopefully a webinar on B&W Effects in September. 

​Baby humpack having fun.

​The day was very muted so with little color to begin with black and white seemed a natural option.

Click here for the Topaz purchase/upgrade page.

B&W effects will be on the page tomorrow.

Fiat Lux!