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Adobe Photoshop Lightroom 2 Released - Free Trial Download

Adobe today announced the immediate availability of Adobe Photoshop Lightroom 2 software, the photographer's essential toolbox for managing, adjusting and presenting large volumes of digital photographs. With new enhancements such as dual-monitor support, radical advances in non-destructive localized image correction, and streamlined search capabilities, Photoshop Lightroom 2 is a compelling upgrade that simplifies photography from shoot to finish.

As Adobe’s first application to support 64-bit for Mac OS X 10.5 Macintosh computers with Intel processors and Microsoft Windows Vista 64-bit operating systems, Lightroom 2 also provides improved memory performance for dealing with large scale images. Find the latest Lightroom 2 tutorials on our Photoshop Lightroom 2 Tutorials page.

Photoshop Lightroom 2: Smarter, Faster and More Accurate
The enhanced Library module in Lightroom 2 helps streamline and accelerate photographers’ workflows. With the ability to visually organize images across multiple hard drives, Lightroom 2 and its powerful Library Filter Bar makes it easy for users to quickly find the images they need.

The Suggested Keywords feature helps photographers keyword their images by making intelligent suggestions based on their own previous efforts. New dual-monitor support allows users to expand their workspace, giving them flexibility to edit and organize images in a way that maximizes an additional display.

In the Develop module, the new Local Adjustment Brush lets photographers fine-tune specific areas of an image to precisely adjust color, exposure and tonal range without affecting other areas of the image.

The new Graduated Filter expands the toolbox in Lightroom, allowing for edits to larger areas by applying gradually diminishing or increasing adjustment effects such as exposure, clarity, and saturation, alone, or in any combination.

Lightroom 2 also helps photographers print more efficiently by quickly arranging photos of multiple sizes on one or many pages with flexible and customizable templates to maximize paper and ink.

Ground-Breaking Innovation in Raw Technology
New raw technology gives photographers access to flexible camera profiles. Camera profiles are the visual starting point for the raw processing workflow, but image preferences vary for every photographer. To minimize surprises, Adobe is supplying default camera profiles that closely emulate the visual looks that photographers are used to seeing from their favorite camera, while also providing the ability to create highly customized profiles to suit different tastes.

Pricing and Availability
Adobe Photoshop Lightroom 2 is available now through the Adobe Store in English, French and German with the Japanese language version planned to be released at a future date. The estimated street price is USD$299 for new users with an upgrade price of USD$99 for registered users of qualifying Lightroom customers.

Recommended system requirements are Macintosh OSX 10.4, 10.5 1 GHz PowerPC G4 or G5 or Intel based processor, or Microsoft Windows XP SP2 or Windows Vista Home Premium, Business, Ultimate, or Enterprise, Intel Pentium 4 processor, 1 GB RAM and a 1024x768 resolution screen.

Try Before You Buy - Photoshop Lightroom 2 Free Trial
Try before you buy. Visit the Adobe site to download a free 30 day Photoshop Lightroom trial free download.

Adobe Photoshop Lightroom Keyboard Shortcuts

Adobe Labs has a page with a list of the Lightroom keyboard shortcut commands.

From the site: "Computer users can often be divided into two general categories - Mousers, who like to use menus and interface buttons to activate software features; and Keyboarders, who prefer to keep their fingers on the keys, and use shortcuts to activate features.

"For the Keyboarders, and those Mousers who like to keep a few favorite shortcuts in mind, here is a list of the keyboard shortcut commands found in Adobe Photoshop Lightroom beta." The Lightroom keyboard shortcuts list might have some changed or missing shortcuts, but it's probably very close to the release version.


Save Up To $200 On Eligible Upgrades To CS4 - Get 30% Off Lightroom 2

For a limited time, upgrade from Adobe Creative Suite 2, Creative Suite 1, Macromedia Studio 8, Studio MX 2004, or Production Studio to Creative Suite 4 for the same price as an upgrade from Creative Suite 3.

You can also get 30% off Lightroom 2 when you purchase a full or upgrade version of Adobe Photoshop Lightroom 2 along with a full or upgrade version of Photoshop CS4, Photoshop CS4 Extended, or Creative Suite containing Photoshop CS4 or Photoshop CS4 Extended.

Providing a fluid user experience, complete creative control and higher efficiency, Photoshop CS4 leverages the power of the latest hardware to extend imaging possibilities and offer faster, more flexible ways to accomplish core tasks like image adjustments and masks.

All of these features and more can be found in Photoshop CS4 Extended, which serves users with advanced motion graphics functions, dramatically expanded 3D visualization capabilities and precise image analysis.

Photoshop CS4 and Photoshop CS4 Extended will be available as stand-alone applications or key components of the Adobe Creative Suite 4 family.

Photoshop CS4 and Photoshop CS4 Extended for Mac OS X on Intel based and PowerPC based systems and for Microsoft Windows XP and Windows Vista platform are scheduled to ship October 2008 with availability through Adobe Authorized Resellers and the Adobe Store. Estimated street price for Adobe Photoshop CS4 is US$699 and US$999 for Photoshop CS4 Extended. Upgrade pricing is available. Read full press release.

Buy Photoshop CS4 Directly From Adobe
Find upgrade options and Creative Suite deals at the Adobe USA Store. You can also buy in your country currency and language at the following Adobe International Stores:
Adobe United Kingdom  |  Adobe Germany  |  Adobe France  |  Adobe Eastern Europe

Photoshop CS4 Tutorials and Resources
See our Photoshop CS4 Resource Center for Free Photoshop CS4 Tutorials, the Free Photoshop CS4 Trial Download, and the Latest Photoshop CS4 News.

85 Free PhotoPresets For Adobe Photoshop Lightroom

Mike Wong at onOne Software has some nice Lightroom presets to give away. Here's the whole story from his blog: "Last week we announced the immediate availability of 85 presets for Adobe Photoshop Lightroom that we're calling PhotoPresets with One-Click Wow! that everybody can download for free.



"We worked directly with Photoshop Guru and Hall-of-Famer Jack Davis. The presets are unique from others in that they do not try to be everything to everybody or a one-size fits all. Presets that were developed by someone with some image may not necessarily work on your image (were the white balance corrections the same, what about HSL settings? the list goes on). This doesn't mean that we won't come out with other presets that help you recreate a specific look, but in general for color correction, the feedback we've gotten from most users out there who are over-whelmed and somewhat intimidated by the numerous sliders and curve adjustments available in the Develop module, welcome these kinds of presets with open arms.

"As such, the PhotoPresets that Jack developed for us help walk you through the process of fixing and properly adjusting your photos. Start with a White Balance correction, then move into Tone Curve adjustments. Next, HSL (hue, saturation & luminosity) where you can push everything to grayscale except a color (i.e. blue eyes). Next, you can change to black and white, add a custom hand-tint and finally a variety of vignettes can be added. It's really quite simple when you go through the presets. The cool thing is that once you find a look that you like by combining these presets, you can save that preset as your own and in one-click, you're there!

"So if you're using Photoshop Lightroom, go download a copy of our PhotoPresets for Lightroom. They're free! In the next few days, we'll be posting several video tutorials that Jack Davis created specifically for these presets. If you're not a Lightroom expert and don't know where the presets go, don't worry, we've created an installer that puts the presets in the right place. Just run the installer and relaunch Lightroom."

Free Photoshop Lightroom Getting Started Guide For Beginners

Adobe has posted an excellent 41 page PDF booklet that is a super helpful quick reference guide to have around while learning the program.

It's filled with some appealing photography and there's an index at the end that makes it very easy to find specific Lightroom help. Here are the main section headings of the guide, and the small intros to each one:

Adobe Photoshop Lightroom Overview
Lightroom offers a complete environment for digital photography, from raw capture to creative output. Start with the Library module, where you import your images, move seamlessly to the Develop module to perform advanced image adjustments (or export them to Photoshop), and share your photos as slideshows, prints, or web pages.

Getting Images Into Your Library
Adobe Photoshop Lightroom takes a unique approach to importing and managing your files. The Import dialog box offers valuable tools, including file handling options, metadata templates, keywording, and exposure presets.

Viewing And Using Your Library
Adobe Photoshop Lightroom provides a simplified inter face design that lets you focus on editing your photographs. At the heart of Lightroom is the Library module. It enables you to easily store, locate, sort, and adjust individual images as well as entire groups.

Image Adjustments
The Adobe Photoshop Lightroom Develop module offers sophisticated image adjustment tools in a convenient set of panels.

Exporting Images
Adobe Photoshop Lightroom gives you the ability to export your images in different formats while renaming and resizing them into your preferred color space — either one at a time or as a group.

Slideshow
Slideshows are a great way to share your images. Adobe Photoshop Lightroom provides you with easy-to-use tools that will give you impressive results.

Print
The Print module lets you print directly from Adobe Photoshop Lightroom, without the additional step of exporting the photos into an external editor, such as Adobe Photoshop.

Web
Adobe Photoshop Lightroom gives you a comprehensive and streamlined system for creating your own web photo gallery. Professional, intuitive presets are provided to get you started, but Lightroom also allows for basic customization of your web pages.

The Lightroom Getting Started Guide comes in two versions — high and low res. Get the high res if you can, as the photos really look much nicer in this one.

Lightroom Getting Started guide – high resolution (PDF, 64 MB)
Lightroom Getting Started guide – low resolution (PDF, 5.4 MB)

Nik Software Announces Plug-in Update for Adobe Photoshop Lightroom 2 - Plus 15% Discount Coupon Code
Nik Software announces that Viveza, its popular digital photographic plug-in filter is now available for Adobe Photoshop Lightroom 2 and higher. The update is free to current owners of Viveza.

"This new update makes one of our most valuable plug-ins available to anyone using Lightroom who’s passionate about photography," said Michael J. Slater president and CEO of Nik Software. "Now photographers can use U Point powered Viveza to precisely and selectively control color and light with a few clicks of their mouse in Lightroom."

Nik Software Exclusive 15% Coupon Code
Enter our exclusive discount coupon code - NIKPSS - during the checkout process at Nik Software for an instant 15% discount on any Nik Software product. This exclusive discount coupon code can be applied to all the latest Nik Software Photoshop plugins, including Silver Efex Pro, Color Efex Pro, Viveza, Sharpener Pro, and Dfine.

"We’re happy to see companies like Nik extending the value of Lightroom with their plug-ins," said Kevin Connor, vice president of product management for Professional Digital Imaging at Adobe. "One of Lightroom’s goals is to help photographers focus on the art of photography and Viveza provides added creativity and control in pursuit of their vision. Today also marks the release of Lightroom 2.3 and Camera Raw 5.3 and we’re excited that our customers will be able to take advantage of the new camera support available with these offerings."

Adobe Photoshop Lightroom 2.3 and Camera Raw 5.3, is available immediately for download at www.adobe.com/downloads/updates/. The Lightroom 2.3 and Camera Raw 5.3 updates, originally posted as release candidates for community testing on Jan. 23, provide raw file support for the newly-released Nikon D3X and Olympus E-30 cameras and support for eight additional languages.

Viveza installs as a plug-in filter for Lightroom 2 and is accessible via the Lightroom Photo>Edit In… menu. Edits made using the plug-in within Lightroom are non-destructive in nature, with edits applied automatically to a newly generated TIFF file and not the original. Viveza also takes advantage of Lightroom and its efficiencies for every day tasks, like the ability to edit multiple images in one session, saving time for photographers.

All Nik Software plug-in products now feature Nik Software’s patented U Point technology which revolutionizes the way photographers edit. U Point powered Control Points give photographers precise selective editing functions without the need to create complicated selections and layer masks. This innovative technology is easy to use and works directly on the image, empowering photographers to make selective enhancements in a fraction of the time needed by using other methods.

The fully compatible Viveza product, offering support for Adobe Photoshop, Lightroom, and Apple Aperture, is available immediately for electronic delivery directly from Nik Software.

Nik Software also announced that all of its remaining photographic filter products are being updated to support Lightroom as well, beginning with Color Efex Pro 3.0. As these Lightroom-compatible versions become available, current owners will receive updates free of charge. All products are expected to be available by the end of the second quarter of 2009.

Viveza retails for $249.95. Customers interested in purchasing all 5 Nik Software products for Lightroom or Aperture only may pre-purchase the Nik Software Complete Collection for Lightroom or Aperture for $299.95. Customers who pre-purchase the Complete Collection for Lightroom or Aperture will receive email notification for each product as they become available.

Download a free Trial version. Enter our exclusive discount coupon code - NIKPSS - during the checkout process at Nik Software for an instant 15% discount.

Exclusive 15% Discount On All Topaz Plugins - Use Coupon Code PHOTOSHOPSUPPORT - Includes Bundles And Upgrades

Topaz Labs Photoshop plug-ins are specifically designed to expand a photographer's creative toolbox by harnessing powerful image technology developments.

Enter our exclusive discount coupon code PHOTOSHOPSUPPORT during the checkout process at Topaz Labs for an instant 15% discount on any Topaz product, including bundles and upgrades.

Photographers everywhere are now taking advantage of the creative exposure effects, artistic simplification, unique edge manipulation, and top-of-the-line noise reduction offered in Topaz products. The Topaz Photoshop Bundle includes the following Topaz plugins:

Topaz Adjust
Deliver stunning and dynamic images with this uniquely powerful plug-in that features HDR-like abilities and enhances exposure, color and detail.
Topaz Detail
A three-level detail adjustment plug-in that specializes in micro-contrast enhancements and sharpening with no artifacts.
Topaz ReMask
The fastest and most effective masking and extraction program with one-click mask refining.
Topaz DeNoise
Highest-quality noise reduction plug-in that removes the most noise and color noise while preserving the most image detail.
Topaz Simplify
Provides creative simplification, art effects, and line accentuation for easy one-of-a-kind art.
Topaz Clean
Take control of the detail depth of your images with extensive smoothing, texture control and edge enhancement tools.
Topaz DeJPEG
Drastically improves the quality of web images and other compressed photos.

Learn more about the Topaz Photoshop Plugins Bundle. Download a free trial version.

Inside Lightroom — Adobe Lightroom Resource Center & Lightroom Blog From O'Reilly

O'Reilly Media's Inside Lightroom site has a growing collection of Lightroom articles by industry experts. Recently the front page offered these entries: