Deal: Adobe Creative Cloud Photography 1-Year Plan

Amazon offers the Adobe Creative Cloud Photography Digital Subscription 1-Year Plan for $7.49 per month ($89.88 total for the year). That's $2.50 per month ($30 per year) less than you'd pay for this service direct from Adobe. It provides access to Adobe Photoshop CC and Lightroom desktop, mobile, and web.

Adobe to Announce Lightroom CC/6

There was talk of a new Adobe announcement and it was rumored to be a new Lightroom. PCMag published their article about Adobe Lightroom CC/6 hours before the official announcement:

With Apple's Aperture out of the game, Adobe's Lightroom pro photo-workflow and editing program is even more dominant on Mac and Windows PCs, though there's still plenty of competition from the likes of ACDSee Pro, CyberLink's PhotoDirector, and DxO Optics Pro, Phase One's Capture One, and Corel's AfterShot Pro. One feature that Aperture could long claim over Lightroom was facial recognition, but now Adobe's photo workflow juggernaut has that, too.

Lightroom CC is now available as part of an Adobe Creative Cloud Photography subscription ($9.99 per month) or as the equivalent standalone $149 perpetual-license Lightroom 6 application. But the single purchase option won't include syncing photos to Adobe's mobile apps, such as Lightroom Mobile, Slate, and Voice. Adobe uses a smaller-footprint version of the photo file called Smart Preview for transmitting to Web and devices, so bandwidth and storage aren't taxed unnecessarily.

In addition to face detection and tagging, Lightroom CC/6 includes new panorama, HDR (high dynamic range), as well as significant speedups. According to Adobe, the new version renders some effects thousands of percentage points faster: For example, on a Microsoft Surface Pro 3 $1,149.00 at Amazon, the Exposure adjustment is claimed to be 2,704 percent faster, and the Distort effect is a jaw-dropping 7,931 percent faster.

HDR tools have long been available in other photo software, even products from Adobe such as Photoshop Elements. Lightroom's HDR tool lets you combine two shots of the same scene shot at different exposures to produce a result with equalized lighting. Also new are brushes for Graduated Filter and Radial Filters. Finally, the desktop programs now offer more slideshow options, including a pan-and-zoom effect and transitions that sync with music beats.

Along with the updates to Lightroom for desktop Windows PCs and Macs, the Lightroom mobile apps for iOS and Android have been updated with a segmented view that groups photos by date, an easier method of star-rating photos, improved crop, and copy-paste for adjustments.

PCMag spoke with Sharad Mangalick, Adobe Senior Product Manager for Photography, in advance of the release. Mangalick noted that smartphones and tablets have changed the landscape of photography, with not only capture but editing and organizing starting to be done on the mobile devices. In some cases, that results in harmful effects to workflow, with each app downsizing JPG files and getting more compressed.

"What we're seeing is an opportunity for Adobe to step in and streamline the workflow and clean it up so that photographers, whether you're pro or very casual, can have the best output with the highest quality and have it be really simple to use," he said.

Early attempts at mobile versions of Lightroom were wanting in some ways, but Mangolick says the goal is to get mobile and desktop work like the same product.

To view synced photos and comments, visit lightroom.adobe.com. For an in-depth look at what Adobe's pro photo workflow software has to offer, read PCMag's review of Lightroom, which will be updated with the changes shortly.

You can purchase Lightroom 6 from Amazon, B&H Photo and Adorama.

Future Versions of Lightroom Will Work Only with 64 Bit Operating Systems

Adobe announced that the upcoming Lightroom 6 will need at least Mac OS X 10.8 (or above) and a 64 bit version of Windows 7, 8, or 8.1. Lightroom 5 will be the last version that will also work on a 32 bit operating system.

Update on OS Support for Next Version of Lightroom

We are hard at work on the next major release of Lightroom, and wanted to share some information on operating system requirements in order to give everyone time to prepare for the release.

In order to leverage the latest operating system features and technologies, Lightroom 6 will require Mac OS X 10.8 or above, or a 64 bit version of Windows 7, 8 or 8.1. Focusing our work on more modern operating systems and architectures allows us to spend more time adding functionality requested by users, including additional advanced imaging features and improving general application performance.

If you are on Mac OS X 10.7, or a 32 bit version of Windows, you will continue to be able to install and run Lightroom 5 and use Lightroom mobile. However, you will not be able to install Lightroom 6 until you upgrade to a supported operating system.

If you are currently running Mac OS X 10.7, Apple offers a free upgrade (here) to a more current operating system. For Windows users, Microsoft has a how-to reference (here) to help you determine whether you are running a 32 or 64 bit version of Windows.

You can still purchase Adobe Photoshop Lightroom v5 from Amazon, B&H Photo and Adorama.

Deal: Adobe Lightroom 5 for $69

Adobe Lightroom 5 is regularly priced at $149 dollars from B&H Photo. It is on sale for $119, add a promo code to knock off an extra $50 dollars, and you’re down to just $69 dollars for Adobe Lightroom 5.

Must add to cart, use Promo Code: 1510432155578536 to see discount.

Review: Lightroom 4 Preset System by SLR Lounge

**This will also work on Lightroom 5 and Creative Cloud (CC)**

Overview : The Lightroom 4 Presets System & Digital DVD by SLR Lounge is a collection of 216 Presets including 189 Develop Presets, 27 Brush Presets, and a nearly 6 hour digital DVD featuring over 40 video tutorials to teach you how to get the most from this powerful system!

We are confident that this is the best Lightroom 4 Preset System available. It is designed to not only be powerful enough to create any effect, but also intuitive enough to achieve them in just a few clicks saving you boat loads of time!

We polled Lightroom 4 Preset System users asking what they would have expected to pay for this system. Answers ranged from $250 – $500+. We want all of our products to not only be incredible, but also a strong value. So we are making the SLR Lounge Lightroom 4 Preset System + Downloadable Digital DVD available for only $99!

Currently, Post Production Pye can cull, organize, and post produce at the rate of nearly 1,500 images with just a mouse and keyboard, and 1,800 images per hour with simply a mouse, programmable keyboard, and the SLR Lounge Lightroom 4 Preset System.

Note: The digital download includes large exercise files and HD video files which add up to several gigabytes. For those with slower internet connections, this may require long download times. In these situations, we suggest that you let the downloads run overnight or you simply purchase the physical copy.

Features :

• Basic Color Correction & Faux HDR Processing
• Vintage Fades and Washes
• Black and White and Antique Efects
• Tilt Shift and Toy Camera Special Effects
• Detail Enhancing & Portrait Retouching

Deal: Adobe Lightroom 4 Available for Purchase

Back in January, Adobe released a public beta for Lightroom 4. Today, Lightroom 4 is available for purchase. Lightroom 4 supports Nikon D4, D800/E and lenses. Full version will be available for $149 and Update version (upgrade from Lightroom 3) is $79.

The following new lens profiles for Nikon mount lenses were added:

Nikon - Tokina AT-X 124 AF PRO DX 12-24mm f/4 (IF)
Nikon - Tokina AT-X 124 AF PRO DX II 12-24mm f/4 (IF)
Nikon - Tokina AT-X 165 PRO DX 16-50mm f/2.8 (IF) ASPHERICAL
Nikon - Tokina AT-X 535 PRO DX 50-135mm f/2.8 (IF)
Nikon - Tokina AT-X M35 PRO DX 35mm f/2.8 Macro
Nikon - Tokina AT-X M100 AF PRO D 100mm f/2.8 Macro
Nikon - Tokina AT-X 116 PRO DX 11-16mm f/2.8
Nikon - Nikon AF-S NIKKOR 85mm f/1.8G
Nikon - Sigma 18-200mm F3.5-6.3 II DC OS HSM

Full version is expected to ship out March 7th followed by Upgrade version on March 12th. Can't wait? Instant download options are available on adobe.com.

Full Version ($149) - Amazon | B&H Photo | Adorama
Update Version ($79) - Amazon | B&H Photo | Adorama

How to Customize Identity Plate in Adobe Lightroom

Did you want to customize your Lightroom so that it shows your graphical brand logo or text logo and change the color of the module picker like below?

Rollover image

We are going to go over how to customize the Identity Plate in Adobe Lightroom 3 with both a text based logo, as well as a graphical logo.

Adobe Lightroom allows you to customize the Identity Plate in order to create a seamless experience when it comes to your product branding. This is particularly useful if you are using Lightroom to present images to clients, that way they will get the impression that the software is customized and personalized, rather than just a normal off the shelf type product.

The Identity Plate that appears in the top left of the Lightroom screen is configured by selecting Edit > Identity Plate Setup on Windows.

If you're on a Mac OS, choose Lightroom > Identity Plate Setup).

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 TEXT LOGO IDENTITY PLATE:

To create a simple text logo Identity Plate, choose Use a stylized text identity plate and type the text into the text area. You can select and format the text in the font, font size and color of your choice. Click the Enable Identity Plate checkbox and the changes you make will appear in place so you can check how they look. You may need to size the text to fit the space. Unfortunately, Lightroom won’t scale it to fit automatically.

You can also change the text style, size and color of the module picker. The module picker is the tabs located on the top right of the program that have the Library, Develop, Slideshow, Print and Web buttons.

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To save the Identity Plate, choose Save As from the dropdown list and type a name for the Identity Plate.

 GRAPHIC LOGO IDENTITY PLATE:

If you prefer to use graphics in your design such as your signature or a graphical design element, you can create a graphical Identity Plate in another application such as Photoshop. The file you create should be no more than 46 pixels in height (Windows) and 57 pixels (Mac OS), so it fits in the space available. Anything higher will get cut off. There is also no option to scale it to a smaller size in Lightroom. So if the image is too big, you have to go back to your program such as Photoshop, resize and re-save the image. As for the width, it can be as long as 1200px. Of course, the wider it is, the more space it will take up. The module picker on the right will overlap your logo. The width size will vary depending if you have your Lightroom in full view, screen resolution and how big your display monitor is.

When creating your Identity Plate in an application like Photoshop, build it in a layered file and make sure the bottom layer is black. This will match the Lightroom interface. The reason for this is so that you can see how it will look when placed into Lightroom. When you are satisfied with the graphic, turn off the visibility of the black background layer and save the file as a .png, .psd or another format that maintains transparency (not jpg). If you save as a .jpg image, the transparent background will be white.

Back in Lightroom, open the Identity Plate Editor and choose Use a graphical identity plate, click Locate File and browse to find the file on disk. You can also change the module picker if you want to.

Rollover to zoom

Save this Identity Plate so you can always reuse it if you change the Identity Plate in the future.

You now have a personalized Lightroom with your brand logo or name of your company that is unique. If you haven't purchased Adobe Lightroom yet, you can purchase the software from Amazon, B&H Photo or Adorama.

Adobe Introduces Lightroom 4 Public Beta

Lightroom 4 Public Beta has been posted to the Adobe Labs site. This new version incorporates many exciting features which have been long requested. You can discuss the Public Beta over at the Adobe Labs Community Forum.

As with any beta releases, there is always a warning. This is a beta release for you to try on copies of your files, certainly not for use with your main Library. There are some fundamental changes to the way images are rendered in Lightroom 4, so the strong recommendation is to copy a subset of your images to a different folder or disk and experiment with those. Don’t use your main image set! There are no guarantees, that the final release of Lightroom 4, will support any changes you make in the Public Beta.

The new feature list is extensive. To view them all...

Deal: Adobe Lightroom 3 for $90 with free shipping

Amazon has Adobe Lightroom 3 for $90!! This is the best deal we've seen so far. This works on Windows Vista / 7 / XP and Mac OS X.

• Adobe Photoshop Lightroom 3 software helps you bring out the best in your photography.
• Bring out the best in your photography, whether you're perfecting one image, searching for ten, processing hundreds, or organizing thousands.
• Breeze through your digital photography tasks quickly and efficiently.
• So, you can spend more time shooting--your core photography essentials are included in one fast, intuitive application.
• Share your vision with elegant options for showcasing your images in customized print packages.
• Dynamic slide show videos with music, web galleries, and on popular photo-sharing sites.
• Experiment fearlessly with state-of-the-art nondestructive editing tools, including world-class noise reduction.
• Get the absolute best from every image you shoot with world-class editing power and intuitive controls that set your creativity free.

*UPDATE* 11/25/2011

Price is now $99.99. Still $50 less than what we've been seeing.

Deal: Adobe Lightroom 3 for 50% off - $150 with free shipping at Adorama & B&H Photo

Missed out on the 50% off Lightroom 3 deal that Amazon offered almost a week ago? Well don't worry, you have a second chance because Adorama and B&H Photo is now offering Lightroom 3 at half off as well.

Deal: Adobe Lightroom 3 for 50% off - $150 with free shipping

Amazon has Adobe Lightroom 3 for 50% off! So if you were thinking of picking up Lightroom, now is your chance. This works on Windows Vista / 7 / XP and Mac OS X.

• Adobe Photoshop Lightroom 3 software helps you bring out the best in your photography.
• Bring out the best in your photography, whether you're perfecting one image, searching for ten, processing hundreds, or organizing thousands.
• Breeze through your digital photography tasks quickly and efficiently.
• So, you can spend more time shooting--your core photography essentials are included in one fast, intuitive application.
• Share your vision with elegant options for showcasing your images in customized print packages.
• Dynamic slide show videos with music, web galleries, and on popular photo-sharing sites.
• Experiment fearlessly with state-of-the-art nondestructive editing tools, including world-class noise reduction.
• Get the absolute best from every image you shoot with world-class editing power and intuitive controls that set your creativity free.