How to setup Lightroom 4

[gerald_wallace]

I've had Lightroom 4.0 since 2012 however, I never used it. I've found it easier to use Adobe Photoshop CS6 but after downloading Windows 10 I eventually lost the use of CS6.

I could use some help at the very begining - SETUP. The primary reason I need help is because I will be storing my processed pictures on my (D:) drive as opposed to the usual (C:) drive and not using the Pictures folder - I want to continue to store dated folders on my (D:) drive. Any help would be appreciated.

[AlanKlein]

Select the D drive when you Import and the D drive when you export the edited photos. I created an Images folder in the D drive with sub-folders for sets of pictures. I do this as I don't want to clog up my C drive with large image files. However, the Lightroom 5 program is installed on the C drive.

[Charles_Webster]

You can tell the installer where to install Lightroom, and where to put the libraries (databases), previews, etc. If you put your photos in specific locations prior to importing into LR, make sure to set LR to "import without moving"

 

I have LR installed in L:\MyPictures, and have a large number of subdirectories under that top-level directory.

 

I suggest upgrading to a newer version. It isn't expensive and gets you the latest features.

 

<Chas>

[gerald_wallace]

Thanks Alan and Charles for you inputs. I just discovered other issues: (1) should I purchase LR 5 or 6, (2) should I purchase any Adobe product? I'm not happy with the direction Adobe is headed (subscription based software, talked about years ago). I can't see Adobe providing any support for stand alone products or even providing stand alone products in the future - no support for CS6! The bottom line: not sure at this time whether I will pay for another Adobe product? It's highly likely I will either purchase LR 5 (I don't do portraiture so probably little need for LR6) or use what my wife uses which is Faststone? Again, thanks for your help/suggestions for LR5.

[gerald_wallace]

In case your interested,with your recommendations (Alan and Charles), I decided to try LR 5 (going from LR 4 to LR5). I plan to overlook LR's convoluted set-up process (unlike Adobe photoshop) and make this process work for me. Thanks again, for your guidance.

[gerald_wallace]

Another unexpected update. Reference above: LR 5 is no longer available so, my only (?) choice is to purchase LR 6 or use my 2012 version of LR 4.1. On the photoshop CS6 subject, I for the first time since my download of Windows 10 (perhaps a year ago) have gained LIMITED access to Adobe Photoshop cs6 and Bridge. I can open all my psd/processed pictures in "photoshop" however, I can not open cr2 raw files for processing. Undecided what's next.

[gerald_wallace]

What's next: in addition to my last post above, late today, Adobe (Application manager) offered an update of different pieces of adobe software (7 each). Once I downloaded and performed a restart I for the first time in at least a year had full functionality of Adobe photoshop CS6 - was able to access Bridge and photoshop cs6. Not sure how long Adobe will allow me to use CS6 until they take it away again. Now I can move-on to other photo.net subjects.

[TonyCooper214]

If you own Adobe Photoshop CS6, you own the program and Adobe can't/won't take it away from you.

If you "lost" it, it was something at your end, not Adobe's. Same comments for LR 4.

 

What you either have lost, or will lose, is the ability to update your CS6 or LR4. The version you have

is the version you are stuck with. Not that this is a bad thing.as both are very usable programs.

 

The advantage of the subscription program is that you will receive all updates and future additions at

no charge as long as you continue to subscribe. Should you subscribe, edit some images in CC 2017 and then

stop subscribing, you lose the ability to use CC2017 and LR 2015 (the current versions), but you retain the edited

images. You can edit them further in your owned copy of CS 5 or LR 4.

 

As to how to set up Lightroom, there are myriad online tutorials, but the most essential

single thing to know is that once you've set up your system in LR, all changes in your file

structure must be made in LR. If you re-number or move the files outside of LR, LR won't be able

to find them. Your files are not IN LR, LR just points to where your images are and shows a copy

of the image where it is. When you adjust the image in LR, you are adjusting the image in the file where

it is stored.

[digitaldog]

Actually, IF you stop subscribing to LR, all modules except Develop and Maps continue to fully operate. Those two will come back on-line if you subscribe again.

You've NEVER owned any Adobe product, you owned the right to use the product. Read the EULA. And they can 'take it away' from you based on their activation schema but you'd have to do something to utterly violate the EULA for that to happen. But not at all impossible!

[TonyCooper214]

DD said:

Actually, IF you stop subscribing to LR, all modules except Develop and Maps continue to fully operate. Those two will come back on-line if you subscribe again.

 

Does that mean that new photos can still be uploaded and viewed in Grid view and assigned keywords if the subscription is dropped? Or, just the ones uploaded prior to discontinuing the subscription are viewable?

 

Not that I'm considering dropping out.

[digitaldog]

Does that mean that new photos can still be uploaded and viewed in Grid view and assigned keywords if the subscription is dropped?

Yes. And you can use Quick Develop. Everything in all modules expect Develop and Maps.

[Wouter Willemse]

As an alternative, if you really don't like Adobe subscription plan and your PS CS6 stops working again, there are actually other companies out there that also deliver very good quality software you could consider instead of PS and LR. Some even for much friendlier prices.

 

Instead of Lightroom, there are DxO Optics and CaptureOne, both available on normal pay-once licenses. Both work quite different from Lightroom, and having less users it's not as easy to find courses, books etc. But both are compelling alternatives that may "connect" better with you if you cannot get used to the Lightroom way of working.

Instead of Photoshop, there is Affinity Photo, which for features most photographers use can seriously rival Photoshop (and that is rare - PS is quite king of the hill), plus it's an awful lot cheaper. Again, there will be some learning curve as the user interface is different, so here too: it may or may not click for you.

 

Nothing wrong with the Adobe products, they're used a lot for good reasons, but they're not the only game in town and not the best choice for all of us.

[ross_lipman]

Is GIMP still a viable alternative ?