Adobe Lightroom 6 PREVIEW
Adobe has just released the update to Lightroom 5 with the announcement of LR CC aka Creative Cloud as well as the standalone version called Lightroom 6.
There are a few improvements that stand out to me as key.
The first is the 10x speed boost. We all know that previous version of Lightroom have been SLOW. Sometimes so slow that your workflow is hurt by it. Now CC and LR 6 are built to take advantage of the computer GPU to make for quicker editing which will make everyone happy.
HDR merging and editing done right inside the program. This means no longer will you need a third party software to do this nor will you have to leave LR to do editing somewhere else. I am now really interested in trying out the HDR features. I see the importance of HDR for certain situations and maybe this will help open my mind to it’s possibilities when done correctly.
They also added a Panoramic stitching feature which is bound to allow you to make some really cool images from multiple shots. To me it’s all about making the process easier, cut down on the steps needed and you give the photographer the ability to do more in less time.
Another updated tool is the spot adjustments. I personally did not use these to often in my work but I know by making this easier it will open up the ability to fine tune your images even more if you are looking to do that.
Since the introduction of the Creative Cloud people have been bitching about the price. Well I am here to tell you it’s time to get over it. Adobe CC for Photographers is only $9.99 a month. That means you get LR and Photoshop for $120 a year. If you still want to purchase LR6 as a standalone you can do so for $150 new and probably $79 as an update. In my opinion having access to Photoshop and LR CC for $10 bucks a month is well worth it.
I know not everyone is a pro but if you’re a photographer who is making money or who simply just loves shooting I would highly recommend signing up for the cloud at this point. Four Million people are currently signed up for the cloud which means it’s not going away any time soon. The future is based on “renting” as we have seen from photography to music to movies, it’s here to stay.
For more information on the NEW LR please read the press release below.
All-New Photoshop Lightroom CC With Photoshop CC Lets Anyone Perfect Photos Across Desktop and Mobile for $9.99 per Month
SAN JOSE, Calif. — April 21, 2015 — Adobe (Nasdaq:ADBE) today announced a major update to its Creative Cloud Photography plan with the release of an all-new Adobe Photoshop Lightroom CC that delivers lightning-fast performance and new tools to edit, enhance, organize and showcase beautiful photos. With Lightroom CC and the legendary magic of Photoshop CC, Adobe Creative Cloud Photography empowers photographers to transform photos into amazing shots. Creative Cloud Photography also includes unique sophisticated mobile capabilities: automatically syncing photos with Lightroom CC on the desktop, Lightroom on mobile devices lets users access and edit their entire catalog of photos on iPad, iPhone as well as Android smartphones and tablets. At just $USD9.99 per month, Adobe’s photography plan champions photographers of every level — bringing the tools relied on by photo pros worldwide within reach of anyone who loves photography.
“Photographers at any level are driven by their passion to capture the perfect shot and make it incredible,” said Winston Hendrickson, vice president of digital imaging products, Adobe. “Whether you shoot with a DSLR or smartphone, the Creative Cloud Photography plan gives everything you need to organize, edit and share amazing photos on mobile, web and desktop – thanks to the imaging power of Lightroom and the magic of Photoshop.”
Photoshop and Lightroom have been fundamental in the evolution of digital photography. Today, Creative Cloud Photography is leading the transition from a traditional desktop-based process to a more mobile, connected workflow for digital images. Anchored by a major update to Lightroom CC, Creative Cloud Photography is the must-have solution, offering powerful editing and photo organization across multiple devices, all powered by Adobe’s industry-defining imaging technologies.
Work Seamlessly Across Desktop, Mobile and Web With New Lightroom CC
The standard for photo enthusiasts and professionals, Lightroom CC is essential for perfecting and organizing photos. New features in this release include:
HDR Merge – Create natural-looking or surreal images from extremely high-contrast scenes by easily combining multiple shots taken with different exposure settings into a single raw high dynamic range image
Panorama Merge – Capture super wide fields of view and amazing detail by stitching together multiple images to create stunning raw panorama shots
Performance Improvement & GPU Enhancements – Perfect photos up to 10 times faster than ever
Facial Recognition – Quickly find and categorize images of family and friends.
Video Slideshows – Create beautiful, polished slideshows using still images, video, and music along with professional effects like pan and zoom
Bring Out The Best In Your Photography – Anywhere
For anyone who loves photography, it’s essential they can organize, edit, and share photos from mobile devices. Automatically synced with Lightroom CC on the desktop, Lightroom on mobile devices lets users access and edit their catalog of photos across a full range of iOS and Android devices. This release includes a major enhancement for Android with DNG raw file support on compatible Lollipop-enabled devices, providing customers the full power of raw file post-processing on their Android smartphones and tablets.
Take It To The Next Level With Photoshop CC
In addition to Lightroom CC, Creative Cloud Photography plan includes Photoshop CC, the imaging software that continues to redefine creativity in the digital age. Celebrating its 25th birthday this year Photoshop’s legendary magic touches virtually all the inspirational imagery that surrounds us. Now, thanks to Creative Cloud Photography, photographers have a powerful round-trip editing workflow from Lightroom to Photoshop CC. Even cut out and combine photos on your iPhone and iPad with Photoshop Mix, connect to Creative Cloud, then refine your work in Photoshop CC.
Share Compelling Stories in Exciting New Ways
In addition to sharing instantly with social networks such as Facebook, Flickr and Instagram, new to Lightroom is the ability to create beautiful, polished video slideshows using still images, video, and music, featuring professional effects like pan and zoom. After using Creative Cloud Photography to produce stunning images, anyone can craft amazing stories that place photos at the center of the narrative, using two groundbreaking storytelling apps from Adobe: Slate and Voice. [Link to app pages on Adobe.com.]
New Lightroom CC Available to Creative Cloud Members Worldwide
Adobe Creative Cloud has approximately 4 million paid memberships worldwide and all Photography and complete plan members are able to access the new version of Lightroom CC today – at no extra charge – showing, once again, the incredible ongoing value of Creative Cloud. Creative Cloud features the world’s leading creative desktop apps; a growing family of mobile apps that are seamlessly integrate with the desktop apps and creative assets; expert training; and access to a dynamic creative community, where creatives can discover inspiration and opportunity. A free 30-day trial version of Lightroom CC is also available.
Getting Started Is Easy:
Creative Cloud Photography plan is designed to make onboarding easy whether you’re a beginner or pro, or have previously used Photoshop, Lightroom, Photoshop Elements or Apple Aperture. Available now is an easy-to-learn library of photography tutorials aimed at all levels. [Link to tutorial page]
Pricing and Availability
Adobe Creative Cloud Photography plan (USD$9.99 per month) includes Lightroom CC across desktop, web and mobile, Photoshop CC and Photoshop Mix (for iPhone and iPad). All products are also available as part of Creative Cloud complete plan. Information on Adobe Creative Cloud pricing and plans can be found at: https://creative.adobe.com/plans. For more detailed information about Lightroom CC product features, upgrade policies, pricing and language versions, please visit: www.adobe.com/go/lightroom.
