Getting Started with Adobe Lightroom 6: A Beginner's Guide 'Lightroom 6 Tutorials'

Adobe Lightroom is a powerful, feature-rich photo editing software that has become an essential tool for both professional photographers and enthusiastic hobbyists alike. Whether you're looking to fine-tune your raw images or simply organize thousands of photos in one place, Adobe Light Developments' offering does it all.

In this comprehensive beginner's guide, we'll take a step-by-step tour through the key features of Lightroom 6 (also known as CC), so even those new to photo editing software can quickly get up and running with confidence. By following along with these easy-to-follow tutorials, you'll soon be using Adobe Lightroom like an old pro!

What is Adobe Lightroom?

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Adobe Lightroom is a powerful image processing application that allows users to import, manage, edit, sharpen, retouch, output (share) digital negatives and photographs in the native RAW format. The program offers many tools for organizing and editing photos.

Key Features of Adobe Lightroom 6

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1. Importing Photos:

- Use either File > Get New Camera Raw Images or simply drag & drop your raw images directly into Lightroom's main window.

2. Library Module:

* Organize all imported files using various folder structures and metadata filters.

3. Develop Module (Editing):

- Apply global adjustments across entire collections of photos with just a few clicks!

4. Adjustment Brush Tool:

In this tutorial, we'll dive deeper into the powerful features offered by Adobe's own adjustment brush tool.

The Adjustment Brush Tool Explained

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Adobe Lightroom 6 offers an impressive array of editing tools and filters that allow you to fine-tune your photographs with ease. One such powerful feature is the 'adjustment brush' which allows users to apply local adjustments on a per-pixel basis across specific areas within their images.

To access this tool, simply click on the ' brushes icon' located at the top of Lightroom's Develop panel and then select 'Brushes'. From here you can choose from several different modes including:

* Basic: Apply basic exposure compensation (shadow/ highlight adjustments), contrast, saturation, and white balance changes to selected areas.

* Gradual: Adjustments applied smoothly across a range set by dragging the left or right edges of your selection.

* Exposure & Recovery: Intelligently recover lost details in shadows while simultaneously boosting overall brightness.

How To Use The Adjustment Brush Tool

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1. Select an image you wish to edit from Lightroom's Library module and double-click it open in Develop mode.

2. Click on the ' brushes icon' at the top of Lightroom's Develop panel, then select 'Brushes'.

3. Choose your desired brush tool (e.g., Basic) by clicking its corresponding button below:

* Brush size can be adjusted using '+' or '-' keys or dragging left/right with mouse wheel.

4. Paint over areas where you want to apply local adjustments using the Left Mouse Button (LMB).

5. Use Command+Option+'or '(Mac)/Ctrl + Shift+'or '(PC) on your keyboard to cycle through different brush modes.

Tips & Tricks

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* Hold down Option/Alt while painting with a brush tool to temporarily switch between 'Rubber Stamp' and 'Brush' modes.

* To quickly toggle the Brush Preview ON/OFF press Command+Shift+B (Mac)/Ctrl + Shift+B(PC).

* Use ⌫ Del key combination on Mac or Backspace button on PC to reset all adjustments made since last saved state.

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And that's it! With these basic Lightroom 6 tutorials under your belt, you'll be well-equipped to tackle even the most demanding photo editing tasks with ease. Remember - practice makes perfect so don't hesitate to experiment further and explore more advanced features within this incredible software package!

Share Your Thoughts & Questions!

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Do you have any questions about using Adobe Lightroom 6 or would like some additional tips and tricks? Please feel free to leave a comment below, and I'll be happy to help!