Lightroom 5 Beta Now Available!

Learn what Adobe has Improved for Lightroom 5

By Brent Durand

Adobe Lightroom is arguably the best tool for underwater photographers to edit, organize and catalog their photos.  Lightroom has been essential in my photography workflow and version 5 promises to enhance the editing power of the software.  If you're not yet a user of Lightroom, check out our article on Why You Should be Using Lightroom.

Lightroom 5 Beta is now available, meaning that you can begin using the software for free.  If you're a new Lightroom user, great, but if you're planning to test Lightroom 5 Beta, here are a few notes:

• As with any Beta program, all the "kinks" haven't been worked out.  Back up your images and catalog.
• Lightroom 5 Beta will build a new catalog for your images.  This means that you will not be able to upgrade your current catalog, and will need to import images directly into Lightroom 5 Beta.  Once Lightroom 5 is fully released these catalogs will be transferable.
• Lightroom 5 Beta will expire once the finished Lightroom 5 is available, so you'll need to purchase the upgrade or keep your current version.

So what's new in Lightroom 5 Beta?  Here's a quick summary:

Advanced Healing Brush

This tool is much more robust for Lightroom 5.  Underwater Photographers can now adjust the size of the brush and move it in precise paths.

Upright

A new tool great for seascapes, landscapes and any other photos with a horizon or other verticle/horizontal lines.  Upright will quickly straighten images - the first edit for any photos of this sort.

Radial Filter

The radial gradient tool in Lightroom 5 is designed to help bring focus on the subject of an image.  Good composition requires the right depth of field and elimination of a distracting background to accentuate a subject (among other things), but sometimes this isn't enough.  This new tool allows photographers to create off-center vignette effects or multiple vignette areas in a single photo - great for underwater photography.

Smart Previews

Lightoom users (and especially traveling underwater photographers) know that carrying your full catalog and library of images slows down image editing while on-the-go.  New Smart Previews allows photographers to easily work with images without bringing their entire library with them.

There are many more updates in Lightroom 5 Beta, detailed at Adobe's blog.

Click here to read more about Lightroom 5 Beta and to DOWNLOAD.

Learn Lightroom for Underwater Photographers

Our partner, Bluewater Photo, offers great classes on using Adobe Lightroom every month in Santa Monica, CA.  Learn more HERE.

Further Reading

• Workflow Basics in Adobe LIghtroom

• Why You Should be Using Adobe Lightroom

• Using the Adjustment Brush in Adobe Lightroom

Where to Buy

Please support the Underwater Photography Guide by purchasing your underwater photography gear through our sister site, Bluewater Photo & Video. Click, or call them at (310) 633-5052 for expert advice!