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Although all images are going to have slightly different sharpening needs, a regular workflow for sharpening will help you optimize your images consistently.

Just like many aspects of Lightroom’s RAW editing suite, the sharpening adjustments feature enough simplicity for set-it-and-forget-it batch processing while also giving the user the fine-tuning that allows individual images reach their full potential.

Sharpening is intended to make edges in your photo look crisp.  It can’t bring out-of-focus images into focus, but if your subject is in fact in focus, it can make it look significantly sharper.    It does this by adding  contrast to edges — that is, it brightens the bright side of an edge, and darkens the dark side.  In essence it adds a very narrow shadow along an edge — and to our eye, shadows make things look more three dimensional.

Even though Lightroom has had the ability to customise the default camera settings since version 1.1 it seems that many users still persist in creating and applying develop Presets during import or later. Don't get me wrong, develop presets have their uses, but having to filter photos according to Model, Serial Number or ISO speed rating in order that the appropriate develop preset can be applied is both time consuming and in many instances unnecessary. My guess is that users either don't realise that Lightroom is already capable of automating much of this work or don't understand how/when to use this feature.

A BEGINNER'S RESOURCE FOR ALTERED TIME PERCEPTION CINEMATOGRAPHY

The Picture Show photography blog has rounded up series of photographs that were taken and edited before the age of Photoshop. The images feature surreal composites that prove that photographers were pushing the limits of their tools even in the “good ol’ days.”

An amazing image of London taken from the top of the BT Tower has set a new record for the world’s largest panoramic photo. The final image, made up from nearly 48,000 individual photos stitched together with the help of Autopano Giga software from Kolor, shows a full 360 degree view of London in incredible detail. If printed at normal resolution, the photo would be 98 meters long (323 feet) and 23 meters high (77 feet) – almost as big as Buckingham Palace.

PhotoTuts+ author Ivaylo Gerchev recently published a series of in-depth tutorials aimed at taking you from beginner to pro in Lightroom in only one week. Today we’re following that up with a few quick and easy Lightroom tricks that you can quickly add to your workflow whether you’re just picking up the app or have been using it for years. The tips and tricks below will help you accomplish everything from navigating around the app better to smoothing out skin wrinkles.