BTW, if you have PSE I would recommend you get LR4.1 vs Photoshop. If you have Photoshop then give ACR a go and see if it suits your needs. You might still want to get LR but that will be up to you.

I will give LR another go myself see if I can wrap my head around the libraries thing.

I am away from my computer now but you if I am not mistaking you can go to file, browse in bridge. It is free with Photoshop but not sure you have it in PSE, never checked.

Even better, Bridge is a stand alone app if you want to use it that way. Go to your Program files where adobe is installed and you will see a folder for Photoshop and one for Bridge. You can double click on the Bridge.exe or even create a shortcut to your desktop for future use. I only open Photoshop through either Bridge or Camera Raw now as a second option to finish up my files.



I agree. LR is getting bigger and better with more options. ACR also has a import feature, tagging feature and so on. Maybe not as big as LR but good enough for most level of use. Some stuff not as easily done such as tagging with color but still can be done if need be.

Don't take me wrong, I like LR4.1. It is a very nice program. I think it's just that I started in ACR (now using ACR 7.1) and now used to it so much that going to another program is just too much for an old dog.

If you really want to know what lightroom does, just open bridge in Photoshop, select an image, right click and select open in Camera Raw.

Both Camera Raw and LightRoom do the same thing. The same menus are used (just in different places). The big difference is that Camera Raw is free with Photoshop but you have to pay for LightRoom.

I tried both, Camera Raw and LightRoom and I much prefer Camera Raw. So much easier to get to a picture. No need to start creating libraries, just navigate to a picture and open it. Same goes to save, no need to export, just click done and the settings are applied in the same non-destructive way as LightRoom.

You can also give LR a shot (I believe they have a 30 day free trial) and compare it with Camera Raw (free).

Not the first time I hear this. Not only valid for outdoors, good for any situation. However, it might be difficult to keep you SS faster than your focal length indoors if using a large lens or zoom.

I have them both but uses Photomatix for all my HDR since I started using it. IMHO it is the best tool for that job.



Not so. You can use single picture in Photomatix. I do it all the time. You can also do batch processing.

Adobe Camera RAW (ACR) does that exact thing with the triangles. Turns blue if you have too much black or red if too much white.

An extra help can be gained by holding the ALT key (OPT key on mac) while pulling the shadow/black or highlight/white pointers. This gives you a totally different view of clippings. Not sure if LR4 does the same with the ALT key, I just started using LR4. Still hooked on ACR.

You could also post your pics at 72 DPI if you don't want others to use them. 72 DPI will still look great on the net and makes them pretty well useless for anyone who might want to download and use as their own....if that's important to you. If you post for others to use them keep 'em at 300 DPI.

A good bridge camera might be a good starting point. I started with a Fuji HS10. Has most of the settings of a dslr (to some extent) including manual. A good lens 24~720. Of course the lens is fixed but good for most situations.

But a good used dslr would likely be better.

BTW, as it was said earlier in this topic, what can be done can also be undone. Whether it is using a Metadata template, the embedded copyright notice you can put via some camera or a watermark. All of these are only there to keep honest people honest.

In Bridge,
1 - go to the tools menu,
2 - create a metadata template.
3 - In there you can enter much info about the creator (you)
4 - scroll down so you can see the copyright box and check mark that box
5 - enter the copyright info (the year, your name and what ever else you want to identify you as the ownner)
6 - give the template a name
7 - save the template.

This only created your template. Now to update the metadate and copyright notice to your images,
1 - select as many images as you want....(I do this after I have made a choice of images I will keep and those I will toss)
2 - go back to the tools menu
3 - select append or replace the metadata
4 - select your template.

The metadata with copyright notice will be automaticly updated on all your selected images.

You will then be able to see the copyright and what ever else you entered in the template updated in the IPTC Core tab.

I sure hope you are talking about the experience and not the rain.... :)

Could be as simple as adjusting the diopter. Most camera have it to adjust the View Finder to one's own eye.
In case you don't know, it is normally a small wheel next or close to the EVF. I may be wrong but it might be worth a look at.

BTW, thanks for all the comments. I am new here and certainly appreciate all the effort/experience found in your answers.

I import my pictures from my camera to the PC using Adobe Bridge. It has a settings to enable copyright labeling. Very easy and where ever your picture goes, the metadata follows.

#2 IMO is the best.

#4 is great. A texture overlay would give it the teepee the old looks it requires to make it....Genuine??? looking.