richandtd Loc: Virginia

It was easier to develop color negatives and print beautiful pictures than the things involved with learning light room and spyder checker. What books are the best to get to learn more about it. I am using stand alone ver 6

bsprague Loc: Lacey, WA, USA

First, don't try to learn all of it up front.

If you had signed up for the current version 9.1 the Help Menu is full of it. There are links to tutorials from simple to complex.

People famous for great courses are Laura Shoe, Victoria Bampton, Matt Kloskowski and a few others.

In exchange for your email address, Victoria Bampton has a terrific "starter book". Look for a website for the "Lightroom Queen".

If it has to be free, you can usually get access to Linda.com, now also called LinkedIn Learning, through your library or use the trial month. Chris Orwig wrote a course there in 2015 when LR 6 was current. The course is still available.

Indi Loc: L. I., NY, Palm Beach Cty when it's cold.

To be perfectly honest, unless you're a serious professional, stick with the stand alone. All the companies are going to subscription and I don't want to pay a yearly fee. My version 6 ain't broke so I'm not fixing it. I doubt seriously if there's any new that's significant.
Just keep plugging at it and watch You Tube vids, or ask here if you have problems.

bsprague Loc: Lacey, WA, USA

My perfectly honest version is that, with all you get for $10 a month, the subscription is better. Among the seriously significant new stuff are the Haze and Texture adjustments. Then, through the link to Photoshop are the enhanced tools for object removal. If HDR and Panoramas were in 6, the improvements are seriously significant. And then there is the included "Portfolio" Website.

fredpnm Loc: Corrales, NM

Its not like you sign up for life with the subscription...you likely spend more for coffee each month then what the subscription cost...or some other unnecessary daily luxury.

Try the LR/PS subscription for a few months and if you then decide you still don't see the benefit, then drop it. All your edits will be available to V6.

mborn Loc: Massachusetts

Agree!!

Gene51 Loc: Yonkers, NY, now in LSD (LowerSlowerDelaware)

A copy of the LR6 will be updated when you install LRCC. The old catalog will remain intact. However, any new edits added to the preview catalog will not be readable by LR6. One way to ensure that nothing is lost is to write metadata changes to xmp, which LR6 should be able to read.

I totally agree with you on how reasonable the $10/mo fee is. It seems a whole lot of people are making a big thing out of how they pay for software - subscription vs one time payment for a version license. With the subscription model you get a whole lot more than you have with using old software that is no longer supported with upgrades. I suspect what they are objecting to is paying for software at all. The last full version of Photoshop and Lightroom was $1300, or around $500 to upgrade from the previous versions. I've been using CC since 2014. With the 7 major upgrades that have been released for CC, it would have cost me at least $3500 to keep my Photoshop current, not including Lightroom. AT $120/yr, I have spent a total of $600 over that time to keep my PS and LR current over the past 5 yrs - a fraction of what I would have spend had a so-called "permanent license" would have cost me to keep it current. I absolutely LOVE the subscription model - and I love using up-to-date software.

People who object to software subscriptions aren't good at math, or have some emotional rationale for wanting to "own" something tangible or physical. They can't seem to wrap their heads around paying for a license. I suspect they would have similar attitudes towards renting a home, leasing a car, etc.

CHG_CANON Loc: the Windy City

The internet is rich with freely available LR training. Yes, you may need to recognize that here and there the current software being presented differs from your LR6, but these differences are extremely modest. Find and watch the free authors on u-tube is a great way to get started. A simple google will lead you there: utube lightroom getting started

A similar google will lead you to Adobe's free training videos: "adobe support lightroom getting started" From the Adobe results, follow the "tutorials" where the training will split for Beginner and Experienced.

You might need to include "classic" in your google search, or just note when the training video talks about another software version other than "classic". Skip the non classic topics.

BillFeffer Loc: Adolphus, KY

Don't let the learning curve discourage you. Use the numerous online tutorials and start at the beginning. Build you skills one step at a time. Think of mathematics. You don't start with algebra. Or a visual. How do you eat an elephant? One bite at a time. I've been using LR 6.14 for a long time and I am still learning.

rond-photography Loc: Connecticut

Get a Kelby book on Lightroom. He has versions of the book that cover LR CC, Version 5, and Classic LR. His teaching method is straight forward and he tries to get you up and running vs throwing a lot of gobbledygook terminology at you.

Some of the books are available used, and a lot of the info has not changed since LR was introduced. New features have been added, but few taken away.
I bought the book for version 4 (where I started) and have not had to buy a newer book - each upgrade of LR is so slightly different than the previous that you just keep doing what you were doing and play with the new features.

uhaas2009

Agree

bsprague Loc: Lacey, WA, USA

"Try the LR/PS subscription for a few months...." Be careful. There is a free trial (for a month?) and an initial refund period (for two weeks?). But, once into it for a few months the fine print in the contract says you will stick with it for a full year.

bsprague Loc: Lacey, WA, USA

"One way to ensure that nothing is lost is to write metadata changes to xmp, which LR6 should be able to read."

If you do stop a subscription, the Library module continues. The Develop module does quit. But from the Library module you can continue to Export any work you've completed indefinitely.

fredpnm Loc: Corrales, NM

Valid and important point Gene, thanks for the correction/additional information. I always ensure changes are written to the .xmp file and so it's easy for me to forget about when you don't.

CamB Loc: Juneau, Alaska

LR is not really that hard. Open a file and start playing with the sliders. You will quickly get a feel for what they do. Check out a video every now and then and use it everyday. It’ll come. Much easier then developing and printing color and doesn’t stink up your house.
...Cam