Adobe Photoshop Lightroom 4: An enhanced version of the wonderful tool for photographers

Adobe Photoshop Lightroom is a software programme for photographers, whether they are professional or amateurs. It was developed by Adobe Systems in 2004, with the Version 1 for Windows and Mac OS X first appearing on the market in 2006.

This software helps Photoshop users to handle great quantities of digital images in post production tasks. It is an image management application to assist in screening, and organizing digital photos.

Since its launch, Lightroom has been upgraded and improved and usually appears on the market in Beta form so that Adobe can test it and correct any errors before releasing the official edition.

The latest version, Adobe Photoshop Lightroom 4 came onto the market in March 2012. This version isn’t compatible with Windows XP, but it includes many new or improved features.

• Photo book creation: You will have the choice between an automatic page layout and a large range of customisable layouts. The templates are stylish and easy to use. You add your formatted text, pick one of the many different covers and sizes and order your book in a few clicks.
• Highlight and Shadow Recovery:  No matter what the lighting conditions are like when you take your photos, this tool will bring out all the details of the light and dark tones in your images.
• Optimal Image Treatment: Image treatment tools have been upgraded and improved so that you can get the best out of your photos. You can carry out overall modifications or use the new white brush to correct the white balance of specific places in your images. You can try out the complete palette of advanced tools without altering or damaging your original photo.
• Optimal Noise Reduction: New local editing controls allow you to eliminate moiré and modify noise reduction either in your overall image or in specific areas.
• Find and Group Images: The location-base tool will enable you to find and group your photos by location or allocate locations to your images. Data from GPS-enabled cameras can also be displayed.
• Save time: You will be able to use any effect you want and apply them to your photos with a simple click, by storing your development parameters by default.
• Optimal Video Support: You will be able to visualize, classify, read, cut, modify and extract images from your video clips using the Rapid Development tool.
• Publishing on-line: Improved and easy-to-use publishing tools will enable you to edit and distribute your clips on sites such as Facebook.
• Sending emails: Lightroom 4 allows you to email directly using the account of your choice.
• Out-of-focus regions: The improved processing tools go a long way to eliminating the green and purple “fringing” chromatic aberration that often appear on photos taken with fast lenses.

Adobe Photoshop Lightroom 4 has a new camera support for 13 more cameras than the version 3. These are listed below:

• Canon EOS 5D Mark III and ROS 60Da
• Fuji FinePix F770EXR and F775EXR
• Nikon D3200
• Olympus OM-D E-5M
• Panasonic Lumix DMC-GF5
• Pentax K-01
• RICOH LENS A16 24-85mm F3.5-5.5
• Samsung NX20, NX210 and NX1000
• Sony Alpha NEX-VG20 and SLT –A57