Do you need Adobe Lightroom?

Do you need Adobe Lightroom? - Why would you need Adobe's Lightroom 3 if you already have a good photo editor -- whether Photoshop CS, Elements or something else? Here's one way to tell. If after a holiday weekend you've got 20 or 30 digital photos, you probably don't need $300 workflow management software. But if you wind up with two or three hundred photos -- and find it a bear to pare them down to the ones you want to share or print -- Lightroom may be worth a look.

I couldn't quite figure out Lightroom's niche when it was first introduced. Organizing software? I already had Organizer in Photoshop Elements. Workflow software? I upload my files to my computer, pick the ones I like, add them to Organizer and tag them. What else did I need?

Well, it turns out that as you get more serious about photography, you shoot a whole lot more. That means you've got orders of magnitude more files to slog through. You also start getting a lot pickier about whether an image is good enough to share; and are more likely to be doing at least a little editing on almost every image you print or post. My old workflow was fine handling a few dozen photos at a time, but didn't really scale when I returned from vacation with 800+.

I'm somewhat embarrassed to admit that I ended up looking at my vacation images in Windows photo viewer, jotting down the file names on a piece of paper and then copying the files manually into a "highlights" folder. That's a somewhat ridiculous workflow, but it wasn't all that easy to browse and tag hundreds of pictures at a time within Elements Organizer.

Lightroom, on the other hand, is designed to make it as simple as possible to go through scores or hundreds of images and select your "keepers." You can do a fair amount of editing on those images right within Lightroom, instead of switching back and forth between editor and organizer in Elements. And Lightroom is quite a bit speedier, thanks to an architecture which doesn't actually change the image as you work on it, but simply shows you a preview of what you're doing and stores data about all your changes -- not altered versions of the actual image files -- in its database.

This so-called "non-destructive editing" makes it significantly quicker to both edit photos and perform searches through a robust catalog; changes don't become part of the files until you choose to export them.

"You don't have to be a professional photographer to have professional-level needs," Tim Grey, co-author of Learn Adobe Photoshop Lightroom 3 by Video, told me. "It's really well suited for any photographer who needs to to manage a large number of images" -- or those who get frustrated trying to find certain photos, such as the best picture you snapped at your child's soccer game or of holiday lights.

You've got to invest a little time and effort in setting up Lightroom the way you want. Once you do, though, becomes much easier to share photos, Grey says. For example, photographers who shoot using RAW files -- a format that captures all the original data from a digital camera instead of processing and compressing it -- can edit those RAW files and send them straight to a Web site like Flickr or Facebook, even though RAW files aren't viewable in a Web browser; Lightroom takes care of all the details in the background, instead of requiring you to convert to JPG.

Be aware that as a new Lightroom user, you'll have to invest a fair amount of time learning the software, even if you're already comfortable with Photoshop or Elements. (Even many of the keyboard shortcuts for the same tasks are different -- R for the crop tool instead of C, for example -- which seems a somewhat maddening way for Adobe to demonstrate that Lightroom is indeed a different animal). It's more logical than most image editing software, Grey says, but he admits it's got lots of "buttons and knobs." It's unlikely Lightroom will be saving you much time after a day or two.

In fact, after playing around with the software for a couple of weeks, I'm still learning the initial "library" module for importing and cataloging images. Hopefully I'll get to the "development" (editor) and sharing modules before too long. Nevertheless, I'm pretty enthused that Lightroom will make it much less painful to slog through dozens or hundreds of images the next time I'm shooting on vacation or at a family wedding. I also expect it to help solve a problem I wrote about earlier: uploading images to multiple Web sites.

The main drawback to Lightroom isn't so much the learning curve as the price. Full-time students, teachers and education staff/administrators can buy the software for a very attractive $89, but list price for the rest of us is a steep $299. I do hope Adobe will eventually follow the Microsoft Office pricing model and offer a moderately priced version for non-commercial home use. I essentially got that when I nabbed Lightroom on sale at Amazon.com for $149 last month, but this week the best I've seen is $219 at Amazon and NewEgg -- NewEgg's sale price ends today. (It's currently on sale for $249 at adobe.com; I also saw a $177 price from a third-party seller at Buy.com with decent ratings, but I can't vouch for them).

I expect the cost is more than worth it for commercial photographers whose time spent processing, searching and sorting images impacts their bottom line. If you're a serious amateur, though, you'll need to decide if the current price point is worth a streamlined, less painful workflow. And that depends on just how satisfied or frustrated you are with the process you've got now.

Meanwhile, if you're interested in seeing what Lightroom is all about, you can download a free trial or take a peak at the video below from Peachpit Press.

Ucapan SMS Tahun Baru Bahasa Indonesia dan Inggris

Ucapan SMS Tahun Baru Bahasa Indonesia dan Inggris - Tinggal menghitung hari kita menuju tahun baru 2011, bagi Anda yang memerlukan ucapan sms tahun baru 2011 bahasa Indonesia dan Inggris,  warung informasi dengan senang hati berbagi, sms ucapan tahun baru ini ada yang lucu atau kocak maupun garing heheheee...., kalau suka silahkan jadikan sms ucapan tahun baru 2011 jadi rujukan, lebih jelasnya silahkan baca  koleksi sms terbaru sms ucapan selamat tahun baru 2011 terlengkap, monggo dibaca!

Makan tomat bareng kangguru, SELAMAT TAHUN BARU!

hidup hanya sebentar
sebentar senang
sebentar sedih
sebentar bokek
sebentar banyak duit
sebentar nangis
sebentar ketawa
Eh, sebentar lagi ganti tahun
Met tahun baru ya

Perah sapi sambil mikir, Hepi new year!

Pak Camat naksir Bu Guru, Selamat Tahun Baru!

Throw stinky nappy to Santa’s reindeer, Happy New Year!

Minum kopi ya pake cangkir, HEPI NIU YIER

Don’t be sappy let’s all cheer, Happy New Year!

tetttt tetttt tettttt…
terompet berbunyi
menandakan akhir tahun ini
selamat datang tahun baru

hari berganti
bulan berganti
tahun pun berganti
tahun baru harapan baru
tetap semangat
masa lalu adalah kenangan
hari ini adalah goresan
hari esok adalah harapan
selamat tahun baru 2011
selamat tinggal kenangan
selamat datang harapan

let sun bring you hope
let stars bring you rightness
let love bring you happiness
let my message bring you the dream come true
happy new year 2011
wish you all the best

binatang lompat itu kangguru
si dada besar julia perez
saya ucapkan selamat tahun baru
teriring doa semoga selalu sukses
wishing you a happy new year!

buka hati dapat cinta
buka tangan dapat persahabatan
buka mata dapat pemandangan
buka handphone dapat pesan
buka pesan dapat ucapan
selamat tahun baru 2011

Tahun baru saja berganti
2011 mulai ditapaki
ngirim sms sana sini
walo aye belon mandi hihihihi

Jalan jalan ke pasar baru
Awas awas jangan kesasar
2011 tahun baru
Moga mawas diri dan sukses besar

Ngebakso enaknya di Bulungan
Sambil nongkrong ame si Memes
Malam tahun baru dilewatkan jangan
Sambil ngobrol dan ngirim sms

Jalan jalan ke kota Paris
Liat gedung berbaris baris
Tahun baruan abang cukur kumis
Demi cinta ke adik manis

Kota Toulouse kota yang indah
megah ceria berbata merah
Dengan tulus dan dari hati
kuucap met tahun baru, moga diberkati

Yesterday is memory.Today is a gift.
TOmmorow is a Hope.
Le’s begin New Year 2010 with faith, love and peace.
GBU

FAITH makes all things possible,
HOPE makes all things work,
LOVE makes all things beautiful.
May you have all three in this New Year 2011
No regret about the past…
No fear about the future….
New hopes And dreams in 2011….
Thankful to God for His blessings in 2010
Happy New Year !!

Happy New Year 2011. May this new year bring us a new
spirit to reach all our dreams, good health and a happiness
forever…
Happy New Year 2010, a new beginning for a better life.
GBU ABUNDANTLY!

Open HEARTS receive LOVE
open MINDS receive WISDOM
open HANDS receive GIFTS
and..

ke pasar beli layang-layang
di pasar ada pohon waru
selamat tahun baru sayang
janganlah merayu tuk dosa baru

ada buah duku dipetik
yang metik malah terharu
met tahun baru cantik
mari jauhi dosa baru

Pak Camat traktir Bu Guru
Bu guru makan es sama bakwan
Selamat Tahun Baru!
Semoga sukses selalu kawan

(sumber : rumahabi.info dan radenbeletz.com)

Kata Mutiara Untuk Ibu | Hari Ibu | Mother Day

Kata Mutiara Untuk Ibu - Di hari ibu (mother day) ini tak semua dapat memberikan hadiah terindah, namun kata mutiara untuk ibu merupakan hal yang terindah dapat diberikan kepada seorang ibu, mudah-mudahan hal ini dapat memberikan curahan hati sebagai rasa kasih sayang anak terhadap ibu, ataupun Anda yang jauh disana bisa mengobati rasa rindu terhadap ibu, kita baca yuk,  kata mutiara untuk ibu

gambar : iloveislam.com

* Mommy, I love you For all that you do. I’ll kiss you and hug you ‘Cause you love me, too. You feed me and need me To teach you to play, So smile ’cause I love you On this Mother’s Day. Mommy, I love you…

* So many wonderful moments we have spent together, so many wonderful years in all kinds of weather, thinking of u mother brings memories to mind, wonderful moments i ll treasure, these u gve me sincerely thats why my mom , I love u so dearly. Happy Mothers Day My dear Mom…

* What the heart gives away is never gone, but kept in the hearts of others, from dusk to dawn. Love you from the core of my heart. Happy Mothers Day…

* Mother is an undying love, A love beyond compare, the one you take your troubles to, she is the one who really cares. Mother you are all of this and more, I love you very much…

* Being a great mother is a very hard role, but mother you’re the star for this one I know, I love you Mom. Happy Mothers Day…

* The love she has deep in her heart, Always gives me a good jump start, She is the one who’s love is true, Thank u Mom for being u…

* There are no words that say thanku enough for everything you have done for me while I was growing up. I really do appreciate you and admire you very much, though I dont always express myself that I’ll always be intouch, I guess that’s why we have these special days, so that peoples like myself can say that they will love you always. Happy Mothers Day My Cute Mom…

* Thank you mother for all that you do, I know my thanks are far to few, I really do love you I dont say enough, for me those words are really tough, I wish I could express all that I feel, but for me you know thats a big deal, Have a good day I’m thinking of you , I hope my feelings are getting through. Happy Mothers Day…

* When you feel you’re  alone in a crowd, when you think no one can understand you, when you think your love is rejected by others, and when you hate your life just close your eyes and think about her who loves you truly, cares for you in your loneliness, dies when you cry, she is no one else but your MOM…

* For the best mom who always had a smile for me I know we may be far apart right now So here’s a great big hug and kiss Happy Mother’s Day…

* You’ve seen me laugh you’ve seen me cry and always you were there with me… I may not have always said it But thanks and I love you Happy Mother’s Day…

* Many hugs Only luv never anger Teaching me Helping me Every smile when I was sad Raising me to be strong It spells Mother. Thanks for being you…

* Happy Mother’s Day means more than flowers and gifts… It means saying thank you. It means I love you… You are my mother, my friend Today is your day…
(sorce : www.butikbella.co.cc)

Individual Health Insurance The Future of Health Care

Individual Health Insurance The Future of Health Care - The new health care reform law is changing the way you buy health insurance. The Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act that was signed into law in March is prompting insurance companies to focus on individual policies. As we get closer to the 2014 deadline where everyone needs to have health insurance or pay a penalty, insurance companies are discovering a whole new market, the individual policy holders. That means health insurance companies are developing new programs to compete for your health care dollars.

Health insurance can cost hundreds of dollars a month and yet a majority of us allow our employers to choose our plan, instead of choosing the one that fits our needs and budgets, but that's starting to change.

"There is a lot of control that you can have over how you spend those dollars," said Debra Cooper with Priority Health. She says they've seen a growing need for individual health insurance. That's why they developed a policy called My Priority to service the individual plan customer base. "As the economy comes back there's a lot of folks who are starting their own businesses and they will for the first time purchase their own health insurance that's been provided by an employer in the past," said Cooper.

And they're not alone. Blue Cross Blue Shield and Humana have also developed individual policies. Lody Zwarenstyn with Alliance for Health in Grand Rapids says the individual health insurance policy is the future of health care, "We have three years until 2014 when the mandated reform hits. So companies are starting to jockey for position now."

And individual policies will not only become more affordable, Zwarenstyn predicts there will be more to choose from. "Because of the reform movement now the insurers have a lot of incentive to come out with more products with more price variations," said Zwarenstyn.

Individual insurance policies can range from $25 a month to hundreds depending on your needs. It will be like finding an auto insurance policy, comparing rates and understanding your coverage. "Is the coverage appropriate, do you have preventive care, drug coverage, is the doctor in your network and is it a trusted health plan," said Cooper. He continues, "There is a lot of control that you can have over how you spend those dollars."

One other benefit to having individual insurance is that you don't have to worry about changing jobs because it's your insurance not your employers.

There is a common misunderstanding about the new health care reform law; the federal government is not going to come out with an affordable health insurance plan for you to buy. They may endorse several different ones but it will still be up to you to research them and purchase the one that's best for you.

To compare individual health care plans of six different Michigan insurance companies click here.

Lunar Eclipse 2010

Lunar Eclipse 2010 - If you live in the East, the bad weather will make it hard if not impossible to see the lunar eclipse that is happening tonight. And if you live on the West coast, you might be fast aslseep when it hits.

What will the lunar eclipse look like? The moon will have a “dramatically colorful appearance — from bright orange to blood red to dark brown and perhaps gray.” Sounds pretty cool, no? But if you are like most, you probably won’t stay up that late or wake the kids up to watch it, and even if you did, could you see it? Well there is help.

NASA has put together a Total Lunar Eclipse “Up All Night” page that chronicles the eclipse and when and where it can be seen. They also have a live stream of the eclipse so you can watch it from the comfort of your bed and not have to brave the cold air to see this amazing phenomenon. (blogs.babble.com)

Check out the site right here!