Adobe Lightroom 3 + Photo Editing Giveaway

Back to School Giveaway Week, Day Three:

Those who have followed my blog for a while or have ever seen me participating in one of I Heart Faces’ Fix-It Friday memes will know already that I am a huge Lightroom fan. I bought Lightroom 1 a while ago after trying out the free trial version. At the time, I had already upgraded from Adobe Photoshop Elements to Photoshop CS3, and I really thought that I would have no use for Lightroom. As soon as I “tried it on for size” I knew it was a perfect fit for me. I haven’t looked back since. I use Lightroom for 98% of my photo editing, including just about every photo that comes through my blog.

When I was given the opportunity to review the newest version of Lightroom, I had to hold back the excitement. I had been drooling over the features that were added to Lightroom 2 for a while, and was eager to find out what features were added to Lightroom 3.

At first, Lightroom 3 felt pretty much the same as what I’d been using. I was happy to see that my saved presets from LR1 transferred automatically, and it was simple to import all of my pictures into the new virtual library. I was happy that LR3 didn’t change too much, so that I still felt “at home” and knew where to find everything. Like I said, Lightroom has always been very intuitive for me to use and navigate.

After I got into the program a little more and using it for a few weeks, I am blown away by the added power that this version has! My 2 favorite features that were HUGE upgrades from LR1 have been the Adjustment Brush and the more powerful noise reduction. I am totally sold on this program!

Here’s a little bit of information from Adobe:

Lightroom 3, the newest version of Adobe’s software, is designed for both amateur and professional photographers to handle growing image libraries. Adobe® Photoshop® Lightroom® 3 software helps you bring out the best in your photographs, whether you’re perfecting one image, searching for ten, processing hundreds, or organizing thousands.

Create incredible images that move your audience. Experiment fearlessly with state-of-the-art nondestructive editing tools. Easily manage all your images. And showcase your work in elegant print layouts, slide shows, and web galleries, as well as on popular photo-sharing sites. All from within one fast, intuitive application.

Lightroom 3 New Features

· A brand new import experience that makes it easier to get your photos organized
· Stronger noise reduction to help clean up even the highest ISO shots
· Easy, flexible watermarking for professionals
· Tools to help fix distortion from using popular lenses and a straighten tool
· Customizable print layout creation
· Simple, fast output options for Web sharing services (direct integration with Flickr)
· Tethered capture to get your shots to appear instantly on your computer
· Sharable video slideshows
· New grain and vignette tools to give your photos artistic/professional flair
· And many more

Enjoy this video from Lightroom expert Julieanne Kost that walks you through the new features: http://tv.adobe.com/watch/getting-started-with-adobe-photoshop-lightroom-3/whats-new-in-lightroom-3/

Here are a few examples of what Lightroom 3 has helped me do with my photos:

The Giveaway:

This is a slightly different type of giveaway…something I’ve never done before! I am giving away a personal photo editing package for two people. Each winner will have the chance to submit up to 10 of their personal images that they would like me to edit and “fix up.” I can touch up blemishes, turn a photo black and white, improve the color/saturation, crop, you name it (no head swaps for this giveaway, though…). You give me the photos, and I will send you back several edited versions.

All you have to do to enter is tell me what your photography trouble spot is. Do you struggle with lighting, composition, inspiration, focus, editing? Tell me about it! There is no wrong answer.

The extras:

Follow me on twitter and tweet about this giveaway. You can do this once a day. Sample tweet:
- Can’t get your pictures to turn out the way you pictured them? @1momof5 can help w/a photo editing #giveaway http://betterinbulk.net/ALR3
Follow my blog via Google friends connect.
Subscribe to my blog’s RSS feed or get email updates when I post

The fine print:

Adobe sent me a full copy of Lightroom 3 to review, but the opinions and experiences with this incredible photo editing software are all my own. Before and after shots are also my own work.

This giveaway will end on Wednesday, September 8, 2010 at 11:59 pm Eastern Time. Two winners will be chosen at random and notified by email. Good luck!