How To Learn Lightroom + Photoshop

i always get a lot of questions as a photographer and one of the most common questions i’m asked is how i learned to edit.  one of the game changing moments in my journey as a photographer was learning how to use lightroom and photoshop.  and when i decided to learn lightroom and photoshop, i was very intentional about it.  i always tell photographers to work hard, but to work even harder during the off season.  the off season, for me, is during january and february, when i take on less sessions and am able to dedicate more time to learning about photography.  taking the time to learn is very important.  i even dedicate one hour every week to learning something new, whether it is through reading a photography blog, a photography book or picking up my camera to try something new.  and it’s just one little hour, but there is so much to learn when you take a little time.

last january, i decided to take the entire month off from photography sessions so i could dedicate my time towards learning lightroom and photoshop.  i told my clients i would be back in february, and immediately got to work learning lightroom and photoshop.  it was really important to me that i started off the new year of sessions editing in lightroom.  there are two books that made my goal of learning lightroom and photoshop so incredibly easy and i am going to tell you all about them!

to learn more about my story, be sure to read about my photography journey.

this post contains affiliate links.  thank you in advance for supporting {beth} a-dilly photography!

How To Learn Lightroom + Photoshop

How To Learn Lightroom + Photoshop | Bethadilly Photography

the books i am going to tell you about today are amazing and are just what you need if you have a goal of tackling the task of learning lightroom and photoshop.  the reason why i love these books so much is because they have lessons and exercises throughout the book to help you understand what some of the buttons in the software do.  and trust me, lightroom and photoshop have a lot of buttons!  not only do these books tell you about all the helpful features of the editing software, but they actually have you interacting with the features and using them during the lessons.  i don’t know about you, but i am a very hands on learner.  i learn so much better when i am doing.  my eyes go cross-eyed when i am just reading, but when i am actually doing a lesson and working in the software, it is so much easier for me to learn and to remember how to do something.

okay, so let’s talk about what these books are:

to learn lightroom 5:  adobe photoshop lightroom 5: classroom in a book written by the adobe creative team

to learn photoshop:  adobe photoshop cc: classroom in a book written by the adobe creative team

there is also another book geared for photographers that i have on my wishlist, but haven’t purchased yet:

for photographers:  adobe lightroom and photoshop for photographers classroom in a book written by jan kabili

How To Learn Lightroom + Photoshop | Bethadilly Photography

after buying these books, i sat down and planned out my “curriculum schedule.”  i did about 2 chapters and their lessons per day, and before i knew it i was becoming more and more familiar with lightroom and photoshop.  more importantly, i noticed how comfortable i was navigating through the software while practicing my edits.  now remember, you can read these books and complete the lessons at your own pace.  these books really are a dream come true.  before i knew it, i was editing my very first professional family session in lightroom and i was loving it!  and the difference was so noticable!  not only was i creating beautiful images out of camera, but i was able to edit them appropriately with the right software and take them to another level, using the lightroom tools i had learned about.  lightroom just offers so many options for editing and i recommend this software to anyone, whether you are photographing as a professional or as a hobbyist.  like i said before, lightroom was a game changer for me.

i should also mention that i completed the lightroom book before i started the photoshop book.  there is no right or wrong way to do this, you can start either book first.  for me, i primarily edit in lightroom and only use photoshop for specific fixes, so it was natural for me to want to start learning more about lightroom first since that is where i do most of my edits.

How To Learn Lightroom + Photoshop | Bethadilly Photography

so if you are looking to start your journey with lightroom and photoshop, or if you are already learning the software and you want to improve your understanding and comfort with it, i encourage you to try these books.  they made learning the software and how to navigate it so easy!  as i started reading them, i highlighted along the way and put tabs everywhere!  to this day, the lightroom and photoshop books stay on my desk for quick reference, if needed, while i am editing!  the books talk about everything from how you should be importing your professional photos, how to organize them, and helpful tools for editing.

please note: the versions that i linked are the textbook versions that i purchased when learning photoshop and lightroom.  there may be newer versions of these books out, so be sure to purchase the latest version!  i believe the current versions are:

for lightroom 5: adobe photoshop lightroom 5: classroom in a book written by the adobe creative team {same version i own}

for photoshop: adobe photoshop cc classroom in a book written by andrew faulkner {released in 2014}

also, be sure you are purchasing the right book for your software, so if you have an older version of the software, be sure you search for the correct corresponding book!

to read more photography tutorials, be sure to check out what posts are trending below!

 How To Learn Lightroom + Photoshop | Bethadilly Photography

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  • Jennifer - you are wonderful! Thank you for sharing. If I were near you I’d buy you a big ole delicious Starbucks beverage!ReplyCancel

    • {beth} a-dilly - awe, thank you so much Jennifer! and you are very welcome! i am happy to share my photography journey with you all! it’s just my little way of paying it forward! have a lovely week, girl! <3ReplyCancel

  • Kim - Great post! Thanks Beth! I work primarily in Lightroom but am self taught so there is tons I don’t know. I am definitely going to purchase these books to help my learning. Currently, I have Photoshop Elements but am thinking about switching over to full Photoshop. Did you purchase the programs or do you subscribe to the Creative Cloud services through Adobe. In addition, I just purchased a 13 inch Macbook Pro at an incredible deal but it only has 128 GB of hard drive space which I think you have as well. Do you feel these programs eat up a chunk of your memory?ReplyCancel

    • {beth} a-dilly - hello kim! you will really enjoy the books! i edit all my sessions on my laptop, and once they are completely edited, blogged, and given to the client, i move the sessions onto an external hard drive. i do this to both free up some space on my laptop, and for extra protection of the images in case something happens to my computer! i don’t feel like the programs themselves each up much memory, it is the high resolution files that will take up space. hope this helps! have fun with the adobe books!ReplyCancel

  • Kim - Thanks Beth! I would love to see you do a post on how you organize your folders and images within Lightroom along with tagging. You have a great, clean and organized style we all would definitely benefit from. Organizing all my digital files is one task I am working towards this year.ReplyCancel

  • Kim Ortega Nerio - Great post! Thanks Beth! I work primarily in Lightroom but am self taught so there is tons I don’t know. I am definitely going to purchase these books to help my learning. Currently, I have Photoshop Elements but am thinking about switching over to full Photoshop. Did you purchase the programs or do you subscribe to the Creative Cloud services through Adobe. In addition, I just purchased a 13 inch Macbook Pro at an incredible deal but it only has 128 GB of hard drive space which I think you have as well. Do you feel these programs eat up a chunk of your memory?ReplyCancel

  • Kim Ortega Nerio - One more thing… I would love for you to do a post on how your files are organized in Lightroom. Computer organization is something I strive for this year. In my house, I’m crazy organized but not on my computer!! Any tips would help.:)ReplyCancel

  • Tara - Thanks so much for sharing! I feel like I’m where you were at just over a year ago or so. In November ’13 I bought my Nikon 3200 and a year later (November ’14) I upgraded to my Nikon D750. I’m struggling with editing now and am totally overwhelmed by Photoshop. I’ve got all these photos piling up that I feel like need editing but don’t know where to start. My Photographer Mentor here does everything in ACR and Photoshop and therefore recommends it for me. I’m wondering, how do you decide what to edit in Lightroom vs. Photoshop? I’m excited to continue following you on your journey as I continue on my own!ReplyCancel

    • {beth} a-dilly - i edit every single photo in lightroom and only use photoshop when adding watermarks or making marketing materials. 🙂ReplyCancel

  • Diane Carey - Thanks so much for sharing. A long time ago I was “fluent” in PS 4. I had followed a course on line. The lessons were very thorough, there were weekly assignments, and quizzes if one wanted a certificate of completion. I plan to move into Lightroom and am hoping these skills will be useful. I like having reference books. Your selection has narrowed the selection.ReplyCancel

  • Darlene Bernard - Thank you so much, Beth, for this information! I feel like I am right where you were at the start of your photography journey shortly after purchasing your first DSLR, down to the D3200. I downloaded the trial version of Lightroom 5 but have been so intimidated by it all so this makes me feel like I can actually conquer this! The Lightroom 5 book is now in my amazon cart! 😀ReplyCancel

  • manual mode confused me, until i read this » beth a-dilly - […] need some editing tips?  check out my post about how to learn lightroom + photoshop! […]ReplyCancel

  • Hannah - Where did you get this label maker for your tabs?! I love the look!ReplyCancel

    • {beth} a-dilly - thanks, hannah! i think you can get them anywhere. i bought mine ages ago at walmart, but i think target has one! you should definitely get one, it is a fun old school type look! i believe you can find them in the office supply or craft section! 😉ReplyCancel

  • video tutorial: watch me edit in lightroom » beth a-dilly - […] to read more about my story of how i became confident and built my skill with editing, be sure to read my post how to learn lightroom + photoshop. […]ReplyCancel

  • you ask, i answer. volume 2. » beth a-dilly - […] how did you find your editing style?  without a doubt, through practice.  more specifically, i pinpointed and strengthened my editing style during my 365 photography project on instagram last year.  when i started out the year, my editing style was so different than what it is today.  some of that has to do with editing fads, but a lot of it just had to do with the actual act of photographing and editing everyday.  i also really grew my editing style by learning lightroom and photoshop last january.  when i began editing in lightroom, it was a game changer for me and my photography.  if you would like to learn more about the textbooks that taught me my software skill, be sure to read my post about how to learn lightroom and photoshop. […]ReplyCancel

  • 10 gift ideas for photographers » beth a-dilly - […] 6.  adobe photoshop lightroom 5: classroom in a book  after going a little cross eyed trying to learn how to navigate lightroom, i purchased this book and it was a game changer!  not only is this book informative, but it is interactive and encourages you to be hands on and use the software as you are learning!  very quickly after reading this book, i found that i used the buttons in lightroom much more effectively and was editing photos confidently in the software.  to read a little more about this book and a similar one for photoshop, be sure to check out how i learned lightroom and photoshop. […]ReplyCancel

  • 5 Tips For Choosing Good Photos To Edit » bethadilly - […] need some help learning how to edit in lightroom?  be sure you read my post How To Learn Lightroom + Photoshop. […]ReplyCancel

  • Batch Editing : A Step-By-Step Guide » bethadilly - […] need some help learning more about lightroom?  check out how i learn to edit in lightroom + photoshop. […]ReplyCancel

  • Why You Should Be Using The Reference View in Lightroom » bethadilly - […] need help learning how to edit?  read more about how i learned to edit in lightroom + photoshop. […]ReplyCancel

  • 10 Photography Resolutions You Should Be Making - bethadilly - […] need help learning your software?  check out how to learn lightroom and photoshop. […]ReplyCancel

  • Instagram Stories: 5 Ways Photographers Can Create Them - bethadilly - […] need some help learning how to edit in lightroom?  check out how to learn lightroom + photoshop! […]ReplyCancel

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