Speeding things up with keyboard shortcuts in Lightroom

Gotta love this one!!

I am a two fisted editor...  I use a Wacom Intuos tablet with my right hand and rifle all over the keyboard using shortcut keys with my left hand.  I am considering replacing the keyboard with a Shuttle, but that's another story..

The list keystroke shortcuts in Lightroom is extensive.  It's been published a few times but I edit in the dark and reading a cheat sheet is impossible.  Press Ctrl + / (Command + / on the Mac) to display an overlay of shortcuts over the top of your Lightroom window.

The list is specific to the module you are so check it in the Develop module for shortcuts for that module and in the Library for Library shortcuts and so on.

Close, Closer... and now three steps closer!

There are three basic techniques photographers can use to instantly improve their images... getting closer, finding the right light and creating more images.  Finding the right light is likely the most important as a mediocre composition can be transformed by glorious light.  Moving closer to the subject is equally important.  Many times amateur photographers stand too far awar from people they are photographing - often 10 to 20 feet from their subjects.  This becomes an even bigger problem the smaller the subjects are.

Self-Assignments...staying sharp

One way I find I can be more effective in a photo-journalist way is keeping my eye sharp and training myself  to acknowledge what's around me, not just see it.  It takes attention and practice.

Last year I was inspired to start a self-assignment of photographing the numbers 1 - 50 as seen around me.  I committed to not using house numbers as that would be too easy, and to try to isolate the numbers if possible.  Far harder than you might imagine..

A recent visit to my daughters school proved especially fruitful, but with all the labels, charts, number lines, rulers and class-room numbers it almost felt like I was cheating.   

Click the image for more in the Number 1 - 50 project