Lightroom 4 Now Available!

March 5, 2012 9:00 PM By: Cari Gushiken

Lightroom 4 is now feature complete and final. Starting today

Lightroom 4 is available for just US$149 for the full version and US$79 for the upgrade.

If you’ve had a chance to check out Lightroom 4 Beta, you probably have played with the enhanced Develop module and all of its powerful new tools, like:

• Adjustment controls that maximize dynamic range from cameras, recover exceptional shadow details and highlights.
• Improved auto adjustments to dynamically set values for exposure and contrast
• Additional local adjustment controls including Noise Reduction, Moire and White Balance
• Presets that take advantage of new processing technology for speedy results
• Soft proofing that helps photographers tune images in a destination color space to ensure content looks its best.
• Ability to email images directly from Lightroom using an email account of your choice

After editing and adjusting images, the next step is to find a way to showcase them.  A professionally bound book with high quality paper is a great way to highlight your photographic work. Lightroom 4 has built in tools to create them with text controls and a variety of easy-to-use templates, as well as a direct link for publishing your photo book with Blurb.

The intuitive Map module lets you pin photos to locations and easily import your geotagged photos. Seeing your photos on a Map can sometimes help you evoke memories of incredible vacations and favorite photo shoots.  At the very least, the new Map module will make organizing your photos more easy and fun.

Now, native video support allows you to play, trim and extract frames from video clips shot on DSLRs, point-and-shoot cameras and smartphones. Video-specific presets and many standard Lightroom image adjustment controls can be applied to video clips, and adjusted videos can be exported as a H.264 file or published directly to Facebook or Flickr.

WILDLIFE  CHECKLIST: FLORIDA PHOTO TOUR REPTILES:  American Alligator, American Crocodile, Anole, Red Bellied Turtle MAMMALS: West Indian Manatee,  Raccoon, Eastern Gray Squirrel, White Tailed Deer, Dolphin,Doberman Pinscher  DUCKS: Whistling-Duck, Gadwall, American Black Duck, Mallard, Blue-winged Teal, Northern Shoveler, Northern Pintail, Green-winged Teal, Ring-necked Duck, Red-breasted Merganser,  PODICIPEDIDAE — GREBES:  Pied-billed Grebe, Horned Grebe CICONIIDAE — STORKS:  Wood Stork  PHALACROCORACIDAE — CORMORANTS: Double-crested Cormorant   ANHINGIDAE — ANHINGAS & DARTERS: Anhinga B   PELECANIDAE — PELICANS: American White Pelican, Brown Pelican   ARDEIDAE — HERONS, BITTERNS & ALLIES: Great Blue Heron, Great Egret, Snowy Egret, Little Blue Heron, →

Wild Florida Photo Tour Results 2011.   I just got back from Florida last week. It was a long but exciting trip. It started out on a bad note when the Patriots lost the Superbowl. Thankfully each day got better.  I spent many weeks preparing for this trip even though I have photographed Florida for almost 20 years. It is important to →

 Here is some tips that will help you keep you photos sharper. 1.) Tripod: A tripod is critical for sharpness. The tripod stabilizes your camera and minimizes handshake. The sturdier the tripod the better your results will be. Usually the heaviest tripods are steadier. Some of the best brands are Gitzo, Really Right Stuff, and Bogen. Another major advantage of a tripod is →

  Who would have thought that a cell phone can improve your nature photography. When you buy a smart phone there are several options. One major choice is the operating system. Widows Phone and Blackberry have a large presence but two operating systems dominate the market. iPhone and Goodle's Android System.  Both options have thousands of applications. I found that the iPhone has more than Android. →

There really is a best time to do just about anything and everything. That is especially true when buying camera gear. So when is the best time to buy photo equipment? Manufactures’ like to introduce their newest models in January and February. This coincides with some of the larger trade shows like including the Consumer Electronics Show (CES) and the Photo Marketing →

I was photographing at the beautiful Cape Hanlopen State Park in Delaware. I decided to go on what I thought would be a 5 minute walk to the ocean. I ended up coming back 3 hours later. I was really thankful I brought my extension tubes since I didn't have any macro lenses on me.  I ended up photographing ghost crabs, fence lizards, and a pray →

  I am currently at Chincoteague National Wildlife Refuge on the coast of Virginia. I love this place it is beautiful and it is a great place to see wildlife. Today i started off with a beautiful sunrise and later photographed the wild horses. I have been here several times and you really can't go wrong. We will be leading a →

I love photographing Florida I have been going there for several years. The Roseate Spoonbills is one of my favorite birds. This species feeds in shallow fresh or coastal waters by swinging its bill from side to side as it steadily walks through the water, often in groups. The spoon-shaped bill allows it to sift easily through mud. It feeds on →

No matter how early or late the peak fall foliage is there is still many great pictures to take. Just walk or drive that extra mile. This year was one of my most challenging because of the record high temperatures which delayed the peak. We also had a lot of rainfall. I really got to thank my participants no one →