Memoirs of Nikko – Through Lightroom 3 Beta

Details: Nikko Bridge in Japan.
Nikon D70s with Nikkor 18-200mm | 18mm, 1/30 @ F4.8, ISO 200

Since reading on Scott Kelby’s site that Lightroom 3 Beta was available from Adobe, I thought I would install and give it a go. I have been using Aperture 2 from Apple for almost 2 years now and have been very impressed with the application and it’s speed. Over the last few months, I had read some very strong reviews of Lightroom 2 and it’s Adjustment Brush, something that is lacking in Aperture. I have been hanging on, hoping that Apple would push something through it’s development doors to the diminishing Aperture user base. Alas, nothing has come. Anyway, to cut to the chase, I downloaded Lightroom 3 and copied my library over in the DNG format. To be honest, the first thing I noticed after copying my files across (around 20000 pics), was how SLOW LIghtroom is in comparison to Aperture. In both browsing photos in the libraries, and editing photos, Aperture was many times faster. However, the few items that kept on drawing me to Lightroom was that damned adjustment brush, and the ability to work with watermarks more fluidly. In any case, I will be sticking with Aperture for now, and using some of the unique features of Lightroom 3 when the need arises.

The following is a little about Nikko in Japanese and English. It is one of the first photos I have post processed in Lightroom since installing. This pic is also featured on my whereinjapan website. Check it out if you are interested in Japan and learning the language.

日光は、徳川幕府初代将軍である徳川家康を祀る日本で最も精巧に建造された東照宮で有名な小都市です。また、何世紀にもわたり神道と仏教の山岳信仰の中心でもあります。
Translation:
Nikko is a small city famous for the Toshogu, Japan’s most lavishly decorated shrine complex and mausoleum of Tokugawa Ieyasu, the founder of the Tokugawa shogunate. Nikko is also a centre for Shinto and Buddhist mountain worship for many centuries.