For correcting photographs, while I typically prefer other image programs, which do a better job on details (e.g. Sharpening, Noise reduction, Lens corrections and high Dynamic Range images — Lightroom creates garish “halos” at HDR edges) here’s my quick Lightroom 3.x overview / tutorial.
Lightroom 3.x shows your lighting adjustments quickly (once you get it running – it takes a long time to load even on a fast machine).
There are several independent “modules” available across the top of the screen: Develop, Library, (Slideshow, Print and Website – which I don’t use).
To Import images you press “Ctrl-Shift-I” (even if in Develop mode).
And that is everything you need to know about “Library” module. Its supposed to help you organize your images, but it is so pathetically slow and awkward – I don’t use those functions.
(It is a big time waster to delete or rename images when you are in “Develop” mode because you have to go back to Library mode. There is no good reason why some basic Library commands like Import, Rename and Delete images aren’t available from the most used “Develop” module. )
With Lightroom, I spend 90+ percent of my time in its “Develop” module.
1. In Develop mode the image adjust panels pop out from the right side. The “Basic” panel can do 80 percent of everything related to brightness and colors.
a. To minimize clipping / blown out whites, or recover shadow detail and colors – use “Exposure.”
b. Brightness and “Fill Light” brings out Shadow detail.
c. Contrast and Clarity to restore “punch.”
2. The “Detail” panel is where I can minimize Noise
(and Sharpen, though I rarely use it.) LR does a good job on color noise, but is weak on regular noise and almost worthless for pattern noise.
I rarely needed the other panels.
Leveling the images is the only other function I use regularly. Just press “R” and a grid shows up that you can rotate the edges with the mouse until the image is straight.
3. Print / Export to a Jpeg Disk file = Ctrl-Shift-E (as in Export). Then you print the exported file or get it to a photo lab so they print it.
That should get you started.