Light work I’ve seen a Lightroom Mobile app that allows you to edit images on your iPad or iPhone. How does it work, and is it useful?
Lightroom Mobile is only available to Adobe Creative Cloud subscription customers, Don, but you’re right, it is an interesting development. Essentially, it allows you to sync images that are on your Lightroom catalogue on your computer with your mobile devices via Creative Cloud.
When the images are on your iPad or iPhone, you can use the software to edit those images, something which could prove useful if you have hours to while away on a train or plane. You don’t have to be connected to the internet when you’re editing: the changes you make offline will sync with the desktop collection when you’re back online. Of course, the editing interface isn’t as sophisticated as the desktop version, but it gives you fingertip control over the look of an image.
I’ve being trying Lightroom Mobile for a few months. To be honest, I’ve not really felt the need to edit many images with it, but it is quite useful for making a collection of images to show to people when you don’t want to have to take a laptop with you. Images always look great on an iPad, so you can swipe through them to impress a friend or a potential client.
Now the bad news! I’ve found it frustrating to use at times. It doesn’t always want to sync images. I’ve spent a good day messing about to sort it out, having to delete everything I’d previously synced in order to upload a new collection. When it does sync it can be slow. I have fibre-optic broadband that’s reasonably fast but even this grinds to a halt while syncing. It’s just taken me 35 minutes to sync a collection of 90 images – which doesn’t seem too bad, but while it was doing so, there was no chance of using the internet. Not a problem if you just leave it to sync, but it is if you want to work online at the same time!
It’s early days for Lightroom Mobile, but perhaps there are still a few teething issues Adobe needs to sort out.
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When it comes to composition, three really is a magic number. Odd numbers of subjects help to add balance and interest to the frame, and despite the trio of balloons clashing with each other, Jason has at least done well to capture the moment when all three baskets are visible.