Graphics Programs Reference
In-Depth Information
One of the things I love best about Lightroom is how it gets out of your way and
lets your photos be the focus. That's why I love the Shift-Tab shortcut that hides
all the panels. But if you want to really take things to the next level, after you hide
those panels, you can dim everything around your photo, or literally “turn the
lights out,” so everything is blacked out but your photos. Here's how:
Step One:
Press the letter
L
on your keyboard to
enter Lights Dim mode, in which every-
thing but your photo(s) in the center
Preview area is dimmed (kind of like you
turned down a lighting dimmer). In this
mode, a thin white border also appears
around your thumbnails, so they really
stand out. Perhaps the coolest thing
about this dimmed mode is the fact
that the Panels areas, taskbar, and Film-
strip all still work—you can still make
adjustments, change photos, etc., just
like when the “lights” are all on.
Step Two:
The next viewing mode is Lights Out
(you get Lights Out by pressing
L
a second
time), and this one really makes your
photos the star of the show because
everything else is totally blacked out, so
there's nothing (and I mean nothing) but
your photos onscreen (to return to regular
Lights On mode, just press L again). To
get your image as big onscreen as possible,
right before you enter Lights Out mode,
press
Shift-Tab
to hide all the panels on
the sides, top, and bottom—that way you
get the big image view you see here. With-
out the Shift-Tab, you'd have the smaller
size image you see in Step One, with lots
and lots of empty black space around it.
