Slideshows are a great way to study a shoot/folder. You can then edit the slideshow by either putting your "picks" into a collection or by selecting your picks from a rating or color label. When you're done, there are now new ways to export the slide show for a variety of purposes and you've also finished the editing of your images. Here's the workflow:

1. First, I adjust all the images in any series (same place, subject, lighting) while in Library mode with the Auto command (unless I see something that I know I shot for an effect and want to keep that way). If it's obvious that I need Recovery, Fill Light, or a Black adjustment, I do that using the quick buttons in Library mode, too.

2. Next, I switch to the Develop mode (press D). I turn off the Left column so that I can make the image as large as possible while still having access to the Right column. and go through each image by pressing Shift + P to kill the duds and make basic improvements to the keepers by dragging in the Histogram. If an image comes up that's "close but not quite" or :"ugh! messed up on that one", I poke the Delete key and hit Return to remove it from the disk. Saves me millions of wasted moments finding good stuff later on.

3. I really wish I could "paint" keywords from a selection of say, a dozen, while in the Develop Module at this point. That way, I could make up the keywords for the whole shoot and paste in the ones that mattered at the right time. Just turn off the ones I don't want to paint first. Maybe that's for Lightroom 3. I didn't even think of it until I was writing this workflow.

4. As soon as I finish the first two steps above for the whole folder, I take a break...anything from coffee to a great date at the movies. I find that having at least an hour of "getaway time" helps a lot to maintain judgmental perspective.

5. When I return, I go back to Library Module and make sure that either all or none of the images are selected. Then I click on the Slideshow Module. I set up a slideshow with a nice black border around the slides, a drop shadow, a gray background, my business name at the top.

6. Now I just press Enter. The slideshow fills the entire screen, plays from start to finish and I can just sit at watch it for as long as I want. I don't try to do anything at this stage besides reacting to what I see...and maybe sticking some comments in my sub-conscious. There are no written notes and no stopping the slideshow.

7. If I can, I'll show the slide show a second time to an assistant, neighbor, fellow photographer or any other person who's interested enough to want to watch.

8. Now I do a final edit. I click a number from 1 to 3 for each of the slides as it plays. A star rating is given to each, according to the number I punched. One star is to be not included in the final presentation. Two stars means "probably accepted"; Three stars means it's a definite keeper for the final presentation. The last two stars are saved for the client ratings for definite consideration or auxiliary use and for top-level use.

9. Now I press G for Library Grid mode and select all the images with two or more stars by using the Attributes in the Library Filter bar so that nothing else is showing.

10. Immediately back in Slideshow module, I create the look for the slideshow that I want the presentation slideshow to have. Usually, I add titles, rating, filename, and copyright. I play it to make sure it looks the way I want and then click the Export PDF button to save the slideshow to my desktop as a PDF file that I can FTP to the client or burn to a CD.

11. Finally, I use the new Export to JPEG button so I can later make any kind of slideshow you want in a third-party slideshow maker. With a little luck, my next blog will be on some of the possibilities for same.