Photoshop Lightroom 3 provides one easy application for managing and processing large numbers of digital photographs so you can spend less time in front of the computer and more time behind the lens. You can create brillant images using the leading-edge image processing tools in Lightroom. From sophisticated exposure and color controls to superior noise reduction and sharpening, Lightroom provides what you need to create stunning photographs.

I use Lightroom to process all my RAW images and it has speeded up my workflow considerably over using Photoshop. I get great results too with the enhanced raw adjustment tools, some of which are not available in the Photoshop and Elements raw converters. Lightroom 3.0 has several new tools and excellent refinements that make it the perfect choice as a Raw converter and image cataloging application.

Lightroom 3 Features:

• Import images into LIghtroom with new Import dialog box and add keywords as you import them
• Search your Library by keywords to quickly locate images
• Create Collections in the Library to organize your images
• Quickly go through your images and flag them for deletion, flag them as picks or rate them with stars
• Filter your images by picks or ratings
• Develop your images quickly with superior, easy-to-use controls. Settings can be copied and pasted or synchronized to any number of images for faster processing
• The new processing engine in Lightroom 3 gives you better results straight out of the camera, including sharper details and superior noise reduction for high ISO images
• Nondestructive editing: Experiment with as many image-editing controls, enhancements, and looks as you like. Lightroom is a nondestructive environment that encourages your creative exploration. Your original images are safely unaltered, and it's easy to reverse your steps or save multiple versions of any photograph as Virtual Copies with only one original Raw image on your hard drive
• Check for sharpness, noise, or small details with fast 100% zooming with one click
• Convert color images to black-and-white with precision
• Brush on exposure, brightness, saturation, sharpness, tints, gradients and other effects precisely where you want them
• Fast, high-quality printing
• Easily create Web galleries with live preview in the program
• Use the simple controls in Lightroom to create and play elegant slide shows, and include background music
• Lightroom is the perfect complement to Adobe Photoshop or Photoshop Elements. Use Lightroom to import, manage, adjust, and present your digital photographs, and use Photoshop or Elements to more thoroughly refine individual images if needed

Here are some great learning resources including video and other tutorials, tips, news and presets.

Lightroom 3: Streamlining Your Digital Photography Process
by Nat Coalson

As a digital photographer, you work with increasing numbers of images and countless options for editing and sharing your photos. The process can become tedious and complicated. But now there's Lightroom 3, the single, essential software for organizing your photo library and fulfilling your creative vision. And there's this book, with step-by-step tutorials, clear examples in plain language, and in-depth explanations to teach you Lightroom 3 — fast!  

The material presented in this book is appropriate for digital photographers working in all disciplines, at all skill levels. The information and tutorials are applicable to every kind of photography: from weddings and portraits to fine art landscape work. Everyone can learn to streamline the digital photography process using Lightroom 3.