PaulB Loc: Alabama

Does anyone else besides me find PSE12 to be a very difficult program to use? I purchased "the missing manual" book, but still have difficulty using the software. I am starting to shoot in "raw", which is why I moved to PSE12. I don't have any difficulty using it for post production, but I haven't been able to organize the photos in folders or find them when I want to add them to Facebook or email specific photos. I really loved Picasa, when I was shooting in jpeg and before Google called off the program. I would like a post production software package that doesn't require a PHD in photography manipulation to use. Any suggestions from fellow UHH's?

jethro779 Loc: Tucson, AZ

Elements is not the best cataloging program. While I am not a complete Adobe fan, Lightroom does the best organizing job if you are not using the program that came with your camera.

PaulB Loc: Alabama

Thanks. I have heard good things about Lightroom. Will look into it.

djtravels Loc: Georgia boy now

I've used Elements from 10, to 12 and 14. I've never tried to use the organizer function as I prefer to organize my files my own way, completely separate from any Photoshop software. Can find anything fast. djt

Linda From Maine Loc: Yakima, Washington

I do as djtravels mentioned: my own file names, folder names, organizing into larger folders by month.

I used PSE 12 for a year or two, moved to PSE 13 when I got another computer. Love the software as editor, and have never installed the Elements organizer!

Don't throw the baby out with the bath water as they say

Morning Star Loc: West coast, North of the 49th N.

I have never used the Organizer in PSE !
I have my own system of organizing photos in Windows Explorer (now File Explorer).
From everything I've read here on the Hog, the strength of finding your photos back in the Organizer lies in the tags/keywords you can attach to your photos.
Well, you can do the same thing in File Explorer!
Navigate to the folder where you have your photos, then at the top of the FE screen, click on View.
On the top left, click on Details Pane.
Select a photo, and on the far right you will get a list with information about your photo.
The fields you can change are: Tags, Title, Authors, Comments, and Subject.
So, now you want a specific photo but can't remember where it is located, but you do remember that Aunt Kathy is in the photo, and you have tagged it as such.
In the Search bar at the top right, type in 'Aunt Kathy' and hit Enter. Depending on the speed of your computer and the number of photos that need to be searched, all the photos with Aunt Kathy will be found in very short order.

PaulB Loc: Alabama

Thanks for the input.

gvarner Loc: Central Oregon Coast

I cut my teeth on Elements 11 and have since moved to Elements 14 on my new PC. Since they're Adobe products, the Elements Organizer is built on the LR Library module. I have categories and sub-categories and tag everything when I import from my SD card. The Elements RAW processor is a smaller version of what LR's is but I find it adequate for my limited skills. LR seems to be the standard for pros who work with tens of thousands of photos and import hundreds at a time for batch processing. I have about 10,000 pics and usually only import 50 to 100 at a time, sometimes more. I make sure my original pics go into dated folders so all the folders ISO indated order in the Organizer.

PaulB Loc: Alabama

Thanks for the response gvarner.

amfoto1 Loc: San Jose, Calif. USA

First, I'd suggest updating to PSE14, at least. It's on sale now, because PSE15 is about to be announced. If you prefer, wait for the new version, but it is more of an unknown until it's released and will be more expensive.

Compare the four most recent versions of Elements here: http://www.adobe.com/products/photoshop-elements/buying-guide.html

What that doesn't show, and I don't know, is how PSE 12 differs from PSE 14 in user support. I know the latter has choice of three user modes, depending upon how much help you want: Beginner, Intermediate and Expert.

Something else that might help, if you are using a Windows-based PC, you probably won't be able to view RAW files directly.... all you'll see is an icon. But you can install a codec that will give you previews and thumbnails automatically. That can be a big help when sorting and organizing. I use a codec called FastPictureViewer.... only cost a few $ and let's me view RAWs from all the major manufacturers' cameras, as well as some other files that normally aren't viewable in the Windows OS or any of its built-in components. (http://www.fastpictureviewer.com/codecs/) No financial interest in that.... it's just been a very helpful tool for me so I recommend it.

Lightroom is a powerful cataloging and organizing tool... But, quite frankly, if you are struggling with Elements, not sure I'd suggest going to an even more complex program with a steeper learning curve and almost no built-in user assistance. You'd probably still want to keep Elements for image editing, too... since Lightroom isn't designed to offer a lot of that (it's designed to complement and work with Photoshop, which is the Mack Daddy of all image editing programs). Elements borrows on features from both LR and PS... is sort of a "lite" version of both, but more of an all-in-one program.

John_F Loc: Minneapolis, MN

I have a thing with Lightroom cataloging. What data dies LR have by which to organize - the EXIF data put in by the camera. That is; date, tine, f-stop, shutter speed, ISO, WB maybe, GPS coordinates if camera dies them. My Illustrations folder has subfolders by place & year, person, pet, holiday, etc. LR has no way of knowing that. You will want to rename the picture files from a camera number to something that makes sense to you and the subfolder names will be those that makes sense to you. And LR knows nothing of all that. I have LR-1, looked at it and went back to cataloging in a way that made sense to me. Everyone is different and has their own tastes.

Morning Star Loc: West coast, North of the 49th N.

I didn't look very far, but found PSE 14 offered for just under $80 on Amazon.
With that price, I would wait a while longer. If Adobe sticks with "tradition", PSE 15 should be released two weeks from today - yes, at the regular price, I'm sure.
However, if you can wait till around November 25 (Black Friday), again traditionally, a number of stores have offered the new version for about $50. Initially that was just Costco, but the last several years more stores have done the same thing.

As to user support: Earlier versions also had the three modes of Quick, Guided and Expert (those were and still are, the actual names for the modes). There now is also an eLive mode, taking you to webpages where you can "Find inspiration, ideas, help and techniques at Elements Live."
I must admit here, that I have never used any but the Expert mode.

don26812 Loc: South Bay of Los Angeles, CA

Try using the Folder View within the Organizer. You may that you like it. They have improved that view since PSE 12, to make it even more useful. My point is you do not have to abandon organizing your folders when using the Organizer. You just have to make sure that you use the Organizer to rename, move, or delete your photos. It has these commands.