canon Lee

LightRoom is specifically designed for the photographers that need a fast way to sort/export hundreds of images at a time. If you take just a few pictures at a time then it has no advantage. I take hundreds of images at one shoot, so It is an advantage to use LR & that advantage Photoshop does not afford me. For instance in Photoshop you have to export 1 photo at a time, where in LR you can export hundreds of the same sized at one time. BIG savings in time.. LR works with indestructible RAW data. Photoshop is an editing program, where you can move pixels around and for that you need a JPEG. In Photoshop every time you edit you lose sharpness and clarity.. Unless you need to edit your image, I would suggest that you use LR for all your processing..

Gene51 Loc: Yonkers, NY, now in LSD (LowerSlowerDelaware)

It's a tool. Like any other tool, if you can use what it offers, great. You have covered 90% of what I use LR for. It can print, publish, add and edit GPS data, add and edit metadata, find things instantly especially if you have keyworded your images, etc. For me it is a clearinghouse for my images. 100% of them go into LR's catalog. 100% of them go out to other applications for finishing - PS, On1 Effects, DXO for pre-post (can I say that?) preparation for noisy, high ISO images, Photomatix for HDR, Helicon Focus for focus stacking, etc. When I launch an external application, LR is good enough to ask me if I want to work on the original or a copy, and will add the image to the catalog, saving me a step later. Oh, and like a true workflow-designed application, it can speed through edits - individually or to a group of images if they will receive the same adjustments. I can't think of a faster way to get from raw capture to client proof stage than LR. But I must emphasize that if anyone thinks they are finished when they do whatever they do to an image in LR, they are "leaving money on the table" so to speak. There is always more potential in 99.9% of the images I've seen when they have been edited to the max in LR and nothing else, that can easily be revealed with a little skillful editing. It's the difference between Honorable Mention and First Prize.

Tinkerbell Loc: Bethalto IL

I use Lightroom always first, it does some things easier than photoshop, but I can't finish without it I do the monthly $20.00 for both and it upgrades automatically.

speters Loc: Grangeville/Idaho

I don't know of anything to begin with, that can not be had in PS, but in LR!!

f8lee Loc: New Mexico

@canon_Lee alludes to this, but I'm surprised nobody mentioned this as well - beyond importing/sorting/exporting multiple images at once Lightroom allows you to make some basic post processing adjustments to entire groups of images simultaneously - the Quick develop section of the Library module will perform whatever adjustment you specify on all images that are selected. So if you need to change white balance or adjust exposure for an entire set of images, they can all be handled with one set of operations. As @canon_Lee said, if you only take a few images this is probably not a game changer, but if you take hundreds or thousands of images at an event and they all need some basic corrections it becomes a life saver.

Howard5252 Loc: New York / Florida (now)

It's not a question of what you get, it's a question of which program will do a better job of which ever job you happen to be doing OR perhaps which is easier to use. A blanket answer cannot be given.

mborn Loc: Massachusetts

For me, I find that LR Develop Module ( which is the same engine as PS ACR) much easier to utilize and better organized. from there I go to PS for final processing

jerryc41 Loc: Catskill Mts of NY

I find it faster and easier to process images with LR. PS, on the other hand, can do more manipulation than LR.

William Stewart

I'm a Photoshop CC user.. I've tried including Lightroom in my workflow but don't find any benefits for me. I do photo editing for Portrait, Event, Landscape and Real Estate listings. I use ACDSee20 as a viewer and convenient tool for emailing multiple photos a specified size. I make my own folders for my events based on a date and description method as the events occur. I use Carbonite for a backup service.. works well for me.. I have 250,000 files (800 GB) backed up. I also use a few Photoshop plug-ins.. Portrait Professional, OnOne Raw, Portraiture, Primatte, & Perfectly Clear. I'm sure Lightroom is great for those who have it built into their workflow but I'm happy with my workflow. Photoshop is fun for me. I continually experiment with the tools I have to improve my final edits.

easy8

Easiest way for me to learn Lightroom was to watch YouTube vids

Desert Gecko Loc: desert southwest, USA

I see it as simply this: Lightroom is for processing photographs while Photoshop is for manipulating them or creating digital artwork.

That's not to say that PS cannot be used to simply process a RAW file or touch up a jpeg, because it can obviously do everything LR can except the cataloging. But clearly PS was designed for much greater creativity and manipulation while LR was designed for photo processing and basic editing.

Jack 13088 Loc: Central NY

What he said!

catchlight.. Loc: Wisconsin USA- Halden Norway

They should both be used together...Creativity takes over in PS after LR adjustments are completed. LR offers a great storage system and the tools and solutions expand in Photoshop to complete or be creative with your image.

SusanFromVermont Loc: Southwest corner of Vermont

An excellent answer to your question:


On the other hand, perhaps you also should be asking what features you do NOT get from LR! This will point out why learning to use other applications - such as PS - can help to bring your photography to the next level. You already have PS, why not use it?!

Paul Buckhiester Loc: Columbus, GA USA

I think Lightroom really shines in its ease of processing multiple images simultaneously and sharing collections on mobile devices and with others.