roadapplemax wrote:
I am ready to progress to better PP, currently using Adobe Premiere. I need a program for processing RAW, layering, etc. Recommendations? And should I also purchase "How To" use the program. I have no personal help available. Would like to have a free grace period in case I am over my head.
I suggest Lr/PsCC/ - it will serve your immediate needs, and those for years to come. Things go best if you work with raw files.
Learning curve is really no different than any other software that has similar functionality.
Lr is easier - fewer commands, less ability to edit images, but it only edits parametrically - in that it is hard to be precise with where you apply adjustments. It is called "workflow" software because it does very short work of very large tasks. It is easy to apply edits to large numbers of raw files at once. It's output, while good, is not considered "finished" - there are always opportunity to improve on an image edited in Lr. The editing part is easy and powerful.
The Lr catalog is what makes everyone crazy. In order to edit a file in Lr, you need to add it to the catalog. You can let Lr import images to the location of your choice, or you can import the image files outside of Lr, then you must synchronize the folder you imported with Lr. Most people don't understand this and really struggle with it. Once you start using Lr, it is much easier to conduct all of your file management inside of Lr, unless your computer skills are up to snuff, in which case you can work inside and outside of Lr, as long as you understand the rules and abide by them.
Ps is the undisputed king of image and graphics editing - a true standard in the industry. It has a formidable set of commands with myriad options, and there is nothing you can't do with it. But it does have quite a learning curve if you set out to learn everything, but most people can use it productively with learning just what you need to know to adjust your images to your taste. I've been using Ps since 1999, and I use it professionally, but don't know everything, but I know enough for my needs, and I also know that if there is something I need to do, there are literally 1,000s of web resources that I can turn to, the majority of which are free.
A steep learning curve should not be a reason to consider other software. Learning is good, and once you get the learning curve behind you, it's in the past. The pain is temporary, the benefits are limitless.
If your computer skills are thin, it would behoove you to get them up to speed.
As far as how to apply the power of Lr and Ps - you will need to ensure that your image evaluation skills are solid. You look at an image and you can immediately identify weaknesses that you should be able to address with software. This is true for any package you might use. if your skills weak in this area, your results will be similarly weak. It's all about vision, aesthetic and artistic sense and balance. No software in the world can provide that, but good software will help you leverage the power of a powerful package.