FreddB Loc: PA - Delaware County

You didn't start the battle; just a different topic to re-ignite the embers.
If we all live long enough, it's sure to rival the 30 Years War, if not the 100.
😈😈😈😈😈😈😈😈😈

btbg

This is a really weak excuse to not use photoshop. If you just stick with the basics photoshop is just as easy to use as any other processing program, no matter how easy it is to use. It's only when you begin to use layers and masks that photoshop becomes more complicated. If all you want to do is basic processing it's easy to use.

The same with lightroom. The only thing complicated with it is getting your photo catalog set up appropriately and making sure that you keep up with your key wording on new photos. Once again not really necessary if all you want is basic processing.

Our company gives a 45 minute lesson in photoshop each time they hire someone new who doesn't know how to use it. That's more than enough for basic processing. If you need more information there are plenty of free videos that explain layers, or masking, or making selections, etc....

Shoot if you shoot in raw and open the photo in photoshop it will use adobe camera raw and all you have to do is move a set of sliders until you have the look that you want. Name a program that is any easier to use than that.

mwsilvers Loc: Central New Jersey

You clearly are a person comfortable with using a computer and with using software. And you are making an assumption, and a very poor one at that, that everybody else would be as comfortable as you are. The fact is, and it is a fact, the average person's eyes would glaze over if they tried to learn how to use Photoshop and Lightroom. Most people are just not that interested in spending the time and dealing with the learning curve and don't even understand what the advantage would be to using it. For them those software packages are way overkill. There is a reason that Picasa was so popular. It was easy to use and required no significant learning curve. Your assumption about the ease of use of LR and PS is just completely unrealistic. Perhaps it's because you lack the experience working with the average end users that I worked with for an entire professional career.

Bill_de Loc: US

Why does anyone need an excuse not to use PS? There is other excellent software that does all the 'normal' stuff that just about every program does, and then some.

Adobe's biggest accomplishment to date is gathering the minions to preach the word, while going down the path with blinders on.

I know, to be a real photographer you must use manual exposure control, back button focus, shoot raw, and use PhotoShop to fix all your mistakes.



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FreddB Loc: PA - Delaware County

If you're not going to use layers, masking, etc., aren't you then paying a monthly fee just for cataloguing?

Peterff Loc: O'er The Hills and Far Away, in Themyscira.

No.

FreddB Loc: PA - Delaware County

Would you care to elaborate?

Peterff Loc: O'er The Hills and Far Away, in Themyscira.

No

FreddB Loc: PA - Delaware County

Didn't think so

Peterff Loc: O'er The Hills and Far Away, in Themyscira.

Well,I could, but I don't wish to, which is what you asked.

Especially since I'm off to dinner with friends.

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

rook2c4 Loc: Philadelphia, PA USA

I agree. For basic editing tasks (layer adjustments, global adjustments, the common brush tools), which is what most hobbyist photographers really only care about, PS isn't all that much better than many less expensive (and even some free) editors which offer those very same features. The way I see it, it isn't about being "cheap", but about spending money wisely - don't spend extra on stuff you don't need or don't intend on using. I certainly would never recommend PS to someone new to image editing. That's simply throwing money out the window.

btbg

Hey, I don't care what software people use. It makes no difference to me.

All I'm saying is if you are only doing basic processing photoshop works essentially the same as every other program. If it's too hard to use then so are the other ones. All you have to do is move a couple of sliders to make basic color or tone corrections is click on auto correct color or tone. All you have to do to crop is click on the crop tool and tell it what size you want to crop. All you have to do to change saturation or a multitude of other things is push a slider.

It works the same as every other program. It just has more options that can be learned later if an individual is interested. Just because something has the potential to be complicated and the power to do things most other programs can't do doesn't mean that you have to use all of those functions. If you stick to the basics it's easy to use.

btbg

Well one really good reason to use photoshop is because of all of the plugins that are available. Another reason is all of the available filters. If you use photoshop then you can add topaz, nik, photomatix, etc... Other post processing software isn't designed to utilize all of the plugins. In face there are a multitude of software programs that are stand alone, or that can be used as photoshop plugins.

The reasons to use photoshop depend on who is using it and why. Should everyone use it? No. There are plenty of reasons to choose other software. But to chose other software because it is supposedly easier to use than photoshop is a lame excuse.

The op has made a reasonable decision. It is those who for one reason or another hate photoshop that I'm talking to. Anyone can learn the basics quickly. And there are countless reasons to use it that don't include layers, masking or any other difficult tasks. 90 percent of my editing is just opening a raw file in arc and moving a couple of sliders, then cropping the photo, sharpening it for print and converting to cmyk. Generally 30 seconds tops.

It's only special situations or at home where I use the other features of photoshop, but it's sure nice to have those features when needed.

btbg

Love your responses. Short and sweet.