Neverlost99 Loc: Sarasota

Having never used a program
More complicated than Google Photos or Windows Photo ( whatever the name is as I mentioned I’m lazy ) I’m ready to start using either late room or one of the HDR pro tools that I’ve seen for about $99. My camera will not do HDR in the camera so I’m gonna need something to do a little more enhancement. I guess I should bite the bullet and try the nine dollar a month Adobe trial but the learning curve looks so damn steep. Is the best way just to do this to bite the bullet and start watching YouTube tutorials.

bleirer

Lightroom is pretty easy. Photoshop gets complicated. Lightroom will do HDR, panorama stitching, and hdr panoramas as easy as selecting the pics, right clicking, and choosing "auto." Photoshop elements is even more friendly to beginners and also does hdr.

kpmac Loc: Ragley, La

Take a look at On1 Photo Raw. It has what you want and is less expensive.

CO

For your HDR shots, you would be better off getting a dedicated HDR program. You have more controls and they have presets you can start with and then adjust to get the look you want. You can even save your own HDR profiles and apply them. I use Photomatix HDR pro ($99). Photomatix Essentials is $49.

Photoshop and Lightroom are great for editing. If you shoot with Nikon you could download Capture NX-D.

mwsilvers Loc: Central New Jersey

There is learning curve, sometimes steep, with any full featured post processing software. To learn how to use software properly, and get good results with it, requires a commitment of time and effort. You don't just jump in and start using it with any expectation you will be able get good results after a couple of hours of effort. Lightroom, PhotoShop, ON1, Affinity Photo, DXO PhotoLab and the rest can take many hours of training and practice just to understand the bare bone basics. To develop real expertise can sometimes take hundreds of hours. If you want software that requires very little effort and time commitment on your part, stick to the basic software that came with your computer.

billnikon Loc: Pennsylvania/Ohio/Florida/Maui/Oregon/Vermont

I started by getting the photographers package that includes lightroom CC an Photoshop CC for $10.00 a month, they also throw in RAW.
I, like you, went and am still going through a sharp learning curve. But both programs have EXCELLENT tutorials that take you one step, utube offers 1000's of additional tutorials. I took an evening class on Photoshop and plan to take a lot more.
Some of the tools are easy and effective, one of my first and most important tools was the Healing Brush, you can really do a lot with this guy and it will instantly improve some of your shots.
So, yes, it is a learning PROCESS, get started and you won't be sorry.

Notorious T.O.D. Loc: Harrisburg, North Carolina

I can recommend Laura Shoe training videos as a good introduction to Lightroom and Photoshop...

Neverlost99 Loc: Sarasota

Thanks to all for advice

jerryc41 Loc: Catskill Mts of NY

As a beginner, you might not want to commit to $120/year with Lightroom and Photoshop. Look at free processing programs.
https://www.darktable.org/
https://www.dpreview.com/forums/post/59324818
https://www.lightstalking.com/how-to-edit-rawtherapee/
https://www.lightstalking.com/free-photography-software/
http://www.techradar.com/news/the-best-free-photo-editor
http://fieldguide.gizmodo.com/the-best-photoshop-alternatives-that-are-totally-free-5974500
http://lightzoneproject.org/

Free HDR -
https://www.easyhdr.com/download/basic/

HDR for a cost -
https://www.photoworkout.com/aurora-hdr-2017-vs-photomatix-pro-5/
https://www.softwarehow.com/best-hdr-software/
https://captainkimo.com/hdr-software-review-comparison/

mizzee Loc: Boston,Ma

Regardless of which program you decide to use, you will need to take the time to learn it. Lightroom will do almost anything you need to do.

bleirer

What i like about Photoshop elements is that you can easy jump from the regular to the beginner to the advanced tab for the same image. The beginner tab will hold your hand and literally show you what to do. Plus it is a good organizer and there is no ongoing subscription. About $100 I believe.

gvarner Loc: Central Oregon Coast

Your admitted laziness will get in the way of your goal. You will soon get lost in the techno-maze of more advanced editing programs. A trial and error approach will lead to more errors than successes. Start by figuring out the difference between Windows and Google.

Earnest Botello Loc: Hockley, Texas

Welcome to the Hog, enjoy.

amfoto1 Loc: San Jose, Calif. USA

Easiest to learn to use is Adobe Elements 2019.

It gives you choice of highly guided "Beginner", more lightly guided "Intermediate", or unguided "Expert" mode. You can switch between them any time you like. Some features are "blocked" in the more highly guided modes. But, when needed, you can switch to a mode that gives you access, do whatever you wanted to do, then switch back to the more guided mode if you prefer.

Elements is also more of an "all in one" program....

Lightroom is actually designed to be used in conjunction with Photoshop. Not sure that HDR is even possible with LR... at least not with the precision and control possible in Photoshop.

LR has no "easy mode", but not too steep a learning curve. Most people can get pretty comfortable with it reading a book or two and practicing with it for a month or so.

PS also has no "easy mode"... and has about the steepest and longest learning curve of any images editing program. It can take a stack of books and/or a year's worth of classes to learn to use PS to full advantage. (I've been using PS for twenty years and know I only use a small portion of what it's capabilities.)

LR & PS are ONLY available by subscription... $10 a month/$120 a year "rent" (there are some other plans that cost more). You stop payin', it stops workin' (it doesn't "undo" work you've done with the programs... but your LR catalogs and edits will not be available until you re-subscribe).

Elements costs $100 once (maybe a little less, it goes on sale from time to time). But you own it and can use it as long as you like. At least until you feel the need to update to a newer version. That might be if Adobe adds some new "gee whiz" feature you just gotta have... Or if you buy a camera in the future that's not supported by your current version of Elements. Otherwise, just keep using it.

There's a free 30-day trial of Elements 2019 you can download from the Adobe website. Give it a try. If you like it, fine. If not, you can go looking at other programs.

I would recommend spending a few $ for one of the "how to" books for whatever program you choose. Those can make it a lot easier to get started using the software. There are more books and other third party support, such as "plug-ins", for Adobe products than there are for anything else.

EDIT: I did a search and see that HDR is now possible using the subscription version of LR Classic. I don't know how well it works. (Personally I still use Lightroom 6.14, which doesn't have HDR capability... But I also don't have to pay "rent" . And I have Photo Merge HDR available in Photoshop CS6 anyway.)

nadelewitz Loc: Ithaca NY

If you are lazy you need dead simple. Windows Photo sounds like just your speed.

If you want to try a free and very sophisticated (but not as complicated as Adobe stuff) look at Paint.net.

Getpaint.net