BrentHarder Loc: Southern California

I am currently reviewing all the changes since CS6.......... like content aware. My original CS6 version was bought with a student discount, so the price wasn’t so bad. In the CC version It seems like all the tools are smoother and can sometimes almost read your mind what you are trying to do. If I’m going to save time and effort in my PP work it’s worth money for me. Also a HUGE benefit is that I don’t need to learn a new program. I’m a happy camper paying the subscription and having the best solution for me. Thanks for everyone’s thoughts on this topic........it truly did guide me into this direction and I feel very comfortable with my decision thanks to all of you.

topcat Loc: Alameda, CA

I use Photoshop Elements along with Elements+. It is an add-on to Elements that allows you to do a few things in Elements that you could only do in Photoshop.
The one that I use the most the curves. Elements does not allow this to work.

Anyway, it works for me.

vg Loc: Kansas City area

The endless tirade against photoshop subscription program is such a waste of time.
If you are a serious photographer or just use your camera as a hobby $10 a month should not be an issue.

johngault007 Loc: Florida Panhandle

LOL....That's an awesome opinion!

vg Loc: Kansas City area

Thanks

AzPicLady Loc: Behind the camera!

There are some people who are quite serious about their work but to whom an extra $10 is a hardship. Can we be a bit kinder about this?

SalvageDiver Loc: Huntington Beach CA

Hello Brent,

I didn't have time the whole thread so I hope this isn't a duplication of existing suggestions, but here's a few of suggestions.

1) Why not just downgrade your installation from Big Sur back to Catalina. It seems to me this would cause you the least amount of overall frustrations. Here's a link on how to do that. Now super easy but will likely be much easier than relearning a new photography platform.

https://setapp.com/how-to/downgrade-from-big-sur-to-catalina

2) If you really want to move to GIMP but want to stay in a familiar working environment, I would suggest looking into a GIMP add-on called PhotoGIMP. It's not perfect but it seems to create a working environment close to PS. It might make the transition easier that going gold-turkey into GIMP.

3) I have both PS and Affinity (and sevaral other editors). While they are different, I've found Affinity to be the best PS look alike with similar features. There are differences, but, for me, the transition was not really that difficult. Affinity also has a book that describes Affinity and how to use it. If I were advising you about an programs for PS, it would be in this order: 1) Affinity, 2) PSE, 3)GIMP with PhotoGIMP.

4) There are plug-ins to PSE that unlock a lot of advanced features that make it more PS like. Not a perfect solution, but if you want to stay in the Adobe family but PSE is missing advanced features that you need, this may be an alternative. ElementsXXL is one that comes to mind.

Hope this helps
Mike

fantom Loc: Colorado

If economically feasible I'd suggest going with the PS subscription for ten bucks a month. That includes program updates the frequently add new or enhanced features. It is worth it if you do much editing or compositing.

Jeffers

Photoshop Elements is still purchase, not subscription. Their annual updates are mostly for Quick and Guided Modes and not nearly as good as using Expert Mode. If you get Elements, you can use it for years before replacing it. To my knowledge, the last time they added tools to the Expert Mode was Elements 2015 and those had to do with adjusting facial expressions. The biggest downside to Elements is that you have to do pictures one at a time, no auto adjust. But I have the process down to less than a minute and a half per digital picture. Unless I have to do some masking which is rare. If you already know Photoshop or Lightroom, the transition to Elements should be easy. OBTW, I tried GIMP a few years ago, didn't like it.

shenee

I use Gimp you just have to get use to it .They have videos on You Tube. Davies Media Design (where you can get gimp vidoes)I also use Raw Therapee for my raw photos.Also have videos not as many as the gimp ones..for raw processing is Dark Table (suppose to be a knockoff of Light Room)

Ron 717 Loc: Pennsylvania

Check the prices again, the photographers edition of LR/PS?Bridge is still 10.00 a month not 20.00
Also you can revert back to your old OS if you don't like Big Sur.

rfmaude41 Loc: Lancaster, Texas (DFW area)

[GIMP is the Gnu Image Manipulation Program.[/quote]

The latest version is known as GLIMPSE 0.2

johngault007 Loc: Florida Panhandle

GLIMPSE is a fork of the GIMP project. They coexist, but are not the same.

OleMe Loc: Montgomery Co., MD

Ive used both. Have stuck with the GIMP. There is a learning curve. That is to be expected. There is a lot of online help and demos. You csn even @ake the GIMP look like PShop - google "make gimp look like Photoshop" as well as "compare gimp photoshop."

IDguy Loc: Idaho

Unlikely. Most probably happily pay a $100 per month cell bill. It is a matter of priority.

And the $10 per month is small compared to the computer system needed to run any of the programs. To say nothing of having a camera that makes any of the programs useful.

Woke misthinking not applicable here.