joe_flippin Loc: Texan living in Brazil, SA

Does anybody use both? Would it be necessary to buy PSE 13 if I have PS CS6?
I am finding PS CS6 kind a complicated.
Any advice would be helpful and possibly save me some money!!

speters Loc: Grangeville/Idaho

I'm the other way around, I find CS easy, but PSE complicated.

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

PSE is easy to learn but harder to achieve certain results, and it only works with 8 bit files, which may or may not matter to you. It is an amateur/hobbyist's tool though I know a few photographers that earn a living from photography who use it - to their own detriment. Their work is better than what PSE can produce, but they are stuck with what they know.

Photoshop is the stick-shift version - full manual, full capability, more commands to learn, more control over the result. You can approach learning Photoshop by understanding what "can" be done to an image and then finding the right tutorial or book or working with a mentor/teacher to help you learn the method to use. I have been using Photoshop since 1998 and I am still learning stuff about it - partly because there are new versions with new features - over 1000 since they went to a subscription model, and partly because I have sought new ways to interpret my images and need to utilize parts of Photoshop that I have not really spent time learning.

BTW - I would strongly recommend against wasting any money on a copy of software that is 3 yrs old and not going to be updated ever again. The $10/mo subscription is a bargain and your software is always up to date.

ralphc4176 Loc: Conyers, GA

If you have Photoshop CS6, I would recommend against buying Elements. If you want something simpler, you could buy a less complicated photo-editing software. Corel makes a brand, and I am partial to Cyberlink's PhotoDirector for quick and easy edits of JPEGs. DxO Optics also sells very good software, but I wouldn't say it's any easier to use than Photoshop.

Brucej67 Loc: Cary, NC

Just be aware of what editing software you buy as some will only run on Windows PC and not Mac, Corel is only for Windows and will not run on Apple computers.

jerryc41 Loc: Catskill Mts of NY

For the huge difference in price, I'd recommend PSE 13. There is very good online instruction available for both.

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

Didn't realize you already own CS6 - I would stick with it - soon enough you will be able to leverage your new skills in ways that PSE cannot provide. Down the road you'll be glad you invested the effort.

gypsy02 Loc: Indiana

If you already have CS6 and don't want to spend $$$, then keep on working on learning that. Photoshop Elements is much easier to learn, but I guess doesn't have everything the pros want. I've been using PSE for many years and I love it! Fun to learn and fun to use. Does most everything without spending big bucks for Photoshop - or now being tied into a monthly bill. I prefer to own my program but that's just me. Just my opinion.

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

As long as you are aware that Adobe owns the software, you only own the license.

You can pay for your license in one shot with the monthly. But either way you pay. If you choose to terminate your subscription, you keep your data, and use other software to edit. But I have yet to hear in the 2 yrs since Adobe transitioned to the subscription model of anyone using PS CC and going back to CS6 or PSE - have you?

The big difference is, software should be kept current for three reasons - support availability, new features, and support for new hardware (camera and computer) that was not available when it was first released.

jcarlosjr Loc: Orange County

Yes, I won and USE both PSE and PS-CS6.

(BTW PSE13 and PSE12 can be installed in 64bit)

There are three editing modes to PSE-13:
QUICK
GUIDED
EXPERT

EXPERT most closely looks like PS-CS6. Although the options are much easier to view taking up a large panel near the bottom left of the screen. about 30 times larger than the skinny options line on PS-CS6 and far easier to use.

GUIDED presents a shopping list of post processing steps. You can perform most common photo retouching effects and enhancements in this mode with a minimum learning curve. Often you view before and after images side-by-side. Anything you do in this mode can be examined by toggling into EXPERT mode. Provides a great tutorial to lean using your own images.

QUICK will pop a few auto type improvements to a photo.

I work with both PSE and PS-CS6 depending on my desired output. For sure I use PS when creating any TEXT heavy images for web work. For basic photo editing I find both programs give me most desired effects. When I am working on a multi-layer composite image I will lean towards big brother. But day-to-day work can be easily handled on PSE on my laptop.

(I have been teaching PSE since version 3. I use CS6 and CC for web development purposes. Too expensive to license CC for all my machines, so I have different versions of PSE and PS. My primary desktop has both CC and PSE13).

kavner58 Loc: Portland, Oregon

I have an earlier PSE version but invested in PS-CS6, 18 months ago. It took few months to dare doing some serious work, ramp-up takes time, effort, and dedication. I find CS6 "easy" now, have been doing lots of reading, watched Adobe and other video clips and find myself learning as I work. I added various Topaz plugins to CS6.

Also, PSE13 is somewhat a de-featured CS6. It all depends what you are trying to do.
Good luck!

- AK

joe_flippin Loc: Texan living in Brazil, SA

Gene51,Thank you very much. I really appreciate your response.

joe_flippin Loc: Texan living in Brazil, SA

Thank you to all of you who responded to my question. I will have to learn to use what I have without spending more money.

Ziza Loc: USA

I have used Elements for many years and taught it as well. I have used Photoshop since CS5 and I am currently in the process of getting certified as a teacher of this program. Adobe has been giving Elements many of the features which were once available only in Photoshop. Depending on what you do, Photoshop may be an overkill. But if you already have it, use it and try to make the best out of it.

There is no doubt that the learning curve for Photoshop is much steeper than the one for Elements. The ones who say otherwise are not aware of all the possibilities in this program. They are basically photographers and they stick to the photography "side" of the program. There is much more to it; this program is also a powerful digital design tool.

Jules Karney Loc: Las Vegas, Nevada

Please help. Just got Photoshop cs6. I have a client who want my pics. cropped exactly 2216 x 3000 res. 300. On the crop tool drop down menu w x h x resolution is not there. How do I obtain these exact crops?