jamesl Loc: Pennsylvania

ON1 Photo RAW 2017.5 or Affinity Photo, either one would be good for you. If you want something very much like Photoshop but without a monthly fee, go with Affinity Photo. If you want something that is more like Lightroom but with added functions, go with ON1 Photo RAW 2017.5.

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

No. Cropping is not necessarily non-destructive.

http://photoblogstop.com/photoshop/non-destructive-cropping

See what I mean?

FWIW, I've only got on masters degree - in Food Studies (don't ask, it's what I wanted to do at the time), but I have two degrees in Architecture. But I digress. I've worked with many creatives - including advertising agencies, fashion houses, art directors, in Corporate Graphics Departments for different corporations, etc - andALL use Photoshop for their final colorization and retouching. It is a universal photo finishing tool. You just can't do that in Lightroom, especially retouching a fashion portrait. And many use Lightroom as their first pass on editing, the rest mostly use Capture One. But none would dare present unfinished work as it comes out of either raw converter as finished. That would get them fired.

TheDman Loc: USA

Yeah, they wouldn't let me in the center aisle as my tripod was blocking their tours.

MtnMan Loc: ID

I'm not arguing that Photoshop isn't a great program for certain uses. Like those you list and many who use it professionally.

I am arguing it isn't what most amateuer photographers want...especially to start. The learning curve is very demanding.

Lightroom is much easier for most people...and has capabilities beyond what many will ever use.

I totally don't get those who claim to be proficient in Photoshop not "getting" Lightroom. It should be childs play for them.

I'll just note the link you sent has ten steps to do a nondestructive crop in Photoshop. All one click crops on all file types in Lightroom are nondestructive.

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

Too bad, it would have made a great shot into an exceptional one.

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

Ok, that link was for most versions of Photoshop. But you can do it in one click with CC. Just make sure the Delete Cropped Pixels is unchecked. Then it is one or two clicks to crop, and one click to restore.

http://photoblogstop.com/photoshop/non-destructive-cropping

I agree, Lightroom is a breeze. Any amateur who cares about his/her work will embrace the capabilities of Photoshop. Hell, it's just as easy/hard to learn as Gimp or Paint Shop Pro, also popular among amateurs and enthusiasts. Only those that don't understand the difference between a proof and a finished image will be satisfied with what comes out of Lightroom, or any pure raw converter. Now On1 Raw is a little different, since you can use masks and layers and blend modes on raw files, in a way similar to Capture One, making it a great alternative for low-production amateurs and enthusiasts. I don't see it being used by commercial photographers as a stand alone - there aren't any real workflow features - you have user-defined preset capabilities, but being able to use something like a sync tool to edit groups of images and their edits is missing unless it is part of a Lightroom workflow. Culling and rating is considerably faster in ON1 than Lightroom, but not enough to make it that much faster in the big picture. I'd rather use Lightroom or Bridge to do that.

Ratta Loc: California

i have to put my 2 cents in: after seeing all the photoshop & Lightroom recommendations I have to put in a vote for ON1 2017.5. You can download a fully functional trial for 30 days and there are tons of video and help files available. It's much easier to use than PS & LR and, as I said, free to try. I also use Photoshop, (less and less as I migrate more & more into ON1. Another goodie to try is AfterShot or AfterShot Pro (the former Bibble 5 that was bought by Corel) admittedly PS does quite a bit more than these others if you want a ton of functions that you may never use. ON1 is not subscription software: one price gets it all and all updates and free presets. And they have frequent sales.

MtnMan Loc: ID

Gimp was the one I tried first. Even worse than Photoshop for non-intuitive learning curve. No one in our photographhy club of over 100 used it. A couple used Photoshop. Most, including professionals, did all their work in Lightroom.

Our club always scored highest in nothwest photo club and a national affiliation competition.

And cleaned up at State Fair, including my blue and red ribbons.

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

I wonder what accounts for the regional differences. In metro NY, most use LR as a starting point I described - and also use Photoshop for finish and pre-press work. But this is in the corporate and professional environments.

Hmm . . . Clubs must be different.

I am a member of the Sierra Club NY Chapter Photo Club, and you are correct, there are somewhat fewer people using Photoshop than in professional circles, but the best work seems to come from those who are comfortable using it, particularly those who lend a stylistic interpretation to their work.

This is one member's work which I greatly admire. Her bird, waterfall and ice images are truly stunning.

https://untamednewyork.smugmug.com/


And his work is very unusual, especially his abstracts

http://www.charlesdexterphotography.com/PORTFOLIOS.html

Both start in Lightroom and do their finish work in Photoshop. Sharron uses Nik plugins in addition to Photoshop, not sure what Charles uses.

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

They're having a sale right now that runs to June 30. I have been using On1 since V7. Good stuff that has always gotten better. It is subscription based, but they don't call it that. Once a year you get to buy the "new improved version" every October-November, for $79, which works out to about $6.59 unless you don't mind using outdated software. But the improvements in each new version are quite compelling, which is why I consider it a budgetary item, like a subscription renewal.

Totally agree, btw - the Raw module is pretty awesome, as are the filters, masking, resizing, etc. The portrait module still needs a lot of work. But for landscape it's pretty sweet.

cyclespeed Loc: Calgary, Alberta Canada

Now that we have read so far 7 pages of Adobe free advertising I'd like to suggest you try MacPhun Luminar Neptune edition. I like to spend as little time as possible in front of the computer screen, life is too short.
So far it beats all others in terms of capabilities, learning curve, cost, and time spent getting good results for on screen viewing or printing 10 x 14 and a few 24 x 36

splatbass Loc: Honolulu

I've been using Photoshop for a long time (with Bridge) and love it. I just got Luminar and am impressed. I've been using it a lot lately, but there are still things I find easier in PhotoShop so when I'm done in Luminar I do an "Open In" from the File menu and choose PhotoShop, then make the finishing touches there.

Jim Bob

Corel Paintshop Pro. Who wants to spend $10 a month?

cyclespeed Loc: Calgary, Alberta Canada

Luminar is on sale for $60 also once only purchase.

Wanderer2 Loc: Colorado Rocky Mountains

The OP's request was for recommendations for photo editing programs specifically for landscapes. I don't believe LandscapePro has been mentioned on this thread. AFAIK it's the only program specifically created for landscape photo editing and is quite new. I was reminded of it yesterday when I saw an ad in the latest Outdoor Photographer where it was stated version 2 is now out and has improvements. They offer a one month free trial and, given it's focus on landscape editing, it might be worthwhile for the OP to try it. I haven't tried it, anyone out there used it?