SteveH Loc: Putnam Valley NY & Boynton Beach, Fla

I have both programs but find an overlap between the two.
For my needs, I find that Literoom stores and organizes my photos and fulfills most of my processing needs. I do realize that I can't do masking and some of the more sophisticated functions found in Photo Shop but haven't felt the need to do this.

I wonder how others feel about this?

Elle Loc: Long Island, NY

If all you want to do is organize your pictures and/or adjust the overall look of the photos, Lightroom will work just fine..but out of the box even that is limited. More choices are available by buying or adding in various plug-in filters. If you like to take things further, software like Elements of PSP4 can accomplish it. Photoshop is the grand-daddy of them all but is overkill for the average user. It's price and functionality exceeds all but professional needs. However, if you can afford it and are willing to spend the time with its learning curve, it's tough to beat.

CanonShot Loc: Lancaster County, PA

Steve, keep your eyes open for a one-day photo workshop near your location. I have "fought" the mental battle as you describe above. As good editing programs evolve, it is easy to start questioning your needs and wants.

Luckily, via our camera club, I heard about a workshop in a neighboring city within a couple hours driving distance, plopped down $50, and spent the day gathering data on what's out there in the software world, and asking questions to resolve my editing issues.

Two of the photographer/software presenters, in separate sessions, offered similar advice (paraphrased): "Editing software programs are like cars, drive your favorite... get the most out of it, and maybe your spouse's too, but don't clutter your driveway (hard drive) with other vehicles unless you plan to drive them regularly."

You decide if this makes any sense in your situation, but I can tell you that these comments drew a lot of snickers and affirmative head shakes from the audience.

SteveH Loc: Putnam Valley NY & Boynton Beach, Fla

Thanks much for your advice.

nikonshooter Loc: Spartanburg, South Carolina

CanonShot is "Spot On". There are a gazillion adjustments and changes that can be made in PS that you cannot do in Lightroom. The problem is, the learning curve for PS is pretty steep and it takes an investment in time. There are plenty of online tutorials for those aspiring to up their understanding.

I have been a PS user for 15 years and I teach it at our Guild Meetings.....all of this to say, I haven't begin to touch the horsepower this software has. I learn weekly new tricks and shortcuts to solve image issues.

Adobe has been very wise to add basic adjustments in their LR interface allowing photogs to solve most immediate image needs. This helps keep the file size down. The minute you edit a LR image in PS make your adjustments and then save, you have doubled the file size. So, if you can keep your adjustments localized in LR, you will save precious hard drive space. So, don't "roundtrip" files unless you absolutely have too. But then again, there are those cases when PS is a must and you absolutely have too.

Changing Backgrounds,
Slimming bodies
Opening shut eyes
The power of the Transform tool
and on and on and on!

MtnMan Loc: ID

Phtoshop Elements 10 is really three programs: the Organizer, the Editor, and Adobe Camera Raw.

I only recently learned about the Organizer. It has some powerful features for sorting your photos, quick edits, and sending your photos to Facebook etc. I believe it is a "Lightroom lite" but havn't worked with Lightroom.

Then it is a simple matter to open any photo you find in the Editor and do whatever you wish.

ACR is (I believe) as somewhat simplified version of the one you get with Photoshop.

CanonShot Loc: Lancaster County, PA

CanonShot Loc: Lancaster County, PA

Sorry, Larry, I didn't get to the bottom to put my question to you. What is your opinion of ACR in Elements 10? Is it up to snuff? I typically skip a PSE edition before buying a new one. I am currently using PSE9.

jeep_daddy Loc: Prescott AZ

You are correct that Elements is 3 programs in one. But Organizer is "Photoshop lite" not Lightroom lite. Lightroom is more like RAW editor - it has many sliders for making adjustments on photos. It isn't a multi-layering, full editor like Elements and PS. Elements comes with a RAW editor that is a stripped down version that comes with CS5. Actually, Elements is a stripped down version of CS5 but it still has a lot of horsepower. It's kind of like NASCAR. You got your Cup Series, and your Nationwide Series. The Cup cars have over 800 horsepower and the NS cars have about 600 HP. They both go fast but it's obvious that the Cup has more bells and whistles.

MtnMan Loc: ID

I find the ACR with Elements 10 very nice. I don't know if it is exactly the same as the one you get with Photoshop or not. Something gave me the impression it may be a little less capable but I haven't been able to find anything on that.

I am only recently moving to taking more of my pics in RAW so just getting experience with it.

It automatically updated for me a few weeks ago. It opens my Nikon RAW files fine.

I also just learned you can open any jpeg file as a RAW file in Elements Editor and it converts it. You use the Editor's "Open as" command and set the file type to RAW.

There is a setting in ACR you can use to adjust what RAW format it likes...but it seems to have adjusted to mine by itself.

MtnMan Loc: ID

Thanks. Don't know where I had gotten the impression that Lightroom was more about keeping your files organized. Happy to be corrected.

You probably know that Elements 10 also allows minor adjustments in the Organizer. They are under the "Fix" tab and include stuff like Sharpen, Red Eye, Levels, Color, and crop. I am pretty sure you can highlight a bunch of pics at once and perform the operation on the bunch. But I don't do that.

CanonShot Loc: Lancaster County, PA

Thanks for your thoughts on ACR in PSE10. I have been thinking seriously about entering the "raw" world so your comments are much appreciated.

MtnMan Loc: ID

CannonShot, you are welcome.

I might mention I just finished reading the details in Kelby's Photoshop Elements 10 book on both the Organizer and Camera Raw. He does a fabulous job on both.

MarkH Loc: Cape Coral, FL

I just shot raw + jpeg fine this weekend for the first time.
I am a newbie with elements 10 but can see the huge potential in ACR with the raw files. Next time out, I'm shooting raw only and PP in ACR. The tools for correcting white balance and exposure are awesome.