LindaChaplin Loc: South Dakota

Hello my friends. I began my photo editing journey using Elements, but purchased LR a couple years ago and switched from a PC to a Mac. I've really enjoyed LR and have been using it almost exclusively because I didn't have Elements on my Mac. When Elements 13 was released recently I decided to install that program on my Mac so I would be able to go back and forth between applications. I can see that there is going to be a learning curve to feeling comfortable doing that. I'm wondering if anyone out there is doing the same thing and if you would feel comfortable having me email you some specific questions as I try to get comfortable with this new process? I really appreciate any help you have to offer. Thanks so much.

Mr PC Loc: Austin, TX

They do two different things. I have Elements 12 on my PC, but spend the bulk of my time in Lightroom. It's designed for photographers to do the most needed editing tasks and has the best database for keeping track of your photos and edits. If you keyword your shoots as you import them or later, it makes it easy to find a needle in a haystack. Elements or it's bigger brother Photoshop are used for pixel level editing, doing things like replacing skys, removing people from pictures, more creative stuff, whether with a photo or an original graphic. You really need both if you're serious. Good news, you can get both for only $10 a month from adobe.com, a great deal.

mwsilvers Loc: Central New Jersey

In case you were not aware, you can send an image directly to Elements from within Lightoom. Assuming you are shooting raw, you would make your changes to the raw image in Lightroom, and when you feel you have finished with your adjustments you can send the image to Elements for further adjustments. Under the Photo menu in LR, select Edit in and then select Edit in Adobe Photoshop Elements Editor. LR will create a tiff file with your LR edits and open Elements with that file. When you exit Elements, any additional updates made there will be applied to the TIFF file in Lightroom.

warrior Loc: Paso Robles CA

jerryc41 Loc: Catskill Mts of NY

This works better.

http://tv.adobe.com/videos/photoshop-elements-13/

LindaChaplin Loc: South Dakota

Thank you for your help. I don't want to use Elements 13 Organizer as I'm using LR. When I'm finished editing a picture in Elements can I just Save and bypass the organizer? Will my picture then be automatically transferred back to LR? Thanks.

sloscheider Loc: Minnesota

Yes, so long as you don't change a thing in the name, the Elements edited photo will be in LR

JimH123 Loc: Morgan Hill, CA

It is important to understand a possible 16-bit to 8-bit downsizing the file may face in its trip from Lightroom to Photoshop Elements and back. Lightroom has a far better method of adjusting RAW files. You cannot do nearly as much with the RAW capability of PSE. Then you send it to PSE where it starts out as a 16-bit TIFF file. You can do certain edits in PSE in which it will remain 16-bits. And certain other edits that it will be downsized to 8-bits. In PSE "Expert" Mode, you can make the adjustment in the "Enhance" and "Filter" pull down menus, and it will stay as 16-bits. It will not let you create layers. If you switch to "Guided" Mode, any adjustment you try to make will ask you if you want to convert to 8-bits. Once it is 8-bits, there is no going back to 16-bits.

There are plenty of other options that can be used with Lightroom where the image is never reduced to 8-bits. For instance, it supports the NIK suite of tools, which are excellent. Or the plugins for Topaz labs, which are also excellent. Or Perfect Photo Suite 9, which also has many tools to use on Photos. Or Corel Paintshop Pro X7 which can do everything PSE can do and it retains 16-bits for everything.

mwsilvers Loc: Central New Jersey

If you send the picture from within Lightroom using Edit In LR creates a tiff files and opens it directly in the Elements Editor. When you leave Elements you can save you changes to the original tiff file or as new one. If you save your changes to the tiff file created by Lightroom, when Elements is exited you will be back in Lightroom and the tiff file displayed will be changed to also include your Elements updates.

mwsilvers Loc: Central New Jersey

Yes absolutely agree with all your points. Do everything you want to do to the raw file in Lightroom first before creating the tiff file and opening it in Elements' editor. And yes, a conversion to 8 bits is necessary for some features, like content aware spot brushes.

LindaChaplin Loc: South Dakota

Hi. Thanks so much. I had discovered that while trying to access layers, it was greyed out...I figured out that I had to reduce the 16 bit image to 8 to get layers to come in. What is the downside of this? Thanks.

JimH123 Loc: Morgan Hill, CA

The downside is when you need resolution such as dark areas or bright areas. At these ends, there are not many level choices with 8-bits and a sky can appear blotchy. Or a dark area appears as a constant near black with no detail. With 16-bits, those problem areas are broken into more levels such that your eye can no longer see the problem and additional detail is made available for editing purposes.

Some will say this is not important, but the effect is very evident in some pictures. And with only 8-bits, there is no correction possible.

PSE does this on purpose to protect their main Photoshop offering. If PSE were to do 16-bits, there would be no incentive for many users to upgrade.

Other suppliers of SW aren't in the business of protecting Photoshop sales and are more than glad to give you 16-bits.

LindaChaplin Loc: South Dakota

Wow...very interesting. I didn't know that. I thought I had seen where the new version used 16 bits, but I guess that is only for certain parts of Elements. I can see what you are saying about protecting "big" photoshop...I had not thought of that. Thanks.

LindaChaplin Loc: South Dakota

I appreciate all the knowledge out there. Thanks to everyone who has responded to my questions.

romanticf16 Loc: Commerce Twp, MI

I'm not sure it is automatic, but it is something you set up in your elements Export preferences- return image to LR. be sure to give this altered image a new file name when you bring it back into LR.