cjc2 Loc: Hellertown PA

Don't quite understand why folks don't understand that Lr V6 is NO LONGER SUPPORTED. This means you are on your own AND, as other vendors make changes, including their Operating Systems, Lr 6 may, or may not, function properly. It is DEAD, DONE with, and there is NO support. To be able to use Lr into the future, you NEED the newer, rental version! There are also other programs available, for free, for a one-time fee, and by subscription you may want to look into. Lr 6 is NOT one of those. Personally, I prefer Lr, so I am on-board with the monthly, very minimum cost, model. Best of luck.

Longshadow Loc: Audubon, PA, United States

There are SO many editors out there.
My other editor is Photo Impact Pro. I have v8.5, and they are up to 13 now. I started off with v3.5.....
https://www.novadevelopment.com/software/photo-impact-pro-129013

Beemerrt

I can say that there was a long learning curve for me and I am still learning secrets of the program.

mwsilvers Loc: Central New Jersey

Lightroom is quite easy to use actually.? I was a Lightroom user from version 3 up to version 6.14. I gave it up for DXO Photolab. However, after a number of years of using it, speaking to novices about it, and teaching it those who never used post-processing software, I can say unequivocally that one should never use "Lightroom" and "quite easy to use" in the same sentence.

The importing and cataloging process alone is something that confuses new users all the time. The lack of a save feature and the concept of non-destructive editing also confuses new users. When and how to use all the various sliders and other features also confuses new users unless they are willing to spend significant time to learn what each one does and how and when to use it.

The OP, by his own admission, never had the time or interest in learning how to use Elements 11, which had three different processing modes, one of which is intended for newbies who have little or no PP experience. I can't imagine this person using Lightroom without rolling his eyes with confusion during the very first lesson. Perhaps I'm wrong, I hope I am. Time will tell.

Delderby Loc: Derby UK

I understand that Lightroom doesn't do layers, and won't further adjust WB and Tone after development? If this is so, would you agree that it is hardly a stand - alone app?

Gatorcoach Loc: New Jersey

I recently completed a seminar on Lightroom in a attempt to learn how to organize and catalog my thousands of pictures. I knew it would be a monumental task but a necessary evil if I ever wanted to get organized. The instructor taught in a succinct and logical way how to begin (and continue) organizing your pictures.

First, he generally only uses one catalog and stores practically all of his pictures there. He will sent up a separate catalog for a particular job (wedding, etc) just to keep them separate from his personal pictures and can quickly sent proofs to his customers. Imagine the looks on the audience's faces when they learned his main catalog has thousands of pictures. His images are backed up to 2 external drives.

He also does not export his pictures unless they are going to be printed, and even then he often prints directly from lightroom.

The key element is "keywords". You can put as much information as you desire into the "keywords" function - the more the better. You can also mass tag photos with keywords to save time and effort. When you want to pull up pictures go to "search", type in keywords, and boom! they all appear.

For example: I have hundreds of pictures of my granddaughter, from her birth to 1st birthday party, soccer, holidays, graduations, etc. The keywords I use are:"Family", "Cathy", "the year", "event", "anything else of significance". So, for example, all I have to search is "Cathy", "peach picking", "2018" and all the shots from that event immediately pop up.

My instructor feels he doesn't need to export to folders - unnecessary and space hogging on his drives. I still prefer to keep folders and export to them. Either way it is a simple yet very effective way to organize.

Longshadow Loc: Audubon, PA, United States

I don't use a cataloger. All I'd have to do is look in Windows Explorer under C:\Photos\Family\Johnston\Diane Files are ordered by date taken. Windows Explorer will show thumbnails. I can utilize the "Tag" field in the metadata for keywords. Simple and effective for me.
(Everyone has their own method that works for them.)

mwsilvers Loc: Central New Jersey

i no longer use Lightroom, but while it is not a pixel editor, for many people its all the processing they will ever need. It is also non destructive and there is no restriction on adjusting WB and Tone.

Delderby Loc: Derby UK

Points taken - but I do like to be able to switch layers on or off for instant comparison.

DirtFarmer Loc: Escaped from the NYC area, back to MA

For Lightroom, folders are irrelevant. LR keeps track of the image files using the path to the file. The folder is part of the path.

Folder structure is useful for two things: (1) allowing duplicate file names such as the camera may generate; and (2) allowing for organization outside of LR, which may be necessary if your photopile is to be searched by someone else who doesn't know how to use LR.

DirtFarmer Loc: Escaped from the NYC area, back to MA

The keywords are more important than the file or folder name. As long as you can search by keywords you can find almost anything (as long as you apply appropriate keywords to your image files). If you depend only on the file or folder name you are effectively using only one or two keywords.

Longshadow Loc: Audubon, PA, United States

98+% of the images I look for on my system are found by directory, not by keyword. I basically know where what is (should be) located.

Longshadow Loc: Audubon, PA, United States

My wife would have no problem looking for images in my directory structure. Which is probably what she would prefer to do.

burkphoto Loc: High Point, NC

Layers, no. White balance and other “tone” characteristics? Absolutely will it adjust them! It’s using the same Adobe Camera Raw used by Photoshop and Bridge. It just has a different look (user interface).

DirtFarmer Loc: Escaped from the NYC area, back to MA

The value of keywords is in the peripheral parts of the image.

Suppose you have a directory named "Angie's Wedding". And suppose uncle Joe was there and there's a photo of him at that wedding. A decade or two later you want to find all the photos you have of uncle Joe. Will you remember all the events at which you took a photo of uncle Joe? Therein lies the advantage of a keyword.

Yes, it takes some work to add the keyword "uncle Joe" to every photo that includes him. I think it's easier to add that keyword in Lightroom than to add it using File Explorer in Windows (I don't know how easy or difficult it is to add keywords on a Mac since I don't use one).