photonphysicist Loc: Texas

It depends on what kind of editing you want to do as to whether you want Lightroom or Elements. If you have to pick one, start with Elements.

Ashley2003 Loc: Virginia Beach, VA

I just got Lightroom and I really like it so far, I got a good deal from Amazon.com

UP-2-IT Loc: RED STICK, LA

As you don't give us your experience level with editing one can only make an assumption. We know where assumptions take us.
If you are about to take your first steps into editing perhaps you should take a look at a program with the name of GIMP. This program is based on photoshop, has the same features, if your looking at a tutorial on U Tube for photoshop it will be the same for GIMP. The main advantage to GIMP is that it is absolutely free of charge where most others will cost you anywhere from $50 to $400 dollars depending on how far into editiing you are headed.

I would recommend your downloading GIMP, work with it, get comfortable and then purchase Lightroom, Elements, Photoshop or whatever will serve you best.

As you read thru the responses to you question from the members here at the HOG keep in mind that most of the folks have a lot of experiance with editing. Some are professional photographers and then again some are like yourself just starting out. The most important thing to remember is to have patience, learning this takes time.

Good luck, post your progress here and you will receive some good advice as you progress.

moffie100

Lightroom is supposed to be nondestructive. Know numerous that swear by it.

Squint Loc: Stockton, CA

Yep, non-destructive. Great file organizer, you can jump to PS or PSE with one click and then back, you can produce slideshows, do custom print layouts, design and oder a photo book (through Blurb) and design your website all within Lightroom. Very cool.

elandel Loc: Milan, Italy

I'm an absolute beginner with pp and honestly don't want to learn something difficult like Photoshop.

johneccles Loc: Leyland UK

Who is selling PSE 11 at the best price.
Thanks

PhotoGator Loc: Florida

I only do recommendations on things I use or have first hand knowledge of it.
I do suggestions regarding things I have study about, including providing resources.

photonphysicist Loc: Texas

There are many places on the web to learn Photoshop elements, some free, some fee-based. I joined http://www.photoshopelementsuser.com/ and have learned tons about making Elements "stand up and dance". I also bought and read Scott Kelby's book, "The Photoshop elements 10 book for digital photographers", which I found very helpful.
While GIMP is free, I decided to go with Elements because it is so widely used, the availability of learning resources,
AND
I didn't want to have to learn one thing then change to another.

Brucej67 Loc: Cary, NC

Once you learn elements you are far enough along to pick up CS6.

Mithrandir

Most post processing software packages are available (free) for download with usually a 30 day trial period. This would give you a chance to see if a package is for you (at your skill level) without cost or risk. I would suggest Lightroom, as several others have, since it is very intuitive.

jdventer Loc: Wallingford, CT, USA

LR will work well for editing jpeg files. It has the added benifit of not changing the jpeg file so you will get the most out of your jpegs. After you edit a jpeg you will export a new jpeg with a new name if you need a jpeg with the results of your editing.

PhotoGator Loc: Florida

Followers, follow the flock!
Trailblazer by exploring and risking, create the path.
There are as many resources and books for GIMP as for the Adobe products. Of course the big wigs entice you to these products because they make money out of it.
Adobe Photoshop is great product at a $700+ tag price. It's justifiable for professionals or those seeking to become one but hobbiest/amateur photographer the are other less expensive choices to accomplish the same results.

GIMP is as powerful as Adobe Photoshop. There are 1,000 of presets available.

Lightroom as far as I know, is in a category by itself when it comes to ease of managing and editing large volume of images.

jdventer Loc: Wallingford, CT, USA

LR4 does a good job removing spots. It does not do Content Aware.

UP-2-IT Loc: RED STICK, LA

I believe that has been incorperate into Gimp by now.