photo retouching: I am relatively new to digital photograghy, within the last 6 months. I have extensive knowledge in film. I took a digital class and was exposed to the use of...

jabe750

I am relatively new to digital photograghy, within the last 6 months. I have extensive knowledge in film. I took a digital class and was exposed to the use of Lightroom. I'm wondering if I need to have Photoshop in order to use Lightroom. If so, are there any websites that I can purchase either Photoshop or Lightroom. I know that Lightroom is only a "rental".

WayneT Loc: Paris, TN

If you plan to do a lot of photo retouching you would be a lot happier with both Lightroom and Photoshop. My personal feeling is the best cost to benefit ratio comes out of the $10.00 a month program direct from Adobe. Photoshop will take you time to learn but it will be well worth the effort for photo retouching.

rjaywallace Loc: Wisconsin

You don't necessarily need both. I use a 'free-standing' version of Lightroom v5.7 purchased outright with no need for a monthly rental payment for the Photoshop bundle. There are other UHH members who should be able to provide the link you need to just buy the program and use it as needed. In addition there are other post-processing choices available at price levels ranging from 'free' to 'moderate' - each have their own pluses and minuses. There are a wide variety of add-on programs that work within Lightroom and can expand its creative options. Good luck and welcome to UHH.

Picdude Loc: Ohio

Actually, Lightroom is available via two methods: as a standalone package that is available over-the-counter from stores such as Best Buy, Costco, etc., or via lease directly through Adobe. Photoshop comes in two different flavors: the full extended package that is available via lease only from Adobe, and the 'elements' package which is not as robust or full-featured as the 'extended' package but in many cases is more than adequate for the average hobbyist's needs and is available over-the-counter from the same places that you can purchase Lightroom. The pros and cons of these packages have been discussed on here in exhausting detail and doing a little research with the Search button at the top of the page should give you a good general idea of our community thoughts of their relative merits.

No, you do not need Photoshop in order to use Lightroom. Photoshop and Lightroom are two different editing packages offered by Adobe. Although each package edits images in a different way they are actually compatible with each other and many members use both Lightroom and Photoshop in their editing workflow. You can download a free 30-day trial of either or both Lightroom or Photoshop from the Adobe website, but you cannot purchase any of the Adobe products as downloadable software from any site but Adobe, and then then only to a limited degree (for instance full Photoshop cannot be "purchased", it is available as leased software only).

Both full Photoshop and Lightroom can be leased together from Adobe at the rate of $9.99/month, which includes all bug fixes and version upgrades. Considering that the last over-the-counter package of full Photoshop retailed for $650.00 in 2013, with upgrades from previous packages costing $200.00; and Lightroom running anywhere from $80.00 to $150.00 (oh, and Lightroom is NOT upgradeable. When a new version comes out you have to repurchase the package), $9.99/mo is VERY affordable to have two top-of-the-line software editors the are always at current revision level.

alexlink

I use Photoshop exclusively for all my retouching- portraits, commercial, and photo restorations. takes some time to learn but has all the tools you need.

rwilson1942 Loc: Houston, TX

You don't need PS to use LR.
I do about 99% of my editing in LR but these days I send just about every image I edit to PS to add a watermark and sometimes use the 'patch tool' to remove an unwanted object.

WayneT Loc: Paris, TN

rwilson1942 wrote:

You don't need PS to use LR.
I do about 99% of my editing in LR but these days I send just about every image I edit to PS to add a watermark and sometimes use the 'patch tool' to remove an unwanted object.

When doing restoration on photos you have a LOT more latitude to work with in Photoshop. I do a lot of my work in LR especially with digital raw photos, about 90-95%, but when it comes to restoration I'm in Photoshop a lot more. How much more depends on the photo.

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

jabe750 wrote:

I am relatively new to digital photograghy, within the last 6 months. I have extensive knowledge in film. I took a digital class and was exposed to the use of Lightroom. I'm wondering if I need to have Photoshop in order to use Lightroom. If so, are there any websites that I can purchase either Photoshop or Lightroom. I know that Lightroom is only a "rental".

The benefits of the subscription model for Lightroom and Photoshop far outweigh any "perceived" disadvantages. It's cheaper, it's always up to date, and you are not buying, in the case of Photoshop, a 5 yr old piece of software. That being said, all you really "need" for retouching is Photoshop. If you shoot a lot, then there may be an argument for using Lightroom too. The raw conversion is the same, but much better organized in LR compared to PS. And there is a very powerful catalog-based digital asset manager - the Library module. While you can do some of the things in Adobe Bridge, it is not as complete a solution for photographers as the Library module.

To answer your question, you will not be able to do precise retouching with Lightroom, however. It is a parametric editor, and "paints with a broad brush" when it comes to image adjustment. For retouching it's hard to find a better platform than Photoshop, which can edit right down to the pixel level.

For less than the cost of a couple of six packs of your favorite beer, or even a mediocre bottle of wine, or 3 latte grandes at your favorite coffee shop, or a tank full of gas for a Prius, you can have the best image editing and management software and the best support for it on the planet.

WayneT Loc: Paris, TN

Gene51 wrote:

The benefits of the subscription model for Lightro... (show quote)

Well said!

wendallb

I use Paintshop Pro and Aftershot Pro 3, and sometimes Photoshop elements. They all work well.

Carl D Loc: Albemarle, NC.

I use Affinity Photo and Captire One. Gave Photoshop and Lightroom the boot.

Pandylou Loc: The Levant

wendallb wrote:

I use Paintshop Pro and Aftershot Pro 3, and sometimes Photoshop elements. They all work well.

Pandylou Loc: The Levant

Carl D wrote:

I use Affinity Photo and Captire One. Gave Photoshop and Lightroom the boot.

Good to find a 'free thinking' photographer on here for a change !

jerryc41 Loc: Catskill Mts of NY

I use LR for most of my processing - good program. Unless you want to be committed to paying $120 a year to rent it, buy the current version before it is no longer available. There is so much instruction available online that you could spend every waking minute watching it. :d

http://tv.adobe.com/product/lightroom/
http://www.lynda.com/
https://www.creativelive.com/
https://www.youtube.com/user/AnthonyMorganti
https://www.youtube.com/user/AdobeLightroom/featured
http://digital-photography-school.com/brief-introduction-lightroom/
http://creativenerds.co.uk/tutorials/lightroom-photo-effects/
https://www.youtube.com/user/AdobeLightroom/videos

jerryc41 Loc: Catskill Mts of NY

Picdude wrote:

...(oh, and Lightroom is NOT upgradeable. When a new version comes out you have to repurchase the package)...

I bought LR6, and it has been updated (not upgraded) several times. There will not be another stand alone version of LR, so I hope Adobe gives adequate notice before they stop selling it.