Thank you, Mizzee for both of your replies. The intuitiveness of Lightroom makes it very easy for one to jump in and start experimenting with editing while also not destroying the original. Organization and the non-destructiveness of Lightroom make for a very effective application. I look at the non-destructiveness much like treating the original files as the negatives (kinda showing my age here) where one would take a negative and through various techniques create an impressive image on paper. One could always pick up the negative and try something different. Lightroom permits this ability without unnecessary disk space consumption but I am repeating myself here. It sounds like the graphic designer is very adept at much of the workings of the two products. Again, thank you.

That's about as I stated in my posts back on 6 Dec. I really like the organizational feature of Lightroom and the ability to make those initial, immediate edits non-destructively as it gives an opportunity to view keepers, losers, possibilities, and salvageability. There is a lot of power in just Lightroom alone and I would venture to say that with the latest updates, Lightroom is more intuitive for just about any level. I cannot emphasis enough, though, how Lightroom really makes the organization of one's images more efficient and effective. For this, I would even recommend Lightroom for a novice at editing. With the integration between Lightroom and Photoshop, it is also very easy to move into Photoshop when one desires and return to Lightroom, thus, retaining the organizational functions of Lightroom.

Just as a side note, there is also a small benefit in Lightroom's ability to also edit videos. I have not taken it to that level, yet, but I have watched it being done it. I suspect that Lightroom could be the one organizer for both video and stills.

Peter,

In my post, I neglected to mention that your edits with Lightroom are natively non-destructive. This means that your original image is left untouched, and therefore, you can revert to the original at any time. Also, as you make your edits, a history is maintained and if you decide that you really liked the way your image looked several steps back, you can simply click to that point in history and the image will revert to the edits of that time. Lightroom actually functions as a database of your edits, file locations, etc. and applies the edits to your original without changing the original file. If you like an edit, wish to keep it, but think that you may want to apply some different edits, you can create a virtual copy which will allow you continue without changing "final" over another. Again, your original is left untouched. If you want a copy of the image with the edits you can export the image out to whatever format you wish; i.e. jpeg, tiff, psd, etc.

Photoshop CC and Photoshop Elements are destructive editors natively in that they make changes to the original file. Thus, if you wish to make a variety of edits or wish to retain the original intact then you will need to make additional copies of your original. This will lead to additional and, perhaps, unnecessary disk space consumption. There are way around this by using layers and what is known as smart objects in Photoshop CC but this more involved than the simplicity of Lightroom.

This is one of the key elements as to why I prefer to begin with Lightroom and use Photoshop for more detailed, pixel edits. Within Lightroom, you can take your edits and continue editing within Photoshop. Once you complete your work in Photoshop you will be returned to Lightroom complete with a new file containing the Photoshop edits and prior Lightroom edits. You can then continue one with any final edits you wish to make. Here, again, the process leaves your original untouched because as you execute the "edit in Photoshop as a Smart Object" command, a new "original" file is created with all your prior Lightroom edits. Returning to Lightroom, you will find two images, one that was before you began editing in Photoshop and one after you completed your edits in Photoshop.

I hope that I am not overwhelming you with all of this. There are many things to consider but most importantly is how far do you want to take your editing, how much creativity you wish to apply, and what you will do with the final product. I hope that I have helped you to understand some of the key elements of the products and to make the choice that is best for your needs.

Sincerely,

C R Smith
Angel Star Photography

Hi Peter,

There have been several replies here but I thought I would share with you my experience. I have been on the path of re-igniting my interest in photography after a long, long time away from it. My last camera was a Minolta Maxxum 7000, 35mm, SLR. I was a serious amateur then and into processing my own black and whites. The color I left to the labs. As digital came into play, I "lost" interest but mostly due to the demands of life and work. It was not until a coworker mentioned the solar eclipse this year---Astronomy is another serious interest of mine that was put on hold---coupled with my sister handing over her long, abandoned Canon Rebel XT 350D that a spark occurred. Photographs from the eclipse did not come out as expected immediately and in an effort to salvage my images I turned to my old version of Photoshop Elements. Unfortunately, the version did not work well with Windows 10 and I began my search for a replacement. I tried several but ultimately returned to the Adobe product line and chose to go with their photography bundle consisting of their Creative Cloud, Photoshop CC, Lightroom CC, and Lightroom Classic CC. Lightroom Classic CC is my primary application and is really a great product for both organizing and editing your images. I estimate that you can accomplish about 80% of your edits; i.e. white balance, color, sharpening, etc. For more pixel specific editing, I will sometimes branch out to Photoshop from Lightroom. The integration of the two working together makes the workflow smooth, uncomplicated, fun, and fascinating. Between the two, you have an extremely wide range of capability that is only limited by one's desire to learn and one's creativity. The pricing for the bundle is very reasonable and when weighed against the retail cost of the same products or even the less powerful Photoshop Elements, I believe you will find the bundle well worth the price. The interface, at first glance, can be overwhelming but with a little practice and some study, you will find it very easy to both manage, organize, and edit your images. Should you decide to go with the bundle, I do have a couple of initial recommendations.

1. Use Lightroom to solely organize your images. Create your folders, categories, etc. from within Lightroom. While you can create and delete folders outside of Lightroom and bring them in, doing so does not make for a smooth workflow process and can sometimes create more problems than efficiencies.
2. Take some courses to help expedite your learning. Lynda.com is a great resource which provides a plethora of material for a low monthly cost which you terminate at any time. I have taken several courses from such instructors as Ben Long, Brian O'Neil Hughes, and Justin Reznick and have been extremely satisfied with the material.

As for me, I have been able to salvage some of my solar eclipse images and, having seen what was possible, I have rapidly expanded into very serious photography to the point of creating my own website---still under construction---to begin selling. All of this transpired over the course of four months. I did not plan to go down this path but inspiration ensued from what I saw I could do with Lightroom, and the rest just followed.

Even if you wish to perform edits for keepsakes, I believe with find pleasure and excitement in your endeavors.

Good luck and happy editing!!

Sincerely,

C R Smith
Angel Star Photography

P. S. I hope this helps and I am always open to help. Feel free to ask all the questions you want.