Which Editing Software is Better?

January 11, 2023

Which editing software is better for you and your workflow?

I am going to share about two of the more popular platforms today: Adobe Photoshop and Adobe Lightroom. Both of these programs are powerful and have a ton of amazing features, but they serve different purposes, and each has their own unique strengths.

The Pros of Adobe Photoshop

Adobe Photoshop is cram packed with features that allow you to do almost anything you can imagine with your photos. From retouching to color correction to creating composites and graphic design, there are hardly any limits to editing. The only downside might be how big of a program it is and how it can be overwhelming for beginners. I know for me personally, it took quite awhile to understand and figure out, which is why I love helping others figure out how to use it, because once you figure out how to begin editing in Adobe Photoshop, you unlock so many possibilities. You can see more about Photoshop for Beginners here.

While I do occasionally process my images in Lightroom, I mainly do my edits in Adobe Photoshop which includes:

Adjusting the exposure, contrast, and white balance
Cropping, rotating, and straightening your images
Removing blemishes, dust, and imperfections
Combining images to make a Creative Composite
Adding a Sky Overlay to add more drama to an image
Adobe Camera Raw (similar to Lightroom features)
Using presets and actions to help streamline editing

The Pros of Adobe Lightroom

Now, Adobe Lightroom is a workflow and image management program that is specifically designed for photographers. It allows you to import, organize, and edit your photos in a way that is stream-lined, and it has a wide range of editing tools such as:

Adjusting the exposure, contrast, and white balance of your photos
Cropping, rotating, and straightening your images
Removing blemishes, dust, and imperfections from your photos
Using presets to help streamline editing

It is a bit more user-friendly than Adobe Photoshop, making it easier to learn and use. However, Lightroom does not contain all the tools and feature as Adobe Photoshop and is better suited for tasks such as color correction, exposure adjustments, and basic retouching.

So, which one is better?

Well, it all comes down to your needs and goals. If you're a professional photographer who needs a powerful and versatile tool for advanced editing and graphic design, then Adobe Photoshop would be the way to go. But if you're a photographer who wants an easy-to-use program for organizing and editing your photos, then Adobe Lightroom might be a better fit. Just be sure to weigh the pros and cons of each program before making your decision. The cool thing is that if you have the Photography Plan with Creative Cloud, you have access to both to find out which program you prefer to edit in.

While you are deciding which program you want to spend most of your processing time in, I am sure you will then begin to see what actions and presets can do in each program and how they can help you streamline the editing process and get more creative. You can find out more about the difference between the two HERE.