What editing software do you use and why?

Hello POTN.

I am in the market for a solid photo editing software and wanted to get everyone's thoughts. I have the CS5.5 suite so I have Photoshop but I was looking to get Lightroom.

I have skimmed through a couple of threads and see that there are alot of different software's people use...from aperture, to DPP, to ACR, etc. (Sadly, because I started in video, I have never looked twice at DPP or ACR so I dont have any knowledge of these.) Because of this, I just want to get some good first-hand 'user' information. This isn't to get anyone to bash other programs, just to explain what you like and why?

So if anyone has time please share. In the meantime I am going to download the Lightroom 4 trial and give it a go! I really like how the interface looks and seems similar to Color Correction programs in Adobe Premiere Pro.

Thanks!

Lightroom is an expanded version of ACR that came with your photoshop so it will seem familiar. Its got additional organization and editing tools, but the interface will seem very familiar to you.

Yes best is to download the geneous trial version and see for yourself if it is for you.

gonzogolf wrote in post #15675953
Lightroom is an expanded version of ACR that came with your photoshop so it will seem familiar. Its got additional organization and editing tools, but the interface will seem very familiar to you.

Yes that will most likely be what I lean toward because its so familiar.

Thanks for your response!

samsen wrote in post #15675972
Yes best is to download the geneous trial version and see for yourself if it is for you.

Yea! I was thrilled when I saw that the trial was available!

I love Lightroom. It fits into my workflow fantastically, and is much easier and self-explanitory than Photoshop. If I need more then I export to photoshop.

vschapman wrote in post #15676176
I love Lightroom. It fits into my workflow fantastically, and is much easier and self-explanitory than Photoshop. If I need more then I export to photoshop.

same here.

Really didn't have any experience when photoshop but I downloaded the trail version of lightroom and never looked back. Plus I am working on my MBA so beinga student I recieved a student discount. I use it for most of my raw file needs but sometimes I will send it into photoshop when I need it.

Lightroom the Photo life saver

Keep working with CS5 -- Photoshop is the "standard" for photo editing, it just sounds like you haven't delved in to all its capabilities.

Then, as you go, you may feel the want/need for things like organizing your library, and integrating your Workflow, and especially if you launch into shooting Raw and delving into the "digital darkroom" -- that's where Lightroom (or, if you have a Mac, Aperture) come out to shine, but take your time and read up on things and try the free trials!)...

I use a combination of Lightroom 4 (mainly for it's catalogue function), Capture One and Photoshop CS6.

I use Canons DPP and Photoshop. It is excellent at photo editing and does not interfere by demanding I need "asset management" as does LR.

Capture One 7 for Raw conversion; Photoshop CS6 for extensive editing or effects; PhotoAcute or Helicon Focus for image stacking; Autopano Giga for stitching.

I also have Lightroom 4, but I use it mainly for troubleshooting, as a catalog, and making contact sheets.

The why:

CO7: Best-in-class Raw conversion period. It does cost $$$, but if you're crazy about getting every last detail out of your images, little comes close.

PS CS6: If you have any reason at all to edit your images on a per-pixel basis, you want Photoshop, simple as that.

Autopano Giga: Best panorama stitching for big, multi-directional panos, useful for batch processing while doing something else.

I'm Canon user.
- DPP Canon software.
- GIMP (open source)
- UFRaw
I was PS user, since PS5 (PS6, PS7, Cs..and so one) until CS5and I discovered "open source". GIMP is my preferred software. I don't like neither to pay a fortune nor seeking for a "magic numbers".

vschapman wrote in post #15676176
I love Lightroom. It fits into my workflow fantastically, and is much easier and self-explanitory than Photoshop. If I need more then I export to photoshop.

This ^^

I also use GIMP (because its about as cheap as you can get - free)... Especially away from home (at work or friends house) - I won't have access to LR. I rarely use it at home, as I'm not doing heavy layers or cloning on most images. And to reiterate vschapman above, its more intuitive... love the localized editing tools in LR - Automasking, Targeted adjustments, graduated filters... they are all right there and I dove in without reading a technical manual. (Though when I did read up, I learned how to use them more effectively )

I just started using HDR Efex PRO 2.0 from Nik software... because I've been interested in HDR for awhile (mostly chose Nik because I got it for free when Google bought them.)