# Photography editing software



## NE-KID (Oct 19, 2019)

Hey everyone! 

Hope all is well with everyone. I have a question what photo editing software does everyone use to edit their photographs? My friend she recommended me to use Adobe Lightroom to try out to see how I like it. Not sure what version of Lightroom to use? What is the difference between the three of them? 5,6 and Lightroom CC?

- Jamie


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## AlanKlein (Oct 19, 2019)

Oh boy, did you open a can of worms.   I'll let others explain.


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## Original katomi (Oct 20, 2019)

It’s like asking what colour is white.
But as you asked 
I use photoshop elements. PSE in short hand PSE 9 and light room 5 Or LR 5 and the canon own raw 
My versions of LR &PSE are all stand alone no monthly subscription. I understand the PSE is a bit more limited than the full version but photography is a hobby you don’t normally buy a F1 racing car to drive to the corner shop for a few veg and a loaf of bread.
I do most of my raw edits in the canon raw editor the move to PSE ok my ver 9 starts to struggle after I reach 20 layers, but I have found workaround for that. 
If you going to play to see what you like I would suggest that you look at the cheapest option be it monthly subscription or an older stand alone no sense committing a lot of cash and then being stuck with a prog you don’t like
If you are looking to do a lot of post production editing have a look at a graphics tablet Wacom do some nice ones.


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## Orrin (Oct 26, 2019)

Before you spend any money, take a look at GIMP. I have been using it for
years, but it's a bit complex and it is not clone of any other software.

GIMP - GNU Image Manipulation Program


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## Derrel (Oct 26, 2019)

I would buy LR 6 if I were you


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## Jeff15 (Oct 26, 2019)

Save money and buy Photoshop Elements 18...


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## JoeW (Oct 26, 2019)

I use Affinity Photo.  No monthly rental fee.  Pay one price (I think I paid $30 but it's now gone up to $40) and it's your's plus updates.  Very happy with it.


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## SquarePeg (Oct 27, 2019)

I also use Affinity but the iPad version $20 one time fee.  Love it.


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## JoeW (Oct 27, 2019)

SquarePeg said:


> I also use Affinity but the iPad version $20 one time fee.  Love it.


BTW, you may already know this but there are a couple of instructional videos on Lynda.com about Affinity for iPads.  Usually you'd have to pay Lynda.com to access them BUT...check with your local library.  My library has a subscription to Lynda.com so I was busy watching a video this morning (from my home) about using Affinity to fine-tune portraits.


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## ronlane (Oct 27, 2019)

NE-KID said:


> Hey everyone!
> 
> Hope all is well with everyone. I have a question what photo editing software does everyone use to edit their photographs? My friend she recommended me to use Adobe Lightroom to try out to see how I like it. Not sure what version of Lightroom to use? What is the difference between the three of them? 5,6 and Lightroom CC?
> 
> - Jamie



Jamie,

The difference between LR 5, 6 and Lightroom CC is this.  LR 5 and 6 were options to buy the program (app) and install it on your computer and you used it like any other program. Lightroom CC is a desktop "app" but is part of Adobe's new subscription model. You pay a annual or monthly fee and get Lightroom CC and all of the upgrades included it in. (The monthly/annual fee and the upgrades included are the big difference)

There are tons of people on here that do not like the subscription business model but more and more seem to be going with it.

There have been plenty of options mentioned and some that were left out. One that was left out is either a subscription based or pay a one time fee with no upgrades is CaptureOne. It is used by a lot of professionals that use tethering. (It is the best tethering software out there, IMHO)

Hope this helps your selection a bit. 

btw, I use the photographers subscription plan with adobe (Lightroom and Photoshop).


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## SquarePeg (Oct 27, 2019)

JoeW said:


> SquarePeg said:
> 
> 
> > I also use Affinity but the iPad version $20 one time fee.  Love it.
> ...



Thanks for the tip.  I found a great iPad specific tutorial on udemy (could be the same one that’s on Lynda) and got it on “sale” for $11.  A decent price for 10 hours of tutorials.  Learned a ton right off the bat.  I still have a few of the more involved features that I skipped over and need to get back to like masking and saving textures and presets.  There are a few other classes available also on sale.


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## jcdeboever (Dec 31, 2019)

I use GIMP mostly and I convert most of my digital images in camera (Fuji system). When I need to edit something that has more feature control and speed, I use Exposure X5. I hate to edit so I strive to get it right in camera. GIMP is fantastic and suits me 75% of the time. Exposure X is very intuitive and easy to use.


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## Scott Whaley (Dec 31, 2019)

I have been using LR6 for a few years now.   There are several videos on YouTube on how to use it.


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## Warhorse (Jan 11, 2020)

I bought into the Adobe subscription for $10 a month LR/PS. I am just starting to learn and am concentrating on LR first. Having no real experience photo editing, I am finding that there is much to learn. Heck, I am amazed at just the organizing one can do in LR.


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## TWX (Jan 13, 2020)

jcdeboever said:


> I use GIMP mostly and I convert most of my digital images in camera (Fuji system). When I need to edit something that has more feature control and speed, I use Exposure X5. I hate to edit so I strive to get it right in camera. GIMP is fantastic and suits me 75% of the time. Exposure X is very intuitive and easy to use.


My only complaint about GIMP is that it doesn't support Canon Raw formats natively, and due to my particular choices in Linux distributions, upgrading to a new enough version of GIMP where it integrates well with rawtherapee is problematic.  So I end up working in Rawtherapee, then sometimes editing those exports in GIMP, if I don't just take the camera jpegs and edit them in GIMP, forgetting the raw file for the moment.


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## greybeard (Feb 4, 2021)

I've used several different ones over the years including LightRoom and Photo Shop.  If you are willing to pay the subscription fee and have a Windows 10 computer, the basic Adobe lightroom/photoshop is hard to beat.  Lately I've been using a free program called "Dark Table"  It is a free open source program that has many of the same features as lightroom and several that LR doesn't.   Gimp is another free open source that is similar to photo shop.  If you are just getting started, I'd start with DarkTable and then add Gimp later as they both have a bit of a learning curve.    Have fun
darktable - the photo workflow software 
darktable 3.4 user manual - overview


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## greybeard (Feb 4, 2021)

TWX said:


> jcdeboever said:
> 
> 
> > I use GIMP mostly and I convert most of my digital images in camera (Fuji system). When I need to edit something that has more feature control and speed, I use Exposure X5. I hate to edit so I strive to get it right in camera. GIMP is fantastic and suits me 75% of the time. Exposure X is very intuitive and easy to use.
> ...


I use DarkTable as the front end for GIMP.  It converts my Nikon .nef files for GIMP with no problem.  Not sure about Canon but, I'd surprised if DarkTable didn't convert Canon RAW files too.


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## mjcmt (Feb 4, 2021)

I have iMac and use Apple's included basic 'Photos' editing program.


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