Buying Photoshop advice

[lhayes94]

I'm fairly new the photography, but I am getting into it more and more. I currently own Aperture, but I'm starting to discover more things that Aperture cannot do (i.e. stacking images, etc.) that I would really like to experiment with. There seems to be many versions of Photoshop out there, and I was wondering if anyone could point me in the right direction/give me some advice on which editing program I should look at.

Thanks!

 

[PaulWog]

Photoshop cs6 is pretty intense. It took me a good while to learn, but it's an awesome program. I have the cs5 version, older, but I got it at a price that was a steal of a deal. If you're paying up front, maybe try the creative cloud subscription to see how you like it.

I also like lightroom but I assume aperture is similar?

 

[weepete]

I recently got Lightroom 5 and Photoshop CC bundled together for £8.78 per month for 12 months. I thought it was a good deal but it finished in November, dunno if they might do a January sale kinda thing but I'd Reccommended both of these programs

 

[jaomul]

I'm fairly new the photography, but I am getting into it more and more. I currently own Aperture, but I'm starting to discover more things that Aperture cannot do (i.e. stacking images, etc.) that I would really like to experiment with. There seems to be many versions of Photoshop out there, and I was wondering if anyone could point me in the right direction/give me some advice on which editing program I should look at.

Thanks!

Welcome to the forum.
In your situation I would download a 30 day free trial of Photoshop Elements 12 and GIMP. See if these programs will fill your needs. There are youtube tutorials on these.GIMP is free and elements is about 90 euro/75 pounds /110 dollars ish in price

 

[hamlet]

Start with lightroom 5, it has a lower learning curve than photoshop 6. Look for classes to learn photoshop 6 if you insist on going that route.

 

[KmH]

You can still join the Adobe Photoshop Photography Program that gets you Photoshop CC and LR 5 for $9.99 a month - as long as you sign up before December 31, 2013.
https://creative.adobe.com/plans/offer/photoshop+lightroom

Lightroom and Aperture are both PIEware - image database managers that have a parametric Raw conversion/editing function. (PIE = parametric image editor).

So if Aperture didn't have the kind of editing capabilities you needed, Lightroom likely won't have them either.
It is worth noting though that Lightroom's Raw conversion/editing module - the Develop module - and Photoshop CS 6/CC Camera Raw both use the same software - Adobe Camera Raw (ACR).
Photoshop Elements has about 1/2 of ACR's tools and functions.

That leave Photoshop Elements (consumer grade) , Photoshop CS 6 (pro grade), or the monthly pro grade subscription service Photoshop CC (Creative Cloud)- if you want Adobe software.
There will be no CS 7.
Adobe's most up to date professional grade software - the Creative Cloud is now only available by subscription.

Photoshop CC includes 3-D and video editing functions CS 6 does not have, and CS 6 will not receive any of the updates CC gets.

Both Photoshop Elements and GIMP are limited by only being able to do 8-bit depth edits.
Bit depth is an important aspect of image editing. You can learn more about bit depth here - Photo Editing Tutorials

I've been using Photoshop almost daily for well over 10 years and I still learn more ways to use it more effectively, either by trial and error, an epiphany, or learning a new way to do something from a Photoshop expert.

 

[PeK77]

You can still join the Adobe Photoshop Photography Program that gets you Photoshop CC and LR 5 for $9.99 a month - as long as you sign up before December 31, 2013.
https://creative.adobe.com/plans/offer/photoshop+lightroom

Lightroom and Aperture are both PIEware - image database managers that have a parametric Raw conversion/editing function. (PIE = parametric image editor).

So if Aperture didn't have the kind of editing capabilities you needed, Lightroom likely won't have them either.
It is worth noting though that Lightroom's Raw conversion/editing module - the Develop module - and Photoshop CS 6/CC Camera Raw both use the same software - Adobe Camera Raw (ACR).
Photoshop Elements has about 1/2 of ACR's tools and functions.

That leave Photoshop Elements (consumer grade) , Photoshop CS 6 (pro grade), or the monthly pro grade subscription service Photoshop CC (Creative Cloud)- if you want Adobe software.
There will be no CS 7.
Adobe's most up to date professional grade software - the Creative Cloud is now only available by subscription.

Photoshop CC includes 3-D and video editing functions CS 6 does not have, and CS 6 will not receive any of the updates CC gets.

Both Photoshop Elements and GIMP are limited by only being able to do 8-bit depth edits.
Bit depth is an important aspect of image editing. You can learn more about bit depth here - Photo Editing Tutorials

I've been using Photoshop almost daily for well over 10 years and I still learn more ways to use it more effectively, either by trial and error, an epiphany, or learning a new way to do something from a Photoshop expert.

I agree with KmH in that I've learned it slowly over many years and still don't use a majority of the functions. Get the subscription for Lightroom and Photoshop and use Adobe tv to learn.

Here's a link to their free courses: Learn Photoshop CC | Adobe TV
There is a section like this for Lightroom too. I try to learn something new every day - sometimes hours and sometimes minutes.

learn it with projects too. Shoot with a specific thing in mind that you'll learn. I've found a tutorial for everything I've wanted to learn on youtube. Most importantly - have fun!

 

[KelSS90]

I'm also a beginner and I would go with Lightroom to start (they have a free 30 day trial). That's what I had first and I just played around with it and it was very user friend and easy to figure out. Adobe has awesome tutorial videos in their website.

I also just recently got Photoshop and it is not at all user friendly (at least not for me - lol). I still use Lightroom a majority of the time because Photoshop is just so dang overwhelming. I think it's an awesome tool to have and I'm sure it will be a huge step up in my post processing as I learn to better use it.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[KmH]

Adobe Elements, LR, CS & CC comes with built-in tutorials.

Open your Adobe software and then press your keyboard F1 key, or click the Help tab.
I visit Adobe TV, regularly buy books on image editing using Adobe software, and aa a NAPP member (National Associations of Photoshop Professionals) I get Photoshop User magazine and have access to all of NAPP's, training, tutorials, help desk, and member only forum.
Photoshop User | A Kelby Media Group site