If you are a photo editor who is in a dilemma about whether to use Adobe Lightroom or Photoshop, this detailed comparison of Adobe Lightroom vs. Photoshop will help you find the right tool for your task.
Both Lightroom and Photoshop are industry-standard tools for photo editing offered by Adobe. You might wonder why there are two photo editing apps offered by the same software maker and which one is best to use.
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The quick answer is that they are created for different use cases. Lightroom is a simple app purposefully designed for photo editing, and it is easier to get used to compared to Photoshop.
Photoshop, on the contrary, is a powerful and high-end graphic software suitable for professional photographers, graphic designers, and illustrators. It has the ability to create complex compositions and allows you to add or remove objects from images, providing more creative possibilities.
While both apps are suitable for photo editing, Lightroom is intuitive, and Photoshop is equipped with high-end capabilities, making it a little difficult to decide which one to use. So, it’s not about which app is best between Lightroom and Photoshop; it’s about what you want to do.
In this blog post, we will explore both Adobe Lightroom and Photoshop to help you choose the perfect program for your photo editing needs. Also, refer to our posts on Adobe Illustrator vs. Inkscape and Adobe Express vs. Canva to find the right tool for your specific tasks.
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What is Adobe Lightroom?
It is available as an independent app with a monthly subscription basis, and you can also access it as a plugin within Adobe Photoshop. Usually, Adobe Lightroom comes in two versions: Lightroom and Lightroom Classic.
Lightroom has a simple and clean interface, ensuring ease of use. This program is accessible on various devices, including desktops, Android, iOS, and iPads. Therefore, this version of Lightroom is ideal for people on the go who need a simple tool for image editing.
On the other hand, Lightroom Classic is a comprehensive program with complex editing tools, making it suitable for professionals.
Which Tasks Can Be Performed with Lightroom?
With Lightroom, you can access multiple options for editing your images, ranging from basic editing tools to advanced tools for making complex edits.
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It allows you to adjust exposure, apply lens corrections, manipulate colors, and fine-tune tones across various image formats. This includes the ability to crop or rotate the image, remove red-eye, and eliminate blemishes, among other tasks.
In addition to that, you can modify vibrance, balance, saturation, and clarity and edit specific sections of an image. Some modules of the software also provide options for geotagging, creating slideshows, and preparing an image for print and web use.
Organizing and filtering images are performed based on keywords and image collections within the library module. This makes it easier to locate specific images within the software. However, when it comes to modifying images by adding or removing certain objects, Lightroom doesn’t offer multiple options to accomplish these tasks.
Another notable feature of Lightroom is its ability to process raw images captured by a camera. There are multiple tools available for flexibility when editing raw files.
So, Lightroom is a perfect tool for both beginners and professional editors who need a clean and easy-to-use tool for photo editing.
What is Adobe Photoshop?
Additionally, its ability to convert raster images to vectors makes this software invaluable for illustrators. Launched in 1990, Adobe Photoshop is a pixel-based editor that offers users the ability to modify the appearance of images.
From cloning images to compositing, Photoshop boasts a wide range of features to expand your creative possibilities. Photoshop is accessible on iPad, as well as Windows and Mac devices.
Which Tasks Can Be Performed with Photoshop?
Photoshop is the perfect tool for working with raster images and performing tasks such as photo editing and retouching. It offers features for removing blemishes from images and creating attractive visuals. With Photoshop, you can add text, shapes, layers, lighting effects, and more to your photos.
Additionally, you can use Photoshop to create composite images, personalize images, convert images into illustrations, and make various other modifications. One limitation is that it cannot handle raw images, which is a capability available in Lightroom. However, you can import these raw images into Photoshop using the Adobe Camera Raw plugin.
Adobe Lightroom vs. Photoshop: Advantages of Lightroom
So far, we’ve established that both Adobe Lightroom and Photoshop are excellent photo editing tools, and your choice depends on your specific requirements. Hence, here are the advantages of Lightroom that you need to know to make an informed decision:
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Easy to Use
The primary advantage of Adobe Lightroom is its user-friendliness, which makes it easier to learn and use compared to Photoshop. Even beginners and individuals accustomed to other photo editing software can understand and effectively utilize this program. It is also available on touchscreen devices such as smartphones and iPads.
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Simple Interface
Lightroom features a clean interface that allows you to organize your workflow in a streamlined manner, making it a more straightforward option for newcomers when compared to Photoshop. Lightroom creates a database of images, enabling you to easily locate specific images by applying various filters, such as date, time, aperture, resolution, and camera make/model.
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Raw Editing Capabilities
Another advantage of Lightroom is that it allows you to import uncompressed raw files directly and work with them. This is a truly impressive feature, as you have to use the Adobe Camera Raw plugin to do the same thing in Photoshop.
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Flexibility in Editing
Whenever you edit an image with Lightroom, it creates a new file, and the original file remains unchanged. Furthermore, it keeps a record of all modifications to an image, which will be helpful when you want to reverse any alterations that you have made. Even after months of editing an image, you can alter any edit you made to that image.
Lightroom offers enough tools and features for photographers and editors who need an intuitive app with a clean interface for their editing tasks. In fact, many users find that the editing process is easier in Lightroom than in Photoshop.
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Group Settings
Lightroom has a feature that allows you to apply the same settings to a group of images when required. You can simply copy settings or synchronize edits to apply them to a number of images with just a few clicks. Also, you can add metadata, such as ratings, labels, keywords, etc., to a group of images at a time.
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Adobe Lightroom vs. Photoshop: Advantages of Photoshop
Photoshop is the leading and advanced photo editing tool, so photographers, graphic designers, and professionals stick to this app for photo editing. Compared to Lightroom, Photoshop has more abilities to help you with simple to complex editing needs.
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Powerful and Efficient Features
Photoshop offers a wide array of editing tools and features compared to Lightroom, making it an ideal choice for editing needs beyond photography. It boasts options for elevating your work to new levels of attractiveness. The numerous brushes, layout options, and templates provide an edge to illustrators and graphic designers for enhancing their work.
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Multiple Editing Options
Being a raster-based editing tool, Photoshop provides full control over image alterations, allowing you to edit every single detail. This makes Photoshop the go-to option for retouching tasks. Additionally, Photoshop’s layer-based editing system is highly beneficial for working on different parts of an image, giving you increased control to make modifications as needed.
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Object Removal Feature
While Lightroom allows users to remove blemishes and make minor changes, Photoshop’s extensive toolset offers the option to remove entire objects and create clean, detailed alterations. This is why Photoshop is the top choice for professional graphic designers. Simply select the area you want to remove from the image, and Photoshop’s AI will handle the removal.
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Access to Numerous Plugins
Photoshop allows you to use plugins to streamline your workflow. You can choose either Adobe’s own plugins or third-party programs based on your specific requirements. This versatility makes Photoshop a suitable app for a wide range of purposes.
Adobe Lightroom vs. Photoshop: Pricing
Both Lightroom and Photoshop offer subscription plans with a seven-day free trial option. Additionally, both are included in Adobe’s Photography Plan.
The subscription cost for Lightroom is $9.99 per month, allowing you to use Lightroom (not Lightroom Classic) on any device and save your work on the cloud. Photoshop’s subscription plan costs $20.99 per month. The Photography Plan, which includes both Lightroom and Photoshop, is priced at $19.99 per month.
If you only need either Photoshop or Lightroom, you can choose the individual plans for each program. However, if you require both Lightroom and Photoshop for your editing needs, opting for the Photography Plan is more cost-effective. In fact, it’s more economical than the individual Photoshop plan.
If your needs extend beyond photo editing and you want access to all of Adobe’s creative apps, you can consider the Adobe Creative Cloud subscription plan. This plan provides access to all apps for a monthly cost of $54.99 per month.
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Adobe Lightroom vs. Photoshop: Which Program You Need to Use?
By now, you understand that both Lightroom and Photoshop have their own benefits and drawbacks. So, the program you choose for your workflow depends on your specific needs.
If you are someone who requires a basic to mid-level editing tool, then you can opt for Lightroom. It is a fantastic tool with outstanding features to smoothly carry out your workflow. Lightroom excels in organizing capabilities, making it easy to keep your image files well-organized and easily accessible when needed.
However, if you are a serious photo editor seeking advanced features, then Photoshop is the perfect choice. It provides enhanced features such as compositing, brushes, editing tools, and more to make your workflow highly efficient.
Moreover, you should also consider the pricing of both editing tools, as they both come with a subscription model. Alternatively, you can try both apps with the Photography Plan and then decide which app best suits your needs.
When to Use Lightroom?
Lightroom is an easy-to-learn and intuitive tool suitable for anyone seeking a straightforward app for photo editing. New image editors or photographers who are looking for a simple application to begin their editing journey can consider using Lightroom. It’s a perfect choice for them to learn photo editing and create impressive designs.
For those who need a lightweight app for on-the-go editing, Lightroom is a worthy choice. Lightroom can be accessed on mobile devices such as smartphones and iPads, offering you the flexibility you need.
Furthermore, if you are someone who engages in photo editing occasionally, then Lightroom is a viable option. It is a more budget-friendly and streamlined choice compared to Photoshop.
When to Use Photoshop?
Photoshop is the right choice for those who need to perform complex editing tasks with pixel-level precision. Its extensive features and impressive image editing capabilities make it the ideal tool for enhancing the look of your images.
Professional retouchers, graphic designers, and photographers prefer using Photoshop because it provides them with the ability to make precise changes to any aspect of an image.
Can You Use Both of Them?
Both Lightroom and Photoshop serve the same purpose: photo editing. However, their workflows differ, as they are intended for different users and use cases. Lightroom is beginner-friendly, while Photoshop is suitable for professional image editors.
Whether you want to use either one or both of them depends on your individual working needs. If you believe that having both tools will offer you more flexibility and freedom in your work, you can use both of them.
In this case, the Photography Plan is the perfect choice, as it grants you access to both apps at an affordable monthly rate.
Read our blog on the Adobe Creative Cloud pricing guide to find out more about the pricing plans.
Final Verdict
Both Lightroom and Photoshop are two popular programs in the field of photo editing. Lightroom is a beginner-friendly tool with fewer features than Photoshop. Its basic features and simple user interface make it an excellent starting point for those who want to learn photography and editing.
On the other hand, Photoshop is an advanced and powerful editing tool that offers more control over images, allowing users to experience greater flexibility when editing. Professional graphic designers, photographers, or anyone who wants to edit images with more detail can consider using Photoshop.
In this way, both programs have their pros and cons, so you have to decide which app to use depending on your specific needs.
