Photoshop vs. Lightroom: Which to Use?

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Photoshop vs. Lightroom: which should I choose?

Taking the photo is often only half the work. You really complete it with successful post-processing. Although ‘photoshopping’ has become a verb in its own right, there is another very interesting Adobe program for you as a photographer besides Photoshop: Lightroom. But what exactly are the differences, and which one should you buy? We explain it in this article.

Although both programs are made by the same creator (Adobe), there are still major differences. Think of the layout, the way you can edit a photo and the way you manage your photos. Before we go into that in more detail, first a bit of history.

History

Adobe launched Photoshop in 1990 and targeted not only photographers, but also illustrators, graphic designers and web designers. To meet the needs of all these users, Adobe packed the program with features. Lightroom followed in 2007, with a focus exclusively on photographers.

Because Photoshop contains many more features, it has a steeper learning curve than Lightroom. Photoshop’s target group is therefore much broader. You can imagine that graphic designers use very different tools than you do as a photographer. The average user will happily leave a large part of the tools in the box. If you are just starting out with photo editing, it is certainly not strange if Photoshop makes it hard to see the wood for the trees. For many photographers who only want to edit photos, Lightroom is therefore definitely a solution. Relatively speaking, the number of usable tools is much larger.

The major differences

Important: Adobe also makes an Elements version of Photoshop. You can see this as a stripped-down version of the program, with complicated and advanced functions left out. When we refer to Photoshop in this article, we mean the full version: Photoshop CC.

Layout

The first thing you notice when you open both programs is the layout. While Photoshop has a dark grey appearance, Lightroom has a black shell. In Photoshop, you will find the menu at the top, containing the editing tools. You can also have multiple images open at the same time here in different windows. Lightroom, on the other hand, is built around modules, such as ‘Library’, ‘Develop’ and ‘Print’. In each module, you will find the corresponding features. Because many of the functions you do find in Photoshop are missing, Lightroom’s layout looks much clearer.

Lightroom screenshot

Library

You can think of Lightroom as a library in which your photos are stored. When you start working on a photo, every edit is automatically saved and remembered. Even if you close the program and come back later, these edits can still be seen and, if needed, reversed. Are you happy with your edit? Then you can export it as a JPG file under a new name. The great thing is that the original file is always preserved too.

If you edit with Photoshop, you are forced to archive your photos somewhere else, for example in Adobe Bridge or simply in a folder on your computer. From there, you import your photo and start working on it. In Photoshop, you can only go back a limited number of steps while editing. Once you have saved the photo as a JPG and left the program, all your editing steps are gone too. If you want to return to your edit later, you need to work with layers and save the photo as a Photoshop file (PSD).

Post-processing

Now perhaps the most important part: the actual editing options. Because Lightroom is aimed exclusively at photographers, you can bring up the tools for adjusting things like contrast, clarity, colour tone and saturation in no time. In Photoshop, these functions take a little more searching, but you do have more editing freedom afterwards.

In general, adjustments you make in Lightroom are applied to the entire photo. One way to adjust local parts of the photo (for example to burn, dodge or adjust the colour) is to work with Range Masks. In Photoshop, on the other hand, you use as many layers and masks as you want. That is why Photoshop has the advantage here.

Photoshop screenshot

‘Photoshopping’

When people talk about ‘photoshopping’, they tend to think of noticeable adjustments such as cloning parts of the photo, softening skin or removing a few kilos. Although this is possible with Lightroom, for more extensive cloning and retouching work, Photoshop is really the place to be. It is not called ‘photoshopping’ for nothing! Because you can work with layers in Photoshop, it is much more suitable for this.

Archiving, organising and presenting

Lightroom is more than an editing program. As mentioned earlier, the program has a library containing your photos. You can organise these based on keywords, EXIF information or GPS information, for example. Having friends over? Then you can quickly and easily create a slideshow with, for example, your best holiday snaps. This is not possible in Photoshop.

Should I choose Photoshop or Lightroom?

Now that you have an idea of what both programs can do, it is time for the key question: which one is most suitable for you? In fact, you are the only one who can decide that. Both programs are a good choice; it simply depends on what you want to use them for. Below are a number of possible needs and the program that best suits them.

  • I have little experience with post-processing and want to take my first steps.

In this case, it is wise to start with Lightroom. Because this program is slightly less extensive, you have a clearer overview, which benefits ease of use. Lightroom also has a less steep learning curve, so you will master it more quickly.

  • I want to improve the exposure, contrast and colours of my photos.

If you do not want to do any fancy tricks, but simply enhance your photos by adjusting the exposure and contrast, Lightroom is perfect. Because this is exactly what the program was developed for, you are not distracted by all kinds of other functions that you do not use anyway. This benefits your workflow. Also useful for professionals!

  • I would like to organise all my photos and edits in one central place.

In this case, choose Lightroom. Photoshop does not have its own library. As discussed, Lightroom gives you an archive containing all your photos and their edits. These can also be sorted based on keywords, EXIF information or GPS information, for example. Very handy if you want everything in one place and do not want to start archiving yourself.

  • I would like to adjust, remove or move objects in my photo.

If you do fashion photography and want to make your models a few kilos lighter or give them smoother skin, choose Photoshop. The cloning and retouching options in it are much more extensive than in Lightroom. Also, if you want to separate other objects from the background, such as in product photography, you will need Photoshop.

  • I also want to work graphically and create posters or collages.

If you want to do more than post-process photos, such as creating posters or collages, Photoshop is the right choice. It is not possible to create graphic designs with Lightroom.

  • I cannot decide yet. Can I just use both programs?

Of course! Although there is overlap in features, Photoshop and Lightroom also complement each other very well. For example, you can adjust exposure and colours in Lightroom, and do more complicated retouching work in Photoshop. If you have both programs, you can transfer your photo from one program to the other in no time and continue with your edit.