The Difference Between Photoshop and Lightroom Explained

A Post By: Simon Ringsmuth

One of the most common questions I hear from people just starting out in photography is, “What program should I use to edit my photos?”. There are many free options such as iPhoto, Picasa, GIMP, and other commercial programs such as AfterShot Pro and Pixelmator but the most popular programs are Photoshop and Lightroom.

That question is usually followed by another, which seems quite logical, “What’s the difference between Photoshop and Lightroom?“. While the two programs do share many similarities, and are both widely used by the photographic community, they each serve a unique purpose and are quite different in some very major ways. Understanding what makes them similar, as well as different, can help you make an informed choice when selecting the right software for your needs.

Note: if you don’t yet have Lightroom check out this special deal Adobe currently have for dPS readers.

Similarities

At the core level both programs do essentially the same thing, edit images. How they go about handling that task, as well as how you actually use each program, is quite different – but if you are simply looking for software that will allow you to alter, tweak, and enhance your photographs, either one will suffice. Both are capable of handling multiple file types such as: JPEG, PNG, TIFF, and a perennial favorite of many photographers, RAW. In fact both Photoshop and Lightroom use the Adobe Camera Raw (ACR) processing engine to handle RAW files. So, you can expect similar controls and editing options in both programs when doing things like adjusting saturation, working with curves, and correcting for lens distortions.

Both programs also feature an extensive set of editing and manipulation tools allowing you to do everything from; basic edits like cropping and adjusting exposure, to advanced alterations such as working with brushes, tone curves, and graduated filters. You will find a variety of built-in effects in both programs that will allow you to instantly apply edits such as black and white, sepia, and other artistic styles. The two programs are quite powerful image editors. I know some photographers who use Lightroom exclusively and never touch Photoshop, as well as plenty of others who spend all day in Photoshop and never open Lightroom. However, in order to understand which one is best for you it might help to see how they are also quite different from each other.

Difference #1: File Handling

One of the most significant ways in which Lightroom is different from Photoshop is that it does not actually edit photos, nor does it move your images around to different locations on your computer. Instead all the changes you implement are kept in a separate file called the Catalog, which is sort of like a recipe book of instructions for how each photo should be processed. When you apply some type of edit, like a radial filter or adjustment brush, Lightroom is essentially keeping a log of the alterations in a database, while leaving the original image intact. It’s a technique called nondestructive editing, which stands in stark contrast to how Photoshop operates.

For example, several months ago I sent my father this photo I took of him, which I had subsequently edited in Lightroom.

Since the original file was left unchanged I can go back and re-edit the photo any time I want. The edits in Lightroom are a set of instructions for how to process the file, similar to how a recipe is a set of instructions for making food like a cake or casserole. After you finish making changes to an image in Lightroom the photo must be exported at which point it can be printed, shared, or posted online. Because the original photo remains on your computer fully intact and untouched you can go back to Lightroom at any point in the future and re-edit the photo however you want.

Another benefit of this approach is that the catalog itself is quite small, often taking up only a few hundred megabytes on your hard drive even if you have several thousand images in Lightroom.

Photoshop, on the other hand, operates quite differently. When you edit a picture such as a JPG, PNG, or RAW file in Photoshop you are always working on the original file itself, unless you save a copy as a Photoshop PSD file that is usually several dozen megabytes in size. This PSD file contains all the changes made to a photo, and in order to share a given image it must then be saved to a final format such as JPG, PNG, etc. In essence, if you want to perform nondestructive edits in Photoshop you will end up with three separate files: the original camera RAW file, a PSD, and the final copy saved into a shareable format from the PSD. The process works something like this:

The two processes look somewhat similar on the surface with one major difference; in Lightroom all your changes for every photo are saved in one single, relatively small, catalog file. In Photoshop all your changes are saved in unique files for every single picture you edit. This means much more space on your hard drive will be taken up as you work with multiple files in Photoshop, and you will end up with multiple versions of each image as well. So why would you want choose to use Photoshop instead of Lightroom? In a word, power.

Lightroom is kind of like an all-terrain-vehicle you might see on some farms. It’s fast, nimble, and can be used for a variety of tasks like hauling small objects and towing little trailers. But it simply cannot match the sheer power of a massive farm truck when it comes to getting big, serious jobs done like transporting massive bales of hay, pulling a horse trailer, or ploughing through mud and snow.

Nearly a decade ago Adobe realized that not everyone needed the capability of Photoshop, particularly photographers who were returning from events with hundreds of images to edit quickly. What this new generation of digital photographers demanded was the essential editing tools of Photoshop in one easy-to-use package which resulted in Lightroom.

Photoshop contains a dizzying array of filters, brushes, and other tools that allow you to perform all manner of edits and changes to your images. But more than that, Photoshop operates by letting you create different layers on which your edits actually take place. For example, the image on the right shows the various layers I used to edit the image of the statue, and each layer can be edited independently of the others. This might look like a lot, but it is not uncommon for a digital artist to use dozens of layers when editing an image. Lightroom, by contrast, works in a much more linear fashion with no layers, fewer editing tools and less overall flexibility. Both programs contain a history panel that lets you step back in time to any of your edits, but working with layers gives you infinitely more control over exactly how you edit your image.

Case in point, let’s say you want to add a vignette to a portrait. In Lightroom it’s as simple as clicking the “Vignette” option and changing a few basic parameters like the amount, how big the untouched middle portion should be, and how gradually the vignette should fade from the center. It’s a quick no-fuss solution that is incredibly useful for all sorts of photography situations, and if you want a bit more control you can click on the Radial Filter for a few more options.

To do the same thing in Photoshop would require adding a special layer to your photo called an Adjustment Layer such as Levels. Then you’d adjust the levels to darken the image in the highlights and overall, and apply a mask to the layer to only darken the outer edges. You could also change the opacity of the layer (lightening the effect) or the Blend Mode, or you could apply a Dodge and Burn layer – and that’s just the beginning. While all these additional steps might seem hopelessly convoluted, the more you learn how to use the tools Photoshop has to offer the greater degree of control you will have over the editing process.

With all of its options and features (including support for text, 3D graphics, and even video) Photoshop is ideal for almost any image-editing situation. Lightroom essentially distills Photoshop down to the tools that Photographers use most, which is one reason it is so appealing to many shutterbugs.

Difference #3: Workflow

Features and file options aside, the trump card that Lightroom has over its big brother involves its end-to-end workflow solution for photographers. Since it is designed specifically to address the needs of photography enthusiasts and professionals, it handles everything from importing photos from your memory card, to organizing, editing, sharing, and finally printing them. Lightroom has support for keywords and virtual folders to help you keep track of your images, and you can even use it to create a slideshow or photo book. Many photographers, even professionals, will go weeks or months without ever opening Photoshop, because Lightroom takes care of everything they need.

On the other end of the spectrum is Photoshop which doesn’t transfer files, won’t organize your images, and certainly can’t make slide shows or photo books. But again, it’s all about the tradeoffs you are willing to accept. Nothing else can even come close to Photoshop in terms of sheer editing power. However, you can use Adobe Bridge to handle some workflow-based tasks like importing photos and organizing the digital media on your computer, which when paired with Photoshop, does offer a more comprehensive Lightroom-esque workflow experience. It’s not quite as streamlined as working in Lightroom alone, but it does provide a welcome degree of automation as opposed to manually organizing all your PSDs, JPGs, and other photos by hand.

Which one is right for you?

By now you probably realize that this is a question only you can answer, and until recently it meant spending $150 on Lightroom or several times that amount on Photoshop. Thankfully, Adobe has made the decision much easier with its release of Creative Cloud and you can now get both programs for $10/month. If you don’t like the idea of subscribing to software, you can still buy Lightroom by itself, and Adobe has stated they will continue to sell the standalone version for all future versions as well.

This article could be much, much longer and in many ways it seems like I have just scratched the surface, but I hope you have a better understanding of what makes these programs similar and different.

What about you? What differences do you think are worth noting between both programs, and what purpose does each serve for you? Leave your input in the comments section below.

Note: if you don’t yet have Lightroom check out this special deal Adobe currently have for dPS readers.

App Battle: Photoshop vs Illustrator vs InDesign: What's the Difference

Adobe offers seamless services through its popular programs. Among all of them, the most common editing software include InDesign, PhotoShop, and Illustrator.

More or less, each of them has a unique functionality that might not be present in another app. While they share some similarities, it's important to know how they differ from one another.

Let's take a quick look at these three Adobe programs and their purposes.

Adobe Photoshop

Undeniably the most common among the three, PhotoShop is a well-known editing software especially for photographers, artists, cartoonists, and illustrators. This top-notch tool can transform a bland image into an aesthetic piece of art.

The images are rendered on a surface composed of a pixel grid. The resolution of the photo or work will depend on the size of the original file for reference. If they want to expand the image size, they might compromise its quality since the rest of the parts will be pixelated.

It's important to remember that enlarging a subject beyond its limit will degrade the quality of the craft, Workspace Digital wrote in its report.

Additionally, users can also explore other elements that will help them improve their artwork. This would mean changing the color balance, light exposure, and other changes.

More so, people can also incorporate a small picture into a bigger landscape to create a unique outcome. Usually, Adobe Photoshop is widely-used when making web designs, posters, and other detail-oriented stuff that needs a vivid presentation.

Related Article: Adobe Announces Simplified Web Versions of Photoshop, Illustrator

Adobe InDesign

For people who are aligned in digital publishing and printing, InDesign is a trusted software that will do the magic for them. The main focus of this editing app is the improvement of text typography and quality.

While Photoshop is more on image-enhancing or editing, InDesign is appropriately used for making layout designs for a magazine, newspaper, and more.

The InDesign app, at the hands of an expert, will be a powerful tool that can produce polished layouts. Moreover, this would also help them to create a compelling outlet for content, documents, and formats across pages and chapters.

This is also often used when making resumes, catalogs, stationery, pamphlets, and other related stuff.

Adobe Illustrator

The last on the list is Illustrator. According to the official site of Adobe, this tool is more sophisticated to use compared to Photoshop mainly because its emphasis is on vector graphics.

The most common application of this tool is logo creation. This is suited as well if a person wants to make his/her own icon/trademark for business purposes. On top of that, this go-to software allows someone to customize and edit the text in various ways.

To give you a clearer picture of it, just imagine a complete infographic package of a design layout, texts, and images.

For more app-related articles, you can also check our report about the best free video editing software in Android and iOS.

Read Also: [App Battle] Google Chrome vs Microsoft Edge vs Safari: Which is the Best Browser so Far?

This article is owned by Tech Times

Written by Joseph Henry

ⓒ 2022 All rights reserved. Do not reproduce without permission.

Key Differences Between Adobe Illustrator and InDesign

Whether we talk about photo editing or consider typography tool, Adobe has given industry standard software that professionals can use to create projects faster and in a much efficient way.

Adobe Creative Cloud is capable of supporting designers in any kind of project. Be it vector illustrations or motion graphics or video editing, Adobe has developed a perfect software for every kind of digital problem.

As the creative industry is changing dynamically so is our designing strategies. The perfect blend of technology and art has given a next level of creative freedom to the creators. They can now produce high quality work in much less time. Graphic raster and vector software have given a flexibility to create and edit designs as per their convenience.

Let’s focus on static graphics part today. We have some industry leading software like Adobe Photoshop, Illustrator and InDesign which help the designers in creating stunning work projects. Whether they want to create logo, banner, social media graphics, brochure or multi page magazines, these applications are turn out to be a perfect tool for them.

The Creative Cloud collection is really crazy yet powerful combination of tools and each software in the collection is full of amazing features and elements. The collection comprises of various software that designers can choose according to their project needs.

Today, we are back with yet another interesting article. Most of the creative artists spend their lives in switching between major software and in this article, we’ll be discussing about the uses and difference between two industry leading applications – Adobe Illustrator and Adobe InDesign.

So, let’s first get started with the basic understanding about the software

Adobe Illustrator

Illustrator is stunning vector-based software developed by Adobe in 1989. Illustrator gave a much-needed push to Adobe in vector market. With CorelDraw as its competitor, it wasn’t easier but still Illustrator manages to create a unique space for itself.

Used widely by professionals across the globe, it has become a common household tool for people who are interested in experimenting with vector shapes and paths

The application gives the creative freedom to designers to convert their vision into reality. With dozens of tools, shapes and other elements it enhances the creativity of designers.

One can create several things using illustrator like vector illustrations, business cards, banners brochures, letterhead, envelopes, mascots and many more.

Illustrator is a vector-based software that means whatever we create in Illustrator can be either reduce to the size of pea or can be scaled as big as the size of a billboard and all this without compromising the quality of the project.

A design created for business card will look identical on the banner. This versatility of the software makes it the top most favourite tool for designers to create Logos.

Adobe InDesign

Adobe InDesign is another vector-based software backed by Adobe. The application was released by Adobe in 1999. With the emergence of this software, there was a drastic shift. Before this, people were either using PageMaker or QuarkXPress but as soon as InDesign made its debut in the industry, it replaced every other product of the industry.

People started preferring this software over other application. The strength of vector layouting application lies in its ability to handle multi page projects. The software is used heavily by artist to create magazines, newspapers, digital books and other layouts that contain heavy text layouts.

Similar to Illustrator, InDesign is also a vector-based software meaning that even in InDesign you can resize your composition according to your need without losing the quality.

So now when we have learnt about the applications, it is time to know when should we use this software to get better results.

Single and Multi-Page Projects

When we talk about handling and creating layout for multi-page design, both software has the capability of handling the multi-page layouts. Though Illustrator can handle the multi-page documents but InDesign has an edge over it.

InDesign comes with the master page option which allows the user to create and edit several pages simultaneously. In InDesign, you can automatically number the pages which makes it ideal software for Multi page document layouts.

One can create e magazines, books and newspapers using the software. The software is widely used in multi- page layouts because it helps the artists to give and maintain a uniform and professional look throughout the layout.

Comprehensive Drawing Features

Both Illustrator and InDesign are splendid drawing software but it is important to learn which software is best from others. For an artisit who wants to create an enhanced and high- quality layout, Illustrator is the right tool.

Illustrator offer multiple artboard area which makes it easier for designers to work on different forms at the same time also, there’s a lot of space for artist to experiment.

Illustrator comes with an extensive library of tools and elements that designers can use to create amazing work. With Illustrator, you can create Vector illustrations, logos, banners etc.

InDesign too, has some designing tools but they aren’t as crisp and sharp as of Illustrator. So, whenever there’s a project that involves a majority of work you can always choose Illustrator over InDesign.

Logo Creation

I just mentioned that illustrator is the right choice for extensive work project. You can also create Logos in InDesign but in Illustrator you’ll be free to experiment enough. Logos needs to distinguished and unique in nature and with Illustrator as a tool, you have a wide scope to enhance your work.

Also, Logo are needed to be placed on different places of different dimensions. Logos created in Illustrator can easily be adjusted several times without losing the quality.

Choose the right tool for the right job.

Awesome design is produced when you choose the right software. One of the most important reasons of using Adobe software is that they work seamlessly with each other. You can easily switch between the apps and can create a kick-ass composition that will blow everyone out with amaze.

Both Illustrator and InDesign are industry leading software and it will be beneficial for you to master both the software to rule the creative graphic industry. You can also add Photoshop to this combination to become a professional creative graphic artist.

If you are interested to rock the graphic industry you can check out various Graphic design Course provided by professional institutes which will brush up your creative artistic skills and make you a master of all the leading designing software.

Graphic design Institute, an associate partner of ADMEC Multimedia Institute offers excellent certificate and diploma courses in graphic designing. Increase your potential by becoming a part of them.

Also don’t forget to read our other blogs related to the industry ad if you have something similar to share, write us in the comment section

Stay tuned for more informative blogs.

Till then, Keep Exploring!