The Best Adobe Photoshop Versions for You (in 2022)

Do you want to know the best Adobe Photoshop version for you? Well, there are many different versions of Photoshop that vary in price and features. But don’t worry, because we have compiled a list of all the information you need to help make your decision.

History of Photoshop

The 7 Best Photoshop Apps for Smartphone Photography Photoshop is one of the most popular photo editing programs, but it can be expensive. Fortunately, there are a

The Top Adobe Photoshop Alternatives Photoshop is a leading photo editing software that’s used by professionals in the industry, but for those of

Photoshop is a computer program which lets you alter images and photos. The earliest versions were developed in the 1990s, with an early version being released in 1995.

However, Photoshop has been available since 1987, having originally been named PhotoShop. There are several other similar programs, such as Gimp and Paint Shop Pro.

Photoshop is used by many artists, photographers, designers, animators, and video editors to create and manipulate images. It allows for the manipulation of pixels so that it can be changed into a variety of different images. For example, an image can be manipulated to appear in black and white or sepia tones. Another common use for Photoshop is for retouching photographs, where the user can remove blemishes or replace certain objects. It can also be used to enhance the quality of a photo by changing colors and levels of contrast. There are many other uses too, such as cropping an image to remove unwanted parts of the picture, manipulating a video to make it look more attractive, and creating graphics for websites.

Many people who have started using Photoshop at the beginning of their career found it difficult to work with and were often unaware of how to manipulate images. However, with the improvements in software technology, the program has become much easier to use and understand. It is now possible to easily manipulate images on the computer without being too complicated.

Photoshop is not a very old program and has only been around for about 25 years. It was created by two engineers, Charles Lewis and John Knoll. The name Photoshop comes from the initials of the three engineers’ names, Charles Lewis, John Knoll and Robert Simmons.

It was first developed for the NeXT computers, but later it became available for use with other computers as well. It originally had two versions, one for Macintosh computers, and another for Windows. However, the original versions of the program had many problems.

In order to make the program more user-friendly, the engineers decided to make some changes. The first change they made was to split the program into two. This was done so that only one person could be working on an image at a time. They also added a new file format, TIFF (Tagged Image File Format). This is a file format which allows the user to store images in a standard way.

The original version of Photoshop was released in 1987, and it was named PhotoShop. At this stage the program only allowed the user to manipulate a single image at a time. However, as more people started using it, it became clear that it would be more useful to have a program which could work with multiple images at once. Therefore, in 1992, the second version of the program was released. This allowed for the editing of several images at once. It was renamed as Photoshop, which stands for Professional Graphics Software.

At this point, there were two versions of Photoshop. A Macintosh version, and a Windows version. It wasn’t until 1994 that the company that owned the rights for the Macintosh version sold them to the NeXT corporation. The Macintosh version was renamed to Photoshop. It was a fairly basic program, which didn’t have many features.

The Mac version of Photoshop was developed by the Adobe Systems Corporation, based in San Jose, California, USA. In 1995, they created an improved version, known as Photoshop 4.5, which was used with computers running Mac OS. It was an upgrade over the previous version, but it still didn’t have many features.

In the same year, Adobe released the Windows version of the program. The first version was called Photoshop 6.0, but this was later changed to Photoshop. In 1997, Adobe released another update, called Photoshop . This version had the ability to work with images on CD-ROMs, and allowed the user to edit many images at once. It also included a new program called Bridge, which is a program that enables the user to organize and find images. It was renamed as Photoshop CS.

Adobe Photoshop is available on many computers. However, it is most common on Macintosh computers and Apple Macs. There are also versions of the program for Windows computers, such as Windows 7 and 8, and the latest versions of Windows.

What Kind of Photographers Are You?

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Types of Product Photography Product photography is an important part of any eCommerce sites. There are many different types of product The Different Types of Fashion Photography There are several types of photography that people use to show different parts of their lives. Some are very The Different Types of Portrait Photography It’s no secret that portrait photography has become increasingly popular recently. But what are the different

The best way to find out what type of photographer you are is to figure out your needs. What kind of pictures do you need to take? This could be anything from portraiture to landscapes. Do you want to edit RAW files more comfortably on a laptop or a desktop computer? The choice in camera equipment largely depends on what type of photography appeals to you the most. Whatever your preference, there’s an option for everyone!

And you can choose the best version of Adobe Photoshop to suit your needs.

Which of the Photoshop Versions Is Best for You?

1. Adobe Photoshop Elements

Photoshop Elements is an affordable option for beginners or those on a budget. It includes most of the features found in other versions of Photoshop but doesn’t include some that more advanced users may require such as 3D design tools or video editing software.

You can use Photoshop Elements to retouch photos, remove blemishes, add backgrounds, crop or rotate an image, enhance colors and add effects to your photographs. You can also make your own images using templates or add special effects such as borders and frames. In addition, you can also use Photoshop Elements to edit video files including those from your webcam or smartphone.

You can learn how to use Photoshop Elements by watching videos and reading articles online. It’s also possible to buy a digital camera and follow tutorials on the internet to get a sense of the software. You might find it easier if you start with the basics and try the program on small images before trying to work on a bigger file. Once you have started, don’t be afraid to experiment. The software is intuitive and easy to use, although you may need to keep an eye on the screen, and watch tutorials on YouTube.

2. Adobe Photoshop CC

Photoshop CC is geared towards professionals who use it at work every day. It has all sorts of advanced tools including new ones like Content Aware Fill which allows users to remove objects from their photos without having to do a lot of editing.

Photoshop CC can be purchased for a monthly fee. It’s perfect for professionals who use it at work every day. The Adobe Creative Cloud offers access to all of Adobe’s creative tools including some which are exclusive only on the cloud such as Photoshop Lightroom. For beginners looking into dabbling in photo editing but not sure if they want to commit long term, then we recommend starting out with Photoshop Elements and upgrading later when more advanced features are needed for your work.

If you would like to know more about Adobe’s creative tools, check out this blog post:

The best part is that Photoshop CC enables all sorts of new techniques not possible before such as Content Aware Fill which allows users to remove objects from photos with minimal editing required. You can find the full list of benefits and limitations on their site (linked below).

The Top Adobe Photoshop Alternatives Photoshop is a leading photo editing software that’s used by professionals in the industry, but for those of

3. Lightroom Classic

Lightroom Classic is a fantastic piece of software that focuses on accuracy and precision. It’s the perfect tool for photographers who are looking to be precise about all their editing work with no worries, but it does have its limitations

It should also not be used if you want professional-level post-processing features like Hyperlapse or HDR Merge.

On the other hand there’s Lightroom CC which has great post-processing capabilities such as these two specifically; they make it ideal for people who take long exposures or night shots.

4. Lightroom CC

Lightroom CC is a popular editing software for photographers and graphic designers alike. The program has earned widespread acclaim from professionals who rely on it to edit all their photos, often in addition with Adobe Photoshop or other photo-editing software such as Pixlr which are also available at the Google Play store. Lightroom’s key features include: providing an easy way to adjust colors; creating HDR images that give your photographs a three-dimensional look without any need of special equipment; improving contrast using various tools like dodging and burning techniques; making corrections by removing unwanted objects or adding new ones into shots right before finalizing them – many more! With its intuitive interface, you can quickly learn how this powerful tool works while delivering excellent edits every time.

Adobe Lightroom: What is it and what features does it have? Adobe Lightroom is a photo editing and management program that has been developed by the Adobe company. If you

Photoshop or Lightroom?

One of the most frequent questions I get from people is “Photoshop or Lightroom?” The answer to this question is completely up to your personal preference and what you are looking for. If you’re looking for more Photoshop-like features, such as layers, channels, and tons of incredible adjustment tools (like those found in Camera RAW), Photoshop will be an excellent choice. If you’re looking for more streamlined editing that includes some of the most popular Lightroom features, such as tone curves and lens corrections, then Lightroom would be a better choice.

Versions of Adobe Photoshop

Photoshop CS5

Photoshop is a widely used and well-known editing software which has been around for many years. With the release of Photoshop CS5, there were a lot of major changes to the interface which allowed for more advanced tools to be added in the following version.

The most significant updates include:

New Content Aware Fill and Puppet Warp tools, which allow users to apply intelligent content-aware algorithms to seamlessly replace missing and altered areas of an image with similar content.

• A host of new retouching tools that provide a more natural appearance for skin smoothing, sharpening, removing blemishes, and other fine-tuned tasks.

• New tools for precise color correction, including a powerful new tool for accurately adjusting the overall tonal range of an image.

• Enhanced tools for creating and using composites, as well as improved masking and layer creation capabilities.

• New 3D tools that enable users to create stunning visual effects for their 3D images.

Photoshop CS6

With the release of its 2012 version, Adobe made many enhancements to Photoshop. Camera Raw was also updated in this new version and reached it’s seventh installment for CS6 users. The interface and workspace were redesigned with an eye on simplicity which is a hallmark trait of their product line from start-to-finish!

Photoshop CC

The Cloud Storage Version of Adobe CC is a major breakthrough for all users and editors. The one-time purchase option was replaced with a monthly or annual subscription service, but the upgrade makes it possible to save files on any computer anywhere in the world that has an internet connection.

In this version, the intelligent upsampling of images and camera raw filters were introduced. Smart objects linking with other smart object was also a highlight in this release. In addition to these features, there is now an option for reducing shakiness while taking photos!

Photoshop CC is an all-in-one solution for digital imaging needs. It offers a complete toolkit that includes powerful photo editing, vector drawing, 3D and 2D design painting tools, video editing and motion graphics. So you can do it all in one place.

I like to work with Photoshop CC because of the many different features that it has. The brush tool has two new brushes, which makes it easy to create a variety of textures and effects. With the new perspective features in Photoshop CC, I can adjust my view with a single click. And then edit objects on multiple layers at once to add interest or change their colors.

Photoshop CC 2014

It’s hard to believe that Photoshop has been around for over 25 years. And while a few changes have taken place in the newer versions, CC 2014 is one of those great updates where there were so many enhancements made to create an even better experience than before! With new features such as Spin Blur and Path Blur it will be easier than ever before to quickly edit your photos with just the push of a button.

Ninety-nine percent of photos taken today are captured in JPEG format, so Adobe Photoshop CC 2014 has a new JPEG saving option that lets you compress for compatibility with mobile devices and websites.

Edit 360° panoramas with easy-to-use panorama tools and intuitive controls. To take even better shots, first take a shot then choose Edit in Camera Raw to edit the photo in Photoshop, then go back and shoot again to complete the 360° panorama.

Photoshop CC 2015

In June 2015, Adobe released the newest version of Camera raw 9.1 and Export options for exporting files to other programs. The most notable change in this update was introducing Adobe Stock!

Some big improvements:

Smart Sharpen. Smart Sharpen helps make your images look like they were taken with a high-quality camera, including sharpening details without altering them too much.

•Improved Lens Correction. Photoshop has a new Lens Correction tool to help you improve images with imperfect lenses. This tool helps you to remove barrel and pincushion distortion from your photos, as well as reduce chromatic aberration, defocus, vignetting and other problems.

•New Levels and Curves tools. The Levels tool has been updated, and now allows you to control brightness in all your layers. With the Curves tool, you can make changes to contrast and saturation in your image.

•Enhanced Exposure tool. The Exposure tool has been enhanced to make it easier to change brightness, colour, contrast and exposure when making adjustments to images.

•Improved Fill tool. The Fill tool has been improved so that it works better with different file types. The Fill tool is now available for any type of file.

•Improved Clone Stamp tool. The Clone Stamp tool has been improved so that it works better with different file types. The Clone Stamp tool is now available for any type of file.

•Enhanced Red Eye Removal tool. The Red Eye Removal tool has been improved to make it easier to remove red eyes from images. It includes the ability to remove red eyes in multiple steps, as well as being able to reduce the size of the pupil when removing eyes.

•New Content-Aware Scaling tool. This tool helps you to automatically scale the size of your images without losing detail.

•Improved Masking and Healing tools. The Healing tool has been improved to work more intuitively and accurately. The tool is now available for any type of file.

•Improved Layer Masks and Layer Channels. The Layer Masks tool has been improved, and now allows you to create complex layer masks with transparency. With the Layer Channels tool, you can create new channels in layers that can be used to separate an image into different parts.

•More options for working with multiple layers. There are now three ways of working with multiple layers: the Move Tool, the Smart Objects tools and the Layers Panel. You can also copy and move layers in and out of groups.

Photoshop CC 2019

To get the best professional touch, this version came up in 2018. It no longer supported 32-bit Windows with it and some new tools were introduced such as Frame tool and Multiple Undo Tool among others. The most significant change was that CC 2019 extended Version of CC 2018 focused on working not only Photoshop but also other platforms like Illustrator etc., for a much better experience to be had by all users!

Photoshop CC can help you take your digital imagery to the next level. It has all the tools you’ll need to edit, design and share your creations – from video editing and 3D painting to audio designing and 360-degree VR content.

You’ll find everything you need for your photography editing, graphic design or web design jobs in Photoshop CC 2019. Now in its eighth release, Photoshop CC is better than ever before. Edit images on the fly with an intuitive user interface that makes it faster to work with large files or produce sophisticated designs. Shape vector graphics into breathtaking artwork with nondestructive, live masks that let you see your progress as you work.

Photoshop 2020

Photoshop 2020 is an upgraded version of the Photoshop program that has been released with many new features. This upgrade allows for more creative freedom and a more cohesive workflow. The user interface is more intuitive, and the use of gestures makes navigation easy.

The latest version of Photoshop has come to the market in 2019. This is a groundbreaking new release, with enhanced features for frame tools and an entirely redesigned workspace that can be used on your iPad as well!

Photoshop 2022

Adobe launched Photoshop 2022 in October 2021.

Photoshop 2022 is released with a lot of new features:

Many new plugins are available for you to download and use

The collaboration feature is improved to help users share their files easier and quicker

Quick-click selections are improved

Neural filters are improved

Improve file edits between Photoshop & Illustrator

XDR Support is improved

In August 2022, Adobe released new updates for their Photoshop:

Select Subject cloud service. They improve their Select Subject cloud service to help users get better image qualities.

Neutral Color Theme for UI. They provide their users with new options to choose for the interface appearance.

Search bar in Preferences. Users now can use keywords to search within Preferences.

They also improve Harmonization Neural Filter and the previews of 16-bit documents.

For Photoshop on the iPad, they also released new updates:

New Lear Tutorials for users. They give users more tutorials to understand more their features, Adjustment layers and Retouch images.

Users can invite more people to edit from their home screen. It is easier for users to get feedback or share with their coworkers about their work.

FAQ

How many versions of Photoshop are there?

There are many versions of Photoshop that have been released since 1988. The newest version, CC 2022, was just released in October 2021 and updated in March 2022.

Which is better Photoshop CS6 or CC?

It all depends. Photoshop is a well-established program, and it’s been around for a long time. It’s possible that if you’ve never used Photoshop before, you might want to start with the CS6 version, which is more appropriate for someone new to the program who doesn’t need all the features that CC has to offer. If you’re familiar with Photoshop already and use it often, then I would recommend CC because it’ll make your workflow faster and more efficient.

Which version of Photoshop should I learn as a web designer?

There are quite a few versions of Photoshop. If you’re interested in designing web pages, then learn the CC version. However, if you plan on creating high-resolution graphics for marketing purposes, I would recommend learning the CS6 version.

Is Photoshop 2020 the same as Photoshop CC?

No. Photoshop 2020 is the newer version of Photoshop. And it will have more advanced features than the earlier versions of Photoshop.

How to buy Photoshop permanently?

You cannot buy Photoshop permanently because Adobe uses a subscription-based model. But

What is the difference between Adobe Creative Cloud and older versions of Photoshop?

Adobe Creative Cloud is a suite of applications that includes Photoshop, Illustrator, InDesign, and Dreamweaver. The older versions of Photoshop (e.g., CS3) are not part of Creative Cloud.

Which is the latest Photoshop version?

The latest Photoshop version is Photoshop 2022. You can refer back to our above analysis for better understanding.

Which version of Photoshop is best?

Of course, it is commonly believed that the newest Photoshop version will be the best. Adobe constantly improves their products and Photoshop is one of their main products to be improved. There are a lot of new features in the newest version.

Which version of Photoshop is the best for beginners and which is available for free?

There are no free Photoshop versions, but you can try Photoshop for free for a limited amount of time (use the free trial).

What versions of Photoshop work with Windows 10? Which one is the best?

The latest versions of Photoshop CC 2019 and Photoshop 2022 is compatible with Windows 10 (both 32-bit and 64-bit versions). But if you’re looking to use earlier versions of Photoshop on Windows 10, you’ll need to make sure they’re compatible with the operating system. Many earlier versions of Photoshop like CS6 may not work well with Windows 10. For the best compatibility, we recommend Photoshop CC 2019, Photoshop 2020 and 2022 for Windows 10.

Which Adobe Photoshop version is good for a beginner?

In my opinion, Photoshop Elements is the best choice for a beginner. It’s very easy to use, has most of the features in Photoshop, and is much less expensive than other versions of Photoshop.

If you want to edit photos for the web, then I would recommend using Photoshop Elements as it has all the tools you need to make your photos look good on the web.

If you want to create artwork from scratch or make very complex edits then I would recommend using Photoshop CC (the full version) or Affinity Photo (a newer program that looks like a replacement for Photoshop. Or you can try some earlier versions of Photoshop like Photoshop CS6. When you master using CS6, you can move to the newest version of Photoshop.

f you are a beginner, however, you may find it difficult to use it at first. But in spite of the versions, you still need to learn about the basics to use Photoshop:

1. Start with small projects

2. Learn about layers and masks

3. Learn about colors in Photoshop

4. Know how to use adjustment layers effectively.

Is it safe to use a cracked Photoshop?

No, you shouldn’t use a cracked Photoshop. You may get some viruses if you use unknown software to crack Photoshop. It is better to purchase or subscribe to their plan. If you cannot afford an annual plan, you can choose to subscribe to a monthly plan.

Is 4 GB RAM okay for Photoshop?

In general, you can use 4 GB RAM for Photoshop. But if you need to edit or process bigger files, it is better to have 8 GB RAM or 16 GB RAM.

How to check the version of Photoshop I use?

It is very easy to check the version of Photoshop you use:

1. For Mac OS: Choose Photoshop > About Photoshop.

2. For Windows: Choose Help > About Photoshop.

What is the size of Adobe Photoshop CC?

The sizes for the Windows and Mac version are 1.3 GB and 881 MB. But the sizes will change when Adobe improves their products.

Is Photoshop CC or CS6 better for digital painting?

Photoshop CC. Photoshop CC has many new features that CS6 doesn’t have (such as Content Aware Fill)

What is the difference between activated and pre activated Adobe?

Adobe Photoshop is a famous software used for photo editing and designing. Photoshop comes in two versions, one is the regular version and other is a trial version.

The Adobe Photoshop trial version is free to use but it has some limitations. The main limitation of the Adobe Photoshop trial version is that it will expire after 7 days. You need to choose a subscription plan for converting this trial version into a full version.

Does Adobe still have a non subscription option for software?

No, Adobe no longer offers a non subscription option for Adobe Photoshop.

Conclusion

The best Adobe Photoshop version for you depends on what your needs are. If you’re a professional graphic artist, the latest and greatest is usually ideal. But if you’re just looking to remove the occasional blemish or retouch an image from time-to-time, there are more cost-effective versions of Photoshop that may be perfect for you. You can find out which one will work best by asking yourself these questions: What do I need it to do? What kind of computer should I have? How often will I use it? Is this going to be my only program/software purchase in a while?

Which Adobe Photo Editing Software Is Right for Me?

(Image credit: Adobe)

There's a reason why Adobe Photoshop is the de facto application that most people consider when looking for the best photo editing software. However, while Photoshop is the most powerful, versatile and well-recognized photo editing software around, it isn't appropriate for everyone. That's why Adobe has four separate products – Photoshop, Photoshop Elements, Lightroom Classic and Lightroom – for photo editing. Each has varying levels of power, ease of use and versatility, and each is suitable for different users and/or different situations. Here's a guide on how to choose the right Adobe photo editor for your needs.

Swipe to scroll horizontally

Adobe Photoshop Elements

Adobe Photoshop CC

Adobe Lightroom Classic

Adobe Lightroom CC

Starting Price

$99.99, or $149.99 bundled with Premiere Elements. $20.99/month. Includes 100GB of cloud storage, portfolio website, premium fonts and social media tools. $9.99/month (Creative Cloud Photography Plan, includes Photoshop, Lightroom CC and Adobe Portfolio and 20 GB of cloud storage.

$9.99/month (Included in the Creative Cloud Photography Plan). What it is

A simplified subset of what's available in Photoshop. Adobe's most powerful and comprehensive photo editor and image creation software. An industry standard-setter. A digital equivalent to a film darkroom on desktop computers. A cloud-based system for image processing. A simplified subset of what's available in Lightroom Classic. What it's for

Novice to serious photographers. Professional and serious photographers. Professional and serious photographers using a desktop computer. All photographers who want to quickly process, prepare and share images. What it does

Easy image editing and processing. Professional image-editing and creation. Just about anything you can think of doing with an image. Comprehensive image- processing, batch processing with images stored on local hard drives. Image processing on the go with images stored on the cloud. Learning Curve

Slight. Interactive step-by-step Guided Edits, tutorials available within the interface, useful online help. Steep. However, the tutorials and online help are great aids. Not as steep a learning curve as Photoshop, but still requires a certain mastery. Intuitive interfaces. Learn by seeing what happens when you push sliders or tap/click to apply edits. File Formats supported

PSD, BMP, GIF, jJPEG, PSE, PDF, PXR, PNG, TIFF and all Camera RAW formats (via the Camera RAW utility). Just about every format (plus some audio and video formats) including PSD, TIFF, JPEG, PNG, GIF, large-document format PSB and all Camera RAW formats (via the Camera RAW utility). TIFF, JPEG, PSD, PNG, various video files and nearly all Camera RAW files. JPEG, TIFF, PSD, PNG, nearly all Camera RAW formats and a variety of video formats.

Adobe Photoshop CC

Why you can trust Tom's Guide Our expert reviewers spend hours testing and comparing products and services so you can choose the best for you. Find out more about how we test.

An essential tool for professional photographers and digital artists, Photoshop is the most comprehensive and powerful of the Adobe photo programs.

(opens in new tab) Adobe Photoshop CC+

Even experts usually don't master every aspect of this complex program. Recently, however, Adobe has made it somewhat easier for newbies to get a handle on the program with the addition of in-app tutorials that guide you while you edit your own images. Plus, the new home screen icon provides immediate access to the excellent online tutorials (among other things). What's more, Photoshop has cursory popup tips that (when turned on) help new users understand what each element in the interface does.

Almost anything you can imagine doing to a photograph or digital image, you can achieve with Photoshop, with a great deal of precision and creative flexibility. This, of course, includes the traditional tasks of correcting or changing exposure, color or tone; combining images and effects using masks and layers; adding artistic or paragraph text; using painterly brushes and so forth. In addition, Photoshop has tools for creating animations from still images, preparing graphics for the web, making 3D packaging mockups and much more.

You often have a choice among various Photoshop tools to complete your task, so you can work on your image the way you prefer. For instance, to select or mask a portion of your image, you can use any of a full range of marquee tools or a number of pen path tools. Plus, you get the ability to directly paint masks using various levels of opacity.

MORE: Adobe Photoshop CC review

Just as important to the pro photographer, Photoshop's color management is excellent. When used in combination with a good monitor color calibrator and the right printer/paper profiles, the colors you see on your screen as you edit will be very close, if not the same, as those that are printed.

Photoshop is available only by subscription to one of several Creative Cloud plans. (More information on pricing below.)

Adobe Photoshop Elements

Adobe Photoshop Elements is best for both novices and serious photographers who want to easily edit images and/or look to acquire Photoshop-like skills. Starting with the Home Page's videos and tutorials and extending throughout the interface, Elements' interface is designed to help users get the most out of the software.

In addition to a full-featured organizer for tagging, sorting and searching your photos, Photoshop Elements (PS Elements) has three modes: Quick Edit, Guided Edits and Expert. These give you the freedom to choose just how much you want to bother with your pictures, while still achieving interesting, attractive edits. What's more, you can simply let PS Elements automatically generate collages and slideshows for you out of selected photos, then share them immediately (using the Share command that's available in all modes) or edit them further in any of the three modes.

Quick Edit has only a handful of the most commonly used basic tools, such as red-eye removal, crop, add text or apply frames. Or, you can choose among thumbnail variations to apply Smart Fix, filters, exposure or color adjustments, or sharpen your image.

Guided Edits provide step-by-step instructions for such edits as Rotate and Straighten, Create a Meme, Remove a Color Cast, Restore Old Photo, Replace Background, Photomerge Panorama and numerous others. These are great learning tools to help you explore and begin to understand how PS Elements (as well as Photoshop) works. At the end of each Guided Edit, you have the choice to Save the image (under the original name or another), continue to edit it in the Basic or Expert Mode (going back into the Guided Edit Mode requires extra steps) or share it on social networks.

The Expert mode looks and feels very similar to Photoshop, including layers, masks and selection tools; adjustment layers; paint brushes; cloner; healing brush; and numerous other tools. But PS Elements has far fewer features and functions than Photoshop. For instance, PS Elements doesn't have Photoshop's tool for painting masks with varying levels of transparency or its greater control over typography. Even those features that PS Elements has lack the depth of options and functions found in Photoshop. For instance, PS Elements' Text Tool doesn't have the typographical controls (such as over paragraph text or letter spacing) that Photoshop does.

When it comes to printing from Elements, in addition to single-image pages, you can easily create "picture packages" or contact sheets, with several images automatically laid out on a page. Plus, it's easy to share your photos from the Organizer interface to social media and via email.

Photoshop vs. Photoshop Elements: Which should you choose?

For the vast majority of users, Photoshop will be overkill. Photoshop Elements will provide most of the functions and capabilities that the average and even many serious photographers will want or need, in an easy-to-master interface.

However, if you prefer having precise control over every aspect of your photo editing, or if you need or want more advanced functions such as 3D objects or top-notch color management, then choose Photoshop. In addition, while Elements supports only 8-bit RGB and grayscale images, Photoshop also supports CMYK pictures (which is key for prepress preparation) and 16-bit images (which provide greater, detailed high-dynamic-range image data). Professional photographers also have to consider the impact of brand recognition: Most clients and associates expect pros to know and use Adobe Photoshop, as a perceived indication of a certain level of professionalism.

MORE: Adobe Photoshop Elements review

Photoshop and Photoshop Elements also have different marketing models. When you buy Elements, you pay a one-time fee for a license that you own, and which can't be rescinded. Photoshop is available only through an Adobe Creative Cloud subscription; when you stop paying the monthly fee, the software will no longer work on your computer. (We cover more about prices and how Creative Cloud works below.)

Adobe Lightroom

Adobe Lightroom is approximately equivalent to a film chemical darkroom in that it allows you to edit and manipulate the defining properties of a photograph, such as exposure, focus, color, tone and overall composition (crop, rotation, orientation, etc.). Many professional and serious photographers will process their photos first in Lightroom. Then they will move into Photoshop for fine-tuning, creating composites, adding text and so forth.

(opens in new tab) Lightroom CC

Unlike Photoshop, all edits in Lightroom are nondestructive, retaining the original image data. In addition, when working with RAW files, Lightroom's ability to apply all its edits before a photo is converted from RAW to a more universally useful format results in better and more precise image quality.

Adobe offers two versions of Lightroom. What's particularly confusing is that the high-powered desktop application that has long been popular with professional photographers is now called Lightroom Classic instead of simply Lightroom. And the new cloud-enabled program is now called Lightroom.

Both Lightroom Classic and Lightroom are available only when you buy a subscription to one of Adobe's Creative Cloud plans.

Lightroom

The Lightroom desktop application is part of an ecosystem that includes cloud storage for your photographs, and mobile apps for iOS and Android tablets and phones. When you import a photo, tag or catalog pictures, or save an edited image on any of your connected devices, it's automatically synced to your cloud photo library. In other words, the original image, your edits and the file's metadata are available on all devices: your computer, tablet, phone, even on an Apple TV. In addition, your photos are automatically backed up.

Lightroom's desktop interface is more streamlined and less comprehensive than Lightroom Classic, and the mobile apps are even more limited. In essence, Lightroom is the more modern app, suitable for on-the-go photographers who want to quickly edit their photos in an interface that is easy to master. On the other hand, Adobe has been adding features and tools to Lightroom on a regular basis (such as HDR and panorama merge). So, while it isn't on a par with Lightroom Classic, its functionality continues to grow.

Most controls are either sliders (such as for color, exposure, grain, vignette and split toning) or tap/click to apply presets and effects (such as sharpening, creative filters, grain or exposure curve). More precise tools include a Healing Brush for painting out imperfections, and both Linear Gradient and Spot Gradient masks for applying edits to specific areas of your picture.

Lightroom provides more guidance for the new user than Classic. For instance, tool tips automatically pop up when you hover your cursor over the name of a tool or command. In addition, interactive tutorials are currently available on the home page of the mobile apps and will soon be integrated into the desktop.

Lightroom Classic

Lightroom Classic is a far more mature product than Lightroom, with a more comprehensive and deeper feature set that is reflected in its tabbed interface.

(opens in new tab) Lightroom Classic

In the Lightroom Classic Library tab, you can compare zoomed-in views of similar images side by side, which makes it an interface that's easier and quicker for sorting and rating of a large number of photos.

What sets apart the edit tools in Lightroom Classic's Develop tab from Lightroom's is both their depth and breadth, which add up to greater precision and control. For instance, Classic offers not only masking but also a local adjustment brush. Similarly, the Presets (filters and effects) are more sophisticated than Lightroom's. In addition, you can copy your edits from one photo to a group of pictures (usually ones captured using a similar composition under the same lighting conditions), which is a major time saver.

Lightroom Classic has a variety of output options appropriate for pro photographers' needs. These include modules for creating a photo book, a slideshow and a web gallery. The print module can create single or multiple image pages, including contact sheets and custom picture packages.

Incidentally, Lightroom Classic can open from and save to your Adobe cloud photo library. However, saving to the cloud is a cumbersome and confusing process that involves defining "collections" of photos.

Lightroom vs. Lightroom Classic

Choosing between Lightroom and Lightroom Classic involves figuring out what your priorities are when it comes to photography and photo editing.

Do you use your phone or tablet as your primary camera? Is having cloud access to your entire photo library from all your devices and computers more important than having the full slate of Classic's tools? If so, get Lightroom.

Do you do most of your photo editing on a single computer? Do you want or need Classic's more comprehensive feature set? If you do, then, you'll likely prefer Lightroom Classic.

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Then again, if you subscribe to Adobe's Creative Cloud Photography Plan, you don't have to make a choice, because this plan gives you both Lightroom and Lightroom Classic, plus Photoshop. (More information below.)

Pricing

Photoshop, Lightroom Classic and Lightroom are available only through an Adobe Creative Cloud subscription. One of the advantages of the subscription model is that Adobe rolls out new features every few months, so your software never becomes obsolete. The disadvantage is that if you stop paying for the software, it will stop working on your computer.

The Creative Cloud Photography Plan costs $9.99 per month and includes Photoshop, Lightroom Classic, Lightroom and Adobe Portfolio (for photo websites), and 20 GB of cloud storage. A plan with 1TB of storage costs $19.99 per month.

Photoshop is available for $20.99 per month and includes 100GB of cloud storage, your own portfolio website, premium fonts and Adobe Spark (social media tools).

If you want only Lightroom (not Lightroom Classic or Photoshop), a subscription costs $9.99 per month and includes 1TB of cloud storage.

On any Creative Cloud plan, you can add more cloud storage for $9.99 per month per terabyte.

Photoshop Elements costs $99.99 (or $149.99 for a bundle that also includes Premiere Elements video editing software). However, PS Elements is often discounted. Both are one-time fees, so you don't have to worry about it not working if you don't pay for a subscription. However, you won't get updates with new features each year.

Credit: Tom's Guide

Which Photoshop version is best?

Which Photoshop version is best?

When it comes to choosing the best Photoshop version, there are a few things to consider. First and foremost, what are your needs? Do you need the full power of Photoshop to create professional-quality graphics, or are you happy with a slightly less powerful version that’s still more than capable of doing the job?

Then, of course, you need to consider your budget. Do you want to buy a new version of Photoshop each year, or can you live with using an older version for a while? Finally, you need to decide which version of Photoshop is available to you.

PRO TIP: Please be aware that there is no definitive answer to this question as it depends on personal preferences and the specific project you are working on. Some people may prefer older versions of Photoshop for certain tasks, while others may find the latest version to be more suitable. It is advisable to experiment with different versions to see which one works best for you.

Adobe Photoshop CS6 is the latest and most powerful version, but it’s not available to everyone yet. Photoshop CC, the current version, is available to most users, but it’s not as powerful as CS6.

So, which version of Photoshop is the best for you? If you’re just starting out, Adobe Photoshop CC is a great option. It’s very user-friendly and is available on most platforms, including Mac and PC.

If you need more power, Adobe Photoshop CS6 is the best option. It’s available on both PC and Mac, and it has all the features you need to create professional-quality graphics.