Is Lightroom the best Image processing software for amateur photographers ??

Lightroom is the only image processing software that I've used extensively, but I like it well enough that I've found no reason to look for an alternative.

 

I like it as it's easier than Aperture. I also have Pixelmator and use it to do editing from Lightroom 3. Just select the photo you want to edit, then select the edit in and external software and you can make adjustments which are less easy in Lightroom 3, and go back into Lightroom 3 to finish off. But ou can try it for free to see if you work with it, the same can be done with Aperture too and that will allow you to see which is best. Alternatively, get Pixelmator and use that, it cheep but powerful.


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I would debate that the amateur not intending to become a professional is better off with Photoshop Elements  

 

I agree there probably isn't a best for everyone. As a mac user, I recommend Aperture. It is relatively cheap and works well.

 

IMO, I find LR easier to use than even PS Elements. PS Elements offers more tools, but I have no idea how to use a lot of them!  

 

I personally like LightZone since it allows a trusted old method (the zone system) to be applied to digital photographs. It also offers some nice effects that are good for posting images on the web (eg HDR, WOW!).

The company also just released Aurora, which is great for simple relighting of photos (Mac only) at half the cost of LightZone.

 

I like Aperture more - except the speed. It really could be a bit faster. Anyways, it's a relatively cheap software (60€) and the UI works great for me.

 

I heard that many are also using GIMP cause it's free  

 

I think it is. If it's in your budget, go for it !   I love it   it's so easy  

 

That's sort of like asking, "Is the Ferrari 458 Italia the best sports car for driving enthusiasts?"

There is more than one well-equipped image processing application on the market and the "best" one depends on a number of factors.

Some people consider Adobe Photoshop Elements to be "the best" but others say Lightroom, CS5, Corel PaintShop Photo Pro, Capture NX2, Bibble 5, etc.

I've used all the ones I just mentioned as well as some others I don't care to mention. For me, CS5 is the best, but I recognize that other applications have strong points as well. For example, I personally find the lens correction tools in Bibble 5 are better than the various Adobe offerings and it's easier to do some creative edits in Corel PaintShop Photo Pro than it is in PS Elements or CS5.

 

Lightroom seems to be on a roll ATM and with so many users there a loads of free plugins and tips & advice etc. With so many things to spend your photography pennies on free software may be useful but often lacks the refinements of paid. Photivo is an example of this, have a look if your in need!

 

Well, I'm not a professional but let me tell them I've been using since LR 3 and actually it is very easy to use, in addition some preset to the use and make a radical change for each type of photography, you can download on the web or customize according to your tastes.


This program is easy to use and also you can use Raw and personally helped me a lot, also I have the PS CS5 but I prefer LR.

 

Although I have been using Aperture, the extremely positive comments about Lightroom 4 are making me thing seriously about switiching. Even Scott Bourne an Aperture guru is concerned that Apple is not doing enough to keep Aperture competitive. One issue, is that there is no
easy way to transfer libraries between these apps. Recent surveys are showing Lightroom favored about 3:1 over Aperture.

 

Why? It's not even the same kind of program.

 

90%+ of my photos are processed with Lightroom with a few going out to a NIK plugin. Very few every get to Photoshop.

 

Thats the same question I asked myself...

I use ACDSee Pro 6 and/or as RawTherapee for my raw files.
And I updated my PC bundled Corel Paintshop Pro to version X5, but afterwards I thought it would have been a better decision to go for LR or PSE, but they are both more expensive...
One of the main things annoying me is that there are no books or internet videos/workshops covering Corel PSP, so I started to try Gimp as well...