lightroom vs aperture for a noob

[Jennifer Mitol]

I've never shot in RAW, or messed with any post-processing before this trip, but I really want to play around with my photos for my big trip this August. For someone who has never worked with any post-processing program before, which would be better…Aperture or Lightroom?

I do live in the mac ecosystem, which is why I thought aperture would be the better choice. But no one seems to have very nice things to say about it, except that it fits nicely in the mac ecosystem. Obviously that's only a small piece – I'd rather have an easy-to-learn post-processing program that can help me learn to blend and layer photos, and help me get back my photo bug that I seem to have lost when my film camera became obsolete….

[Brendan Swihart]

Apple just announced in the last couple weeks that they're abandoning development/future releases for Aperture so I'd say Lightroom is the way to go. I haven't used Aperture but Lightroom's great.

edit-not sure exactly what you mean by "blend and layer", but you can't do multiply layers in LR; only in Photoshop (although there could be plugins for LR so I could be wrong on this). LR gives you lots of control over editing individual files (contrast, clarity, saturation, dodging and burning, etc) but you don't work with multiple layers like in PS.

[Bob Gross]

For most mainstream cameras which can shoot RAW files, your best program is the utility that came free with the camera, or the program recommended for that camera. That will allow you to make the necessary corrections and convert to TIF or JPEG.

–B.G.–

[Dale Wambaugh]

I got an offer from Adobe the other day with Photoshop and Lightroom via CreativeCloud for $9.95/month. I didn't investigate further, but it sounded interesting.

[Dave G]

Bob,

Your generalisation is not always correct.
The playmemories software provided with my Sony RX100 is IMO terrible in comparison with Lightroom (Interface, features, speed, stability, file management and quality of conversion)

Dave

[Billy Ray]

I have not used either, but from what I have read recently, Lightroom is an extensive photo organizer with basic photo processing ability. It works with PhotoShop which is where heavier duty processing is done.

Billy

[Bob Gross]

"Your generalisation is not always correct."

That's why I said 'most' and not 'all'.

Mainstream cameras are more like Nikon and Canon. Sony keeps trying to make it into the mainstream, but Sony is more of a video camera manufacturer. Video does not know RAW.

–B.G.–

[Billy Ray]

Oh, and from what I've read, both Lightroom and PhotoShop have a pretty significant learning curve.

billy

[Jennifer Mitol]

"Oh, and from what I've read, both Lightroom and PhotoShop have a pretty significant learning curve"

Yeah, that's what I was afraid of. Because I apparently have more money than willpower, I have a sony RX100 Mark iii on the way. I want to shoot RAW, and one of the techniques I wanted to be able to do was to blend and layer photos – i.e. the awesome exposure on the sky blended with this other pic of the awesome exposure of the lake with the reflections in it….

I am actually speaking from a position of complete ignorance here – I was told one achieves these photos by "layering" in post-processing.

So maybe I need to go all the way to Photoshop? Because if they BOTH have steep learning curves, and I'm starting from ZERO, I guess it doesn't matter which I use. PS is awfully expensive though, isn't it?

[Brendan Swihart]

Lightroom is easy to use (Photoshop does have more of a learning curve) and is a lot more than just an organizer. The editing tools in LR are quite powerful and are plenty for 90% of photographers. If you want to more advanced stacking, tone mapping, etc then Photoshop might be more appropriate, but LR is an excellent editing program.

@ Bob, this is getting a bit off topic but Sony is about 10 years ahead of Nikon and Canon in the stills camera department. Nikon and Canon is still the choice for wedding and sports and is still perhaps more "mainstream" and well known in the US, but the same "best in the industry" 36mp sensor in the Nikon D800e (made by sony) is available in a Sony mirrorless body for less than half the weight, half the price, and a lot less bulk. Add curved sensor technology coming out this year, etc and Canon and Nikon have a lot of catching up to do in the innovation dept.

Also, ACR is an excellent RAW developer. The only place where manufacturers' RAW developers are really necessary are for sensors that are different than the typical Bayer (Foveon, Fuji X-Trans in the beginning).

edit: Jennifer, what you're describing is HDR (combining multiple exposures). There are plugins for LR or you can do it in PS. Lightroom is available as a standalone program or you can do Adobe's Creative Cloud, which is a subscription for $10/month and you get PS and LR (plus other Adobe software)

[Bob Gross]

"@ Bob, this is getting a bit off topic but Sony is about 10 years ahead of Nikon and Canon in the stills camera department."

That is a funny joke that you made.

–B.G.–

[Billy Ray]

Jennifer,
I just paid 80.00 I think for PhotoShop Elements 12… Amazon
There is a more robust professional version of PhotoShop for hundreds more, but I don't think that's what you are looking for… especially the learning curve.

Billy

[Jennifer Mitol]

uh oh. What's ELEMENTS??

It certainly seems as though Lightroom is probably exactly what I'm looking for. Unless you kind folk have a good reason for me to look elsewhere??

And a huge thanks for the tip about blending exposures! I have much to learn it seems…..

[Billy Ray]

Most people, unless they are professional photographers, when they say PhotoShop that is short for PhotShop Elements… it's the watered down, consumer version of PhotoShop. But still probably much more than you would ever use…

Billy

[Bob Gross]

PhotoShop Elements is a low-end program, often free or at low cost. PhotoShop Creative Suite is a high-end program. $$$. PhotoShop does not mean PhotoShop Elements.

A completely different subject is the RAW converter.

–B.G.–

[Billy Ray]

"PhotoShop does not mean PhotoShop Elements."
It may not amount the professionals, but it sure does among everyone else I have talked to…. you go into Best Buy and ask for Photo Shop and I bet the sales person shows you the 'elements' version…

Billy…

[Bob Gross]

"It may not amount the professionals"

Billy, I don't know what your native language is, but this doesn't make sense in English.

If you go into Best Buy, they will tell you only about something that they think that they can sell to you.

–B.G.–

[Richard Hogben]

lightroom and landscapes tutorial video, covers his workflow for developing in lightroom, and talks about "why"

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3RkqFLCQ9CI

[Ian]

Well I guess this makes the Lightroom vs Aperture decision easy.

http://blogs.computerworld.com/mac-os-x/24077/apple-shuts-its-aperture

http://www.wired.com/2014/06/apple-kills-aperture/

Not sure what Apple is thinking here. Sounds like Photos will be a step up from iPhoto but a serious downgrade from Aperture. It seems like they are placing greater emphasis on their cloud than post production work.

[Ian]

The good news is that Lightroom already supports the RX100iii

http://helpx.adobe.com/creative-suite/kb/camera-raw-plug-supported-cameras.html

vs. Aperture which still doesn't support the A6000 that was released a month or so ago.

https://www.apple.com/aperture/specs/raw.html

I guess the only decision I need to make at this point is should I just buy Lightroom 5 outright or jump on Adobe's rent-to-never-own business model.

[Roger Caffin]

They are all either 'closed' programs, cloud-based schemes for extracting a lot of regular payments from you, or orphans. If you look at the cost of the cloud-based programs over the period of a few years, you suddenly realise just how much you are paying – way more than the previous non-cloud version would have cost you!

Yes, Photoshop has a huge learning curve. I am only part-way up it. Most of the time I use PhotoImpact – which I got for free with a scanner in 1998. It does 95% of what I want very easily.

Can I suggest that you should look at GIMP? It is a free OpenSource equivalent to Photoshop, just as powerful, and available on Windows and Mac. The 'free' bit means you can download it, experiment with it for a few weeks, and then decide. There is plenty of support for it on the web.

Cheers

[Ian]

I'm currently using GIMP on my Mac. It gets the job done.

Doug suggested Pixelmator (Mac ap / not sure about PC) on another thread but I was waiting to make my decision between Aperture and Ligtroom before I made this purchase so have yet to try it. $30ish if memory serves.

[Dave T]

Despite getting a little Grossed Out ™ in this thread, I will put forth my opinion that Elements might be just what Jennifer wants. It's hardly a "low end" program, in general and especially in terms of what she (or most other folks) are interested in doing with it. I'd suggest reading some reviews of Lightroom, Elements, etc. and see if they sound like they'll meet your needs.

[Brendan Swihart]

You can try Lightroom free for 30 days…not sure about the others. Might as well see if it works for you.

[Brad Rogers]

You can try elements for 30 days as well. I know it can be purchased for $60 from Amazon and may be available cheaper elsewhere.

[Author]

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