Elements? Lightroom? or CS4?

SP
Posted By
Square Peg
Jan 14, 2009
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285
Replies
5
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I would like to learn to do some graphics and photo editing for personal use. I am wondering which product I need. I am inclined to get Elements and then see if I need more than that.

I want to do some basic photo editing such as red eye reduction, contrast enhancement, cropping, and scaling.

I would alse like to do some special effects such as creating a photo collage in the shape of a child’s name for framing or printing on placemats, mugs, or t-shirts.

I have a little experience with graphic programs such as Visio (mostly for flowcharts), Paint, PageMaker (many years ago), and Publisher.

What does the full Photoshop have that Elements does not that I might need?

Finally, the Elements NG seems fairly quiet. Can questions about Elements be posted in a.p.windows?
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B
bmoag
Jan 14, 2009
I am a CS4 user.
I find Elements useless.
You may want to look into Paintshop Pro.
SP
Square Peg
Jan 14, 2009
On Tue, 13 Jan 2009 20:37:07 -0800, "bmoag"
wrote:

I am a CS4 user.
I find Elements useless.
You may want to look into Paintshop Pro.

Can you say what it is that is lacking in Elements that is present in Paintshop Pro?
C
Cliff
Jan 14, 2009
Square Peg wrote:

I would like to learn to do some graphics and photo editing for personal use. I am wondering which product I need. I am inclined to get Elements and then see if I need more than that.

I want to do some basic photo editing such as red eye reduction, contrast enhancement, cropping, and scaling.

I would alse like to do some special effects such as creating a photo collage in the shape of a child’s name for framing or printing on placemats, mugs, or t-shirts.

Elements is a good choice under these circumstances. Inexpensive (compared to PS and LR), very robust photo editing capabilities, a little lacking in vector graphics capabilities, and database management for cataloging and rating photos. IMO, a great learning tool and a first time image editing program. Some people stick with it forever.

If you decide on PSE, I would recommend staying away from Ver. 6 and go with Ver. 7. V6 was somewhat buggy and V7 cleaned up some of the problems.

—
Cliff
JS
James Silverton
Jan 14, 2009
CJ wrote on Wed, 14 Jan 2009 16:32:07 GMT:

I would like to learn to do some graphics and photo editing for personal use. I am wondering which product I need. I am inclined to get Elements and then see if I need more than that.

I want to do some basic photo editing such as red eye
reduction, contrast enhancement, cropping, and scaling.

I would alse like to do some special effects such as creating a photo collage in the shape of a child’s name for framing or printing on placemats, mugs, or t-shirts.

Elements is a good choice under these circumstances.
Inexpensive (compared to PS and LR), very robust photo editing capabilities, a little lacking in vector graphics
capabilities, and database management for cataloging and rating photos. IMO, a great learning tool and a first time image editing program. Some people stick with it forever.

If you decide on PSE, I would recommend staying away from Ver. 6 and go with Ver. 7. V6 was somewhat buggy and V7 cleaned up some of the problems.

I’m not an artist and I do data base management with other programs but PE ***3*** is my basic editing tool for family pictures, including restoring faded pictures from the past. I’ve not been tempted to use much else except occasionally PrintShop and more commonly IrfanView.

—

James Silverton
Potomac, Maryland

Email, with obvious alterations: not.jim.silverton.at.verizon.not
R
Roberto
Jan 17, 2009
On Tue, 13 Jan 2009 16:28:49 -0800, Square Peg
wrote:

I would like to learn to do some graphics and photo editing for personal use. I am wondering which product I need. I am inclined to get Elements and then see if I need more than that.

Good move. Elements 6 or 7 will probably serve your needs. Elements has a very capable organizer that allows rating and tagging and a whole lot more. The editor is very powerful and unless you are a pro I cannot see you needing the full and expensive full version photoshop. Elements will also take plug ins like Noise Ninja, Viveza, etc without fuss. The editor can do a lot more than people generally think. For normal day to day stuff and a fair bit of advanced stuff Elements is simplicity.

I want to do some basic photo editing such as red eye reduction, contrast enhancement, cropping, and scaling.

Elements covers this.
I would alse like to do some special effects such as creating a photo collage in the shape of a child’s name for framing or printing on placemats, mugs, or t-shirts.

Elements covers this
I have a little experience with graphic programs such as Visio (mostly for flowcharts), Paint, PageMaker (many years ago), and Publisher.

Plenty of tutorials for Elements on you tube, magazine cover discs etc.
What does the full Photoshop have that Elements does not that I might need?

You would need to take a look at the full list and decide if there is something there worth the huge cost of upgrade. The raw editor is more advanced, same as in LR2 I believe but ultimately the raw converter in Elements has done all I ever needed.
Finally, the Elements NG seems fairly quiet. Can questions about Elements be posted in a.p.windows?

Plenty of resources out there. look at you tube for tutorials.

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