I need some help regarding software...
Posted: Wed Mar 21, 2007 12:28 amHey folks,
I'm currently trying to figure out what I want to do regarding software. I currently use Photoshop Elements 3.0 at home. I don't shoot RAW because the ACR in PSE 3.0 is terrible and doesn't have many preferences. I downloaded a trial of Lightroom hoping that it would cure all of my problems. I was very dismayed to find that it really didn't. I just had trouble figuring out what it was doing to my RAW images (granted I only used a test image that I took a while ago), so I tried editing some of my JPEGs from a trip I just took. I found it did a great job, but I had lots of trouble exporting them and so on. I then, to test, edited them in PSE 3.0 my way and couldn't come close to the colors made in Lightroom mostly because 3.0 doesn't have Curves.
My problem is this: I want to shoot RAW but can't find the program to do it with. I can't justify spending $500 or whatever on CS2 when I'm only 17. I know I would use the program (adjustment layers and ACR as well as many other things), but that's a lot for a teenage amateur. Would my problems be settled if I just updated PSE to 5.0 to get the newer algorithms and so on that are in Lightroom (or at least some of them)? Are there any third-party programs that are considered good at RAW conversion by photographers? I could update to 5.0 and then use these RAW programs for where Elements lacks. Should I instead upgrade to 5.0 and then get Nikon Capture for RAW? Should I upgrade to Elements 5.0 and get Lightroom and get a tutorial?
I'm really lost and confused. I know that RAW could take my images to the next level, but I just can't find the way to do it. I've never had problems with Photoshop before (7.0, Elements 3.0, CS2 (I've used 7 and CS2 at school) etc), but now I'm lost.
I hope that makes any sense. Any help would be greatly appreciated.
Thank you.
John
I'm currently trying to figure out what I want to do regarding software. I currently use Photoshop Elements 3.0 at home. I don't shoot RAW because the ACR in PSE 3.0 is terrible and doesn't have many preferences. I downloaded a trial of Lightroom hoping that it would cure all of my problems. I was very dismayed to find that it really didn't. I just had trouble figuring out what it was doing to my RAW images (granted I only used a test image that I took a while ago), so I tried editing some of my JPEGs from a trip I just took. I found it did a great job, but I had lots of trouble exporting them and so on. I then, to test, edited them in PSE 3.0 my way and couldn't come close to the colors made in Lightroom mostly because 3.0 doesn't have Curves.
My problem is this: I want to shoot RAW but can't find the program to do it with. I can't justify spending $500 or whatever on CS2 when I'm only 17. I know I would use the program (adjustment layers and ACR as well as many other things), but that's a lot for a teenage amateur. Would my problems be settled if I just updated PSE to 5.0 to get the newer algorithms and so on that are in Lightroom (or at least some of them)? Are there any third-party programs that are considered good at RAW conversion by photographers? I could update to 5.0 and then use these RAW programs for where Elements lacks. Should I instead upgrade to 5.0 and then get Nikon Capture for RAW? Should I upgrade to Elements 5.0 and get Lightroom and get a tutorial?
I'm really lost and confused. I know that RAW could take my images to the next level, but I just can't find the way to do it. I've never had problems with Photoshop before (7.0, Elements 3.0, CS2 (I've used 7 and CS2 at school) etc), but now I'm lost.
I hope that makes any sense. Any help would be greatly appreciated.
Thank you.
John
