Lightroom V PS6 and layering

[Geoff Port]

I use LR 3 for my photo adjustments but, because LR does not provide a layering tool I would need to purchase PS6 to do this task.
Why not just use PS6?
Can someone with the knowledge please explain to me the need for both ?

• 
  Geoff P

[fess67]

I use LR4 and CS5 - I use CS5 for most of my processing although I am trying to use LR more to check out what it is really capable of. Plenty of youtube vids show that it can be a powerful tool. (unless you need to use layers of course)

For me the massive benefit of LR is in the catalogue functionality. It really is very easy to import, tag, catalogue, keyword etc in LR. It has made my library system so much cleaner and easier that I would recommend it just on that level without the added ability to apply adjustments to photographs.

On that, do we really need CS for the vast majority of our photos? Probably not, LR is more than capable unless we want to get really funky - and there are a number of add onss to help with that.

I get lots of fun out of using photoshop so I do not think it will drop out of my workflow - it is a part of my hobby - but I can see why you would want to use LR either standalone or as a compliment to photoshop.

[mikec]

LR pretty much rocks for downloading, cataloguing, sorting, fast editing and adjustments (at a non-pixel level)

You could just use Bridge and Photoshop if you were so inclined but I find Bridge doesn't have the best workflow compared to LR.

I use both and I generally go to PS once I either need to start doing some pixel level type work (lots of cloning), heaving masking or something else that LR doesn't offer. I had used LR for quite awhile before I bought PS (but having used it heavily in my work place) and found I just kept getting to a point were I needed both, which was when I was mainly doing photography at uni.

I'll be honest I probably use PS more for non photo editing work most of the time now since I've finished up photography at uni. Most of the stuff I shoot for my own stuff now doesn't need to have heavy photoshop work done to it, I guess it depends on what you shoot?

[Ms Monny]

I use LR for importing, cataloguing, fast editing (clarity especially) etc....and then use PS Elements to do the layering, minor adjustments, levels etc. Couldn't be without one or the other.

[WhoDo]

I use LR 3 for my photo adjustments but, because LR does not provide a layering tool I would need to purchase PS6 to do this task.
Why not just use PS6?
Can someone with the knowledge please explain to me the need for both ?

LR4 now has support for layers and layer masks. Problem solved. If you do need to do something more complex. like content aware fill, then PSE10 is much cheaper than CS6 and has pretty much all of the necessary stuff for photographers. PS CS6 is too heavy for just photography work.

Upgrade your Lightroom and if you can't make do with the layers & masks facility in that then get PSE 10 as well because they will "talk" to each other and you can call PSE10 from within LR4.

[Geoff Port]

Thankyou all for the excellent advice. My Qs have been answered.
LR4 it is. When I can afford it now I'm purchasing a new camera.

Geoff P

[fess67]

I got it for $129 online. It was a promo but you may be surprised how cheap the upgrade is.

[andrewda]

Lightroom 4 is a huge improvement over Lightroom 3, Adobe has re-written the development module and it is now very powerfull.

[agb]

LR4 now has support for layers and layer masks. Problem solved. If you do need to do something more complex. like content aware fill, then PSE10 is much cheaper than CS6 and has pretty much all of the necessary stuff for photographers. PS CS6 is too heavy for just photography work.

Upgrade your Lightroom and if you can't make do with the layers & masks facility in that then get PSE 10 as well because they will "talk" to each other and you can call PSE10 from within LR4.

Can you tell me where Lighroom 4 has layers please. I thought that you had to add the onOnesoftware perfect layers to be able to do layers in Lightroom.

[WhoDo]

Can you tell me where Lighroom 4 has layers please. I thought that you had to add the onOnesoftware perfect layers to be able to do layers in Lightroom.

Only if you want to see the layers separately as in PS. In the Develop Module, every time you use the adjustment brush, or one of the other Develop tools, you are effectively creating a layer; it's just that you don't see it in a separate layers dialogue.

That's how it's possible to add an effect non-destructively, and delete it again by removing the pin holder. You're simply deleting the layer. Masks are also available in the tools. Check out the mask slider on Sharpen for example. You can see the effect by holding the Option key (Mac) or ALT key (PC) and moving the slider. True, you don't have the fine level of control that you have in PS, or with Perfect Layers for that matter, but you do have a layer mask.

I hope that explains my statement, agb.