I Edited a Photo in Every Program.
TLDRIn this video, the creator challenges the industry standard of Adobe's Lightroom and Photoshop by editing a single photo in various photo editing programs. The video explores a range of alternatives, including Capture One, Luminar Neo, Sony Imaging Edge, Darktable, Apple Photos, Affinity Photo, Photometria, Raw Therapy, Photopea, DXO Labs, and ON1. Each program is evaluated on its unique features, strengths, and weaknesses, with a focus on user experience, editing capabilities, and performance. The creator emphasizes that while each program has its pros and cons, photographers can achieve good results with any of them if they take the time to learn and master the software. The video encourages viewers to try different programs and not be confined to the industry norm, highlighting the potential of some programs to rival or even surpass Adobe's offerings.
Takeaways
- π‘ Adobe Lightroom and Photoshop are the industry standards for photo editing, but many photographers haven't explored alternatives due to their dominance and the abundance of available tutorials and resources for these programs.
- π οΈ Lightroom is an all-in-one editing, organizing, and cataloging software with AI-based tools that speed up the editing process, while Photoshop is a raster-based editor known for its powerful layer-based editing capabilities.
- π Capture One stands out for its tailored RAW engine for each camera and sensor, offering professional-level editing tools and a color module that provides advanced color adjustments.
- π Luminar Neo places a heavy emphasis on AI, providing presets and editing modules that are responsive and feature-rich, making it a potentially quick and powerful option for photo editing.
- π· Sony Imaging Edge, which comes with Sony Alpha cameras, has a clunky initial setup but offers decent editing capabilities, though it lacks an HSL module which limits color adjustments.
- π¨ Affinity Photo is a strong raster-based editor alternative to Photoshop, with a similar interface and tools, but it falls short in comparison to Adobe's content-aware fill and other smart removal tools.
- π₯οΈ Apple Photos is user-friendly and has powerful editing features, but its reliance on iCloud storage can be a limitation for users without sufficient iCloud space.
- π Photopea is a free, online version of Photoshop that offers a surprisingly powerful and responsive editing experience in a browser, despite potential privacy concerns.
- π Darktable, a free and open-source alternative to Lightroom, is complex and may be better suited for programmers or advanced users due to its in-depth options and terminology.
- π DxO PhotoLab is a robust editor with excellent lens correction features and noise reduction, but it may not be as intuitive or exciting for some users compared to other options.
- π RawTherapy, another free and open-source option, is not recommended due to its complexity and lack of user-friendly design, making it difficult for non-technical users.
- π On1 is an all-in-one editing program with a focus on AI, offering a range of presets and editing tools, but it may not be as polished or intuitive as some competitors.
Q & A
Why do photographers typically use Lightroom and Photoshop?
-Photographers typically use Lightroom and Photoshop because they are the industry standard. They are ingrained in the workflow from the start, with most tutorials and industry discussions focusing on these Adobe programs.
What are some of the AI-based tools recently added to Lightroom?
-Lightroom has recently added AI-based tools such as subject detection for selective masking and AI denoising, which help to quicken the photo editing process.
What is the main advantage of Photoshop's removal suite?
-The main advantage of Photoshop's removal suite is the Content-Aware Fill feature, which is highly regarded for its ability to intelligently fill in areas of an image. Additionally, the generative fill in the beta version of Photoshop is considered next level.
How does Capture One stand out in comparison to Lightroom?
-Capture One stands out with its tailored raw engine for each camera and sensor, particularly for Fujifilm files. It also includes a powerful color module with advanced HSL adjustments and a skin toning tool.
What is the primary appeal of Luminar Neo?
-The primary appeal of Luminar Neo is its heavy emphasis on AI, offering presets that use AI to detect what's in the image and provide tailored adjustments. It also has a user-friendly interface and powerful editing modules.
What is the main drawback of Sony Imaging Edge?
-The main drawback of Sony Imaging Edge is the lack of an HSL (Hue, Saturation, Luminance) adjustment module, which limits color editing capabilities. Additionally, the initial downloading process is cumbersome as it requires downloading a wrapper software before accessing the actual editing modules.
How does Apple Photos compare to other editing software in terms of features?
-Apple Photos has a good range of features, including HSL and tone curves, and it performs well with a user-friendly interface. However, it lacks advanced removal tools and is dependent on iCloud storage for photo management.
What is the main advantage of Affinity Photo as a Photoshop alternative?
-Affinity Photo is a raster-based editor that closely resembles Photoshop in terms of features and layout. It is a powerful alternative, lacking only in advanced removal tools like content-aware fill.
Why is Darktable considered a poor choice for photographers?
-Darktable is considered a poor choice due to its complex interface and terminology that is not user-friendly. It is described as a program designed by programmers for programmers, lacking a more intuitive and accessible design for general use.
What is the main selling point of Photopea?
-Photopea is a free, ad-supported online version of Photoshop that offers a powerful layer-based editor in a browser. It has content-aware features and is highly responsive, making it a good option for quick edits when away from a computer with Photoshop.
What is the primary concern regarding the use of Photopea?
-The primary concern is the privacy and security of the images uploaded to Photopea. Users are advised to read the privacy policy to understand if the service has the right to use uploaded images and under what conditions.
Outlines
π· Adobe's Dominance in Photography Software
The speaker discusses the annual expense of using Adobe's Lightroom and Photoshop, questioning why photographers rarely explore alternative software. They express a desire to try editing with various programs, inspired by similar initiatives in graphic and game design. The paragraph emphasizes the industry's reliance on Adobe products, despite other sectors having more competition.
π¨ Exploring Alternatives to Adobe's Lightroom and Photoshop
The speaker compares Adobe's Lightroom and Photoshop with other editing software. They highlight Lightroom's all-in-one capabilities for editing, organization, and cataloging, and Photoshop's layer-based editing with advanced features like content-aware fill. They also mention Capture One's comprehensive editing and organizing tools, its superior RAW engine, and fast performance, although noting its healing tool's shortcomings.
π€ AI-Driven Editing with Luminar Neo and Sony Imaging Edge
The speaker evaluates Luminar Neo for its AI-driven editing features, which, despite some initial negative impressions, proves to be a powerful tool with responsive editing modules. They also discuss Sony Imaging Edge, which comes with Sony Alpha cameras but lacks a color module for advanced editing, making it less appealing for professional use.
π Darktable and Apple Photos: Free and Intuitive Options
The speaker reviews Darktable, a free and open-source alternative to Lightroom, and criticizes its complex interface and user experience. They also discuss Apple Photos, which, despite its limitations, offers a user-friendly interface and powerful editing tools for the average user, but lacks advanced features for professionals.
π Affinity Photo and Photometer: Close Contenders to Adobe
The speaker praises Affinity Photo as a strong Photoshop alternative with a similar interface and powerful editing features, but notes its shortcomings in raw editing. They also discuss Photometer, a promising Lightroom competitor with AI masking and high-speed performance, but currently limited by iCloud storage restrictions.
π Online Editors and the Future of Photo Editing Software
The speaker explores online photo editing options like Photopea, which offers a powerful Photoshop-like experience in a browser, and DXO Labs, which provides a good editor with lens corrections and noise reduction but lacks excitement. They also mention ON1, which feels like a less polished Luminar, and RawTherapy, which they advise against due to its complexity. The speaker concludes by encouraging experimentation with different programs and keeping an eye on emerging tools.
π Final Thoughts on Photo Editing Software
The speaker summarizes their exploration of various photo editing programs, emphasizing that regardless of the software used, good results can be achieved with knowledge and patience. They encourage users to try different programs and consider switching from Adobe if they find more suitable options. The paragraph ends with a teaser for the speaker's next video on a convenient camera accessory.
Mindmap
Keywords
π‘Photo Editing Software
π‘Adobe Lightroom
π‘Adobe Photoshop
π‘Capture One
π‘AI-Based Tools
π‘Luminar Neo
π‘Sony Imaging Edge
π‘Darktable
π‘Apple Photos
π‘Affinity Photo
π‘Photo Editing Presets
Highlights
Investment in Adobe Lightroom and Photoshop amounts to $240 annually, which is considered the industry standard for photographers.
Most photographers have not explored alternative software due to the dominance of Adobe's tools in tutorials and industry discussions.
The author experimented with editing a photo in every available program to compare their features and performance.
Adobe Lightroom is praised for its all-in-one editing, organization, and cataloging capabilities, with AI-based tools enhancing efficiency.
Photoshop is recognized for its layer-based editing, offering a vast array of options for image styling, creation, and editing.
Capture One stands out for its tailored RAW engine for each camera and sensor, providing one of the best color modules.
Luminar Neo emphasizes AI, offering presets and editing modules that simplify the editing process for beginners.
Sony Imaging Edge's initial download is a wrapper that requires further downloading of modules, which was a frustrating experience.
Apple Photos is user-friendly and similar to editing on an iPhone, but its reliance on iCloud storage can be limiting.
Affinity Photo is a strong alternative to Photoshop, lacking only in advanced removal tools.
Phot is a powerful Lightroom competitor with AI masking and super resolution, but currently lacks full library support.
RawTherapy, a free and open-source alternative, is not recommended due to its complexity and lack of user-friendly design.
Photopea is an online version of Photoshop that offers powerful editing tools within a browser, despite its initial skepticism.
DXO Labs' editing program offers excellent lens corrections and noise reduction but may not be as user-friendly.
OnOne Perfectly Clear is a comprehensive editing program with AI features, but it felt less polished compared to Luminar.
The author encourages photographers to try different programs, as good results can be achieved with any software if one takes the time to learn it.