Lightroom and CS4 together?

[Fireball]

I'm looking to get a bigger computer so that I can have a full editing program on it (right now I have PSE6) but have been reading about combining Lightroom with CS4. In fact, they have them bundled together on Adobe's website.

My question is why would you need both? Don't they do the same thing? Seems it would be a bit confusing to go back and forth or maybe I'm not getting the difference. Appreciate some clarification.

[utdbear]

Photoshop is a pure editing tool. Lightroom is a full DAM system that does file management and batch processing, as well as a whole host of other options.

[d2creative]

As far as editing goes, you can do SOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO much more in Photoshop than you can in Lightroom. Lightroom just scratches the surface, and makes certain things easier than they are in Photoshop. Lightroom's tools/features are geared more specifically to photographers.

[S-Man]

Originally Posted by utdbear

...Lightroom is a full DAM system that does file management and batch processing, as well as a whole host of other options.

No need to cuss about it

But yeah, Lightroom does mainly color management and visual alterations without actual image editing- such as cloning and liquify etc.
However, since I got LR, I rarely feel the need to pull a file into PS unless it has to do with cloning, using Portraiture, or skin smoothing or Liquifying.
There are tons of other things you can do in PS that you can't do in LR too, but these are the only things my skill set allows and most of what I need at the moment.

[Sonny]

Originally Posted by S-Man

using Portraiture, or skin smoothing or Liquifying.

There's a LR plugin for Portraiture!

[S-Man]

^ I know, but I already have the one for PS, plus, I like to be able to make a layer, Portraiture it, then adjust the opacity of that layer and erase things I don't want portraiture'd.

[mathia]

Originally Posted by d2creative

Lightroom's tools/features are geared more specifically to photographers.

Just thought that was an odd comment on TPF.

My own little chuckle.

[mdparthum]

I am using Photoshop more now for making graphics for web clients. I like both so it is a preference to which one you feel more comfortable using.

[zerovision]

Lightroom is great at managing photos cataloging, filing and storing, and has many editing tools to assist in post processing and batch processing(excellent batch processing tools) cases. Photoshop CS4 is the end all be all of photo editing. There is no substitute for photoshop CS4 to a professional photographer. Lightroom has been adding more and more post processing tools with each new version. This has allowed Pros to do most of their pp in lightroom and then use CS4 for the more advanced editing tasks.

There are some plug-in tools also available for both LR and PS, some allow you to use them with either of the two depending on which one you are working in. The ones I use are OnOne Software Plug-in Suite and Imagenomics Noiseware and Portraiture, but there are several other choices as well.

Adobe is coming out with LR3 soon and there is a free Beta version you can download and try out for 30 days. Once you get your system I highly recommend downloading the trial and looking into Scott Kelbys LR and PS CS4 books or check out kelbytraining.com for video training on both.

Do tons of research on your computer before you get it, I saw your other thread about getting a new computer. I don't recommend going to one store with the intention of getting the computer from there before looking at several computers first. One store may appear to have many choices, but once you make that purchase you are kinda stuck with what you have and you will always see adds for bigger and better at lower prices right after you buy it.

[picman]

Photoshop is a very good plug-in for Lightroom

[d2creative]

I got along fine before Lightroom. I can do any of it's adjustments in photoshop and I can manage files myself or use other software for this purpose including bridge. But Lightroom can not do everything that photoshop can, not even close. So if I had to make a choice, I would have to choose photoshop. After using Lightroom, I would not be happy about this, but that's how it would have to be.

[prairiefire]

I've always had both and will continue to have both BUT I find myself using LR less and less, lately.

I don't like the way LR manages assets -- just me, but I don't.

My workflow now starts in Bridge, uses ACR and sometimes ends up in PS.

The real difference between the two is stated above. LR is an image adjustment tool while PS has a much deeper creative tool set -- many of which are based on layers and masks.

Even though there are some good plug-ins now working in LR, there are far more in PS.

I can't think of anything I can't do in PS that I can in LR -- and a lot of things LR won't do.

I think the reason for the rhetoric that LR is for photographers is that most photographers will stop with the adjustments LR can do. If you are one of them, it is a great program.

[jeffkohn]

Photoshop is a pure editing tool

This is not really true since Photoshop comes with Bridge. Bridge allows you to do pretty much everything LR can do as far as asset management, keywording, batching, etc, only the interface is a little different. Bridge is filesystem-based, while LR uses the database paradigm. Personally I prefer the file-system approach, because it means I'm not tied to one tool for managing my files and don't have to go through the hassle of 'importing' my files, or exporting them to use with other apps. The database abstraction is cumbersome and brings no real benefits for my needs.

[Fireball]

Wow, you guys are just a fountain of knowledge, you know that?! I can't tell you how much I appreciate you sharing it. This really clears up alot of things for me.

Means alot for one who is venturing into the "real" world of photography by starting my own business.

[venchka]

Then there is the other side of the coin...........

If you have Lightroom, why bother with Photoshop? Lightroom does everything I need. However, I don't need, nor would I use, the Bells, Whistles, Gizmos, Fuzzies, Wuzzies, etc. offered by Photoshop.

Not now anyway. That may change.

YMMV.