Corel vs. Photoshop

[ClintDMc]

oh I know the concept of layers, I just have not figured out how to use them. how to add artifacts to different layers, that stuff.

[luis_relampago]

I find out that most of the guys who use the other programs other than PS the only reason is that they want something easier to use. That is the main reason adobe created Lightroom for users that don't want to spend time to learn PS and that is OK.
I have used PS since 1995 so to me is very intuitive but I understand people wanting an easier program like my sister and wife love Lightroom and they do all their manipulations in that program but when they want better results or more precises for lack of a better word they always go to PS.
The layers is what made Photoshop the leader in image manipulation and it is the main reason Adobe has been successful.
I had used corel Painter and love it but honestly I am so used to PS that it's easier for me to just do it in PS.

[BettyG]

Lightroom ;-) I initially put all my pics in LR, then if I am doing layers/textures, I put them in Photoshop (I also have Lucisart in PS, and use it quite a bit) and a lot of times I will give them a final tweak in PSP. I do a lot of texture work and I find LR and PS to be invaluable to my work.

Sample processed in LR, PS and PSP





Lightroom with the silver efex pro plugin( awesome plugin, IMHO)

[jjbacoomba]

So glad I found this thread. I use PSP X2 and I am happy with it. I am very new to photography and post processing. There is still much to learn with PSP and I find that I have alot of fun doing it. I really love B&W and so far have done some good work with it,although I know it could be better. I hope to see more work here in this forum from members who use PSP. Here is a B&W conversion, shot with a Pentax smc-A 50mm f/1.4 lens

[rockpics]

I have a hunch that PSP can do nearly anything that PS can, but I use PS. I use DPP, the
Canon program, to edit raw and most people think that's nuts, but I like my results.

[ClintDMc]

Well I would use Capture NX 2 for my raw, but for some strange reason it does not read my raw files.

[jjbacoomba]

I quess when it comes right down to it,,,,,,,,,, its what the photographer likes in his or her final product that counts.One thing I see with all the different programs is that the people that use them always have a positive and or negative opinion about what they use. They just want to have better results. With alot of forums that I have been to, the post processing talk seems to gravitate more towards PS. There have been times that I've felt that I have an inferior program and will never get great results because I dont use PS. I find as I get better with what I am doing with PSP I really dont feel that way as much. I just need to practice , practice more and hope for the best. My best. Would like to see what all the talk is about 'Layers"!Thats something to look forward to learning. Hope all this makes sense. LOL! Thanks, Joe

[sheribeari]

Corel has skin smoothing function as well... I use Paintshop ProX3 as my primary. Just learning on Photoshop CS5. I find some stuff easier to do on one and some on the other... sometimes use both on same photo.

[cooltouch]

I've used PSP ever since v4, and began using PS at v7. Seems like I've always preferred PSP for its ease-of-use factor. I was using v8 when I finally upgraded to X2 and found quite a few features I liked, so I went ahead and stuck with it. I use PS CS5 occasionally (daughter's academic discount -- she loves it), but other than better 16-bit file handling capability and Camera Raw, I find few reasons to use it instead of PSP X2. I tried X3 but really didn't care for it. To me it doesn't work as smoothly or easily as X2 does.