Which Photo Editing Software Is Right for You?

In recent years, capturing a good photograph is not quite enough. The next step, post-processing, is just as important, and the choice of photo editing software can be challenging. How do you choose the software that helps make your images better? In this premium video lesson, Outdoor Photography Guide’s David Johnston takes you into his studio and demonstrates two different photo editing software programs.

To demonstrate the first program, David chooses his image of mud tiles in Death Valley National Park. His photo editing software is Photoshop Lightroom. He goes through the various Lightroom tools: contrast, highlights, and shadows. Although his image is color, it looks nearly monochrome, and he pushes the clarity slider to bring out the texture in the mud cracks. He also takes you through the extensive range of Lightroom’s advanced tools. In the Lightroom photo editing software, there are lots of tools and sliders, and it takes time to learn the system.

For his second photo editing software program, he works with Luminar, which is more beginner-friendly. Luminar has a myriad of presets such as Scenery, Closeups, Overcast, or Backlit Clouds. These preset adjustments are done automatically for you. In other words, when you edit your image, these preset tools do multiple edits with just one slider. You also have Creative tools like Atmosphere, Sunrays, Dramatic, Mood, Mystical, Film Grain, and many more. In the general category called Supercontrast, you can contrast the highlights, midtones, and shadows.

When it comes to photo editing software, you need to investigate which program fits you best. Lightroom is more complex and analytical and the post-processing more time consuming, but you also get the advantage of taking Lightroom into Photoshop. With its various presets, Luminar is simpler, allowing you to spend less time in editing. In this premium video lesson, Outdoor Photography Guide’s pro David Johnston compares two photo editing software programs.