[5-16] "Lightroom Classic"

If I could recommend one piece of software to all new photographers: Adobe Lightroom (LR).

There is also Capture One.

It is easy to try more software, but these two are great and sophisticated enough.

Both are basically catalogs: they can store thousands or maybe even millions of images.

Capture One has been reviewed by established photographers; it packs more features than LR, and based on my trial run, it was a bit faster.

However, I use LR as I need (and already pay) for Adobe Photoshop ($10/month for both)

Lightroom Classic (LRC), the basics:

· LRC is a filing cabinet

· LRC is helps rename files

· LRC can move images, create folders, albums

· LRC is robust

· LRC has strong macro editing (exposure, contrast, color balance, etc.)

· LRC has a few specific-area tools (e.g. brushes, linear correction)

· LRC exports

· LRC produces contact sheets (pdfs)

Photoshop (PS) is more for taking an image apart; it is more like surgery. PS deals in tiny (i.e. pixel by pixel), precise, and specific changes.

Choosing images [LR --> Photoshop] I call "selection"; it is difficult, time-consuming; it does not involve taking/editing images; is requires prioritization; many images can be taken in less than the time it takes to seriously edit one image; it helps to choose wisely.

Selecting/culling images is an area of photography that I did not anticipate as important, and remains an area that I work on as much as the other two (taking, editing).