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Do You Need Photoshop if You Have Lightroom?

Last updated on September 24, 2022 @ 4:08 pm

As a general rule, if you can do what you need to in Lightroom, then you don’t need Photoshop. Lightroom is a powerful photo editing program that can do almost everything that Photoshop can do. However, there are a few exceptions where you might need to use Photoshop.

Here are some examples of when you would need to use Photoshop:

1. When you need to remove an object from a photo. This can be done in Lightroom using the Spot Removal tool, but sometimes the object is too big or too complex to remove with that tool. In those cases, you would need to use the Clone Stamp tool in Photoshop.

2.

When you want to change the color of something in a photo. You can change colors in Lightroom using the HSL panel, but if you want more control over the color, or if you want to change the color of just one specific object in the photo, then you would need to use Photoshop.

PRO TIP: Please be aware that Lightroom is not a replacement for Photoshop. While you can do some basic editing in Lightroom, it is not nearly as robust as Photoshop. If you are serious about photography, you will need both Lightroom and Photoshop.

3. When you want to combine multiple photos into one. This is called compositing, and it can be done in both Lightroom and Photoshop.

4. When you need to do complex photo manipulations. If you want to create a surreal or impossible scene, or combine elements from multiple photos in a realistic way, then Photoshop is the best tool for the job.

In conclusion, while Lightroom is a very powerful photo editing program, there are still some things that can only be done in Photoshop. So if you find yourself needing to do one of those things, then yes, you will need Photoshop.

Drew Clemente

Drew Clemente

Devops & Sysadmin engineer. I basically build infrastructure online.