Regina S wrote in to ask me about the Creative Cloud for Photographers. She is currently using Photoshop Elements and is wondering about whether to jump on this offer.
For a limited time, you can join a special Creative Cloud plan. It includes access to Photoshop CC and Lightroom 5, plus feature updates and upgrades as they are available, 20GB of cloud storage for file sharing and collaboration, and a Behance ProSite. It's A$9.99/month when you sign up for a one-year plan, but you need to join soon to lock in this price.
Photoshop Elements usually has a fairly reliable release schedule, with a new version each September. Each year there's usually an upgrade price for people who already use Photoshop Elements. The current price point of Photoshop Elements is around $100 depending on where in the world you live.
Scrapbookers often wonder if they are missing out, since their favourite designers are using Photoshop CS or CC. They hear tales of drop shadow awesomeness and that 10% of functionaility missing from Photoshop Elements. Apart from the pen tool and running some actions PSE is run on a similar 'engine' with different interfaces laid over the top.
So, if you are wondering about making the switch, I'm here to help you!
Who should stay with Photoshop Elements?
I recommend Photoshop Elements for scrapbookers. Why?
Photoshop Elements includes both a photo editor and database-driven organizer, designed specifically for the home and hobby user.
I personally scrapbook over 120 layouts each year and use Photoshop Elements for all of them.
Here's a quick list of what's inside Photoshop Elements, that Photoshop CC doesn't have:
- Photo bin to make it easy to drag and drop images as you are working on them
- Cookie cutter tool
- Smart brush tool
- Drop-in frames, backgrounds, and artwork
- Additional Photomerge modes, like Group Shot, Scene Cleaner, Faces, and Style Match
- Guided Edits and Quick Fix mode
- Multi-file processing without the need to record an action
- Automatically divide scanned photos
- Photo creation templates for photo books, greeting cards, calendars, and more.
- Easy online sharing options for Facebook, Flickr, etc.
- A powerful Photo Organizer
If you have any older version of Photoshop Elements, Adobe offers a loyalty/upgrade price that will save you a further 20%.
Who should move to the Cloud?
If you like to edit your photos and want an easy way to do this in a batch process, Lightroom will work for you.
If you work with a DSLR (aka big fancy camera) and shoot in raw, Lightroom makes it more efficient to process your photos. In Photoshop Elements you can use Adobe Camera Raw but it isn't the same as the RAW file handling in Lightroom.
If you are wanting to design, then go for Photoshop CC, though you can do a lot of designing within Elements, many time-saving scripts, actions, filters and more advanced features will only work in Photoshop CC.
Thoughts on the Cloud
It would be naive to think that Adobe won't move Photoshop Elements to some sort of subscription or Cloud model at some point in the future.
For now, if you want to own your software the Cloud is not for you. You pay per month, and your access to your software is terminated when you cease paying. Simple as that.
The cost per month is low for a Photographer's subscription, but in less than year it will add up to more than you would have paid for Photoshop Elements.
With the Cloud there is a constant reminder and expectation that you need to upgrade. So you will have having new features coming out each time you update your software, some big, some small.
Personally, I find the Cloud to be slightly buggy about keeping me logged in and I need to update the programs several times a month to keep current. Overall, I love having the most recent versions, and I feel I get value for money, as I use Audition, InDesign, Illustrator, Lightroom and Photoshop CC.
What does the future hold?
As yet Adobe hasn't revealed that to us, but for now, I'd suggest scrappers purchase Photoshop Elements while it's still a one off purchase rather than a subscription.
I am an Amazon affiliate so may receive a commission if you make a purchase.
This is just me, but when I felt PSE was limiting me I knew I needed either CS6 or CC. I figured that with my track record of using programs for YEARS before upgrading (I went from PSE6 when it was old to PSE11!) my money was better spent getting CS6 (I should add I got it under an student/teacher discount so it was only about $350!). I don’t want to be tied to monthly payments and monthly online software “check ins” to use my software. I think buying CS6 was a middle ground between PSE and CC, at least in my opinion =)
Stephanie – great point! I’m sure that if you were using PSE6 you would have missed the layer masks etc that came with newer versions.
If you are happy to use CS6 without support and bug fixes, that is an option, but it costs about $700 so it’s likely not in the budget for the everyday scrapbooker. Of course the student/teacher discount is great!
🙂 Melissa
For those of us who live in rural areas and have limited bandwidth, the cloud is just a dream! Meanwhile, Photoshop Elements 12 is keeping me plenty challenged. I appreciate all your fabulous tutorials, Melissa.
Thanks Heather! The fact that PSE is mostly a consumer product is the main reason it’s still available without subscription. The great news is that since you have PSE12, you’ll be able to use it in years to come even if they do move to the cloud.
We recommend for most of our photography students that they go with PSE unless they plan to handle large numbers of images. Lightroom is the most efficient way to edit large numbers of images, and makes a very effective organizer too. As for scrappers, eventually many want some of the tools PS offers that PSE doesn’t, like the ability to change blend modes in certain layer effects, more options to fine tune about everything, and of course the biggie – the ability to draw vectors. But for those just starting out, or those happy with PSE, I’d say stick with it. They’ve added great things like layer masks and guides, and I keep PSE around for some of the great color correction tools that PS doesn’t have! Still, $10 a month for those two programs is a pretty sweet deal 🙂
Thanks for sharing your thoughts Jennifer! I have PSE, PS and LR, and use PSE 90% of the time myself.
Lightrooms catalogues are just too unstable for me to rely upon. Just last month, it decided to stop working completely and I had to restore from a backup. I do use it for batch editing.
Good advice, Melissa. Thanks for sharing. I will be keeping my PSE!
Thank you for the great details explaining the differences between the two. I was really up in the air before asking you, but now I am pretty sure that I will just stick with Elements. It really has everything I need and I feel pretty competent using it. Thanks again!
I’m glad it helped Regina!
Hi Melissa! I stumbled across this discussion while searching for opinions as to weather I should jump into the cloud and use Photoshop or go with the new Elements 13. I do love to take photos but I am just beginning to get into digital scrapbooking. I am really torn as to which one to go with. The pay per month is appealing but is only good with Photoshop. I hear wonderful things about lightroom. Most scrapbookers tend to say go with Elements. Can you give me your opinion since the newest updates? Will the learning curve for Photoshop be too difficult compared to Elements? I just can’t decide!
Hi Ronda – are you using PSE now? If so – I’d save a few pennies and stick with Elements. Then you don’t have to keep paying into the future.
I have the full Creative Cloud with ALL the programs and still choose to scrap in PSE over PSCC.
Lightroom is great if you have a DSLR and love editing photos but it’s not aimed at automating family photo collections so doesn’t have all the bells and whistles on the organizing side.
The learning curve is steeper with Photoshop than Elements, and it doesn’t have the guided edits. If you haven’t used either program, I’d go with Elements as it is MUCH more user friendly.
I have Elements 9 and have used is very little. The truth is, I will need to research or take a class or two to probably get a good grasp on the new Elements 13. I also am beginning to download a ton of both freebie and bought digital stuff so I want to be able to learn how to organize all that and also my own photos, which I have a ton of! I never really understood the organizer in Elements 9. I want to become good at digital scrapbooking and will probably also do Hybrid scrapbooking as I have so much physical scrapbooking stuff at this time too. I am just afraid that Photoshop CC will be way above my skill level at this time. I think your advise is good. I believe you have some classes also which I may need to take. I really do appreciate your opinion on which way I should head at this point.
In that case I’d would suggest you grab a trial version of PSE13 from Adobe and try it out http://www.digitalscrapbookinghq.com/pse
Then you can try before you buy.
I would go with PSE if you are nervous about CC – then you won’t be paying each month if you only end up using it less than you first imagined while you use your physical stash too 🙂