PS, PSE 2021, Lightroom differences

[Tintype_18]

I bought PSE 2021 a few years ago and it has served me well so far with my limited skills and still learning. Is regular PS a step above PSE 2021 with more features for editing? What role is Lightroom in the scheme of things here? Might spring for a future purchase. Thanks to all for reading and your reply.

[rs-eos]

I have used Photoshop for almost 30 years now.  It has a massive feature set.  Adobe should have a web page that would reveal the differences to Elements.  And while I've used Photoshop for many years, I have not used the full set of features.  But for those features I have used, I really enjoy the power and flexibility.

To manage collections of photos, I originally used Apple's included Photos app (previously iPhoto).  I'd export files and edit via Photoshop as needed.  Later, I moved to Apple's Aperture, but replaced that with Lightroom when Apple discontinued it.

Currently I use Lightroom CC for all my image cataloging needs as well as basic post processing.  For anything more complex, to include merging of panorama captures, I turn to Photoshop CC.

Adobe probably still has the plan available which is USD 9.99 per month for both Photoshop CC and Lightroom CC.

[Tintype_18]

Ricky, thanks for the reply. I purchased PSE 2021 at Staples for about $65. So far, it has met my needs plus I have DPP-4 which I haven't used in a while. Simple photos that I keep for personal use are edited on File Explorer which is plain vanilla without whipped cream and cherry on top.

[jrhoffman75]

The current names for the Adobe products (other than Element)s are: Photoshop, Lightroom and Lightroom Classic (the CC suffix is no longer current). All of these products are subscription based. An annual fee able to be paid monthly. If the subscription is dropped various features become unavailable - exactly what depends on the product.

Lightroom (no suffix) is a cloud-based product. It is designed for folks who want their images available anywhere on any device. If a user has a lot of images the storage and use could be pricey - $20/month for 1TB of storage.

Lightroom Classic is a conventional desktop software - it uses the files stored locally, basically the same approach as PsElements.

For casual use Photoshop Elements modified by the download and purchase of Elements+ (which unlocks some features) should be adequate.

[rs-eos]

Correct, John.  I was using the older names of the products.  Thanks for the correction.  I have Photoshop and Lightroom Classic.