Photoshop Vs Lightroom - Which Should You Learn?

By Andy Hornby

Over the years Photoshop has become about a lot more than simply editing photos. Adobe recognised the need for a streamlined, photo-editing-only workflow and created Lightroom. So which should you learn and use?

In this article, I’ll compare the two apps and highlight use cases for each one so you can decide which is the best tool for your situation.

Adobe Photoshop

Adobe Photoshop started life as a photo editor. With Adobe Bridge and Camera Raw, that simple editor became a powerhouse. Thanks to a vast toolset, photographers can create advanced manipulations and fine-tune images down to the pixel.

Over time, Photoshop’s use expanded - today it’s used for animations, digital painting, 3D and more. It’s so popular the name became a verb for photo manipulation.

Photoshop - advantages

Layers workflow - stack, mask and blend adjustments; re-edit any time.
Actions - record steps and replay for consistent, speedy workflows.
Pixel-level control - precise retouching and composites.
Continual innovation - content-aware tools, pano stitching, filters and more.

Photoshop - disadvantages

RAW handling is external - relies on Camera Raw (plug-in module) before the PSD workflow.
Weak library management - no built-in cataloguing for large shoots; Bridge is a partial workaround.

Adobe Lightroom

Lightroom was Adobe’s response to the rise of digital photography and the need for a dedicated photo workflow tool. It looks similar to Photoshop at first glance, but it’s built around ingest → organise → edit → export.

Instead of giant PSDs, Lightroom keeps edits in a catalogue (non-destructive). You can undo changes months later without ballooning file sizes.

Lightroom - advantages

Built-in RAW editing - no extra plug-ins needed.
Faster for batches - streamlined tools for hundreds of images.
Presets - apply looks (exposure, WB, tone, colour) with one click; huge preset ecosystem.
Library & export - keywords, collections, quick export and print modules.

Lightroom - disadvantages

No layers - blending modes and complex composites require Photoshop.
Fewer advanced tools - heavy retouching and pixel pushing are limited.

Similarities and differences

Both can edit RAW/JPEG/PNG/TIFF, crop, adjust white balance, use curves, lens corrections, healing and apply filters.

Key differences:

Editing depth - Photoshop has far more tools (layers, masks, blend modes, advanced brushes).
Workflow - Lightroom wins for importing, organising, bulk edits, and exporting for web/print.

When to use Photoshop

Removing objects, complex cloning and healing.
Compositing multiple images; advanced masking.
Graphic work - text, gradients, social assets.
Pixel-level retouching and frequency separation.

When to use Lightroom

Fast culling, rating and keywording large shoots.
Consistent looks with presets and sync across sets.
Non-destructive edits with easy before/after review.
Quick export for web, client proofs and prints.

Final thoughts

Both Lightroom and Photoshop are excellent. Use Lightroom for speed, consistency and library management; jump to Photoshop when you need layered, detailed edits. With Adobe’s Photography Plan, you can (and should) use both together.