Going to buy a new Photoshop software. Help required

[Bhasmang Mehta]

Hey friends

I have been using Photoshop elements 6 for my post processing until now. I am not very good at Post processing but I am learning to do it now.
I have plans to buy a new photoshop software. I mainly photograph birds. Which is the ideal Photoshop software for someone like me? I live in India.

Awaiting your inputs.

Best

Bhasmang

[Diane Miller]

I think Elements is now in something like version 11, and that would have some substantial improvements over your v6. Since you are still learning digital darkroom processing it might be best to stay with it until you have mastered what it has to offer and are ready to move on. It's certainly the least expensive option.

If you're shooting RAW, Lightroom will give you a better RAW processor (the same engine as in full-fledged Photoshop with only a slightly different interface) and a great organizer, but it won't be much help until you are ready to move beyond what Elements has to offer.

Photoshop is now a subscription model, supposedly $10/month for a "photographer's package" including Lightroom, BUT the catch is you had to own CS3 or later, and the offer is supposedly only good till the end of the year. Otherwise I think the cost is $20/month. But they seem to still be figuring out what people will go for, and the prices and plans have evolved somewhat.

Photoshop is wonderful, but there is a lot to learn, and it might be best to master Elements first.

Digital darkroom processing is a wonderful and powerful tool and a great journey. And BPN is a great place to learn.

Best of luck with your continuing journey!

[Grady Weed]

Ditto to everything Diane said. I might also add you really should master "PS Elements" first before shelling out the big bucks for the full CS version.

[Bhasmang Mehta]

Thank you so much Diane & Grady for the perfect explanation you have solved all my queries in one go. I would surely go as per yours' and Grady's suggestions.
I am learning about digital dark room processing from the forum and would bug you experts time and again with my questions and queries...

Thanks both of you for your time.

[Sandy Witvoet]

Hi Bhasmanq,
I too, had PSE6.... upgraded to PSE11 and love it. Easily processes RAW and has MUCH more capability than 6....at an incredible price. I would recommend that you go to the Adobe site and download the free 30-day Trial version of PSE11.... (It is exactly the same as the "purchased" version). Adobe will let you know when your 30 days is almost up... then if you purchase it, all you need to do is put the serial number into your trial version, and you're done (nothing to download). Since you own PSE6, the upgrade price is $79.00 US.... When my trial version was almost up, Adobe sent me an offer to buy it for just $49.00 US! A deal I couldn't resist!

[Bhasmang Mehta]

O wow that really is an incredible offer Sandy... Thanks a bunch for writing in I would surely download the trial version first and then would buy it post a month...

Thanks once again Sandy.

[Sandy Witvoet]

Hope it works well for you Bhasmang! Although some "stuff" has been rearranged in PSE11..... the "logic" is still the same. Capabilites seem MUCH more powerful! PM me if you have any questions or would like to talk about it. (Plus, one thing I need to research a bit more ... when I pulled up some properties on an image I had processed, it listed it as being processed in CS6...from what I remember this is a higher end program than PS ... same software?) Have fun with it!
Regards,
Sandy

[Bhasmang Mehta]

Thank you so much Sandy I surely will PM you for the help required...

Best wishes

Bhasmang