What program do you use and WHY?

I have been using PSCC since 2016. Prior to that, since 2006, I was using PSE. Prior to that I briefly tried a few other things I barely remember. One program (maybe called Lumapix Fotofusion, but I have a very bad memory) was very basic but had this really awesome collage feature in which you could put any number of photos on the page, then click the arrange button and it would fit them to the page in various sizes. You could repeatedly hit the arrange button for different layouts. I also tried a program that was just made for scrapbooking, but again, it was awfully basic and didn't do much. I settled on PSE when I found online forums in 2006 and learned that most digiscrappers used it.

Then, from 2012 to about 2016, I got very passionate about photography. I organized all my photos and processed my DSLR images in Lightroom. When Adobe started talking about no longer offering Lightroom standalone, I decided to subscribe to the Adobe Photographers Plan, which is just Lightroom and Photoshop for $9.99/month. So it was my desire to keep upgrading Lightroom that made me switch to full Photoshop. I think I would still find PSE sufficient if I went back to it (which is a possibility because I didn't go pro with photography after all) but there are several things I can do with full PS that weren't possible or as easy as in PSE. I'm too tired to list specific examples at the moment though. Maybe tomorrow. Or maybe I don't need to. Many of you know already!

 

I use Paint Shop Pro. Why? Because I've been using it for 25 years having started with version 4. I got it as a shareware program and used it to scan photos. I also took online classes and learned how to use fonts and make simple layered images. When I found out about digital scrapbooking, I realized I already had a program that I could use (late 2007) so I stayed with it.

It is a stand alone program and upgrades can be had for as low as $30. I usually upgrade about every other version. I've been very satisfied with it all these years. And, yes, I did get a free version of PSE a few years back, took the Jessica Sprague classes and personally for me it was difficult to use.

PSP'er for life here.

 

I have used Photoshop since the beginning. My husband is a graphic designer by trade and we have had it since Photoshop 5. I was going to get PSE and he said that I had the best, why put training wheels on? That’s not to denigrate PSE or its users - it’s amazing! However he had already taught me how to make custom Shadows, layers, etc…and at the time PSE was all automated and you couldn’t break out and do your own custom shadowing, etc…

So I stayed with Photoshop because it was what we had, and when Creative Cloud came out, there was a subscription with photo tools that I wanted for my digital photography.

it was a win win! I will never learn all of Photoshop, so it will always grow with me!

 

I use CS6. I haven’t upgraded since I don’t want to rent my software and CS6 works well for my scrapping needs. I originally purchased the creative suite because it had several programs incorporated into it. I also got the teacher discount which made it quite affordable. ❤️❤️

I tried PSE but really did not like the tray. It was a real impediment to me. I have it loaded on my husband’s laptop and have used it in emergencies.

Unfortunately system 11 is causing a few problems with CS6. For example, there was a conflict with my HP printer and Adobe after the installation if 11. My niece figured out a work around.

 

I have pretty much the exact same story lol
DH was a graphic designer and Adobe certified, so we've had Photoshop forever. He taught me a couple of basics and then I took it from there. I love the CC Photography Plan for all the reasons that Cheryl mentioned and then some

 

Way back in 2004 I started scrapping using a program called Photo Impact. I think maybe the company that sold it was bought out and stopped upgrading PI, so I bought Photoshop CS3 (in a box) for a good deal after Adobe released CS4. I did trials of both PSE and PS then, and I found actions in PSE way too limited. I was used to writing my own actions in PI and used them frequently, so I went with CS3. I upgraded to CS5 right before CS6 came out, during that period where you could pay the lower price of CS5 but get a free upgrade to CS6. I used CS6 from its release in 2012 until earlier this year. I didn't want to move to a subscription model when the version I already owned did everything I needed it to. But finally there was a Windows update that didn't play nicely with CS6 on my computer, so earlier this year I had to go to Photoshop CC.

My main reason for sticking with Photoshop is that I already know it well and don't want to take the time to learn a new program. I've heard that PSE has made improvements to actions now, but I don't know if all the ones I own and use frequently would transfer or if I'd be able to write my own. The Photoshop Photographer's plan is inexpensive enough that I'll stick with PS for now, but if it's discontinued or the price goes up significantly I'll probably make the switch to PSE. Although I love PS and all of my styles and actions, I'm not enough of a power user to truly need the capabilities of PS.

 

I started with PS3 and I think I've had all subsequent versions of Photoshop.
Then came Lightroom and during my photography classes I could do an LR module and then a PS module for photographers...
I've been a PS cc and LR cc user for a few years now - if you see what LR can do with a raw image .... my photoshop is now very little used for photo editing ...

 

I started with PSE 5 then 6. Five or so years ago I upgraded to 15. Only just switched to PSCC late last year. I honestly just felt it was the right time to upgrade and I didn’t have the money to buy a new PSE outright at the time.

 

When I first starting scrapbooking I was already using the Serif suite (Pageplus, Photoplus and Drawplus) for desktop publishing and logo design etc. So it made sense for me to use them for my scrapbooking.
After a few years, Serif created software specifically for scrapbookers, that later became Craft Artist. I and my girls used that for a very long time. Unfortunately it started crashing as Windows 10 kept updating and it's no longer supported by Serif.
Early during lockdown Serif had a special free trial and 50% off on their new suite - Affinity so I gave that a go, and bought it. My son uses Affinity designer for his school graphics work, and I use Publisher as my main software. Photo and Designer integrate with it and I can use their functionality inside Publisher whenever I need to. The majority of my scrapbooking is done solely in Publisher.

 

PSE 12, it's what was available when I wanted to learn digi scrapping and I have just stuck with it.
I am really quick, don't want to pay a subscription and with some actions does everything I want and need it to.

 

I reluctantly upgraded to PSCC (because I didn't want to pay a subscription). But I've been really happy with it, so it was the right move. Prior to that I used CS4 but it didn't play nice with some templates (the text boxes crashed my version of CS4). I wanted to upgrade to CS6 but the version wasn't available here in Canada anymore, so it was straight to PSCC. Other than having to pay a subscription, I've loved PSCC and it works well almost all the time.

 

I've used LR and PS for many years b/c of my portrait/wedding editing and was very comfortable with both programs. Then I tried PSE on my laptop about 8 yrs ago when I had a shoulder/back injury and couldn't use my camera for about 4 mths and was bored. I couldn't put PS on it b/c my laptop didn't have the ram to support it but could handle PSE. It was version 6 or something. I was not happy with it and felt too limited and frustrated with it so once my shoulder/back improved I went back to normal life and gave up digi scrapping (I had been a paper scrapper back then). Fast forward a few yrs and I decided to give digi a try again, this time using PS. I purchased the upgrades as they came out but once PSCC came out I was happy to pay a monthly fee and get all the upgraded included.

 

That was my FAVORITE version of CS!! I didn't want to upgrade for the longest time, then I stuck with PSCC 2018 until last year when my CC automatically updated me to 2022. I'm still getting used to how it works. I hate how it squishes the preview to the left top corner of the screen. Little things like changing the way "Save for Web Legacy" works.

 

I started on Photoshop back when I was doing photography professionally. Then I needed something to do with all those photos and started digital scrapbooking. There was a big learning curve using PS for both of those purposes but now that it's all second nature, I'm not sure I would ever want to learn something else. I use PSCC, Lightroom and Bridge and it appreciate that I get all in the monthly subscription which is pretty reasonably priced.

 

I've used PSE since I started doing digi back in 2006. I started with PSE 5 or 6. Next, I won PSE 8 during iNSD, and then upgraded to PSE 10 a couple of years later. I held out with PSE 10 until PSE 14 came out, just saving money and didn't want to learn the new interface yet. Then I went to PSE 14, PSE 2017, PSE 2019 and I'm currently using PSE 2022.

I toyed with going to PSCC a couple of years ago, but it didn't play well with my laptop graphics card and I didn't really like paying a subscription for my software. I'd rather spend that money on more digi goodies to scrap with. I did think about going with PSCC for the warp to easily do custom shadows when I ordered my new laptop on black friday, but the new PSE 2022 added the warp/transform capability. So along with my trusty old shadow separation action, I can do custom shadows easily in PSE 2022. Sure there are a few things PSE can't do, but for the most part PSE along with radlabs does everything I need right now. I know PSE inside and out and have my workflow down pat. When I did the trial of PSCC, I missed the photo bin and the menus were a little different and that messed with my groove. Now if I could just get microsoft to add back in the folder contents thumbnails for windows 11, I'd be good to go.

If adobe ever starts renting PSE, then I'll for sure go to the PSCC photography plan, but for now I'm a PSE girl!

 

I don't want to rent software either.

If you ever have to use PSE again, you can close the photo bin/tray (click the little down arrow on the right side), so it's out of your way. HTH

 

Really? Hmm...I may have to play around with that more. I bought Publisher for Newsletters. I didn't want to add In Design to my subscription because I don't use it, and Publisher is way easier to use than Photoshop for continuous pages like newsletters!