Evaluating Lightroom and Photoshops substitutes

Xoan

Xoan

Aug 27, 2024
11
1
#1
Hi.


Greetings to everyone, here in Madrid, it is almost midnight, don't know where are you located.





I´m evaluating Lightroom and Photoshop alternatives and I would like to ask for your advice; I mostly just develop the raw files of my camera (CANON 5D MARK III) and make a few adjustments to the photos like correcting the white balance, exposure, and the skin tones as I dedicate myself to portrait photography.


I just downloaded a free trial of DxO Photo Lab 8 and Pure Raw 4; do you think I should download it?


Also, I'm thinking about doing the same with Capture One, I tried one of the first version in the past, but I would like to get your advice.





I thank you all again for your help and support.





Xoán.
 
#3
If you're on a budget and don't need much denoising, "Darktable" is free. "Gimp" is also free. I think if you learn the programs well, you can see some advantages in some situations, but generally I think for Raw, Alan is correct with PhotoLab (especially if you need noise reduction) and for non-raw staying with Photoshop will be best.
 
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#5
EricN said:
If you're on a budget and don't need much denoising, "Darktable" is free. "Gimp" is also free. I think if you learn the programs well, you can see some advantages in some situations, but generally I think for Raw, Alan is correct with PhotoLab (especially if you need noise reduction) and for non-raw staying with Photoshop will be best.
Click to expand...
Thank you Eric..

I'm trying PL for the first time with some portraits I made this summer.

Any advice or tricks for retouching the skin (taking some pimples/acné) out?

Happy weekend.

Xoán.
 
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#6
There's many ways to deal with pimples and personally I use photoshop for things like that. You can use the "eye dropper" tool to select a color just outside the discolored area of the pimple or whatever. I recommend adding a new layer.
If youre good at drawing you can make a lasso tool selection around the pimple either slightly larger than the area or the same size and use the modify selection > expand selection.
Next if you expanded, use feather in the modify selection. Use a number about half of the number of pixels you expanded. Or if you made the lasso larger than the area, about half the numbe of pixels larger. Finally use the gradiant fill tool. Sometimes you will want to do the same color or two colors. It could be even more complicated, but this should at least get you started.

I've never checked but there's probably more videos on YouTube about dealing with pimples than you'll have time to watch.

Assuming nobody else replies on this subject, feel free to private message me
 
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#7
Xoan said:
Thank you Alan.

I'm just trying PL for the first time with some portraits I made this summer.

Any advice or tricks to retouching the skin (taking some pimples/acné) out?

Happy weekend.

Xoán.
Click to expand...
I am not into that! I do have PS that I use for AI retouching. I presume from reading threads there is specialist software for portraiture.
 
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#8
EricN said:
There's many ways to deal with pimples and personally I use photoshop for things like that. You can use the "eye dropper" tool to select a color just outside the discolored area of the pimple or whatever. I recommend adding a new layer.
If youre good at drawing you can make a lasso tool selection around the pimple either slightly larger than the area or the same size and use the modify selection > expand selection.
Next if you expanded, use feather in the modify selection. Use a number about half of the number of pixels you expanded. Or if you made the lasso larger than the area, about half the numbe of pixels larger. Finally use the gradiant fill tool. Sometimes you will want to do the same color or two colors. It could be even more complicated, but this should at least get you started.

I've never checked but there's probably more videos on YouTube about dealing with pimples than you'll have time to watch.

Assuming nobody else replies on this subject, feel free to private message me
Click to expand...
Hi EricN:

Thanks for your quick answer and for sharing your knowledge; I also used Photoshop for that, with the cloning stamp, for example, I asked trying to get some guidance if I can do the same with DxO PL or another alternative since I quick paying the monthly fee for LR and PS.

Thats the reason I downloaded the 30 days free trial version.

Have a lovely Friday night!

Xoán.
 
Upvote 0
#9
EricN said:
There's many ways to deal with pimples and personally I use photoshop for things like that. You can use the "eye dropper" tool to select a color just outside the discolored area of the pimple or whatever. I recommend adding a new layer.
If youre good at drawing you can make a lasso tool selection around the pimple either slightly larger than the area or the same size and use the modify selection > expand selection.
Next if you expanded, use feather in the modify selection. Use a number about half of the number of pixels you expanded. Or if you made the lasso larger than the area, about half the numbe of pixels larger. Finally use the gradiant fill tool. Sometimes you will want to do the same color or two colors. It could be even more complicated, but this should at least get you started.

I've never checked but there's probably more videos on YouTube about dealing with pimples than you'll have time to watch.

Assuming nobody else replies on this subject, feel free to private message me
Click to expand...
Can't you just use generative fill? Draw a circle around the pimple and PS will automatically do a perfect job.
 
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#12
Xoan said:
Hi EricN:

Thanks for your quick answer and for sharing your knowledge; I also used Photoshop for that, with the cloning stamp, for example, I asked trying to get some guidance if I can do the same with DxO PL or another alternative since I quick paying the monthly fee for LR and PS.

Thats the reason I downloaded the 30 days free trial version.

Have a lovely Friday night!

Xoán.
Click to expand...
You can use DxO PL to do it, but the technique would be different. Because I've been doing the method I described for about 25 years, I have been slow to try to teach myself with PL. After Monday I will have some free time and try
 
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