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iPhoto 08 vs Adobe Photoshop elements 6

I have just recently started to really enjoy digital photography and digital scrapbooking. I bought my first MAC about 2 months ago (20" iMac) and love it.

I also purchased my first SLR camera and have really dived into photography being a hobby and something I plan on doing for quite some time.

With that in mind, I have a lot of ideas about creating all sorts of things with photos.

I recently d/l a trial version of Elements 6 on a old PC and found it, interesting. I did like some things about it.

So my main question is, what is the main differences between the two? Is one a better photo editor than the other? Does one have more options from the startup (basic install)? Does one have more things to add on down the road.

Other things I was curious about was photo organization. Is one better than the other? What is the difference?

Lastly, perhaps it is possible to use them in conjunction?

Appreciate the feedback.
Cheers,

JW

iMac 20": 2.4ghz, Mac OS X (10.5.1)

Posted on May 11, 2008 8:45 PM

Best reply

LarryHN

Level 10

106,110 points

Posted on May 11, 2008 8:51 PM

They are totally different - iPhoto is a photo management system with some editing - Photoshop Elements is a photo editor with some photo management (using Bridge)

So my main question is, what is the main differences between the two? Is one a better photo editor than the other? Does one have more options from the startup (basic install)? Does one have more things to add on down the road.

PSE has many more editing options - iPhoto has many more organizing options

Other things I was curious about was photo organization. Is one better than the other? What is the difference?

iPhoto has many more organizing features - Key words - non destructive editing - always having the original avaliable - easy to use books, calendars etc - many more features

Lastly, perhaps it is possible to use them in conjunction?

You can use iPhoto as your photo organization with PSE as the editor - you can not use Adobe bridge and iPhoto together

LN

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29 replies

Yer_Man

Level 10

162,396 points

May 13, 2008 11:30 AM in response to Old Toad

Well that's the one that turns up here most - folks surfing the iPhoto Library Folder on v5 or v6 and using the tools that Bridge has. I do seem to recall folks having issues with metadata from Bridge and iPhoto but nothing a search could find. It's been a while. As you know, it's easy conflate two issues into a single one, so those may have been renaming issues where the metadata was a suspect, but ultimately proved innocent. Of course there was an issue with metadata from LightRoom and the Finder in 10.5.

Regards

TD

May 13, 2008 1:25 PM in response to Yer_Man

Oh yes, I would never recommend using Bridge on anything already in the iphoto library--only that you can use it before importing to iphoto if you need to, although that's not generally a good workflow. But for people like me who only use iphoto for the occasional project, there's no need to worry about messing things up by importing your project pics that were already tagged in Bridge, right?
Thanks for the clarification.

Yer_Man

Level 10

162,396 points

May 13, 2008 2:03 PM in response to Barbara Brundage

As I say, I have a recollection of folks having an issue with Bridge applied metadata, but I can't see such a thing searching now. So, a: my memory is faulty, very possible or b: I recall correctly but it was a local issue rather than systemic. On the face of it I can see no reason why images first processed in Bridge should not then be imported.

Regards

TD

May 18, 2008 2:48 PM in response to Yer_Man

Really appreciate everyones feedback here. It has been very helpful.

I guess I would like something that has more photo editing abilities than the default iphoto. Knowing that, I think my options are Photoshop Elements or Apple Aperture.

Im going to test out the elements trial, see how it is. I do like that i can effects to my photos. That is appealing. However, i have tried out the aperture demo and I must say, it looks pretty nice.

Thanks everyone.

Jason

Old Toad

Level 10

207,643 points

May 18, 2008 3:40 PM in response to Jason Williams3

Using Photoshop (or Photoshop Elements) as Your Editor of Choice in iPhoto.

1 - select Photoshop as your editor of choice in iPhoto's General Preference Section's under the "Edit photo:" menu.

2 - double click on the thumbnail in iPhoto to open it in Photoshop. When you're finished editing click on the Save button. If you immediately get the JPEG Options window make your selection (Baseline standard seems to be the most compatible jpeg format) and click on the OK button. Your done.

3 - however, if you get the navigation window that indicates that PS wants to save it as a PS formatted file. You'll need to either select JPEG from the menu and save (top image) or click on the desktop in the Navigation window (bottom image) and save it to the desktop for importing as a new photo.

This method will let iPhoto know that the photo has been editied and will update the thumbnail file to reflect the edit..

NOTE: With Photoshop Elements 6 the Saving File preferences should be configured: "On First Save: Save Over Current File". Also I suggest the Maximize PSD File Compatabilty be set to Always.

If you want to use both iPhoto's editing mode and PS without having to go back and forth to the Preference pane, once you've selected PS as your editor of choice, reset the Preferences back to "Open in main window". That will let you either edit in iPhoto (double click on the thumbnail) or in PS (Control-click on the thumbnail and seledt "Edit in external editor" in the Contextual menu). This way you get the best of both worlds

2 - double click on the thumbnail in iPhoto to open it in Photoshop. When you're finished editing click on the Save button. If you immediately get the JPEG Options window make your selection (Baseline standard seems to be the most compatible jpeg format) and click on the OK button. Your done.

3 - however, if you get the navigation window that indicates that PS wants to save it as a PS formatted file. You'll need to either select JPEG from the menu and save (top image) or click on the desktop in the Navigation window (bottom image) and save it to the desktop for importing as a new photo.

This method will let iPhoto know that the photo has been editied and will update the thumbnail file to reflect the edit..

OT

Yer_Man

Level 10

162,396 points

May 18, 2008 10:44 PM in response to Jason Williams3

Jason

Aperture and Elements are not the same thing. Elements is an image editor, with lots of features including layers etc. Aperture is closer to iPhoto. It's a post processing application based around a database. It does everything that iPhoto does - and a whole lot more too. But you can still use Elements as an external editor in Aperture.

Regards

TD

May 19, 2008 2:16 AM in response to Jason Williams3

So, if I understand everything correctly from this "post", Adobe has totally removed the "organisation" possibilities of all your photos, that existed in Photoshop Elements 4.0?

That was what I liked about Photoshop Elements 4.0, to collect it all under one "roof".

--Andreas

May 19, 2008 8:42 AM in response to Andreas_B

No. There is nothing that was PE 4/mac that is not in PSE 6 mac, organization-wise. Both have bridge.

LarryHN

Level 10

106,110 points

May 19, 2008 9:10 AM in response to Andreas_B

NO - bridge is still available

However you can not successfully use bridge and iPhoto on the same photos so you have to choose one or the other - if you attempt to use both you will corrupt your iPhoto database

LN

May 19, 2008 4:22 PM in response to Yer_Man

Got it.

So it sounds like Elements just has more editing abilities? Layering, cloning, adding special effects (like cartoon character, etc.) than say iphoto or aperture.

That correct?

Let me ask this. I am getting ready to buy my first DSLR camera (still debating on make and model, but im liking the Olympus E-510). With that, I was planning on using RAW format.

Tracking back, I love photography. Love what you can really do with digital photography. I mostly plan on scrap booking, making DVD's for family and friends, slide shows etc... Not a professional, but a hobbyist. However, I am the ultimate perfectionist. Its a curse sometimes. 🙂

Thanks!

Jason

Old Toad

Level 10

207,643 points

May 19, 2008 4:28 PM in response to Jason Williams3

So it sounds like Elements just has more editing abilities? Layering, cloning, adding special effects (like cartoon character, etc.) than say iphoto or aperture.

Absolutely. PSE 6 has about 80% of the capabilities of the full blown Photoshop CS3 at about 1/7 the cost. Aperture and iPhoto are really DAM (digital asset management) applications with a little editing capability thrown in for the casual user.

OT

May 19, 2008 5:03 PM in response to LarryHN

if you attempt to use both you will corrupt your iPhoto database

and probably make yourself crazy, too. 🙂

Jun 12, 2008 8:08 PM in response to Barbara Brundage

Hi everyone. Back after a few weeks of tinkering around with PSE 6 and iPhoto. Ihave a couple of questions. 🙂

First, I have experimeneted with PSE 6 on both PC and Mac. So far, I really like it.

So here is what I have been testing.

I have been using iPhoto for my organizing, and PSE 6 for editing and making effects. I have not gone into significant depths with this (because I am still a little fuzzy on how things should work properly.

For example, on the PC (I know its the PC, but bare with me), when I was playing around and did a quick edit, i chose to correct the red eye of a picture. Worked very well. But what it also did is create a version set for that photo. Then in the organizer, you can 'expand' th set. Very clever. Can this also be done on the Mac? I like the idea of being able to flip back and forth between the original and copies I make.

Also, looks like on the PC version, you have options in the organizer to do quick fixes, but not Mac?

After reading this thread, it would seem that the best way to use iPhoto and PSE 6 in combo is to use iPhoto for organizing and PSE 6 for editing, adding affects? Which brings me to one last question: If I want to edit my photos in PSE6, while iphoto is my organizer, do I save the photos back into iPhoto? HOw do I get those back into iPhoto is my question, which I then can in turn make slide shows and send to iDVD?

Hope that makes sense.
Appreciate the help.

Jason

LarryHN

Level 10

106,110 points

Jun 12, 2008 10:01 PM in response to Jason Williams3

do I save the photos back into iPhoto? HOw do I get those back into iPhoto is my question,

Assuming that you have PSE 6 configured as your external editor you simply save

For complete instructions see Old Toad's post a few above your question this thread

Using Photoshop (or Photoshop Elements) as Your Editor of Choice in iPhoto.

1 - select Photoshop as your editor of choice in iPhoto's General Preference Section's under the "Edit photo:" menu.

2 - double click on the thumbnail in iPhoto to open it in Photoshop. When you're finished editing click on the Save button. If you immediately get the JPEG Options window make your selection (Baseline standard seems to be the most compatible jpeg format) and click on the OK button. Your done.

3 - however, if you get the navigation window that indicates that PS wants to save it as a PS formatted file. You'll need to either select JPEG from the menu and save (top image) or click on the desktop in the Navigation window (bottom image) and save it to the desktop for importing as a new photo.

This method will let iPhoto know that the photo has been editied and will update the thumbnail file to reflect the edit..

NOTE: With Photoshop Elements 6 the Saving File preferences should be configured: "On First Save: Save Over Current File". Also I suggest the Maximize PSD File Compatabilty be set to Always.

If you want to use both iPhoto's editing mode and PS without having to go back and forth to the Preference pane, once you've selected PS as your editor of choice, reset the Preferences back to "Open in main window". That will let you either edit in iPhoto (double click on the thumbnail) or in PS (Control-click on the thumbnail and seledt "Edit in external editor" in the Contextual menu). This way you get the best of both worlds

2 - double click on the thumbnail in iPhoto to open it in Photoshop. When you're finished editing click on the Save button. If you immediately get the JPEG Options window make your selection (Baseline standard seems to be the most compatible jpeg format) and click on the OK button. Your done.

3 - however, if you get the navigation window that indicates that PS wants to save it as a PS formatted file. You'll need to either select JPEG from the menu and save (top image) or click on the desktop in the Navigation window (bottom image) and save it to the desktop for importing as a new photo.
This method will let iPhoto know that the photo has been editied and will update the thumbnail file to reflect the edit..

OT

iPhoto 08 vs Adobe Photoshop elements 6