Item: Adobe PhotoShop
Rating: 8
Author: Verified User

Overall Satisfaction with Adobe PhotoShop

Use Cases and Deployment Scope

In my corporate and non-profit work, I use Adobe PhotoShop for editing headshot photos, generating advertisements, creating poster artwork, and adjusting graphics for website designs. Although there are capable alternatives out there, the direct integration with InDesign, Adobe Express, Illustrator, and the rest of the suite makes it a powerful tool.

Pros and Cons

Pros

Adjustment of color and lighting
Generative AI from scratch and for editing
Cropping and resizing
Photo restoration

Cons

Focus on new AI features has been divisive - some users would prefer to see more focus on manual action and less on AI.
The subscription-only model is a turnoff for many.
The push to save files in the cloud rather than locally can be annoying.

Return on Investment

In-house editing of images rather than hiring third parties.
Easy generation of assets when needed.
Professional looks on a modest budget.

Usability

The product can be a little overwhelming for first-timers because it is so comprehensive. Still, once you get the hang of how things work it becomes very intuitive. Plus there are some really great YouTubers out there (Unmesh Dinda / PiXimperfect for example) who can show you tricks and tips for high level skills.

Alternatives Considered

GIMP

I've used GIMP a little bit but not enough to really compare. It's certainly a contender and improving all the time. If I didn't have the budget for a pro tool like PhotoShop I would likely use it more. I've also heard good things about Krita and Affinity but haven't tried them.

Key Insights

Do you think Adobe PhotoShop delivers good value for the price?

Yes

Are you happy with Adobe PhotoShop's feature set?

Yes

Did Adobe PhotoShop live up to sales and marketing promises?

I wasn't involved with the selection/purchase process

Did implementation of Adobe PhotoShop go as expected?

Yes

Would you buy Adobe PhotoShop again?

Yes

Other Software Used

Camtasia, Adobe InDesign, Anthropic Claude

Likelihood to Recommend

My main uses are in non-profit work for a local theatre. Through TechSoup we are able to get a nicely discounted cloud license, which makes the suite affordable. For many users, however, the subscription prices can put it out of range. With the rise of alternative open source and AI tools, Adobe will need to watch their backs. That all being said, the product itself remains the gold standard that everyone is trying to emulate. If you're a professional of any kind, Adobe PhotoShop is the goat.

Comments

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Adobe Photoshop has challengers but it remains the go-to photo editor.