Elements or Photoshop?

[Arual]

I have been using photoshop for years now, currently using CS6. I haven't used elements since about PSE4, and haven't kept up on all of the new additions to it for years either. Im trying to help a friend decide if she wants to do Elements12 or Photoshop. I am absolutely not much help as I honestly dont even know the specific difference today. She would only be using it for digital scrapbooking she says.

So if you are using Elements, is there anything that you wish it would do, that photoshop does do?

Im thinking Elements will be perfectly fine for her, I wont be much help teaching it to her though but there is lots of help out there for her with youtube, this forum, etc. I just want to be able to give her a heads up if anything significant is missing from it that she'll wish she had known before purchasing.

Thanks!

[maryinaz]

I use Elements for everything and it does everything I need it to do. I use it for digi-scrapping, building graphics, and editing photos.

[MamaBee]

I, too, used elements and it does everything I need to do, too... until I see a new tutorial done in CS and I want to try to figure it out... haha! I think it's the perfect starter software... it's cheaper and solid software...

Don't forget Janet's scrapping class... there would be no stopping your friend, then!

[taracotta7]

Yeah, I used Elements for years and years and it was perfect for scrapping and photo editing. I upgraded to CS5 a couple years ago but it was because I needed to do more than that for our business and now my photography business. Elements is a lot of program for a little price. You just can't beat it.

[MissKim]

I've always used Elements and never felt a need for more, especially when I take cost into account. I use RadLab to edit pictures and PSE is plenty for me for digi-scrapping.

[julifish]

I'm another Elements lover. Don't feel the need to have full Photoshop. It's an awesome place to start and I think it's pretty easy to use too!

[mariewilcox]

Yep, another PSE user here and I've never felt the need to upgrade to CS. I'm currently using PSE 11 and have no desire to switch.

[lorryfach]

The reason I went for PS instead of PSE was to put shadows on their own layer and warp them. It *can* be done in PSE, I know, but it's a bigger pain. I used to use Pixelmator which is $15 and I wasn't keen on spending so much more than that for PSE and not getting any additional capabilities. Other than fancy shadows, the only other thing I really love about PS vs PSE is that I can make my own actions.

[Arual]

I know a long time ago one of the things some people didn't like about PSE was that we couldn't do text on a path, custom shadows, actions and a couple other things that I can't recall. I think text on a path has been added in at some point if Im not mistaken, and I wouldn't have a clue how you all are doing custom shadows in PSE. I know PSE12 has come a long ways since PSE4, lol :-)

Thanks for replying! I think PSE will be perfect for her and I'll send her to the shoppe to take a look at Janet's class too. I can help get her started with the basics as I know many of the commands are the same for PSE as they are for PS. Thanks ladies.

[SeattleSheri]

Personally, I think it's a matter of what your budget is. PS has more features, so it would always be my preference, but if someone is budget-conscious or not planning to do anything too complex, PSE is a good option. I started with PS, so it would be difficult for me to PSE.

[yari]

For digital scrapbooking I would most definitely say Elements. It gives you all you need and then some and it is also more cost effective. Unless your friend is going to do some sort of graphic design or professional photo editing, I would just stick with Elements.

[lauren grier]

I fully designed using PSE for years..

she'd be fine in pse for digital scrapbooking :] all the bells and whistle's she'll need.

[EmmsCreative]

PS here never used elements I wouldn't know where to start lol xx