What is the Difference Between Lightroom Classic and Photos?

**This post is a review of Photos and Lightroom Classic (not Lightroom CC). For a breakdown of the difference between Lightroom Classic and Lightroom CC, watch this video.**

Have you ever wondered what is the difference between Photos and Lightroom Classic?

When I first started my photography business, it seemed like there were countless ways for me to invest as a business owner, from automated CRM, to contracts, to a client gallery service, gear and lenses, buying a laptop, etc.

On top of all of that, I wanted to avoid spending an additional $10 per month on an editing software like Lightroom, when I could simply use an editing program already provided for free on my MacBook computer: Photos.

I am not affiliated with either Lightroom or Photos. This review is specific to my experience with both programs and is not influenced by outside companies or individuals.

However, now that I have been in business for a little while, I want to provide this resource for photographers just starting out and answer the question:

Will Photos Cut It For Professional Photography?

I am going to point out some visual differences that I see when editing the same RAW file in Lightroom versus editing in Photos.

For this blog post, I am using only images that I took when first starting my business. All of these images were shot with my Canon Rebel XTI and 50mm 1.4 lens. I have since upgraded to the Canon R6 and 28-70mm 2.0. I went back and edited each image in Lightroom with my current editing style to compare the difference.

The Biggest Difference Between Lightroom and Photos

What I found when doing my experiment was that the quality of an image edited in Photos is noticably lower when compared to the quality of a photo edited in Lightroom.

Images that I edited in Photos looked dull and lifeless, and my subject’s skin tone looked gray and almost dead. If you look closely at the image on the left, you can see that my subject’s shirt has overexposed highlights while his face and skin are gray and lifeless. For a lack of a better word, the image in Photos “lacks luster,” while the image in Lightroom retains even highlights across the entire image.

You might think that the image on the left is still a good photo. I started with a good RAW image, so naturally the final product will still be somewhat acceptable. The image was shot in great light and the subject is evenly exposed, but the quality of the image is noticeably lower.

I didn’t use any brush or masking tools in Lightroom to keep the comparison fair. As I re-edit the photo above, I think back to when this image was shot, and I recall editing this batch of images and thinking how pale Knox’s skin tone was. That problem was solved with color grading in Lightroom.

I think the outcome is similar with all of my edits. In every case, I am starting with a great image. The program in which I edit drastically changes it for better or worse. As I was learning photography I did a lot of trial and error.

After I shot a batch of images, I would import the images to my computer and start the editing process. Sometimes I would love my images, and other times I would wonder what was wrong with them. It has been so fascinating to me doing these experimental edits to prove that nothing was wrong with my images at all. It was simply the program that I used to edit them in post production that made the difference.

Adjusting Sliders in Post Production

Another thing that I noticed about Photos was the streaks that appeared in my images when I moved a slider too drastically in one direction. Particularly when using sliders like brilliance or shadows, I noticed contrasty dark or bright spots. See the images below, and note the unusual splotchy patches. This has not been a problem at all for me when using Lightroom.

Adjusting the Exposure Slider

Another limitation that I have noticed when using Photos is the exposure slider. If an image is under exposed during a shoot, I have found that restoring it in post processing is close to impossible.

Lightroom evenly adjusts the exposure, similar to how you would adjust exposure in camera. Raising the exposure slider in Photos, however, is very limited due to the fact that it creates blown out highlights. Instead of exposure being increased evenly, my image retains the blown out highlights and affects the image unevenly.

When raising the exposure in the above image, the entire image is even, although I obviously exaggerated the exposure to illustrate. It doesn’t appear splotchy and the highlights are not blown out. This image was edited in Lightroom.

Does Photos Export High Resolution Images?

This was a pressing question that I had when trying to decide how to deliver my client gallery images. I wanted to export my images at their full resolution and learned to export images at 300 ppi (pixels per inch) which is the best resolution for printing.

However, I soon realized that Photos didn’t have the option to resize my images for export and defaulted to exporting images at 72 ppi (best size for social media). This was another important deciding factor for me to invest in Lightroom before I officially launched my photography business and took on paying clients.

I didn’t want my clients to run into the issue of getting prints at a lower resolution or have to deal with blurry or low quality print products. When exporting an image from Lightroom, I have the option to size an image based on where I plan to use it. If I am posting to Instagram, I size my images at 72 ppi. If I am delivering a final client gallery, I export all of my images at 300 ppi and a quality of 100 (see Lightroom image below).

Where to Lay Your Money Down

If I had to recommend one area to invest at the beginning, it would be an editing software like Lightroom. Automated CRM, a second 50mm lens, or a paid client gallery service can be put on hold for a little longer while the professionalism and quality of your images improves overnight.

If you are a hobbyist and simply enjoy photography as recreational activity, paying for a monthly subscription like Lightroom isn’t as necessary, although it can definitely still be beneficial.

If photography is something that you want to pursue professionally or you want to level up your portfolio, I would highly recommend researching the best editing program for you and be willing to invest. Image quality is super important. If that means paying a monthly fee of $10 a month, I think it is worth it in the long run.

Hopefully this helps. I’d love to hear your thoughts on which editing program works best for you and why you love it! Leave me a comment, and I’ll respond soon!

Joyfully,

Lauren

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