Adobe Photoshop continues to reign supreme in the realm of image editing software. My initial encounter with it left me both amazed and slightly daunted by its extensive capabilities. During an intensive design course in New York City, I dedicated a significant amount of time to mastering it. Initially, I found it peculiar to use the "V" keyboard shortcut for moving images on the canvas, unlike Adobe Illustrator, where repositioning objects is as simple as clicking and dragging.

As months passed, my appreciation for Photoshop grew. By 2020, I was crafting designs daily, relishing the process of creating diverse compositions, distorting text and images, and experimenting with textures through various Blend modes. Now, with over five years of regular use under my belt, I'm excited to share my insights, helping you unlock its potential.

This review of Adobe Photoshop will delve into its advantages and drawbacks, intended audience, and standout features. I'll also guide you through cropping, color correction, blemish removal, and even generating an image using the new AI image generator. Additionally, I'll compare Photoshop with my top three alternatives: Skylum’s Luminar Neo, Photoleap by Lightricks, and Fotor. By the end, you'll have a clear understanding of whether Photoshop is the right fit for you.

Verdict

Adobe Photoshop remains a frontrunner in image editing, boasting powerful AI features, a comprehensive toolset, and regular updates. However, its subscription model and steep learning curve may pose challenges for beginners and casual users.

Pros and Cons

Adobe Photoshop's enduring popularity stems from its AI features that expedite tasks like object selection and background removal. It caters to both professionals and hobbyists with its advanced and straightforward tools, offering a vast array of features for image editing, art, and graphic design. Frequent updates introduce new tools and enhancements, while tutorials assist beginners in navigating the complex interface. However, the subscription model can become costly over time, as there is no option for lifetime access, necessitating regular payments. Additionally, the steep learning curve and intricate interface can be daunting for newcomers.

What is Adobe Photoshop?

Adobe Photoshop was conceived in 1987 by Thomas Knoll, a Ph.D. student at the University of Michigan. Initially named "Display," it was a program for displaying grayscale images on a monochrome monitor. His brother, John Knoll, recognized its potential for image editing and collaborated to enhance it. Their efforts culminated in Adobe acquiring the rights in 1988, releasing version 1.0 in 1990. Since then, Photoshop has evolved from a simple image viewer to a powerful program offering limitless creative possibilities.

Today, Photoshop is a robust image editing and graphic design software developed by Adobe, enabling users to create, edit, and enhance photos, graphics, and artwork with various tools, including AI-powered features for swift image manipulation.

What's New in Photoshop?

Photoshop's latest features showcase Adobe's commitment to integrating AI capabilities, enhancing workflow efficiency, and expanding creative possibilities. Here are some of the new features and updates in the latest versions:

• Generative Fill: Powered by Adobe Firefly AI, this feature allows you to add, remove, or modify images using simple text prompts, creating new layers rather than altering the original image.
• Generative Expand: Extends the canvas beyond image borders and fills the extended area with AI-generated content that blends with the existing image.
• Lens Blur filter: Simulates realistic bokeh effects with advanced controls over blur amount, bokeh shape, and intensity.
• Contextual Task Bar: Provides quick access to relevant tools and options based on the current task.
• Parametric Filters: Includes new filters like oil painting, glitch, and scratch photo effects (available in Photoshop Beta).
• Selection Brush: Allows for direct painting selections.
• Adjustment Brush: Combines adding an adjustment layer and masking in a single tool.
• User Interface updates: Image adjustments are now at the top of the Adjustment Presets panel.
• Generate Image: Incorporates Adobe Firefly functionality directly into Photoshop for AI-powered image generation.
• Content Credentials: Adds metadata to track images' origin and editing history.

Who Is Adobe Photoshop Best For?

Adobe Photoshop offers versatile tools for various users, from professionals to hobbyists, photographers, designers, and artists. Its flexible and powerful features support tasks like portrait retouching, marketing material creation, web design, and photo enhancement.

1. Professional Photographers

Photoshop is primarily designed for photographers, offering advanced tools for photo retouching, manipulation, and enhancement for pixel-level perfection. With the Camera Raw plugin, photographers can gain complete control over RAW files, adjusting exposure, white balance, and more.

2. Graphic Designers

Photoshop is widely used for designing logos, brochures, social media graphics, web banners, and promotional materials. New features like Generative AI streamline the creative process by allowing text prompts to create design elements.

3. Digital Artists

Artists can use Photoshop for digital painting and illustrations, supported by a variety of brushes and artistic filters. The Mixer Brush mimics real painting techniques, and Generative Fill helps artists create new content quickly.

4. Web Designers and UI/UX Professionals

Despite specialized tools like Figma and Adobe XD, Photoshop is still used for designing website layouts, user interfaces, and web graphics. Its layering system and advanced typography tools allow designers to experiment with visual elements.

5. Marketing and Branding Professionals

Photoshop is valuable for creating marketing materials like social media graphics, advertisements, and brand assets. It helps designers customize images while maintaining brand consistency.

6. Content Creators

Content creators can use Adobe Photoshop to produce appealing graphics and promotional materials tailored for various social media platforms. Its wide range of tools allows for designing eye-catching posts, stories, and advertisements.

7. Educators and Students

Many educational institutions offer courses in Photoshop, making it accessible for students wanting to learn digital art, photography, and design. Teachers use Photoshop's features to demonstrate editing techniques and design concepts.

8. Hobbyists and Enthusiasts

Adobe Photoshop is an excellent tool for casual photographers, hobbyists, and anyone who loves creativity. Tutorials and online resources make it accessible, allowing those with basic skills to learn and experiment.

Adobe Photoshop's Key Features

Photoshop has many tools and features, although they have been phasing out their 3D features. Here are some of the top tools in each category:

• Advanced Image Editing & Manipulation Tools: Content-Aware Fill, Layers system, Advanced selection tools, Masking capabilities, Perspective Warp, Refine Edge.
• Photo Adjustment & Enhancement: Camera Raw filter, Lens Blur filter, Color correction tools, Detail enhancement, Retouching tools, Curves, Levels.
• Graphic Design Capabilities: Vector tools, Typography features, Blending modes, Artboards.
• Digital Painting & Illustration: Brushes, Mixer Brush, Symmetry mode, Smoothing, Pressure sensitivity support.
• Video Editing Features: Timeline-based video editing, Keyframe animation, Video transitions and effects, Audio editing capabilities, Export options for various video formats.
• Web & UI Design: Export options for web-ready assets, CSS extraction capabilities, Prototyping features.
• AI Tools: Generative Fill, Generative Expand, Neural Filters, Select Subject, Content-Aware Fill.
• Automation: Actions panel, Batch processing, Scripting support, Droplets, Conditional actions.
• Integration with Adobe Apps: Seamless file transfer with Illustrator, Integration with Adobe XD, Dynamic link with After Effects, Lightroom photo import and editing, Bridge integration.
• Cloud Syncing & Collaboration Features: Creative Cloud Libraries, Cloud documents, Version history, Collaborative editing, Sync settings.

How to Use Adobe Photoshop

Here's how I used Adobe Photoshop to generate an image with AI and do some basic edits:

1. Download Photoshop: If you don't have it, visit the Adobe Photoshop landing page and select "Free trial" or "Buy now." Once installed, open Photoshop on your device.
2. Create a New File: Click "New file" on the top left to start a new project.
3. Choose Your Dimensions & Create a New Project: A new window will open, asking for the dimensions of your project. Keep everything on default or set custom dimensions, then hit "Create."
4. Familiarize Yourself with the Interface: After selecting "Create," you'll see various panels and toolbars. The left side has the main toolbar, the right side has the layers panel, and the middle is your canvas.
5. Open a Photo or Generate with AI: Import a photo by dragging and dropping it onto the canvas or going to File > Open. To use the AI image generator, select "Generate Image" at the bottom of the canvas, input a prompt, and hit "Generate."
6. Move Your Image Around the Canvas: Use the Move tool (shortcut "V") to move your image around the canvas.
7. Crop or Resize Your Image: To crop, select the Crop tool, adjust the crop box, and hit Enter. For resizing, go to Image > Image Size, enter desired dimensions, and click OK.
8. Adjust the Brightness & Contrast: Use Image > Adjustments > Brightness/Contrast or add a Brightness/Contrast adjustment layer for non-destructive editing.
9. Correct the Color: Add a Levels adjustment layer, use the gray eyedropper, and click on a neutral gray object in your image to correct color casts.
10. Remove Blemishes/Unwanted Spots: Select the Spot Healing Patch tool, adjust the brush size, and click on blemishes to blend them away.

Top 3 Adobe Photoshop Alternatives

While Adobe Photoshop is the best-known program for editing images, other options offer affordability, user-friendliness, and excellent features. Here are the best Adobe Photoshop alternatives I've tried:

Skylum’s Luminar Neo

Skylum’s Luminar Neo simplifies advanced editing with its AI-driven tools. It offers an intuitive interface and AI-powered sliders, making it more suitable for photographers seeking professional results without extensive experience.

Photoleap by Lightricks

Photoleap combines powerful editing features with an easy-to-navigate interface, bringing professional photo editing to your phone. It offers a user-friendly experience with tools that make editing accessible for all skill levels.

Fotor

Fotor provides a user-friendly interface with AI-powered editing capabilities, ideal for quick photo enhancements and creative projects. It's best for those who want to edit photos effortlessly without diving into complex tools.

Adobe Photoshop Review: The Right Tool For You?

Photoshop has been my go-to for years, and even now, I'm still discovering new features. Its power and flexibility are unmatched for detailed edits, complex compositions, and artistic design. However, the learning curve is steep, and it took me a while to feel comfortable navigating all the tools and panels. But the payoff is worth it.

If you're serious about image editing or graphic design and are ready to invest the time to learn it, Photoshop is an invaluable tool to take your creativity to the next level. However, if you're looking for more budget-friendly and user-friendly alternatives, consider Skylum’s Luminar Neo, Photoleap by Lightricks, or Fotor.

Thanks for reading my Adobe Photoshop review! I hope you found it helpful. Photoshop offers a 7-day free trial for full access to the tool. It's risk-free, and you can cancel before the trial ends, so why not try the top image editing software for yourself?