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Participant
May 15, 2018
Question

Why I Don't Use Lightroom (Please add this Adobe!)

  • May 15, 2018
  • 2 replies
  • 1027 views

I love Lightroom, it is superior to Photoshop, easier to use and the list is almost endless, except for one thing, CATALOGUES!! I HATE THE CATALOGUE SYSTEM!

I don't want nor do I need to be bothered with it. I just want to right click and open up my image like I can with Photoshop.

Can anyone explain why Adobe needs to do this, and is there a work around, or a plug in, or anything so I don't need to use the catalogue system? The whole thing adds steps and more complications to an otherwise great software.

    This topic has been closed for replies.

    2 replies

    Participant
    August 27, 2022

    Hear Hear. Plus, Adobe has no customer service for account issues, just canned inappropriate "what to do if"s. Don't use Adobe products if you don't have to.

    John Waller
    Community Expert
    Community Expert
    May 15, 2018

    The Lightroom catalog is the database that tracks the location of your photos and information about them. When you edit photos, rate them, add keywords to them, or do other things to photos in Lightroom, all those changes are stored in the catalog. The photo files themselves are not touched.

    So it enables indestructible editing and digital asset management.

    If you love Lightroom and hate the catalog, use the Cloud-based Lightroom CC but accept that, since it's a version 1.0 product, its feature set is way behind Classic CC.

    To use Classic CC, you must use the Catalog.

    Participant
    May 15, 2018

    John thanks for your reply, but for me, all that doesn't matter. I like the functionality of Lightroom as opposed to PS yet in order to use it I am forced to use a feature I don't need nor want and I find all the steps to keep it in line bothersome. I played with it for well over a year till I got fed up and went back to PS. I wish Adobe gave a work around so I am not stuck with the catalogue system.

    John Waller
    Community Expert
    Community Expert
    May 15, 2018

    Photoshop = great tools, destructive editing. Pixels changed permanently. No asset management without Bridge.

    Lightroom Classic CC = great tools, non-destructive editing, DAM - all made possible by the catalog

    Lightroom CC = non-destructive editing, weak tools, no catalog.

    Think you know your choices. Your ideal seems to be Classic CC with no Catalog. Currently, no can do.

    Try Capture One Pro instead. You can do session based editing and not worry about catalogs.

    https://digitaltransitions.com/catalogs-vs-sessions-epic-battle-times/