Efficient Ways to Edit, Organize, and Share Photos

07.05.2012
Photographers love to chat about (and bemoan) their digital workflow--the process that begins with downloading photos from a camera or memory card, and continues with managing, organizing, sorting, editing, and eventually publishing, printing, or sharing the best shots. Adobe introduced Lightroom back in 2007 to help users perform that daunting series of tasks, and Lightroom quickly became the gold standard for digital workflow software. Now, Lightroom has some capable company: The latest version, , is joined by and .

Both AfterShot Pro and PhotoDirector 3 deliver essentially the same workflow experience as Lightroom, including lossless editing, essential photo editing tools, a rich organizer, and convenient ways to print, share, and publish your photos. We found that each one of the three programs has its own strengths and target audience.

Corel is playing an excellent game of catch-up with Adobe, matching many of Lightroom's core editing tools and adding some superb new options for making adjustment masks for localized editing, including the ability to invert layers. With AfterShot Pro, unlike with Lightroom and PhotoDirector, you don't have to import photos just to browse or edit them. And in Corel's simplified interface, instead of having to switch among multiple modules, you can reach almost everything in just a click or two.

Meanwhile, PhotoDirector bundles unusual photo effects that let you avoid having to export photos elsewhere for advanced editing. It also provides a wealth of downloadable presets that offer inexperienced users guidance they can't get in Lightroom. That makes it the right choice for casual photographers who want the convenience--but not the complexity--of workflow software. Unfortunately, the simplicity comes at a price: PhotoDirector is a completely closed workflow tool, which means that exporting a photo for additional tweaks is off the table.

Lightroom remains king, thanks in part to features that aren't even on the radar of rival programs--basic video-clip editing, geolocation, and the ability to print photo books, for example. Adobe also managed to sneak in a few of its rivals' coolest features, such as AfterShot's regional white balance adjustment and PhotoDirector's awesome gradient mask.

Of course, having a camera doesn't automatically mean that you need software to help manage your digital workflow. Many casual photographers never worry about organizing their photo collection or rapidly finding an archived photo. But for those who do--or who notice that their collection is outpacing their ability to keep up by using their current method of organizing shots--one of these apps may be just what you need.