SUMMARY
The long-standing advice for beginner photographers to learn Photoshop is no longer relevant for most users. Lightroom's capabilities have significantly expanded, especially with AI-driven masking and object removal tools introduced from 2021 onwards. These advancements allow for complex edits like subject selection, background adjustments, and blemish removal directly within Lightroom. While Photoshop remains essential for highly specialized tasks in genres like commercial beauty retouching, advanced landscape work, or high-end product photography, Lightroom now offers a comprehensive workflow for portrait, wedding, event, and street photography.
TAKEAWAYS
Lightroom's AI tools now perform many editing tasks previously requiring Photoshop.
Advanced masking and object removal in Lightroom reduce the need for Photoshop roundtrips.
Photoshop is still necessary for niche genres like commercial beauty and high-end product photography.
Lightroom provides a complete workflow for most photographers, especially for volume work like weddings.