Still Think Lightroom Is a Lightweight Compared to Classic? - TDS Photo Podcast

This is The Digital Story Podcast 1,010, July 29, 2025. Today's theme is, "Still Think Lightroom Is a Lightweight Compared to Classic?." I'm Derrick Story.

Opening Monologue

When Lightroom CC debuted, it did feel more like a toy than serious software that could challenge its elder Classic sibling. But things have changed over the years, and the Cloud version, now just called Lightroom, has some serious chops. So much so, that it's now a legitimate rival to its elder. I'll explain why on today's TDS Photography Podcast. I hope you enjoy the show.

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Still Think Lightroom Is a Lightweight Compared to Classic?

I started thinking about this topic while reading an article on Amateur Photographer titled, Lightroom Classic vs Lightroom CC - which is best? by James Paterson.

Quite honestly, a lot of things are wrong or outdated in this article, even though it was just published on July 21, 2025. Those who read this article, and don't check things out for themselves, would get a false impression about Lightroom.

And that got me thinking, "How many Classic users have revisited Lightroom in recent history?" Because, it has certainly been evolving.

The latest version of Lightroom, the June 2025 release, adds new tools to an already maturing feature set. I'll start with those, but then want to bring you up to speed with its much-improved workflow. So improved in fact, that I now prefer Lightroom to Classic.

The Latest Enhancements

The headline new feature in the June 2025 release is Distraction Removal. This tool helps you detect and remove distractions from photos, such as window and glass reflections, and extra people in the background. It provides just the right amount of control, and it works great.

It has two flavors. The first, Remove Reflections, fixes reflections in photos taken through windows or glass doors. You can choose from the available Quality options to control the resolution of your final image.

The second, Remove Extra People, automatically identifies and removes distracting or extra people from your photos. In a few simple steps, the People Removal feature detects people in the background and removes them from your photo, helping your subject stand out and keeping the focus where it belongs. (Remove People is also part of Lightroom iOS and Android.)

Another improvement is View and Update AI Edits in a Photo. Easily view and update edits made using AI-powered tools like Denoise, Remove, Lens Blur, and more. The AI Edit Status icon automatically highlights when you apply an AI edit to a photo. If subsequent changes invalidate any AI edits, the icon turns yellow, indicating that some edits need to be reviewed or refreshed. This allows you to conveniently manage and update all AI edits from a single location.

All of this is pretty good, right? But the basic bones of Lightroom have become far more practical in recent history. And my workflow with it is a good example of the changes.

My Lightroom Workflow

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