Photoshop Elements 12 vs Lightroom 4?

I'm 14 and a beginner photographer. I have a Nikon d3100 that I use. I don't know which editing software to buy. I have used picmonkey for a few months and it's alright, but I want to expand my editing. I'm aware that these cost over $100 and I'm willing to spend it. I want to make photography into a business or a career. I just don't know thedifferences between the two?

They are fairly different programs.

Photoshop allows you to edit images in just about any way imaginable, and can also help you create imagery from scratch. Lightroom is primarily designed to enhance photos, manage your image collection, and produce high quality copies or prints, all while preserving the original image files from your camera. Photoshop Elements has qualities of both programs, but leans more strongly towards Photoshop.

If you are planning on making collages or funny edits, go with PSE. If you want to emphasize your photography skills, stick with Lightroom.

Ultimately, you may wind up using both programs. If you can get your parents to pay ten dollars a month, you can get a subscription to both Photoshop CC and Lightroom 5. You can try all of the above by going to Adobe.com and downloading their trials.

Also two free alternatives:

GIMP <http://www.gimp.org/downloads > like Photoshop it has a steep learning curve, but it is very nearly a replacement for Photoshop. Some do use it for professional work.

Paint.net <>http://getpaint.net> is a versatile graphics program. It is more like Photoshop elements in that you can do much, but not all of what GIMP does.

Both are open source, free to download and use.

Try them, if you don't like them you aren't out anything -- Money back guarantee: don't like it and you get your purchase price back!

I'm a long time digital photography user and instructor. Photoshop Elements is a lighter version of Photoshop. Lightroom is filled with photo editing tools and filters.

Photoshop Elements has some built in filters as well. However, Photoshop Elements also allows you to build layers upon layers. You can also add text and graphics as well.

If you are getting into photography then I would definitely start with Elements first. You will see the broader picture of what you can do with your photos.