The Adobe break-up!
Image taken in the Karoo, South Africa
Breaking Up with Adobe: Why I Stopped Paying for Features I Barely Used
For years, since the inception of Adobe’s subscription model actually, I was in a committed relationship with Adobe. I’d pay the subscription fee every month, justifying it by saying ‘every photographer needs to have access to Photoshop and Lightroom’. But like all relationships, this one demanded reflection, and one day, I realized something: I was paying a hefty monthly fee for tools I barely used.
Here’s how I ended up breaking up with Adobe—and how I’ve moved on.
The Adobe Attraction
Adobe Creative Cloud for photographers is undeniably powerful. Photoshop, Lightroom, Lightroom Classic, and more—each program is a heavyweight in its field. When I first subscribed, I felt empowered…. Part of a club. The sheer range of possibilities was intoxicating.
But over time, I noticed a pattern. My work wasn’t particularly complex. I wasn’t creating complicated composite images, editing cinematic color schemes, or designing digital art otherwise. My usage boiled down to two very basic tasks:
Removing soft boxes that had come in to frame with the Content Aware Fill tool.
Converting my negatives in Lightroom Classic with the Negative lab Pro 3.0 plugin.
That’s it. I wasn’t even scratching the surface of what these programs could do. Yet, I was paying over 250:- SEK a month for access to the whole photography suite. It felt like renting a PhaseOne to take selfies.
The Turning Point
The tipping point came when I sat down to calculate my annual expenses at the end of 2024. The subscription fees for Adobe Creative Cloud added up to hundreds of dollars a year. For what? Removing some soft box corners and converting negatives. It suddenly felt like an extravagant waste, a waste I didn’t need in the early days of my photography business.
I asked myself the simple question: Is there a better way to do these two things without Adobe? Spoiler alert: There is.
Exploring the Alternatives
The breakup wasn’t easy. Adobe had been my go-to for years, and the idea of leaving was daunting. But necessity breeds innovation. Here’s how I replaced Adobe:
For image editing: I had already been using Capture One for years. It’s a one-time purchase, with no subscription fee, and it handles everything I need for photo editing with ease, with the exception of the removal of soft boxes that ended up in frame. For that I have decided to be more careful when I shoot. You can also opt for a subscription based model but I already own a version of C1 and it does all I need it to do.
For converting negatives: Smart Convert by Filmomat became my scanning alternative. It’s intuitive, powerful, costs a fraction of what I was paying Adobe annually, and most importantly it is a standalone solution. This was my biggest issue with Negative Lab Pro, since it is a plugin for Lightroom I was forced to keep paying for Lightroom Classic just to keep using it.
Life After Adobe
Since breaking up with Adobe, I feel lighter—both financially and mentally. I no longer feel obligated to use complex tools just to justify a subscription. The alternatives I found aren’t just cheaper; they’re also more tailored to my actual needs and this gives me more joy.
And here’s the best part: I’ve stopped paying for features I’ll never use. Instead, I’ve invested that money in other tools, education, or experiences that actually make a difference in my photography.
The Lesson: Pay for What You Need, Not the Potential
The world is full of software solutions. Sometimes, it’s easy to fall into the trap of thinking we need the biggest, most comprehensive tools for the job. But the truth is, most of us don’t need a Swiss Army knife when a single blade will do.
So if you’ve been questioning whether your Adobe subscription—or any subscription for that matter—is worth it, take a moment to evaluate. Are you using what you’re paying for? If not, there might be a better, simpler, and cheaper alternative out there.
What about you? Have you ever broken up with a subscription service? How did it feel? Let me know in the comments—I’d love to hear.
