Lume vs Photoshop
Choose the right tool for your product photography workflow
At a Glance
Lume
AI-powered product photography platform built for speed and scale. Perfect for e-commerce teams who need consistent, professional photos without design skills. Generate studio-quality images in seconds with category-aware scenes and automatic optimization.
Photoshop
Industry-standard photo editing software with pixel-perfect control. Ideal for designers and photographers who need advanced retouching, complex compositing, and creative freedom. Requires significant skill and time investment.
Feature Comparison
| Feature | Lume | Photoshop |
|---|---|---|
| Speed per image | Seconds | Minutes to hours |
| Learning curve | Minutes | Weeks to months |
| Monthly cost | $0-$21 | $22.99-$54.99 |
| Batch processing | Native support | Scripts/actions required |
| Category presets | Built-in (fashion, electronics, beauty) | Manual setup |
| Background removal | Automatic | Manual or AI assist |
| Prop libraries | Included | External resources |
| Cloud access | Web-based | Desktop + Cloud |
| Skill required | None | Intermediate-Advanced |
| Pixel-level control | Limited | Full control |
| Complex compositing | Not available | Advanced |
| Photo retouching | Not available | Professional-grade |
Who Should Use Each Tool?
Choose Lume if you need:
- Speed: Generate 50+ product photos in minutes, not days
- Consistency: Maintain brand look across hundreds of products
- No design skills: Anyone on your team can create professional photos
- Bulk workflows: Process entire catalogs with batch generation
- Predictable costs: Credit-based pricing that scales with you
Choose Photoshop if you need:
- Pixel-perfect control: Manual adjustment of every detail
- Complex compositing: Layer multiple images and effects
- Advanced retouching: Skin smoothing, blemish removal, color grading
- Creative freedom: Custom effects and artistic vision
- Existing expertise: Your team already knows Photoshop
Real-World Use Cases
Shopify Store with 200 Products
Lume Approach
Create one master scene, apply to all 200 products. Total time: ~30 minutes. Cost: $9/month (Pro plan). Result: Perfectly consistent catalog.
Photoshop Approach
Manual editing per product. Total time: ~40+ hours (12min/product). Cost: $22.99/month + designer time. Result: Variable quality.
Hero Shot for Marketing Campaign
Lume Approach
Limited to preset scenes and props. Good for consistent brand look, but less creative flexibility. Best for volume needs.
Photoshop Approach
Full creative control over composition, lighting effects, color grading. Ideal for hero shots that need to stand out. Worth the time investment.
Migrating from Photoshop to Lume
Many teams use both tools for different purposes:
Use Lume for 80% of catalog (PDPs, variants, A/B tests). Keep Photoshop for 20% (seasonal heroes, homepage banners, ads with models).
Match your brand's lighting, background, and mood using Lume's scene controls. Save as preset for consistency.
Generate a small batch to ensure quality meets your standards before scaling to the full catalog.
Track hours saved vs. Photoshop workflow. Most teams see 90%+ time reduction on catalog photography.
Use it for complex retouching, creative campaigns, and assets that require pixel-level perfection.
Cost Comparison
Lume Total Cost of Ownership
Photoshop Total Cost of Ownership
Try Lume for your product catalog
Start with 10 free credits. No credit card required.
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