Note: all images featured in this post are my own photographic work.
As someone who's recently tried to migrate my photography workflow to Linux, I need to vent about why open-source alternatives still aren't cutting it. Let me break down the frustrations I've encountered with the major players.
RawTherapee and Darktable: Raw Deal
Look, I wanted to love these Lightroom alternatives. I really did. But trying to work with them in a modern photography setup is like trying to fit square pegs into round holes:
- First major headache: They can't connect to network attached storage. In 2024, when everyone's running home servers and NAS setups, this is a deal-breaker. What am I supposed to do, copy everything locally first like it's 2010?
- The lack of automatic subject/background masking is painful. While Adobe's tools are doing AI magic to separate subjects from backgrounds, I'm stuck here manually masking like it's arts and crafts time.
- Bulk processing? More like bulk frustration. The options are so limited compared to what Lightroom offers that it's not even funny.
- And if you're a portrait photographer? Good luck. The feature set is so basic you'll feel like you're editing photos with one hand tied behind your back.
GIMP: The Aging Warrior
GIMP's problems run even deeper:
- Network previews? Nope. Try browsing your NAS-stored PSD files and watch as... nothing happens. Hope you like working blind!
- Speaking of PSDs, good luck with modern Photoshop files. GIMP's compatibility is stuck somewhere in the previous decade.
- The magic wand tool? More like the "go make a coffee while this processes" tool. The performance is painful, especially with high-res files.
- Here's a real-world test: I tried working with files from my Nikon Z6 and Z5. The result? Let's just say GIMP handled them with all the grace of a drunk elephant.
- But here's what really shows GIMP's age: Try finding good photography-focused tutorials. What you'll find is a wasteland of outdated content showing primitive techniques that Photoshop users would laugh at.
The truth hurts, but it needs to be said: If you're serious about photography, trying to rely on Linux-based tools feels like bringing a pocket knife to a gunfight. The open-source community does amazing work, but the gap between these tools and Adobe's suite isn't closing – if anything, it's getting wider as Adobe pushes ahead with AI features and modern workflow improvements.
For now, I'll keep paying my Adobe subscription and booting into Windows when it's time to edit. Sometimes you have to admit that paying a few hundred (Australian) dollars a year is a better deal than spending 4-5x the period of time editing images.
Perhaps I'm just too n00b at linux, but in this particular case, I think Adobe's tools are objectively better than the open source alternatives.
Want more content from me?
Witness my futile efforts to play my Steam Game collection in alphabetical order.
Are you aware that I love photography? Check out my work in a collection. I'm a portrait photographer based in Adelaide, South Australia. You can see more of my photographic work on my website.