Which version?

[dalmorloson]

I got my Dslr for Christmas and since have bought one additional lens. I guess its time for me to dive into the world of post processing. Which version of Photoshop and/or Lightroom should I get? As of now I have never done anything on either so I am starting from scratch. I want to be able edit photos and learn layering etc. I don't think I need to get all of the bells and whistles just yet and don't really want to spend $1000 on this endevour. Can I get anything that will allow me to do some advanced stuff without breaking my bank?

[vsa]

Some people would recommend GIMP as it's free. Another option is Photoshop Elements. It would have many of the stuff full fledged Photoshop has but with a much lower price point.

But first try all the free trial versions! You can download them from adobe website and use 30 days for free. In that time you're know what you need and want.

I'd give a try to Lightroom as it's a great software for photo management and editing. It won't do any layer stuff but you can do fair share of dodge/burn and gradient filters and cloning in it. If you need to combine two photos then you need another software. But most of them have free trial so try them first before buying. Also try Aperture if you have a Mac. It's fairly similar to Lightroom but only works on a Mac.