Upgrading a MacBook Pro (13-inch, Mid 2012) for photo- and video editing

[MacMikel]

Hi, I recently got a MacBook Pro (13-inch, Mid 2012) in replacement of my two older mac's. Im using this for editing photo (Adobe Lightroom). It runs ok while doing simple stuff, like browsing web, sending emails and so on. But when the loads gets a bit higher like i.e Lightroom editing or excel documents >20mb it struggles and runs commands painfully slow.

Here are some specs:
MacBook Pro (13-inch, Mid 2012)
2,5 GHz Intel Core i5
4 GB 1600 MHz DDR3
Intel HD Graphics 4000 1536 MB

Im thinking about upgrading it. First of all is the aim is to get a mac that runs applications like Lightroom and photoshop smooth, and handles larger excel-documents with ease. But secondly I am also hoping to make it edit video smooth too (Adobe premiere: max 30min, probably 2.7k). Is it possible with upgrades like SSD Harddrive and i.e 16GB RAM-upgrade?
Apple support notes that maximum memory for this mac is 8GB, is that true https://support.apple.com/en-us/HT201165?
Im also thinking about moving the memory cards from my 2010 Macbook 17'' over to my MacBook Pro (13-inch, Mid 2012) as they are 2x4 GB, but 1066MHz. Will it have any positive effect?

I dont have the bucks to buy a new mac right now, so Im hoping to upgrade this one on a budget and than get a monitor and then in result have a nice and small editing platform.

And btw if you cant tell Im sort of a noob when it comes to computer tech, but Ive done a RAMupgrade on one of my older macs way back.

 

[jav6454]

Those Macs mostly used HDDs, which are painfully slow compared to Macs with SSDs. I would suggest upgrading your storage if its not. If not, it means the workload is already to high for that Mac's specs.

RAM only helps if you are hitting the swap (page outs are happening).

 

[Sword86]

Those Macs mostly used HDDs, which are painfully slow compared to Macs with SSDs. I would suggest upgrading your storage if its not. If not, it means the workload is already to high for that Mac's specs.

RAM only helps if you are hitting the swap (page outs are happening).

I concur with the previous post.
I have an ancient late-2008 alum. unibody 13” MB. (2.4 ghz)
I bumped the Ram to 6 gb at one point, then to 8gb along with the swap to a 256gb SSD.
Night and day. Originally booting and opening the first webpage was just shy of two minutes. I recall that went down to something like, 43 secs. with the SSD. That was with Yosemite. S