 Paula Lorditch |
What is the best software to enhance photos Which is the best software to enhance your already awesome photos - which is easy to use and not too technical. It seems to me, the photos that "place" are for the most part, enhanced by technological color and depth and are digitally mastered with software beyond it's original appearance. Otherwise they would not place. Sometimes it seems to not be a fair judgement...but rather...one's ability to master the advanced software.
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Mike Rubin |
I don't thik you need to master advanced software, I use RawShooter Premium for my RAW editing and conversion and finish in Photoshop Elements 4. The 2 programs total cost were about $140. A lot less that PS CS2. RawShooter was bought out by Adobe and is no longer available, although they still offer a free "lite" version. There are many low cost editing programs that do a great job. Don't feel that you need to spend a fortune on "pro" software.Sure I see shots that were edited in PS CS2 that amaze me, BUT I also see many shots edited with other software that are equally great.
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anonymous A. |
What a great question! I'm not sure that ll the winners are "enhanced", but it is very likely: and most of the losers, too... it isn't the software that makes the photo winner, unless maybe in the digital darkroom section. I prefer PaintShopPro because it is very straightforward and easy to learn and use, (not too technical and has great built in demos and walkthroughs)and can do anything that the more expensive programs can or a fraction of the price. But as for the "best" software... next well be deciding which is the best camera.
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John P. Sandstedt |
Start with a good traditional camera, preferably an SLR, with a 28-135mm zoom lens, filled with ISO 100 color print film. Take pictures in great lighting, preferably early morning or late afternoon. Use a polarizing filter as appropriate. Be sure to have a great subject. Use a tripod as appropriate. Use your viewfinder carefully to be certain unwanted "things" aren't in the background. Crop using your zoom lens. Send film out for professional developing and printing, specifying a print size adequate to its planned use. OOOPS, you wanted information regarding digital editing of "awesome pictures." But, omygosh, if they're awesome, why must they be edited in the first place. Is there some kind of disconnect here? And, zounds, you want cheap and easy to use editing software! One of the things that amazes me most, as VP of my camera club, is the number of people who buy a digital camera, have major problems understanding their camera's manual and, then, profess having issues using their computers to edit their pictures. Most are not awesome, by the way. Paula - I'm not trying to put you down in any way but . . . first you must master image-making with the camera you have and the evaluation of your images using rudimentary software like Microsoft Office Picture Manager [provided with Office 2003, for example.] There are many, many people who feel that every picture MUST be edited and, while probably true in the case of "sharpening," adjusting the camera - white balance and ISO, taking bracketted exposures of your subject, paying attention to all the things one should have learned when s/he used a film camera . . .these will do more for your image making that all the editing in the world regardless of software package. As is the overkill associated with today's digital cameras, i.e. more features than almost anyone will ever use, full blown editing programs like Photoshop CS2 just can't be worth the cost to 99+ percent of photographers. The program is great for graphic artists and, maybe, a few Professional Photographers. But, for most of us, Photoshop ELements Version 1.0 is more than we'll ever need. That's not to say I don't have Version 4.0 loaded on my computer, or that I didn't answer Adobe's posed questions for Version 5.0, which is now available. Nor does it say that I don't have Photoshop 6.0 and 7.0 loaded 9upgrading to 7.0 required 6.0 on the machine;] I love Curves and Channel Master, tools that make my day when trying to make my reasonable shots into spectacular images [maybe, even, awesome ones.] With PSE 4.0 and the Adobe RAW Converter plug-in, I have all I need to handle the images I make with my Canon 30D. But, I often print using PSE Version 1.0 beause the Preview System is so easy to use. Don't spend more that the price of PSE 4.0 or 5.0 [as Mike said, with RawShooter Premium (though not really needed as the Adobe plug-in is free and works directly with PSE 4.0,)your cost should be less than $100.] Use the difference in that price and CS@ to buy yourself better lenses. These will will be much more useful to you as you continue to make your awesome pictures.
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