 - Diane E. Deming  Contact Diane E. Deming Diane E. Deming's Gallery |
Best Photo Editing Software? What do you think are the one or two photo editing software programs you could not live without?. I have Photoshop Elements 4.0, but would like to either upgrade or get another program for effects, etc. Thanks.
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- Gregory LaGrange Contact Gregory LaGrange Gregory LaGrange's Gallery |
About the only thing I'd consider a "live without" is the basic part cropping and levels/curves. Add layers in as well, because it's so handy. Photoshop is the most popular. There are some little things that make it easier than Corel. But don't get sucked in to everthing needing a filter, especially basing it on the contest here. Some free programs can do the same paint filters, but photoshop still seems to be held as the high standard. But you're likely to get answers to what ever program people currently have.
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- Carlton Ward Contact Carlton Ward Carlton Ward's Gallery |
Hi Diane, I started using Photoshop in 2001 just after going digital, and I think it is essential, especially for processing Raw images. The Canon software also does a good job of processing raw images but with Photoshop and Bridge, it makes my editing very smooth. I also use PhotoMatix (made by HDRSoft) for processing HDR images and Corel Painter with a Wacom tablet for creating paintings from my photos. Layers in Photoshop makes creating effects and other enhancements easy and is a powerful tool. I started with Photoshop 5.0 and currently use CS3. I will download the 30 day trial of CS4 to see if it looks worth the $199 upgrade but may skip it and wait for CS5 next year. As pointed out before, the most used tools are levels and curves, but I use many of the other tools frequently as well. Download a trial version and see what you think. For Photoshop learning, look here for classes offered (I have taken 3 Photoshop courses), and I also read Jim Zuckerman and Ben Wilmore's books. Good Luck, Carlton
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Richard Lynch |
"Best" is measured in many different ways. I wrote a pretty extensive look at this idea a while ago in an article that you can find at www.graphic-design.com/Photoshop/vs_elements.html. That focuses on the difference between Photoshop and Photoshop Elements, but the ideas extend to other packages. I think the same issues are still valid. Key factors in what to use are: -What do you need it for? -How much time do you have to spend? -How much money do you have to spend? -How good are you with computers and problem solving? Adobe products are the most widely recognized, and because of that there is just a ton of tutelage to be had in the form of books, courses, videos, and other random advice. Support for other products may be a little more difficult to come by. That doesn't mean they are lesser products. HOWEVER, ANY product you choose to use will require learning to use it. I find it is often less the product that is the problem than the user's knowledge of it. I can do things with Elements that people will tell you is impossible (channel corrections, CMYK file saving, and much more). It is only because I applied what I knew about Photoshop to Elements. Though the answers to the bullets above may alter my answer, generally, if you don't know what to get, I suggest starting with Photoshop Elements. It won't break the bank, and you get a lot of power from the package ... and a lot of room to grow into, as well as an upgrade path to Photoshop that may make it easier should you go that way. For most people, Elements is all you will really ever need -- if you learn to use it to its potential! So, recap: I really think you can use anything and make it work depending on the effort you want to put in. I recommend Adobe products because so many people use them and it is easy to get help. But what is 'best' for you may be different than what is best for anyone else who answers here. Don't forget to use the product tryouts before blindly making up your mind. Adobe's products come with 30 day free trials. I hope that helps!
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Vincent Knaus |
I use Nikon Capture NX2 to process all my Raw images. That and Photoshop would be the two that I could not live with out. If you use Nikon equipment, download the free trial. It's a great piece of software!
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Michael D. Miller |
Hi Diane. To keep things simple and cost effective, I use Lightroom 2 (LR) and Photoshop Elements (PSE) 6. Lightroom's editing is all non destructive meaning that you can edit and re-edit all the time and are not affecting the original image. It also treats JPEGs, Raw (your camera), PSD (from photoshop) and TIFFs equally in the same batch or shoot. It does 80-90% of what you will do most of the time for your pictures and get them processed quickly. I very seldom have to go to PSE unless I need to fix or otherwise enhance the pictures. PSE takes plug-ins so you should be able to get any enhancement tools you need. CS# is the most powerful of the trio and costs it and has a much higher learning curve and you will find that you only use 33% of the program and the rest goes unused. (I'm making these numbers up, of course).
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Phillip A. Flusche |
What brand of camera do you use? For me with a Nikon I use NX2 for 99% of what I do. It handles RAW photos better than anything Adobe puts out. There is an excellent NX2 guide published by Jason P. Odell. It is available in PDF format online and will give you everything you need for basic editing of Nikon Raw photos. It also works for JPGs and for TIFF photos but is best for RAW. Then if I need anything esoteric I use Elements 6. I also use the Nikon Viewer for organizing and sometime seven for simple editing. It is also good for emailing several photos at a time since it will convert Nikon RAW photos to JPGs in whatever size you want, and send them to Outlook or whatever email program you want to use for transmisson.
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Richard Lynch |
Michael, I think it is right to 'keep it simple', but to me, keeping it simple means learning one piece of software, not several. Learning whatever program you choose and learning the potential of it will be far more valuable than getting a slew of programs and learning none of them in the wake. Just IMHO.
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