Still looking for an editing software

I currently use iPhoto for my Nikon D40x pics. I thought about using Aperture, but I only found "dodge and burn"

useful. (I found it a lot better to concentrate on making good pictures than trying to alter them in Aperture 2).

iPhoto08 makes it possible to edit a picture in another software and then safes the changed version. Now, which

software would make sense if "dodge and burn" is the main (or only) editing tool I need outside iPhoto? Would

Photoshop Elements make sense?

Grateful for any answers, really!

Elements has dodge/burn tools.

 

A better way is to make a new layer, fill with 50% grey and change blending mode to overlay. Paint white to lighten, black to darken. Adjust opacity of brush 1-100 % size small to large with [ and ] keys and how hard or soft you want the brush edge to be. Unlimited control .

 

One you learn elements, you will like it better than iPhoto and can use D40 raw files.

Assuming you're shooting JPEGs, yes, PS Elements is probably the ticket.

Download a free 60-day trial of Nikon's Capture NX. You might really come to like it, especially if you take the important step of shooting in RAW format.

As far as I know, Capture NX has the best RAW converter for the D40. Does it have a dodge/burn tool as well? I started

shooting RAW from the beginning, I can still convert the files to JPEG on the compputer.

Capture NX has some very sophisticated dodge/burn type tools (and much more). Their user interface is a bit different than other apps, but it really grows on you, especially for the sort of work you're talking about.

"Assuming you're

shooting JPEGs, yes,

PS Elements is

probably the

ticket."

 

Don't understand...

PSE is also the

ticket if you're

shooting raw. Has a

nearly-full-functioning

ACR. Raw processing

is in 16-bit,

although PSE proper

is only 8-bit.

 

See this column at

The Online

Photographer:

 

http://theonlinephotographer.typepad.com/the_online_photographer/2008/06/photoshop-eleme.html

Marc, that link was interesting. I guess I'll try out Capture NX trial and then the PS Elements trial (learning lots about

editing, I'm sure) and then decide.

There don't seem to be a lot of folks using Aperture 2 out there ...

Marc:

 

Didn't realize Elements was semi 16-bit aware now. I've just always read that it was strictly 8 bit. I also understand it

doesn't have the camera calibration tools and some other odds and ends. I just downloaded your latest II beta, by the

way. Looks interesting.

 

Christian:

 

Since you're shooting raw, there are more converters out there than you can count. And they all offer free trials - some of

them are free, period. The advantage for PSE is that it comes with a very capable pixel pusher. As for Aperture, it's a

very nice raw converter + organizer. The dodge and burn tool you mentioned only works on converted versions (tiff, jpeg,

etc.) - not raw data.

I guess I'll use iPhoto as an organizer & PSE 6 as an editor. Does anyone know, if I use PSE 6 as my editor of choice in

iPhoto, which app does the convertion? (I assume PSE does the better job)

Unless I'm mistaken, PSE comes with Bridge. You'll want to use those two in tandem when working with the raw files.

When you're done, just import everything into your iPhoto library for organizing, etc.

Bridge - OK, makes one more app. I'm a bit concerned about the RAW conversion, so I just wondered if I import the RAW

file to iPhoto, choose PSE 6 as the editor of choice, choose iPhoto -> Preferences -> Advanced -> 'Use Raw when using

External Editor', then edit in PSE, if iPhoto does touch the RAW file anywhere. (the changes are saved to iPhoto).

Well, my question is: when whatever app imports a RAW file, when does the so much discussed RAW covertion take

place? Do I ever "see" the RAW file (in Aperture/PS/etc.) or just a Tiff/JPEG preview? Is the RAW file only converted when

edited and/or exported?

Sorry, this must sound confusing, but there's some discussion about the RAW convertion and I want to make sure where

that takes place...

iPhoto won't recognize any changes you make to a raw file in PSE unless you convert that raw file to a format such as

tif or jpeg. Actually, PSE won't touch the raw file either. You'll use ACR (a plugin that installs with PSE) to adjust the raw

files. As I suggested above, the more efficient route would be to use Bridge/ACR as your front end, then PSE as your

pixel pusher for the converted files, and finally iPhoto as the back-end organizer. You can set up the preferences in

Bridge so that it hosts ACR, which means you don't even have to launch PSE for the raw processing step.

 

The raw conversion takes place when you are finished making ACR adjustments and save the raw data to a workable file

format. At that point, you can perform finishing touches in PSE and see the actual changes via iPhoto.

 

Hope that clears things up some.

Scott - yes it does, also I got the idea with using Bridge, makes sense now. Thanks a lot!