Most common digital processing software?

[c._s.2]

<p>I was just wondering what digital software most photographers use? Photoshop? Picassa? I am not familiar with how these programs but want to learn so I can improve my photos and bridge the gap that I feel like I have come to. I know how to take some good pictures and have pretty good equipment, but that is where it stops. THANKS!!</p>

[Matt Laur]

<p>Think of software choice just like lens choice, lighting equipment choice, or camera body choice. There are many options, and the best of them are popular because they play certain roles appropriate to a given task. <br /><br />For example: are you shooting landscapes, and working at a methodical, deliberate pace that involves only a handful of shots per outing? Are you doing architecture work that requires the need for correcting perspective after the fact? Are you shooting sporting events, and producing hundreds of images in just a few hours, and need to show those images to customers immediately? Product photography? Studio portraiture?<br /><br />Software choice comes down to intended workflow, and that's driven by the type of work and time budgeting involved. Your <em>financial</em> budget also plays a role. There are packages that can streamline event coverage, but you're into hundreds or thousands of dollars. Then there are freebies like Picassa that can handle basic tasks.<br /><br />Some choices are based on the equipment you're using. For example, some Nikon shooters like Capture NX2 because it "understands" their camera's RAW files better than some other products will. Other people swear by Lightroom, because it allows them to work with great speed on huge numbers of images. And of course there's Photoshop (CS4, now), for those that have the need (and the skill) for very meticulous post production work.<br /><br />So there's no "most" answer to your question, because there's no work style, budget, and level of skill that describes "most" photographers. It will help if you mention what you shoot (and how), and what sort of computer system you're typically using.</p>

[elnoralouisa]

<p>Wow, that's really two ends of the scale. Piscassa is free, and actually great for many little things. Photoshop is several hundred $$, most of it requires training, but is what is used by the majority of pro photographers. Also, how much time do you have for training? Picassa, you can play around with by yourself. Photoshop is going to take hours and hours worth of training if you really want to get anything out of it. Best website for training on photoshop is <a href="http://www.lynda.com">www.lynda.com</a> There is also the in-between Photoshop Elements. <br>

If I were you I would download Picassa for free, and use it. When you need to do more, than think about Photoshop Elements. </p>

[elnoralouisa]

<p>I kept looking at that, and thinking that isn't the way you spell Picasa. <br>

You also don't say what you want to do with the software. If you want to get into cloning, and color channels, and more than simple highlight/shadow changes, and layers, etc., then you need at least Elements, if not the full Photoshop. The cloning in Pisasa is for the birds, but exactly I like the program a lot for basic stuff, and then pictures I really want to work with I go to Photoshop for.</p>

[c._s.2]

<p>A little more background about myself in terms of this thread.... I have a Canon Rebel XT, 50mm f/1.8, 17-85mm, and new 70-200 f/2.8. Since I have not had experience with post processing, I have not started shooting in raw format yet. I have photoshop on my computer, and was thinking about ordering a tutorial online to teach myselfhow to use it. I did not know there was a program a step down though - (Elements). I am thinking I should start with that. I am mostly a hobbyist at photography - for me, the more I shoot, the more I love to shoot....and the more I want to learn and teach myself. I would love to be a professional someday like many of you on this forum, but for me, that is a long way away. However, I greatly appreciate all of the advice you pros and semi-pros take the time to contribute to people like me. </p>

[acedigital]

<p>Check out the many free Photoshop related tutorials on YouTube and books by Scott Kelby learning. The books are very good, step by step and stick to the core functions. I am pleased with his Lightroom book.</p>

 

[devon_mccarroll]

<p>There are lots of available classes that you can take if you want to learn more about Photoshop. PPSOP and Better Photo offer classes online, and alot of local community colleges offer them as well.</p>

 

[jgaines]

<p>A good internet study place for Elements is LVS:<br>

<a href="http://www.lvsonline.com/schedule.shtml">http://www.lvsonline.com/schedule.shtml</a><br>

Priced good and classes are good.</p>

<p> </p>

[stan_schurman1]

<p>Try Photoscape. It's more sophisticated than Picassa, but relatively easy to use and is worth just playing around with to see what it'll do. I also use Gimp which has a fairly steep learning curve, but for quick fixes that might need a little more tweaking than Picassa offers, I'll go to Photoscape.</p>

[mark_drutz]

<p>Photoshop Elements covers just about everything most amateurs need and it's not expensive. Photography is an expensive hobby. The under $100 Elements costs is well worth the expense. The Photoshop you have on the computer is probably Elements if it came on the computer. I doubt the computer would come with full Photoshop that costs over $600.</p>

<p>Don't worry if you don't have the current Elements 8.0. The older versions are fine. You can also use Elements with JPEG's. I shoot only JPEG's and I do a lot with Elements 5.0. The idea that you can't do much postprocessing with JPEG's is just plain wrong. You can't do everything that you can do with RAW, but you can do a lot.</p>

[stan_schurman1]

<p>I agree with Mark that jpegs can be tweaked way more than some would suggest.</p>