recommendations for editing software?

[david_storm]

<p>I was wondering if I could get some recommendations for photo editing software that is user friendly for someone that is new to these type of programs? One that is reasonably priced? I downloaded a trial version of lightroom, and it looks so complicated that it makes my head spin.. I am interested in starting to shoot in raw, and would need to process my photos. something that has a watermark option would be nice..</p>

<p>Thanks</p>

[phule]

<p>Lightroom is surprisingly easy to use, actually. You just need to spend some time with it. <br>

There are free tutorials on the web that will go beyond what is provided in Lightroom. Here's a small index of some of them:</p>

<p>http://www.photoshopsupport.com/lightroom/tutorials.html</p>

<p>That said, you don't need Lightroom to play with RAW files. Lightroom is meant to be a complete image management tool. Your digital camera should have come with software that allows you to develop images from your RAW files.</p>

 

[nathan_meador]

<p>Might also try Corel Digital Photo Pro, also has a free trial download. Not as expensive but still some learning curve.</p>

[py-photography]

<p>Photoshop elements might be another one to take a look at.. I think version 8 is the current one.<br>

I used Corel Paint Shop Pro x2 and found it very user friendly. I believe its now at version x3.<br>

However giving LR a chance might be your best choice, once you get the hang of it. I found that it will do 90% of everything I would do to any given image.</p>

[JAPster]

<p>In addition to your 'main' photo editing package, I suggest you also download and install Irfanview. This is a free program that can work with a very wide variety of picture file formats, such as JPEG and TIFF. Just google on Irfanview, pick a download site, download and install the main program, then download and install the Plugins file. I use Irfanview to crop digital images, check an image for basic content quality, make color prints, downsize an image for posting on the web, convert one format to another, etc. Its a good supplemental tool to have on hand.</p>

[andrewg_ny]

<p>Incidentally I don't believe LR does watermarking natively but there are plug-ins like Mogrify that can do this.</p>

<p>You don't mention which platform you're using. On Windows, <a href="http://www.acdsee.com/">ACDSee</a> isn't too expensive and can do watermarking but is perhaps a little clunkier in some areas than LR...that's what I was using before switching to Mac & LR.</p>

[andrewg_ny]

<p>Another free program (kind of like IrfanView) is <a href="http://www.faststone.org/FSViewerDetail.htm">Faststone Image Viewer</a>.</p>

[david_storm]

<p>I currently have windows XP on an older computer, but planning to get a laptop soon, as well as a newer camera. most likely a canon 7D</p>

[lachaine]

<p>This is what I suggest:<br>

Use the raw converter software that came with your camera. Do whatever editing of the image that you can do in that program (because it's still a 16 bit file, then save it as a TIFF file (not a JPEG file at this point). One you have that TIFF file, you can open it in any photo editing software you want, and work on it in that.</p>

<p>Photoscape is quite good, and free... and it's easy to use. GIMP is more complicated and free. FastStone Viewer can do many basic editing tasks, and is free. There's no law that says you have to get overly-complicated from the get-go. You can always do that later if you need to, and there will always be plenty of people here willing to help you complicate your life as much as possible.</p>

<p>Sagelight is also a very good, extremely powerful 16-bit per channel editing program. It does what a photographer needs to do. While it can get more complicated, it's very easy to use for most tasks. I've been trying it out, and I've gotten some pretty impressive results (impressive for me and my lack of talent, anyway). It can even open the raw file by itself. I'll try to add a picture I did with it recently. It was done straight from the raw file itself. Nothing fake about it in anyway, not even any burning and dodging.</p><div></div>

[richardsnow]

<p><strong>Lightroom</strong> is my most used software. I can manage my portfolio and do everything I need to do for 99% of my shots. It's deceptively simple to use once you get the hang of it, but it has the annoying tendency to "correct" images when imported. It is also simple to batch edit, batch export, and yes, <em><strong>watermark</strong></em> exported files.</p>

<p>I also have a tendency to use<strong> Capture NX</strong> (Nikon) if I want to correct for noise, color, etc. in RAW/NEF files. Capture NX understands NEF 100% and IMHO is better at major corrections with Nikon files than Adobe RAW Converter (ACR/Lightroom/Photoshop) ever will be.</p>

<p><strong>Photoshop</strong> is my <strong><em>MAJOR</em></strong> editing software. I'm talking about removing and adding things to an image...usually light poles, power lines, and drunk uncles. I'm talking major manipulation. I only use this when absolutely needed and when paid to do major corrections.</p>

<p>Hope this helps<br>

RS</p>

[jpo3136b]

<p>I would recommend Gimp or Picassa or anything else that's free. Many computer systems already have some type of photo editing or illustration program somewhere on the computer.</p>

<p>The core, main functions of many of these photo editing programs are the same. So, at a very basic, beginner level, you may not gain much by purchasing a program; at least until you gain some knowledge of the fundamentals.</p>

<p>Edit: I did not catch your post about XP:</p>

<p>If you are using a Mac, start rooting around in the help files; [<strong>Quartz</strong> editing]; load up XCode and some of the supporting technical documents; there are some fairly sophisticated graphics applications (some applications are actually several applications put together, so the most basic ones can be interesting) built in to the systems.</p>

<p>The Macs have some fairly detailed supporting documents which describe making some fairly sophisticated computer animations from scratch, using the system straight out of the box. Really, you'd need a degree in Computer Science to push the limits of what comes with the computers. This would be for the type of situation where you wanted to wrap your photo into some shape and then have it bounce around or change colors according to some math formula, for example. That capability for this, complete with examples and instructions, was built into my basic MacBook laptop. That stuff comes with the most basic ones, but is buried in the digital copies of the manuals.</p>

<p>I mention this because many of the software editing packages will seem to imply that one needs to pay in order to get the good stuff; well, pros may very well need or want such tools. Have a look at what's already on hand or easy to get, first.</p>

[markdeneen]

<p>I got sick of upgrading software on Macs. It's very costly. I decided to build a photo editing computer using Linux, and all free software. Because Linux is lean and fast, you need less computer than you would for Windows. Any modern Intel processor is fine. I use Ubuntu Linux OS. I use DigiKam as the cataloging and album software, and I use UFRAW for processing RAW files, and then I use GIMP for editing (like Photoshop). There's nothing I can't do on this rig, that I can do on my Mac with ACR and Photoshop. I just save all the upgrade money.</p>

[sankupa1]

<p>Hi David,<br>

As Allan has suggested, use Irfanview. It has facility to insert copy right symbol. It is free to download and free to use for indefinite period( not 30 days).<br>

Also check the software that comes bundled with your camera.<br>

Check this link for 11 outstanding FREE alternatives to Photoshop!<br>

http://www.thephotoargus.com/freebies/11-outstanding-free-alternatives-to-photoshop/<br>

Hope all these help.<br>

Regards,<br>

Santosh K. Patra</p>