Best photo editing software

[s.l._z.]

<p>I am new to photography and I love to edit pictures, but I need something that is a little more complex then Picnik. I don't have a lot of money to spend right now, so just wondering if there are some really good programs people use for free, or if I should save up and spend my money on one of the more expensive programs.<br>

Thanks<br>

Sis</p>

[andrewg_ny]

<p>Depends a bit on platform (Mac, PC, Linux?). <a href="http://www.getpaint.net/">Paint.NET</a>, <a href="http://www.faststone.org/">FastStone</a>, <a href="http://www.gimp.org/">GIMP</a>. Possibly worth saving up but these should get you started. I'm sure there are others people might recommend.</p>

[jim_j2]

<p>Sarah,<br>

You might check this one <a href="http://www.arcsoft.com">http://www.arcsoft.com</a><br>

I couldn't afford the Adobe Photoshop's, but I've had good success with this one. I think they will have a trial version you can download to check it out.<br>

Hopefully someone else will chime in with some knowledge on the freebies throughout the net.</p>

<p>Best wishes,</p>

[geoffs1]

<p>Photoshop Elements isn't bad either.<br>

Also, you can get a copy of Photoshop CS3 for just over $100 on Ebay. All the normal caveats about checking sellers, etc. apply, but there are a fair number of very legit sellers of "New In Box" copies of older Photoshop versions.</p>

<p>GIMP is good, but it has limitations. For free, that would probably be my suggestion to investigate first.</p>

[goldbergbarry]

<p>If you are a student, or if you have child in school, you are eligible for an educational discount on Adobe Lightroom. It is amazing for workflow and 98% of edits that most people make.</p>

[paddler4]

<p>Both Photoshop Elements and Paint Shop Pro cost under $100 and will keep you plenty busy for a long time. I used PSP for my first couple of years of digital work. Lightroom is about the same price IF you qualify for an educational discount, but it is a very different beast. It is a very powerful RAW converter and does contain a lot of editing functions (I can edit most of my images staying in Lightroom), but it does not have selections, layers, or masks, all of which are important in some cases. Elements and PSP do.</p>

[Spearhead]

<blockquote>

<p>If you are a student, or if you have child in school, you are eligible for an educational discount on Adobe Lightroom.</p>

</blockquote>

<p>Where does Adobe say that you get a discount if you have a child in school?</p>

[jenna_hughes]

<p>Hands down, all students and professionals will be using Adobe Photoshop CS5 and/or Photoshop Elements. However, if budget is tight and you need something better than PicNik (which is a very cool free photo editing program) , try <a href="http://www.PIXLR.com">PIXLR</a>. It is exactly like Adobe Photoshop but its free and on the web!! It amazed me the first time I used it.<br>

Good luck to you. Keep us posted.</p>

[tom_mann1]

<p>For a very capable on-line editor, try:<br /> <a href="http://www.pixlr.com/editor/" target="_blank">http://www.pixlr.com/editor/</a><br /> In operation, t's a lot closer to PS than picnik.</p>

<p>Tom M</p>

<p>* - Great minds think alike ... Jenna and I were posting at the same time.</p>

[JDMvW]

<p>GIMP is huge, and free, if you don't count your time as being worth anything.<br>

Photoshop CS3 and later is an essential tool in the long run for anyone serious about photoediting. Photoshop Elements is a good 'starter' program to progress to the full version as you find you need it, later on.<br>

Both Lightroom and Aperture are photomanagement programs, but they have limited photoediting capabilities that are adequate for many casual photo editing tasks, if your demands are not great. They both have a strong fan base. <em>If</em> you can use the photo-management program, fine, it's a good combo; but I would not recommend either of them if what you <em>really</em> need and want is a photo-editing program.</p>

[mike_stemberg]

<p>I had never heard of Picnik, so I checked it out and found it to be a 'online' tool, and what with all this talk about Adobe Photoshop CS5, Adobe Elements etc... I want to bring to your attention another Adobe product that is available online ~ : <a href="http://www.photoshop.com/tools">Photoshop.com</a></p>

[lex_jenkins]

<p>They're all free to try. Every photo editing program worth using offers a free trial period. Some offer full featured trial versions, including output (some allow full sized prints without watermarks during the trial), with 15-30 day trial periods. The clock starts when you activate the program. So download one at a time. Don't get carried away and activate the trial period on more than one at a time.</p>

<p>Also, be sure to use some online tutorials - illustrated and video - alongside the trial programs. Sometimes a good illustrated or video tutorial can help clarify a tricky technique.</p>

[kevin_delson]

<blockquote>

<p>Where does Adobe say that you get a discount if you have a child in school?</p>

</blockquote>

<p>I think he was talking about Adobe's educational program. <a href="http://www.adobe.com/education/students/">LINK</a></p>

 

<blockquote>

<h4>Eligibility</h4>

<p>The following individuals are eligible to purchase Adobe Student and Teacher Editions:</p>

<ul>

<li>University and college students—students enrolled at a higher education institution defined as an accredited<br />public or private university or college (including community, junior, or vocational college) that grants degrees<br />requiring not less than the equivalent of two years of full-time study</li>

<li>Primary and secondary school students—students enrolled at an accredited public or private primary or<br />secondary school providing full-time instruction</li>

<li>Faculty and staff—teachers and staff employed by an accredited primary or secondary school or public or<br />private university or college</li>

</ul>

 

</blockquote>

[s.l._z.]

<p>Thanks for all of your great responses everyone, I am a student so I will check into the discount. I will also have to try some of the trial versions. Thanks again for all your help!</p>

[noah_pardee]

<p>I,d suggest this program called photoscape it has plenty of features and modes, and the best part is it's free! look at it here: http://www.photoscape.org/ps/main/index.php</p>

[williamlewisphotography]

<p>Everyone here given you good advice on programs, but remember a good photograph does not need a lot of editing. Editing should only be to <strong>enhance </strong>an already good image. Though editing programs can allow you to expand your creativity, don't forget the importance of a good photo first !<br>

I hope you find the one that's best for you, good luck with your photos Sarah.</p>

[Spearhead]

<blockquote>

<p>I think he was talking about Adobe's educational program.</p>

</blockquote>

<p><br />I know all about Adobe's educational program. Where does it include parents? We now know that this isn't an issue for the original poster, but the statement that you can use it as a parent is not part of Adobe's program.</p>

<p>Just to make it clear - </p>

 

<blockquote>

<p> if you have child in school</p>

</blockquote>

<p>doesn't cut it for the educational discount.</p>

[Wouter Willemse]

<p>If you can get Adobe products on a discount as a student, certainly the way to go. If not, Paint.NET (on Windows only) is a very nice freebie.<br>

If it's for normal "casual" editing of photos, maybe your camera came with a RAW editor? They can be very useful too.</p>

[matthijs]

<p>+1 to Paint.NET</p>

<p>(Though I just use Canon's free software DPP these days. But I don't tinker with my pictures that much.)</p>

[jay_poel]

<p>Jeff, I don't think many kids "enrolled at an accredited public or private primary or<br />secondary school providing full-time instruction" would have a credit card to make the purchase and who's to say which computer it was installed on and who is using it. They have no way of knowing if I bought it for my son or for me - which I will definitely check into next time seeing as how my son love's using my point and shoot when we are out together.</p>

[Spearhead]

<p>People here are recommending that others cheat the system. There seems to be an assumption that nobody from Adobe will ever see this page, which is probably not a good assumption.</p>

[jay_poel]

<p>If your son will also be using it, is it really cheating? But I know where you are coming from. What I find upsetting is the annual releases Adobe does and how I have to wait for the "Upgrade" version to be released - Elements 9 is out now but not the "Upgrade" option. I use PS Elements and have upgraded each year after originally purchasing PS Elements 6 and think it's odd how a company can release "new" software every year rather than updating a version. I know, that's how thier business model works but it still bothers me - it would be nice to get an update that adds features rather than just fixes performance or security flaws. I also realize that I don't "need" to upgrade every year but I like having the most current software for the programs I use (which is why I have been running Windows 7 64 bit since beta.)</p>

<p>Sorry to the OP for going off topic.</p>

[JDMvW]

<blockquote>

<p>I don't think many kids "enrolled at an accredited public or private primary or<br />secondary school providing full-time instruction" would have a credit card to make the purchase</p>

</blockquote>

<p>Actually, our higher education students now get a credit/debit card when they enroll that can be used with some restrictions for just this sort of software. etc., purchase for school work. For the primary and secondary, what are parents for?</p>

[jcuknz]

<p>Has Paint Shop Pro gone out of business since being taken over by Corel? If you hope to join the industry I suggest you stick to an Adobe program of some sort but I've been using PSP for must be nearly a decade and it does for me .... anything from version 7 will get you going and I see no reason to update from PSPX for what I do these days.</p>