Alternatives to Photoshop

[kimapali]

I know that Photoshop is the gold standard, but is there less expensive and acceptable photo-editing software that you recommend? I don't think I'm ready for Photoshop yet!

[gjtoth]

I know that Photoshop is the gold standard, but is there less expensive and acceptable photo-editing software that you recommend? I don't think I'm ready for Photoshop yet!

Kim, there are a LOT of 'em. Freebies include Gimp and Picasa - Picasa is excellent for a quick and easy one. Gimp, while not being QUITE as all-encompassing as Photoshop, is really excellent and will handle almost anything you can throw at it.

[arrowind]

Kim
Check out Corel Photo Shop Pro X2. It is much less expensive and will do just about everything Photoshop will do. Only cost about a hundred.
I have used it for quite a while. I did have Photoshop and went back to Corel. Check it out. I think there is a trial version on the web. Kenny

[Snappers]

I have photoshop but I also use Gimp which is very good once you get used to it and I have used Picasa.

[daltoned]

I use Elements 5, a slim down version of Photoshop, has many of the PS features but costs much less.

[coffee]

I have Elements too. There is a lot to Elements too, but the nice thing is that in Elements there is an area that has quick fixes. Where just the basic editing features are present and very easy to understand. The when you are ready, you can move up to Elements full feature editing. Element 6.0 is the latest version I think. I have 5.0. But for a littl over $100.00, you can use the quick area first, and have the full editing features when you are ready. Keeps from realizing you want something more later and starting over with something new.

[dkippen]

Kim -

I would download the free ones to see what works for you, and as you get more comfortable, then decide if you want something that has more features or tools you can't live without.

As you can see, we all use different software. For myself, I use Photoshop as that's what I'm used to. In the end, we all get similar results - great pictures.

[jonrayner]

Hi Kim

I use photoshop elements 6, retailing about £50-60, but with a search on ebay, managed to get a genuine copy for £25. I think it has everything that I would need at present.

Jon

[dallasm]

I have been using Adobes Lightroom, a very easy program to use. You can download a 30 day trial from Adobe.com. It is also a good program for converting RAW files if you shoot in RAW.

[chris.e.fry]

Recently I decided to give 3 newer, lower priced image editing programs a try. They were Aperture, NX2, and Photoshop Elements 6. Of the three, I felt that PE6 was by far the winner.

[reval8r]

If you don't think you're ready for Photoshop, I would recommend Paint Shop Pro X2. Though most of my work now is in PS, there are still things I like to do better with Paint Shop Pro. For the price, it's pretty powerful and much easier to use for a beginner. I also prefer to use it over PS when designing web sites.

[geezer65]

Kim,
I use Elements 6 and just switched from Paint Shop Pro X2. I find E6 much more efficent than PSP X2 for my needs. However, both are excellent programs.
I'm told that GIMP and Picassa will do the job as well with the added benefit that they're free!
Download a trial version of them and try 'em out. You may find one that feels really good for you to use and GO FOR IT!!
Best of Luck,

Geezer65

[jerryph]

The only issues I have with any of the other editors vs Capture NX (I have v.1.0, 1.1, 1.2 and 2.0), is that no other application can read and use/change all of the camera settings live on a RAW file that Nikon's own proprietary software can.

That said, I use PS CS3 more than any of the other ones because it offers me the most artistic and technical control of any other photo editor.

There are many other good ones. I am surprised that no one mentioned LightRoom, as many professionals use it. iCorrection is another excellent beginner application as is DXo and Bibble.

However, the more you invest, the more the program can do, and if you take the time to exploit it, the better your photos can become. One has to know how far they want to go and how complex an application needs to be to fit their needs.

[lcmay]

Hi,
I have been using Digital Image Suite 2006 for a couple of years now, it is quite easy to use and has the added advantage of projects and all that sort of thing :)

[dallasm]

I use Lightroom. There is a new upgrade Lightroom 2. I have been using Lightroom since it came out. I find it very easy to use and dosen't cost a arm & leg like CS3.

[lcmay]

Thank you for recommending Lightroom, I am wondering where this all stops, should we just continue on with what we are used to?, or keep changing to different software?.:)

[dkippen]

I've just starting using LR, but haven't used it enough to decide if I really like. lcmay - as the technology gets better and people become more demanding, there will always be something new or upgraded around the corner. If you're familiar with what you're using and happy with it, stay with that.

[LensBaby]

I agree Debbie! Technology is always changing, and just as you learn one program another comes out. I hated that I had to have CS3 for school. I still use my CS2 most of the time. (Of course unless for a school project)

[dallasm]

Icmay, You can download a 30 day trial version of Lightroom 2 from Adobe web site

[lcmay]

Thanks for all the info on different programs to use I use PSPro also and there is an excellent free course you can do called Stepping Stones. I contacted Connie clw51@cox.net and found that the lessons were very good - even though I only got to stage two! time is my major factor.

[shirakon]

I have been using Picasa and have to say it is very easy... and FREE.. I like that. It doesn't take a lot of reading up on things before you can get straight to using it.

I was overwhelmed with all the new terms for the camera and was completely halted when it came to try to figuring out the software that came with the camera.

perhaps once I am more familiar with the terminology for the camera I can take on a photo program... :D

[diamondmemories]

I have Photoshop Elements 5 and need to learn more about it but it is a nice program. Haven't upgraded to 6 - gonna wait for the next one to come before I upgrade again. I also have Portrait Professional. I tried their free trial at www.portraitprofessional.com and LOVED the ease of it. Doesn't do everything that I need but certainly speeds up my editing process!

[jerryph]

A lot of people beginners to professionals like Adobe Lightroom. V.2.0 is quite impressive and pretty easy.

[dkippen]

Jerry - I started playing around with Lightroom 1.(??) that I got earlier this year and so far, I like what I've done. Of course, had I known it was going to be upgraded so soon after I bought it, I would have waited for 2.0

[laura]

Until about a month ago I used Picassa, but I decided to take the leap and get Photoshop CS3, and I Love it. It is daunting the first time you use it (it still is actually!) but I bought a book (Adobe Classroom In A Book) which is full of step by step lessons to try your self, which gives you practice on different features of CS3 which has been really helpful. I don't imagine that I will ever use every single feature of CS3 but its nice to know its there.
Please do not assume I am disregarding Picassa, I'm not, I think its a really good starting place. And considering its free, there is nothing to complain about.
I'll stop waffling now shall I?...hehe!

[pasknucklehead]

Hi everyone,
As I sit here and scroll through all the different editing programs everyone is talking about, I wonder why we don't just try to do our best to get the photos the way we see them, untouched and real in the first place. What happened to the good old days of just enjoying taking pictures? Try and take a good quality, clear photo in the first place and we wouldn't have to spend all our money buying programs to make our picture something there not.
Just my opinion
DC

[jerryph]

Hi everyone,
As I sit here and scroll through all the different editing programs everyone is talking about, I wonder why we don't just try to do our best to get the photos the way we see them, untouched and real in the first place. What happened to the good old days of just enjoying taking pictures? Try and take a good quality, clear photo in the first place and we wouldn't have to spend all our money buying programs to make our picture something there not.


DC, obviously the goal of ANY picture is to get it as good as we can in camera, however, post processing is just as important now as it was in the "good old days". If you do not think that there was any post processing with film pictures... well, I have a surprise for you... darkrooms were the photoshop of the film days (lol)and there was often a LOT of processing done to those pictures. Most people did not see this, because they sent their film to a lab and never saw all the things that happened to it.

Today, we use post processing to enhance a good picture to make it better. Things that took days with film to see the results, we can see in seconds. The learning curve is so much faster because we can test out 20 different techniques and see them right on the back of the camera immediately instead of needing to finish the roll of film, send it out for processing and get it back a few days later to find out which of the 20 settings or ideas worked best.

Also, there is a LOT more to photography than taking a technically correct exposure, there is creativity, enhancements, collages, triptychs and a million other aspects that post processing offers us that one simple clean exposure cannot offer.

As far as I am concerned, the times we live in now as photographers are the "good old days". :)