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Editing Software?

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I'm presently using Picasa 3 (a free Google download), but it's time to step up. I guess I am what you would call a "Duffer" as far as photography, but am very interested in improving my images, both in camera and PP. Picasa is a pretty good basic program, and I feel I'm ready to move up, but don't want to spend the big bucks for full blown PhotoShop.
My main interests are in macro and B & W but, like a lot of others, I enjoy the whole spectrum of photography (landscape, low-light, etc)
After reading the reviews of PhotoShop alternatives in the Feb 2013 issue of Digital Camera, I'm leaning towards Adobe Elements 11, but would like to hear what you guys are using.
Any comments would be appreciated.

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The Gimp (GNU Image Manipulation Program). I have never even used Photoshop since I have only used Linux operating systems for the past 10 years, so the Gimp was my only option. I have never needed anything else though....

 

It's free (as in freedom AND beer), and I know they have versions for Windows OS's and probably Mac as well.

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Photoscape. Its also free, but it is pretty robust.

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i have photoshop elements 9 that i hardly use but prefer to use a free software called photofiltre. its perfect for what i need it to do.

 

x2 for photoscape

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I highly recommend Adobe Lightroom, it came out after Photoshop and is specifically designed for photographers, not sure of the cost but it is cheaper than Photoshop. If you're only doing photos, you really do not need Photoshop. While it is a good editor, to maximize its potential, you really have to utilize a number of tools. For photo processing, it is overkill. Lightroom was developed after Photoshop specifically for photographers and does the processing that Photoshop does except the tools aren't hidden but are right there on the side.

It is an exceptional processing tool and allows resizing, renaming, cataloging, tagging, etc. Also, you can copy adjustments from one photo to the next when you have photos that were shot under the same lighting, talk about speed up processing. I really like the renaming feature too as it also puts a sequence number so if you want to replace the DSC_123.jpg name with something like it is designed for commercial art designers and to use it as a photo editor, Chase Big Fish, you can do that to as many images as you want with the same name and it will add a sequence number and your files would be Chase Big Fish-1, Chase Big Fish-2, etc. I use that to catalog a lot of my customer flies giving the photo my customer name. I think if you have a student or teacher in the family, you can get a discount on Adobe products.

 

Kirk

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Lightroom is the best. Gimp is great but again it has a lot of stuff you don't need. But it is free. Yet I still prefer LR.

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Thanks for the input, guys. I'm looking hard at Light Room 5, and will probably pick it up tomorrow. I'm told the full-blown Photoshop has a lot of stuff not really applicable to photo editing, unless you want to do some artsy-craftsy stuff. I understand Elements 11 is the same as Photoshop without the extra artsy-craftsy, aimed more at stricktly photographers. LR5 is about $50 more than Elements 11, but it looks to be more down my alley.

 

Kirk - Yes, Adobe gives about a 40% discount for students and teachers. That's a pretty good chunk of change. Wish I knew someone in that category.laugh.png

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You will not be disappointed with Lightroom. I only have version 2 and it is really great.

 

I highly recommend the books by Scott Kelby on your version of Lightroom. His writing is supplemented with screen captures of the tools when he says what to use. It will boost your learning curve straight up the cliff.

 

Kirk

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I'm a fan of Lightroom as well. I use all the image and animation Adobe products for work, but rarely go into Photoshop to play with my images anymore. Photoshop is great, but if you're doing general color correction, sharpening, retouching, etc., Lightroom is a better solution in my opinion.

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LR5 is great. I recently upgraded from LR4 and it has some new features that I really like.

 

Adobe's website has instructional videos that are arranged by topics in LR5, which I found very useful. And its free to watch.

And I felt that they were more helpful than Kelby's videos.

 

Bill

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