Photo Editing Software

[jmbiii]

I didn't want to spend the $$ for Photoshop. I accidently found an opensource program called GIMP (free) http://www.gimp.org . It looks to be equivilent to Photoshop and it doe's a whole lot more than I've been able to use as of yet. I found a book on it at Barnes&Noble that is excellent for learning the program. Might want to take a look at it.

[34]

Elements works really well and I doubt what you heard about 7 but get an unsold #6 and if you get it installed and want help send me a private message. The following picture of my bike in a bottle was done with Elements


Jim Slater BMWMOA #34

[Mar]

Elements works really well and I doubt what you heard about 7 but get an unsold #6 and if you get it installed and want help send me a private message.

Thanks, Jim. I'll keep that in mind. Great picture!

Reid is sending me his Elements Version 2 that he doesn't use anymore. We'll see how that works.

[KRAZO]

My vote is to go to Picassa and experiment, to Irfanview and experiment, and download the free for 30 days ACDSee and experiment. I think you will find something you like in one of those. You will find a personal feel for the program and the process to touch up your fotos.

After you've shot a bunch, you will get better at cropping in the viewfinder. After you upgrade your camera, face recognition will help the lighting in most photos. Adding an on camera flash attachment will improve the lighting at events...all of which make lots of the tedious touch-ups less of a PITA. Remember to always take at least two shots of every scene. With today's cheap storage, they're cheap. Closed or lazy eyes, a hand across a face, a badly open mouth can all be killers for an image, or a royal rastlin' match with PS or other cloning devices. Yep, click click is a deal saver.

Main thing is to pick a program YOU like and learn the keyboard equivilents for the main items. (Any good software program will allow you to do the major editiing with the left hand on the keyboard and the right hand on the mouse. Seldom accomplished well.) No, CS2, 3, 4 are not for the casual user...they can be suicide bombs due to frustration.

Claimer: I have and have used all of the above programs...my mass processor is ACDSee, and has been since it was conceived in the author's basement somewhere around the early 90's... I have used Photoshop and CS x since they were available, but only for work projects, brochures, and a few very special photos. FWIW.

[Mar]

I didn't want to spend the $$ for Photoshop. I accidently found an opensource program called GIMP (free) http://www.gimp.org . It looks to be equivilent to Photoshop and it doe's a whole lot more than I've been able to use as of yet. I found a book on it at Barnes&Noble that is excellent for learning the program. Might want to take a look at it.

Hmmm. Another good idea.

Thanks, everyone.

[RINTY]

...they can be suicide bombs...Krazo

And the Dummies book refers to the technical side of even Photoshop Elements as "a classic case of a split personality...a Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde thing..."

So I stay in the easy part.