photo editing software my overview.

[strmrdr]

On the low end you have programs like:
paint.net
faststone image viewer
Picasa 3

These are fine for quick edits and preparing photos for the web but are a little short for doing a lot of editing.

Midrange:
Imho the best in the mid range is photoshop elements 7.
I have been playing with it today a friend had it on his computer I am upgrading so with his permission I played with it today.
elements with the noise ninja plugin will do everything most people need.

mid/high
paint shop pro - one of the best bang for the buck editors but I find elements easier to use. I will do everything almost anyone needs to do and is as powerful as the more expensive photoshop.

Photoshop lightroom - the high volume photographers choice. When combined with elements 7 or Photoshop cs3/4 it becomes the best work flow tool for high volume production.

gimp - free, steep learning curve, funky interface.

High end:
Photoshop cs3 and cs4
Will do pretty much everything but it is expensive and has a steep learning curve.
Most people will be better off with elements.

 

[Skippy123]

Oh great info; I have been meaning to ask you Karl since I want to do a family holiday card and photoshop 3 pictures into one, nothing fancy (I don't have photoshop or those others though). Which free software do you suggest for this type of editing or the cannon software; do you know if that would work for what I want to do? I guess I should pull out the owners manual. Thanks so much!

 

[~*Alexis*~]

good 2 know, I am asking for software for christmas.

 

[strmrdr]

Date: 10/18/2008 11:29:50 PM
Author: Skippy123
Oh great info; I have been meaning to ask you Karl since I want to do a family holiday card and photoshop 3 pictures into one, nothing fancy (I don''t have photoshop or those others though). Which free software do you suggest for this type of editing or the cannon software; do you know if that would work for what I want to do? I guess I should pull out the owners manual. Thanks so much!

Elements7 is well worth the $100 and time to learn it.
Otherwise you can do this in paint.net which is free.

You would resize the canvas on the first image then open the second and select all, then copy, then paste it into the first image.

 

[Skippy123]

thank you; I will look into it.

 

[strmrdr]

Highly recommended book to go with elements 7

http://www.amazon.com/Photoshop-Elements-7-Missing-Manual/dp/0596521332

 

[TravelingGal]

I use PhotoImpact (I think it''s still on the retail shelves). It''s an object based program vs a layer based and I find it much more intuitive than Photoshop. Haven''t used elements, but I hear it''s similar to the full blown pro version?

 

[strmrdr]

Date: 10/19/2008 10:46:56 AM
Author: TravelingGal
I use PhotoImpact (I think it''s still on the retail shelves). It''s an object based program vs a layer based and I find it much more intuitive than Photoshop. Haven''t used elements, but I hear it''s similar to the full blown pro version?

I have used PhotoImpact and didn''t like it.
Elements7 has 3 modes.
Guided, basic and full.
Guided is easier to use than photoimpact and full is like photoshop with basic in the middle.
The nice thing is it grows with you as you do more advanced edits while the guided mode is very easy to use.

 

[MonkeyPie]

This is a cool thread. I know a lot of people that will tell you anything less than photoshop is not worth the time or money, but not everyone NEEDS that much stuff.

I personally have never used anything but photoshop. I now have CS3 (legal and everything, wow!) and it is like having a god in my computer. It just does SO MUCH STUFF. Lol.

 

[strmrdr]

Date: 10/19/2008 1:44:49 PM
Author: MonkeyPie
This is a cool thread. I know a lot of people that will tell you anything less than photoshop is not worth the time or money, but not everyone NEEDS that much stuff.


I personally have never used anything but photoshop. I now have CS3 (legal and everything, wow!) and it is like having a god in my computer. It just does SO MUCH STUFF. Lol.

Yea it has a lot and I like it but elements has the majority of the stuff I actually use.
I''m sticking to cs2 since I paid a fortune for it but don''t plan on upgrading until maybe cs5.
cs3 and 4 don''t have enough new features to make it worth the upgrade to me.

 

[strmrdr]

Date: 10/19/2008 12:13:04 PM
Author: strmrdr

Date: 10/19/2008 10:46:56 AM

Author: TravelingGal

I use PhotoImpact (I think it''s still on the retail shelves). It''s an object based program vs a layer based and I find it much more intuitive than Photoshop. Haven''t used elements, but I hear it''s similar to the full blown pro version?

I have used PhotoImpact and didn''t like it.

Elements7 has 3 modes.

Guided, basic and full.

Guided is easier to use than photoimpact and full is like photoshop with basic in the middle.

The nice thing is it grows with you as you do more advanced edits while the guided mode is very easy to use.

That should have been: Guided, quick, and full

 

[TravelingGal]

Date: 10/19/2008 4:51:53 PM
Author: strmrdr

Date: 10/19/2008 12:13:04 PM
Author: strmrdr

Date: 10/19/2008 10:46:56 AM

Author: TravelingGal

I use PhotoImpact (I think it''s still on the retail shelves). It''s an object based program vs a layer based and I find it much more intuitive than Photoshop. Haven''t used elements, but I hear it''s similar to the full blown pro version?

I have used PhotoImpact and didn''t like it.

Elements7 has 3 modes.

Guided, basic and full.

Guided is easier to use than photoimpact and full is like photoshop with basic in the middle.

The nice thing is it grows with you as you do more advanced edits while the guided mode is very easy to use.

That should have been: Guided, quick, and full

Maybe someday I will get someone in my industry to get me a copy. But I am not a fan of the way Adobe treats the channel.

 

[MonkeyPie]

The channel?

And strm, I totally agree - I had Photoshop 7 before I finally moved up to CS3 so it was like heaven was on my desktop

 

[TravelingGal]

Date: 10/20/2008 12:10:29 AM
Author: MonkeyPie
The channel?

I work in the industry.

 

[strmrdr]

Date: 10/20/2008 12:15:32 AM
Author: TravelingGal

Date: 10/20/2008 12:10:29 AM

Author: MonkeyPie

The channel?

I work in the industry.

adobes idea of a reseller discount is suggested retail + 10%
Its impossible for a reseller to make any money with their products unless you buy 1k at a time.
Makes a VAR look bad when they cant supply it at suggested retail or less.
Autodesk and hp printer division are even worse.

 

[TravelingGal]

Date: 10/20/2008 12:24:26 AM
Author: strmrdr

Date: 10/20/2008 12:15:32 AM
Author: TravelingGal

Date: 10/20/2008 12:10:29 AM

Author: MonkeyPie

The channel?

I work in the industry.

adobes idea of a reseller discount is suggested retail + 10%
Its impossible for a reseller to make any money with their products unless you buy 1k at a time.
Makes a VAR look bad when they cant supply it at less than suggested retail.
Autodesk and hp printer division are even worse.

I don''t know what the reseller margin is on Adobe these days, but it is rumored to be notoriously bad. I have had many resellers tell me they sell adobe in spite of themselves. People sell Adobe because they have to, but no one makes a lot of money on it.

They also acquired a few software companies along the way and were merciless in the mergers. A lot of my friends were casualties of Adobe takeovers.

Good products, but a company who thinks a bit too highly of themselves, IMHO.