which program to get?

[etherial]

Hi Rick, it depends on what you want to do in PP. Single photos, layers, details, etc go with GIMP (because it is free) or PSE. On the other hand, managing many photos, and basic to medium level adjustments go and buy Lightroom.

[Gemini2261]

All this PP stuff makes me feel like I need to go get another degree...it is not straight forward

[bigdazzler]

OK I would suggest that the best way for someone having their first go at post editing of their pictures would be to have a play with something very simple that will allow you to adjust exposure, colour, contrast, cropping, sharpening etc ...

I think you should forget about programs that are based around the use of layers and masks in the beginning.

I would suggest Lightroom as a good starting point. It will allow you to fo a few things with one program. Like storing and managing your libraries, playing with white balance, adjusting RAW files (very important to learn how to do !!), make colour and contrast adjustments, sharpening , pretty much all the basic steps required when adjusting a digital photograph.

It doesnt use layers so you will not delve in too deep too quickly with Lightroom, but PS can be added later on and integrated seamlessly when the time comes.

Lightroom is a great starting point for practicing your editing

[Rick]

Great input guys!! Thanks alot

[Pixley]

After the recommendations given here I downloaded GIMP and have been able to do some basic stuff already - will next be looking at some tutorials. Thanks for the advice!

[achee]

Hi All,

Now Im not trying to be a stickler for details but am curios after reading some of the replies here...

Within one of the "Stickies" Kym has written:

Quote:
"The following programs are more than sufficient for 98% of PP that any photographer is likely to do.
a) The GIMP http://www.gimp.org/ (this has many plugins and has similar capabilities to Photoshop)
b) Picasa from google http://picasa.google.com/
c) Paint .net http://www.getpaint.net/ (Very lightweight, good for JPEGs and simple stuff)

And the missing 2% can be done using other programs (eg. Autostitch for panoramas)"
Now after reading this thread, I am left wondering if "free" is the way to go or not - as many seem to still recomend spending $ up front.

Thanks,

JzB

I'd second that. For someone who wants to do fairly basic (read: easy, but will get you quite far), and doesn't want to spend a lot of time learning something quite complex, I'd recommend Picasa. I think most people who are into photography as a hobby and want to do some level adjustments, crops and B/W's but don't need to make changes to the content of their images would be very satisfied with what Picasa can do.

Try that, it's free. If and when you find you need to do more, go to the next step.

[Flash Hit]

For great FREE editing and lots of other terrific fun things try PHOTOSCAPE at http://download.cnet.com/PhotoScape/...-10703122.html
For PANORAMA work try ICE (Image Composite Editor)from Microsoft at http://research.microsoft.com/en-us/...roups/ivm/ICE/
Simply put, they're FREE & EASY.

[aycee]

Start with Gimp and go on from there..it really is quite good.....and free and would do most thing that the expensive ones do just as well

if and when you master Gimp and would like the best then get out the wallet and buy Photoshop

Alan!

[peterb666]

Picasa is free and probably the easiest to use but has some limitations, e.g. no noise reduction but other aspects of it are brilliant.

Paint Shop Pro and Elements are reasonably priced. I have used Paint Shop Pro and I find it very easy to use. I haven't tried Elements so cannot comment.

I am trying my best with Photoshop and find it infuriating for some things such as adjusting colour balance. The menu structure is terrible with some stuff under the Image menu and a lot of what I would consider basic editing stuff you might expect to also be in the Image menu is in the Filter menu. I find some of the controls more difficult than others.

I have used ACDSee which is another cheapie (around the price of Elements and PaintShop Pro) and found it easy to use too.

I have used GIMP and found it hideously slow. It is almost as difficult to use as Photoshop but the price is right (free)

You might start using Picasa and see how you go as it is a no cost solution and the simplist of programs to use. If noise in your images is a problem, you could use dedicated noise reduction software to supliment Picasa.

[Miss Ella]

Microsoft Digital Imaging is a cheap one and really easy to use but PSE is 100 times better and PSE8 can process RAW images.

[SimonKH]

I like Photoshop not cheep
and ACDSee it see most raws and it is fast to draw on screen some can take abit to put pic on screen. Also not cheep but it works.

[Bubbleyboy]

As a Student I was looking at Creative Suite 5 master collection , I realise that this is a profesional level program collection but as a student I may be able to get it for $500 a big saving on retail.
Would this be too much for a beginner to take on or should I get this while I am studying as I dont think I could afford it later on (around $5000) .
To buy elements 8 premier and lightroom 3 would cost $300 (so for another 200 I could get a suite with a potential to do anything Im likley to tackle.

[Kym]

CS5 master collection is ALL the adobe products bar Lightroom.
(eg. sound, video, web (dreamwaver))
So... will you use all that? Or is Photoshop CS5 extended enough (student version)

Adobe will replace CS5 in about 12 months and new cameras will 'need' the latest.

Keep you software cost down, put the money into glass !!

Also: Edu Adobe licenses cannot be used for commercial purposes

[peterking]

First question is what platform, PC or Mac?
First suggestion is get free trial copies.
If you are going to by then books can be a big help.
I've got a Mac and PSE8 and Scott Kelby's book. The book was the best investment.

[macmich]

i see what you are saying about the write up
i think that is the worst write up for any product i have seen
macca

[rellik666]

I would advise you download a trial of lightroom, it has changed my life.....really easy to use, handles RAW, gives you the most common requirements, (exposure, filters, cropping, spot healing, contrast etc) in one package with the storage solution.

I have CS5 and have very little use for it. Most of the adjustments I need are in lightroom....wish I had jumped on this band wagon a lot earlier!

Roo

[wattsgallery]

I use Lightroom and love it. It is one of the only pieces of software I go out of my way to buy as I think its worth it. Whatever option you are thinking of at least download the trial of LR and compare it.

I use GIMP if I need to do anything with layers but Lightroom is a 98% full solution for me.

[bigdazzler]

Lightroom Lightroom Lightroom Lightroom Lightroom ....have I said that already somewhere in this thread ?? Maybe ...

[ving]

I use psp12....

but you cant get cheaper than free so look for irfanview and the associated raw plugin. it is so easy to use but limited. if you dont want to do too much processing than this would be the way to go.

things have taken a turn for the frustratingly funny... PSP12 doesnt support D90 Nef files!!!!

so now i am converting to tif in irfanview and processing in PSP.


got a D90? you might not want PSP...

[maccaroneski]

David you should check out View NX 2 (free) if you are just converting to TIFF and passing them on to PSP.