Beginner Editing Software

asalmon · Nov 30, 2011

I have been using iphoto on my mac to edit all of my photos...I would like to have more editing options and not be so limited. I was looking LR3 and downloaded to 30 day trial; I really liked it. I know there are others out there that may be a little less expensive and still have the ability to achieve the same results. Thoughts?

Best regards,
Alex

2WheelPhoto · Nov 30, 2011

Look at adobe elements 10.

Or if you're a student you can get Lightroom3 and CS 5.5 Photoshop crackhead cheap

asalmon · Dec 1, 2011

Thanks for the heads-up...Unfortunately I am not a student or a teacher...Yeah I saw LR3 for like $89! That's very cheap. I'll take a look at adobe elements 10.

Thanks 2WheelPhoto!!

Regards,
Alex

480sparky · Dec 1, 2011

Download GIMP. It's free. If it does everything you need, you've got the perfect software.......... and you haven't spent any money.

GooniesNeverSayDie11 · Dec 1, 2011

Someone ( I think amazon ) just had Elements 10 for like $49 bucks. I got LR3 on Black Friday for $89 ( The full version ). I believe that the Student/teacher additions are not eligable for upgrade discounts. I could be wrong.

ann · Dec 1, 2011

Lightroom is basically and organizational tool with some pp tools, if your shooting 1000 of images a week and don't already have your workflow in place it may be useful.

Download a trial version and see how it works for your needs.

This is one of those questions that will also create a ton of various opinions.

Elements should also have a trial version, or even Corel painter pro. I would recommend Photoscape, as it is free and very slick, but I am not sure it functions on a MAC

MLeeK · Dec 1, 2011

If you are doing any EDITING-like changing the pixels in the picture at all-LR isn't the main way to go as it does not have a pixel editing program. Only developing. It's for raw processing and workflow. For actual editing you'll need an actual editing program and then Elements or CS5 is the way to go.

No, the student editions are not eligible for the discount upgrade, but they purchasing another student edition is cheaper than the upgrade anyway. For as log as you remain a student, educator or have one in the house you're golden.

Futurelight · Dec 1, 2011

save up a little and go for cs5.5 there is no point in using a half-assed program when the professional tool is so readily available. You simply won't get the same results

MLeeK · Dec 1, 2011

I use CS5 and it's definitely more than PhotoShop Elements 10, but I have to disagree that Elements is half-assed. It's an outstanding tool and there are MANY small professionals using it and it's results are outstanding. There are things you can't do, but honestly? I doubt there is any of my workflow that I couldn't do in Elements 10.

I also wouldn't consider Lightroom half-assed. It's a developing and cataloging program. It's developing module is better than any out there and the same as what is included with CS5. It is what it is. It's a parametric editing program, not a pixel editing program. Is that half-assed? Well, if you pixel edit, I'll concede that maybe it's half of what you need.

Now gimp, picasa, lightscape, paint.net? They're kind of half-assed.

KmH · Dec 1, 2011

GooniesNeverSayDie11 said:
Someone ( I think amazon ) just had Elements 10 for like $49 bucks. I got LR3 on Black Friday for $89 ( The full version ). I believe that the Student/teacher additions are not eligable for upgrade discounts. I could be wrong.

There is only 1 verison of Lightroom, in that student pricing isn't for a de-featured version, though the student price includes a slightly restricted EULA that only allows uploading the software to a single computer. The regular EULA allows uploading the application to 2 computers.

Upgrade pricing is available to Student Edition owners, though if they are still students they can just get the student price again for any new releases.