Noob requires Photoshop advice

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steelcity65

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Edit My Images
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I recently purchased my first dslr and am now looking at purchasing a photo editing package. I have downloaded Elements 7 but am wondering if this is the best one to go for or should i go for one of the previous versions. I am only lokking to do basic adjustments initialy but want something i can continue to use as my skill improves.
Thanks Craig
 
steelcity65 said:
I recently purchased my first dslr and am now looking at purchasing a photo editing package. I have downloaded Elements 7 but am wondering if this is the best one to go for or should i go for one of the previous versions. I am only lokking to do basic adjustments initialy but want something i can continue to use as my skill improves.
Thanks Craig
Click to expand...

There is software available for free like 'Gimp', the photoshop alternative.

Adobe Lightroom would be my very best recommendation though, not only is it a fantastic image editor it's great for organization and archiving too.
 
Lightroom is not an image editor, more of a tweaker. It doesnt do "much/any" editing. Dont get me wrong it's good at what it does, but I wouldnt call it an editing package. That's why photoshop exists.

Photoshop elements is the "home user" version of CS4. It's restricted in features, but has all that most people need. Almost everything you learn in Elements can be carried over to CS4 at a later date.

Gimp is the to my knowledge the best free option.
 
I guess if you are new to photo editing, then Elements can do most things you are likely to need. GIMP is free, but has the most awkward interface I have ever encoutered, and I did persevere with it for a while.
 
I use Elements 6 at home and CS3 at college and I find that Elements can do most of the things I need. CS3 is good but has a lot of functionality that i will probably never use.

Andy
 
oldgit said:
Lightroom is not an image editor, more of a tweaker. It doesnt do "much/any" editing.
Click to expand...

Sorry to piddle on the pork pie but Lightroom is an image editor. :nono: :razz:
With the latest version it is possible to add gradient maps, clone and heal, dodge and burn as well as take advantage of all facilities of adobe camera raw.
If that's not image editing then I haven't a clue what is.

I'm quite aware of the differences between photoshop and lightroom, I use them back to back on a daily basis, LR is a primarily photo management application but is has huge amounts of editing capability, of course, CS4 is not something I can do without.

The OP is after a 'basic' image editing package and Lightroom is perfect IMO if you want to spend considerably less than a copy of photoshop or around the same amount as elements.

At best, download a trial of any software and see what suits you best.
 
Hi I have been using elements 2,3 and now 7 for several years and have not hit on any limitations and an amature photographer.
I have manage, with the basic functions to edit out unwanted areas, change colour, lighting, crop, transform, etc.
An for what you get it dosen't seem very expensive.
I would recommend that you go for something like elements until you get to a point where you really need "professional" software.
As a general rule "professional" software reduces time and does not give you much more in the way of functionallity
Time is important in a business sense, but you would also need to spend time on training to get the full benefits.
Hope that's helpful
 
Stick with elements and learn that before going for photoshop.
But saying that I did a year in collage learning Photshop 3 and new it inside out, But now, I have fogot most of what I learnt.
 
Tomas Whitehouse said:
Sorry to piddle on the pork pie but Lightroom is an image editor. :nono: :razz:
With the latest version it is possible to add gradient maps, clone and heal, dodge and burn as well as take advantage of all facilities of adobe camera raw.
If that's not image editing then I haven't a clue what is.

I'm quite aware of the differences between photoshop and lightroom, I use them back to back on a daily basis, LR is a primarily photo management application but is has huge amounts of editing capability, of course, CS4 is not something I can do without.

The OP is after a 'basic' image editing package and Lightroom is perfect IMO if you want to spend considerably less than a copy of photoshop or around the same amount as elements.

At best, download a trial of any software and see what suits you best.
Click to expand...
I am with Tomas on this one too. There's no doubt that CS3 or CS4 are fully feature ruch image manipulation applications, but it's wrong to say that Lightroom won't do much...!

LR2 is an awesome application, and as Tomas says, allows one to apply a plethora of effects and manipulations to images as the tog sees fit. On top of this, it is also an absolutely cracking photo librarian, uploader, viewer et al.

Since the release of LRV2 I have used CS3 far less.
 
Thanks for advice i think i will stick with elements and elarn that i have purchased a how book now easy elements 7 so we shall see.
Thanks for replies Craig
 
Slightly hijacking, but I note that a couple of you are using CS4 now, I'm still on CS3, d'ya think it's worth upgrading?
 
Try not to get caught up in if one is better than the other...they all have pros and cons...i would suggest using your elements 7...its will probably do 90% of what you would like, when you get to a level of you know you need more , then either look at CS3/4 photoshop or lightroom , depending on your needs.

the good thing about using elements, is its a great program to start with, and when you ready to move up , you won't have to learn the program over again, alot of things are similar, and more options to help you on your way.

Also try and find a unregistered copy of photoshop forsale on EBAY, and then upgrade from there. You will likely save your self ALOT of money.

Good luck
thegary
 
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