Recommend me a photo editor programme

I have just started using Lightroom following in part recommendations on this site and am finding it wonderful. I have been using photoshop for years to adjust photos and lightroom is much more suitable for my needs - which is generally adjusting exposure/colours and cropping. it took a little while to get used to the set-up and functionality but it was well worth the time.
Two thumbs up!
 
Take a look at Apple's Aperture product. In my opinion it's way better than the latest version of Lightroom and it's similarly priced. Plus it uses the same library format as iPhoto so you can switch between the two if you so choose.
 
Clark_Kent said:
I have just started using Lightroom following in part recommendations on this site and am finding it wonderful. I have been using photoshop for years to adjust photos and lightroom is much more suitable for my needs - which is generally adjusting exposure/colours and cropping. it took a little while to get used to the set-up and functionality but it was well worth the time.
Two thumbs up!
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Thanks for the heads up, I've used neither at present but that's good to know.

I found going from a serial windows user to a MBP time consuming but once I got out of the windows mentality I find it easy to use, so hopefully using iPhoto and going to LR, I purchase it may be the same learning curve :)

munkee said:
Take a look at Apple's Aperture product. In my opinion it's way better than the latest version of Lightroom and it's similarly priced. Plus it uses the same library format as iPhoto so you can switch between the two if you so choose.
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Will do, thanks for that :thumbs:
 
bmines67 said:
For me, Lightroom will do 90% of all the editing i ever need to do, as well as being a great resource for cataloguing my images. It's able to process your RAW files and is relatively easy to use. It can make universal adjustments to your images to make them look their best. If however, you want to make radical changes to your images i.e. Put an object in that wasn't there, thats when CS6 or elements will be needed
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When uploading a photo to elements 10, which was taken in the RAW format, it shows on my screen as a JPEG.
Could anyone shed some light on this
Also, I would like to process in LR4 first, then jump into elements 10, I'm having issues on doing the simplest task; which is importing the darn images
Any help would be great
Cheers
 
I'm thinking off buying elements 11 as its only £43 from amazon, to do the basics that have been covered in this thread, but will elements stack photo's to do a star trail? This is something I'd like to try... Cheers.
 
I have just run the trial of Elements 11 and i will not be buying it, even at its cut down price.
After using GIMP and getting hold of a very cheap CS5, you really see the lack of features and miss the versitality.
I can see why some would like it, but i only use an editor for fine tuning and removing unwanted objects. Personally i was not happy with Elements functionality at this compared to GIMP and CS5.
CS6 is way out of most peoples budget so get GIMP, learn it (loads of tutorials on the web)
Its free, powerful and an absolute no brainer.

As said previously LR4 is superb for cropping, adjustments to exposure, colour WB etc and i do 90% of my editing in that. The rest is in GIMP or CS5 which are comparable.
 
Postie90 said:
I'm thinking off buying elements 11 as its only £43 from amazon, to do the basics that have been covered in this thread, but will elements stack photo's to do a star trail? This is something I'd like to try... Cheers.
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It would but there are far better ways of doing the inital stack and for free on my phone Nd can't remember the name but a search on here should give u it. Or drop me a message and will.reply later
 
I downloaded gimp **** to try... And first impressions are great... A lot going on to learn and understand... Searching the web for tutorials... See how I get on... I would to know how to do selective colour like a portrait in b&w then just colour for the eyes etc? Anyone help with this please... Cheers.
 
If you're on a MBP, the iphoto is the best to start with. It catalogs and edits. It can handle jpeg, tif, raw, etc. I think the latest version even has some adjustment brushes. Since it comes free with the computer, it is far and away the best value.

If you need to do more photo editing than iphoto, then a simple aperture download from the app store is cheaper than LR (last I checked) and incredibly powerful. Adjust anything you want, brush based adjustments, import level adjustment specific to camera and lens, etc. It catalogs, it edits, it uploads. There are plugins if you want a specific type of functionality that isn't standard (though there is a ton standard) or have a certain favorite editing suite. I have PSE on my computer, but I don't need it. Aperture does everything necessary for photo editing for me.

rick
 
I need a little help, ive shot in raw only, and loaded the shots onto the ipad, which is great and also photegene opens them to have a play etc, but i also what the shots backed up on my pc.... i have copyed the shots onto my pc from the memory card... but i carnt open them? gimp doesnt open them, picture viewer either... any help would be great please...
 
You need an add on for gimp called ufraw here but I never got it to work on a 64bit OS, just 32bit. Not sure about on a Mac.
 
my system is a 64bit so it probably wont work... im not sure where or what to download TBH.... lol... would elements 11 work ok?
 
Yes it would, I provided you with the link to the site just look for mac version.
 
I'd second the recommendation to give iPhoto a second look - it's a highly capable application, at an attractive price. If you feel you need more control, Aperture offers a wide variety of adjustments, which can mostly be applied either to the whole image, or brushed in at different settings.

It's perhaps worth clarifying the point that iPhoto, Aperture, and Lightroom are photo editors and organisers, whilst something like Photoshop or Pixelmator are more aimed at advanced editing/composition, leaving you to take care of what to do with the final results. Some people use Aperture or Lightroom as well as something like Photoshop, whilst in many cases, just Aperture/Lightroom alone is all that's required.

(And then there's Everything Else, like standalone RAW processors, or advanced noise reduction plugins.. but that'd be cluttering up the thread)
 
I've just this minute downloaded Lightroom 4 30 day trail... See how that goes.
 
Postie90 said:
I downloaded gimp **** to try... And first impressions are great... A lot going on to learn and understand... Searching the web for tutorials... See how I get on... I would to know how to do selective colour like a portrait in b&w then just colour for the eyes etc? Anyone help with this please... Cheers.
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Replicate the layer, convert the new layer to B&W.
Add an opaque layer mask - paint over the eyes, this should make the top layer transparent so you can see the colour underneath.
 
st599 said:
Replicate the layer, convert the new layer to B&W.
Add an opaque layer mask - paint over the eyes, this should make the top layer transparent so you can see the colour underneath.
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Ensure you have the layer mask selected, or when you paint you will just paint a colour, if nothing is happening look lower left to the black and white squares overlapped, there's a small bendy arrow above them click on that to change the action of the mask.

Search internet for gimp colour popping.
 
I downloaded the free trial of Lightroom4 a couple of days ago and I'm loving it. I'm completely new to the editing process but I worked my way through many of the tutorials and I'm well on my way. I'll definately be purchasing it.

I see there was mention of being able to get a student discount. I have a boy at school but what kind of proof do adobe ask for? Its a little confusing on the website.
 
Chilldig said:
I downloaded the free trial of Lightroom4 a couple of days ago and I'm loving it. I'm completely new to the editing process but I worked my way through many of the tutorials and I'm well on my way. I'll definately be purchasing it.

I see there was mention of being able to get a student discount. I have a boy at school but what kind of proof do adobe ask for? Its a little confusing on the website.
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Hi Welcome to TP

Might be worth waiting a bit as LR5 is going to be released soon. There is a beta version available to try now.
Have a look at the adobe website re student discounts.
 
dave_bass5 said:
I'd also recommend downloading the 30 day free trials of LR4 and PSE11 as well. Again, nothing lost.
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+1 for this. I ended up buying elements 11 after trying both. I wouldn't spend your money on cs6 yet. Elements is perfect for me and also has a good organiser.
 
sep9001 said:
Hi Welcome to TP

Might be worth waiting a bit as LR5 is going to be released soon. There is a beta version available to try now.
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Ah, so that may be why they've been offering 33% discount on LR4 then? :)

Thanks for the welcome.
 
Chilldig said:
Ah, so that may be why they've been offering 33% discount on LR4 then? :)

Thanks for the welcome.
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Id get lr4 at the discounted price, ive tried lt5 and theres nit that much difference.
 
Postie90 said:
Where is light room being sold at a discount?
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Hi Postie90,

It's through the Adobe site. If you go to the Adobe uk site it's showing on the main page. 33% off by entering code LIGHTROOM33.

It ends today though so I'm ordering it now!
 
Since my system has been completely un-Adobesized, I've ended up with Paint.net and so far it's rather impressive.

Only use it for add-on things like text and borders though. RAW-conversion and processing is done in Capture NX2...
 
Out of curiosity, and I apologise if this is a very silly question but what does Photoshop offer that the free website photo editor pixlr.com that I use doesn't?

Am I missing out on any clever features?
 
In a short answer yes - a lot of very special editing features that allow a significant amount of photo manipulation.
 
If you can only afford one dont buy lightroom. I know people love it but as posters have said it will do 90% of what they need. The problem is the other 10%. Have a go with Gimp or elements both are good
 
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