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Photo Editing Programs

Definitely go with adobe photoshop! I have cs6 (it's a little older). It does take some practice because it is more professional, but once you get used to it, you'll be SO happy you learned. I started using photoshop when I was just 12(back when I was into web design)!
 
Lightroom does have some very good features and is designed for file handling but if you are more of a concepts person and started with Photoshop it can be a real adventure.
Lightroom does almost everything different than PS and the Windows File System and it takes some getting used to!!! The biggest thing to me is that LR doesn't actually change anything, it makes another file that contains the changes and also file location information. If you move the photo file and not the attached file you lose all the changes. Not a bad thing just something to get used to.
I'm old and hard headed and have been using the Windows system for 29 years so it's hard to change workflow.
Did use LR for a panorama yesterday and it worked very, very well. Just babbling here, so take the info as you will.
 
I do the Adobe $9.99 cloud-based license fee for both Adobe Lightrroom and Adobe Photoshop. As a professional photographer, most of my work is done in LR, Leaving Photoshop for more complex work. Lightroom is the full workflow package to get 90% of the work done, quick and easy.


Sent by philsphoto.com from my iPhone using Tapatalk
 
Yup, if you work in Lightroom, you need to stay in Lightroom. If you move files, delete files, do it in Lightroom. LR maintains a catalog of images, it is amazing if you understand that concept. I love LR because of it's workflow and image editing capabilities.

When I do a shoot, say a Wedding, I have Lightroom all setup to automatically do the following:

1) Create a named folder for the files. I do have to type in the name of the gallery.
2) Add metadata preset to the images right at import. I have different metadata presets for Weddings, Portraits, etc. My copyright and keywords go in right from the start.
3) Convert RAW to DNG with a medium image preview.
4) Apply my favorite preset that applies my sharpening, WB, tone curve, noise reduction, all upon import.

Everything above is nearly automatic. Then I pick and edit, publish and share.

5) I use LR to pick my good pictures and reject the bad ones
6) Edit the "pics", crop, clone, heal, and adjust.
7) Only go into Photoshop when more complex work is needed.
8) Export edited pictures onto Smugmug, in a gallery I create.
9) Export to social media.
10) Delete the rejects.
11) Any picture I re-edit or change later gets synced to my website.

It's amazing how many hours and hours a good workflow tool and process can save you!




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No one mentioned Paint.NET? I guess its a secrete. Its an easy image editing tool that doesn't have a ton of features for usability reasons. Its also light weight, good for quick edits. Open Source (Free) and the interface is similar to Photoshops!

Paint.NET - Download
I have it on my machine now, no spyware or adware. Completely free! Open Source!

As for a heavier option, I know Photoshop and love it. If you want to learn it, I hear GIMP is good, but the last I tried it was awhile ago and back then it needed allot more to be as good as Photoshop. It was also very different from Photoshop.
 
GreenJelly said:
No one mentioned Paint.NET? I guess its a secrete. Its an easy image editing tool that doesn't have a ton of features for usability reasons. Its also light weight, good for quick edits. Open Source (Free) and the interface is similar to Photoshops!

Paint.NET - Download
I have it on my machine now, no spyware or adware. Completely free! Open Source!

As for a heavier option, I know Photoshop and love it. If you want to learn it, I hear GIMP is good, but the last I tried it was awhile ago and back then it needed allot more to be as good as Photoshop. It was also very different from Photoshop.
Click to expand...
I thought the first rule of paint.net was not to talk about paint.net

Sent from my 306SH using Tapatalk
 
CyberLink offer PhotoDirector 5 Deluxe free. (Current version is 6)
PhotoDirector 5 Exclusive Download


So you can give it a try and see if that works for you. I personally use LR and not too sure how good PhotoDirector 5 is. But free is free, someone may find it useful.
 
Glad this question was asked, as I had the same question and was looking for something free as well. Just getting started in this photography stuff and at this point I would rather spend money on gear I need instead of software, although I'm sure that'll come in time. Downloaded LightRoom and am playing around with it. Seems pretty good for a free download. Thanks everyone!
 
IndianaYakFish said:
Glad this question was asked, as I had the same question and was looking for something free as well. Just getting started in this photography stuff and at this point I would rather spend money on gear I need instead of software, although I'm sure that'll come in time. Downloaded LightRoom and am playing around with it. Seems pretty good for a free download. Thanks everyone!
Click to expand...
Can you please share your download link?
 
Ignore the title on that link in my last post. There are links to download the versions for Windows and such as well.
 
My order of preference for beginners is: Free Google Picasa, when you outgrow that go to Lightroom/Photoshop CC for $9.99 a month. You can use LR for amazing workflow and editing. Lastly, Photoshop for those "must be perfect for selling" projects. GIMP and Photoshop are not for beginners.


Sent by Phil s Photography Weddings Engagements Portraits from my iPhone using Tapatalk
 
RaduStefan said:
There have been enough mentions of Lightroom and Photoshop, so I would recommend two different tools. Not as popular as the Adobe products, but worth trying.

For retouching - Pixlr. I think it's a great combination of photo editing and designing.
Photo editor online - Pixlr.com

For productivity - BatchPhoto. It is effective when you have to do batch resizing, converting, watermarking or date/time stamping.
BatchPhoto — Powerful Image Converter, Watermarker and Resizer Software
Click to expand...
Photoshop and Lightroom have been mentioned multiple times because frankly they are at the top of the game, have been so for a long time and continue to stay there offering an amazing set of tools. There are also literally thousands of individuals and companies that write plug-in that enhance the capability of the programs and make virtually any editing job easier as well as Digital Asset Management.

I would ask what reasons you have for recommending the above two programs. What tools have they that are equal too photoshop and or Lightroom. Neither of them seem to have much strength in Digital Asset Management, a strong component of Lightroom. Neither have what seem to be much in the way of layer tools. An important part of most quality editing software such as Photoshop. Most of the tools seem to be simplified stock effects that can be applied.

Sorry but for a first post in an old thread this leaves a flavor of SPAM in my mouth.
 
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