would like suggestions on photo editing software

[Netskimmer]

I just need something that can make routine adjustments to photos like cloning and light and color adjustments but I would also like to work with bracketing and HDR. The price range I would prefer is $200 or less but I am flexible on this.
Does Photomatix do the same stuff that Photoshop does or is it just for HDR?

 

[KmH]

Photomatix is just for HDR.

Look at Corel PaintShop Photo Pro X3

You can afford to buy both.

Cloning is not a routine adjustment. You may also want to consider the free image ediging softwre www.GIMP.org.

 

[Netskimmer]

Look at Corel PaintShop Photo Pro X3

How does it stack up againts lower end photoshop software? I had my eye on Photoshop elements 9 but wasn't sure If it was what I needed

Cloning is not a routine adjustment. You may also want to consider the free image ediging softwre www.GIMP.org.

Sorry, I'm new to all this as you can see, I have heard several people on this board talk about it so I assumed it was routine.

By routine I meant that I'm not looking to fabricate convincing alien or Bigfoot photos ect. I just want something to improve the quality and composition of my photos

 

[KmH]

I just want something to improve the quality and composition of my photos

Then you need to learn how to do photography, not how to do image editing.

Compose in the viewfinder,

To improve the quality, get closer, and learn how to use light effectively in a photograph. Many amateurs don't use strobed (flash), or supplimental light when they should.

 

[Netskimmer]

I just want something to improve the quality and composition of my photos

Then you need to learn how to do photography, not how to do image editing.

Is it a sin to do both?

I am trying to learn photography but I am new at it and even the best photographer in the world is going to screw up from time to time and it would be nice to be able to fix minor errors rather than to throw the shot away. This would be especially true if the shot took a long time to get.
I'm not looking to Photoshop a snapshot into a masterpiece, I just want to be able to try to correct errors I am bound to make along the way.

 

[KmH]

The best photographers don't make errors very often. But, when they do they don't fix those errors by editing the image.

They cull and delete the images that have errors.

What the best photographers do with image editing software - is finish the image. Things like setting the white balance, sharpening (global and/or local), setting the white and black points, doing any special effects like adding a vignette, setting the bit depth and color space for the intended output, etc.

 

[c.cloudwalker]

Is it a sin to do both?

Kind of. As I was told a long time ago: "Learn to walk before you learn to run"

The best photographers don't make errors very often. But, when they do they don't fix those errors by editing the image.

They cull and delete the images that have errors.

What the best photographers do with image editing software - is finish the image. Things like setting the white balance, sharpening (global and/or local), setting the white and black points, doing any special effects like adding a vignette, setting the bit depth and color space for the intended output, etc.

For that ^^^^^^ reason.

Now, if you do go and learn both at the same time you won't be an oddity. That's the way most people do it. Then again, most people don't really go/get anywhere with their photography.

GIMP is free. Not quite as good as PS but close enough for a free software. From what I read here anyway. Photomatix is only for HDR. The way HDR is mostly done is kinda the equivalent of buying a fisheye lens. Nice, fun special effect that gets boring real quick.

 

[Netskimmer]

The best photographers don't make errors very often. But, when they do they don't fix those errors by editing the image.

They cull and delete the images that have errors.

What the best photographers do with image editing software - is finish the image. Things like setting the white balance, sharpening (global and/or local), setting the white and black points, doing any special effects like adding a vignette, setting the bit depth and color space for the intended output, etc.

That's mostly what I was referring to, don't really want to add or remove anything but I thought cloning might come in handy. I just want to be able to slightly alter color, white balance ect. I just need to work on my terminology a bit. I should have said I am looking for software to "finish" my photographs. I may just be my limited experience but it seems like ViewNx 2 is somewhat limited.

 

[travelshooter]

Hi Netskimmer,

I would really recommend you go with Photoshop Elements, because chances are, if you keep getting into photography, that you'll eventually invest into buying the full version of Photoshop anyway. That way you'll start lowering the learning curve immediately.

I also disagree with the fact that you MUST learn to take better pictures using the camera. You can actually learn a lot about composition by playing around with the cropping tool and about shadows and highlights by messing around with Levels. You also learn a lot just by studying good photographs. If you are ready to get into photography this shouldn't be too hard of a task. Good luck and enjoy this amazing art form.

The Travel Shooter
http://nativeshore.com

 

[clanthar]

If you can really afford $200.00 then you're close to being able to buy full Photoshop, Go to your local Community College and take the cheapest 1 credit or continuing ed class you can get (hopefully around $60.00) -- then use your student ID to buy the academic version Photoshop CS5 for $209.00.

However I would agree that Elements can be a good place to start and you can get Elements for well under $100.00. Corel's Program was mentioned -- it's capable software for even less than Elements if you catch one of Corel's sales -- also a good choice.

You do need editing software to finish the job and extend what you can do in the camera. The "camera only" versus "editing" debate has been going on long before photo turned digital. Back in the day it was the "chrome" versus "darkroom" debate. If you shot transparency film you had to get it right in the camera and that was a good discipline to embrace -- everyone should try it someday. However that shut you out of a whole lot of photos. If you shot negative film with the darkroom in the loop you could photograph subjects that transparency film couldn't handle. The same is true now. You should never be sloppy and fall back on editing, however without the software backup you're severely limited and there'll be things you just can't photograph camera-only. With software in the loop you extend your ability to capture more successfully.

GIMP was mentioned. I love GIMP and it's excellent software. I'd rate it better than Elements, BUT -- big but -- GIMP is 8 bit limited. I'm waiting anxiously for them to fix that. Given that you've got a camera with RAW recording capability that's a liability for GIMP.

Joe

 

[Netskimmer]

Thanks. I may invest in it shortly, I hadn't thought about the learning curve, I have heard others here mention that it can be pretty steep for Photoshop.

I have learned a few things by looking at the photos here and reading the comments and I have been asking critical questions to myself whenever I look at any photograph. The Feel Ask Refine Take method I found in the tutorial section gave me a lot to think about.

I definitely understand what the others are saying though. One should always strive to get the best shot and becoming to friendly with editing software could lead some people to try and get a "good enough" shot and the fix it later.

I guess if the answers were easy we wouldn't need to ask the questions.

I had thought about seeing if the local college had any photography courses, and it is a great idea to get the student version that way. Maybe I will make some inquiries.

 

[clanthar]

Thanks. I may invest in it shortly, I hadn't thought about the learning curve, I have heard others here mention that it can be pretty steep for Photoshop.

I have learned a few things by looking at the photos here and reading the comments and I have been asking critical questions to myself whenever I look at any photograph. The Feel Ask Refine Take method I found in the tutorial section gave me a lot to think about.

I definitely understand what the others are saying though. One should always strive to get the best shot and becoming to friendly with editing software could lead some people to try and get a "good enough" shot and the fix it later.

I guess if the answers were easy we wouldn't need to ask the questions.

I had thought about seeing if the local college had any photography courses, and it is a great idea to get the student version that way. Maybe I will make some inquiries.

Learning curve is relative; my son's a physicist -- you want to see a steep learning curve.... I did some work a few years back in randomness & predictive statistics (data encryption) that's a steep learning curve. Digital image processing, Photoshop or whatever, isn't really too bad, but there are pitfalls. You have to avoid picking up bad practice. This is a catch 22 because if you don't know what's bad practice how do you avoid it? Everybody's a photographer. And the less competent they are the more eager they are to show you how it's done. Because photography has such wide mass appeal there's a flood of products out there designed to appeal to the masses. Some of those products are designed around "bad practice" as their core function -- iPhoto comes to mind or Kodak EasyShare software.

So you'll have to wade through it and hopefully pick up the good and leave behind the bad -- good luck.

Joe