Photoshop And Other Image Editing Software

The most expensive image editors, such as Photoshop were really developed specifically for designers and graphic artists

There are a great number of image editing software programmes on the market, and if you can afford to pay several hundred pounds for one then you will be in possession of a product that will do everything and lots more than the average, and in lots of cases the more than average digital photographer will ever need.

The most expensive image editors, such as Photoshop were really developed specifically for designers and graphic artists, and there is no doubt that they produce the goods. If this is what you want and can afford then go ahead and purchase Photoshop. You won’t be disappointed in the magic that it can produce.

One of the drawbacks about purchasing an expensive Photoshop type image editor is that they can have a very high learning curve. If you don’t have some prior knowledge about image editing then your learning experiments can take for ever. I never like the instruction books for these products. They are usually as dry as sticks to read, and are written with the idea that I know something about the product already.

Fortunately there are some less expensive and easier to learn image editors on the market that have everything that all but the most advanced professional photographer will need.

I will run through these editors for you, giving a little information about each, and an address for you to check up on. Please be aware that I am not paid by any of these companies.

Top of the tree comes:-

Photoshop CS.(www.adobe.com)

Intermediate level we have

Paint Shop Pro.(www.jasc.com) which is a recommended software. Great value for money, a little like Photoshop, but not as sophisticated.

Ulead PhotoImpact (www.ulead.com) Quite similar to PSP

Entry level comes:-

Photoshop Elements(www.adobe.com). In lots of ways this programme should be in the intermediate list, but I put it here because of the great help that is given in the software. Also there seems to be more help books available in the bookshops about this software. If I didn’t use Photoshop CS I would definitely use this programme. In fact I do have it installed on my laptop and use it extensively.

Microsoft Picture It(www.microsoft.com) Gives the photographer an easy programme that has some of the necessary tools.

Roxio PhotoSuite(www.roxio.com) .

Ulead Photo Express(www.ulead.com)

Some of these image editors come free with scanners and printers. It may be considered a god idea to install a couple of these programmes on the one computer to get more flexability.

If you are serious about purchasing image editing software you should download the demo version from the website of the company that interests you, and look for reviews on the internet and in photography magazines