I have finally accepted that although the pics i can take are `ok`, its time i need do some editing. But the question is what to use.

I understand there are many different programs out there but which is the best. I am after a mix between capability and ease. Any advice on which software to use would help. Obviously practice makes perfect so i am not expecting to able to do it from day one.

The main one is photoshop but even with that there are different variations with different price tags to go with them.

Thanks to all

Ultimately it is up to you what you are able to use and what you have used before.
Personally I use Lightroom3 for first stage editing and then any final tweeks are done in corel.
The only reason I use corel is because it's cheep and does what it says on the tin.
I could never get my head around PS.
Things may change now that I am using Lightroom but the costs of PS still grate me.
Especially as this is just a hobby
Corel Paintshop Photo Pro X3 only costs about £100 and is a very user friendly program but it does have it's limitations.
Lightroom3 costs around £300 and is bloody good but again does have it's limitations.
The combination of the two works for me.

no need for a debate just get photoshop and save yourself the time and money (paying for something else then photoshop later on). support, comunity support, tutorials, power, plug inns etc for photoshop is far superior to anything else, pay cheap pay twice. if in doubt just download a fully functional trials-I might be wrong for assuming your software knowledge is 0!?!.

I use Corel paint shop pro X2 Ultimate (£78.00 from Amazon) & occasionally lightroom 2 but find corel to be more user freindly.

tried photoshop years ago & found it time consuming & complex

nikonuser , Photographer  posted on 18/06/2010 04:06:59   Posted 223 times

Located:Middlesbrough & Rugby i commute!,Warwickshire, UK
Member Since: 20/12/2009

I don't think you'd go too far wrong with Lightroom and Photoshop Elements (the pared down version of PS).



Lots of people have the full-blown version of PS yet use either a tiny proportion of its power or, conversely, blast away at every picture they take with the full range of filters etc available to them...often with less than satisfactory results.



The other advantage to Elements is that it is fairly easy to get a free copy as it is often shipped, gratis, with new cameras.



A lot of people say good things about GIMP but I haven't used it personally.



Depending on your photographic needs another program worth looking at is DxO although not as your frontline editing tool.  It just happens to have some very advanced lens correction tools in it.



Jeremy

we have PS CS3 and lightroom.

Bridge is very ram intensive and my PC doesn't like it much, nothing else will work properly if I have it open.
 
Lightroom .... just never got around to using it if I'm honest :)


So for editing/trimming down shots we use breezebrowser pro.
Quck, easy, tick and select. Lets you rename all files at a click of a button, compare, etc, etc.

http://www.breezesys.com/BreezeBrowser/

pretty good for the price

Then just use PS or lighroom for your edits. Remember you can't do detail work in lightroom, so if you want to remove something, or clone, or patch, etc, etc you need proper editing software. Lightroom is only for lighting/exposure adjustments and adding global effects.

Cheers,
Ross

NoClue , Photographer  posted on 02/09/2010 10:56:49   Posted 28 times

Located:Braintree,Essex, UK
Member Since: 09/03/2009