4SFED Z

What os the best photo editing software that I can use for car shots, family photos ect that I can add various effects and backgrounds to that isn't going to break the bank?

Also, if possible provide a sample pic

Thanks

Silverbullet00

My wife is a pro photographer. Her Forum name is SWR. Send her a pm. The woman knows what the best stuff is. She uses it everyday!


Here is an old pic of my car:

Buggyman

I think that you will find that the issue with most of the photo editing software available is not the cost. Unless you are VERY computer literate the issue is "What program is easiest and quickest to learn. The tried and true PhotoShop and its various sub programs are great and can do most anything but the learning curve is long if you want to be able to do a lot of things with it.

4SFED Z

I consider myself computer savy just curious is photoshop was the recommendation if so which one

Xx_Black-out

Adobe Photoshop (I still use CS3)
Adobe Lightroom
Photomatix

are all great programs.

Download Gimp 2.6 if you want to play around for free. It has A LOT of tools that Photoshop has...

Mr.Bill

Photoshop is one heck of a program, But it isn't cheap.
I use Nikon Capture for all my editing, But it is no way close to Photoshop.
Mr.Bill

Caesar68

Try Picasa, its free and easy to use.

SVTBAIT

When I was using a PC, I'd always use Lightroom. It's basically Photoshop for dummies. I also used to use Photomatix - it's and HDR creating software if that's something that you're interested.

Results:







Now that I have a Mac, I use iPhoto, which does a very nice job. I use HDRtist for all my HDR Photos now.

Results:

ZMX

GIMP is free and powerful.

74-Roadster

I use photoshop elements 10.0. Used to use full photoshop but too expensive for goofing around.

I just purchased the photoshop elements and premier elements bundle for $95. I use them both for my son's sports etc.

I'll post a picture I did recently for you.

. . . and yes the learning curve does take a while to become proficient.

74-Roadster

Virtual Geezer

DAMN!! That's a mighty fine photo -- one of the best I've seen anywhere! Congrats!

DeeGee

I've used Ulead PhotoImpact for years. I just went with the flow and bought Photoshop Elements.

JETZ

Luv dat pic!

Choreo

The answer to that question is similar to when my clients ask me how much does a good website cost. I tell them usually somewhere between $100 and 1.5 million dollars initially depending on what you want it to do and how you define "good"! Then I hand them my 7-page fine-print web-site construction questionnaire which brings up scores of things they never considered. I then tell them that they can get a Professional Website for FREE on TV now, and when they are through with that promise to give me a call.

I think your question is really what is the least I can spend to get what I need done (not sure what all that includes), but you may find your "needs" expand over time. If you know "exactly" what you need and you are sure you will never need anything beyond those few sets of tools, then buy the cheapest thing you can find that will do the specific things you are looking for.

In my case, I have used just about every software title mentioned previously in this thread and I have been using Photoshop every day for over 20 years (before it was even Photoshop). I am an Adobe Certified Expert and Certified Instructor in Photoshop as well as many other Adobe products. I of course use Lightroom 4 for many initial operations if I am taking the photos myself (as I am also a professional photographer with a studio), but usually will offload work from Lightroom to Photoshop at some point for the details. I also view Photoshop as the "heart" of my system as nearly every file will pass through there at some point and my Photoshop 3rd party Plug-ins cost many times the price of Photoshop itself and they must be upgraded with nearly every version update. So in my case it gets pretty expensive.

But for most people that are just going to use software occasionally, I would probably recommend Lightroom (just dropped about 50% in price) - especially if you don't think you will need to modify individual elements radically within the photos you take and if you need to do that as well something like Photoshop Elements may be a cheap alternative.

Xx_Black-out

Great looking picture


You'll be getting many PMs from me in the future