Please register to participate in our discussions with 2 million other members - it's free and quick! Some forums can only be seen by registered members. After you create your account, you'll be able to customize options and access all our 15,000 new posts/day with fewer ads.
I never had many photos on my hard drive. This is starting to change. I use Gimp because it is free and I do not need any fancy options (that Photoshop may have).
You have two issues to deal with:
1. managing the photos you have
2. editing these photos
Photoshop is worth it, but can you afford the $600 USD?
Photoshop Elements is $70. Pretty good.
Lightroom is only $125.
My friend, the professional photographer, loves it.
Unless you're in a job where you can justify the expense (photography, graphic design), photoshop isn't worth the price. If you're looking to manage and develop digital photographs, Lightroom is a better option and is a lot more affordable.
You have two issues to deal with:
1. managing the photos you have
2. editing these photos
Photoshop is worth it, but can you afford the $600 USD?
Photoshop Elements is $70. Pretty good.
Lightroom is only $125.
My friend, the professional photographer, loves it.
Finally someone listed Photoshop Elements. It is a very capable product that combines editing with organization. I do not think most hobbyists need to spend $600 on Photoshop. Buy Elements instead.
I've had Photoshop since it came out. It's definitely worth it if you want to learn it. That's up to you. Professionally it is what I use.
I agree that for home use you could use Photoshop Elements. It's far more affordable. Then you would be on your way to learning it fully. The only thing you can't do with Elements is basically prepare files for full color process printing in CMYK. (unless they have changed that recently)
Thanks for the feedback guys. I know from a strictly technical point of view, Gimp has more than what I need. The reason why I am thinking about Photoshop is for the user interface; much easier to use for a beginner. I am sure in time I can learn more advanced options and learn Gimp too. Gimp is not rocket science. However, is Photoshop really that much easier to use? Like I said, I could definitely learn Gimp, but my projects and work are starting to pile up.
As for the finances, if Photoshop Elements is that much easier, I would be willing to buy it for 70 bucks. However, there is no way that I will spend 600 dollars for the pro version (with all its features I would never use) just for an easier user interface.
Finally someone listed Photoshop Elements. It is a very capable product that combines editing with organization. I do not think most hobbyists need to spend $600 on Photoshop. Buy Elements instead.
What I'll suggest is you're going to get more out of something like Photoimpact or Paintshop, those are flagship products and not stripped down versions. Don't let the $29 price tag on Photoimpact fool you, that's a full fledged editor with a ton of great features.
Please register to post and access all features of our very popular forum. It is free and quick. Over $68,000 in prizes has already been given out to active posters on our forum. Additional giveaways are planned.
Detailed information about all U.S. cities, counties, and zip codes on our site: City-data.com.
Please register to participate in our discussions with 2 million other members - it's free and quick! Some forums can only be seen by registered members. After you create your account, you'll be able to customize options and access all our 15,000 new posts/day with fewer ads.
Two issues
