Do you like digital photo editing? What are the software you use most in order to edit the images you want? Did you follow a "special" tutorial in order to get better and improve yourself in photo editing or you did it all alone?
I use Photoshop CS5 (not the latest version) but I've used some cheaper programs and even the free Gimp on occasion. I have to admit that I'm not too keen on reading manuals or following tutorials, so most of my editing ability has been acquired by trial and error and I'm sure that there are a lot of aspects of my software that I know nothing about.
I had been using Adobe Photoshop since the year 2002 when our office got an installer. It was really, really difficult at first because I was overwhelmed with the buttons. So many functions would really distract me and worse, confuse me. But fortunately, I have patient colleagues who would provide me with free tutorial. So now I am quite at ease but I still don't use the complicated functions. My main use of Adobe is the crop the photo and sometimes change the brightness and contrast. With cropping, it is more of a requirement by some websites that I join hence the need to make my photo smaller.
I love photo editing and tend to learn how to use software by trial and error and instinct, I guess I have a resistance to following tutorials, possibly because I find them difficult to follow sometimes. I generally use an old obsolete but much loved Microsoft programme called Photodraw, it does all basic editing and artistic enhancements. Photoshop I do use sometimes, but it generally has too many complicated options for what I want.
We use to have Adobe Deluxe and I used it quite often. Couldn't have it with Windows Home Edition 7. Now I use PhotoGo, Noiseware Standard Edition and Movie Maker. Also have PhotoStudio Expressions Platinum, but haven't installed it yet. All, but Movie Maker, cost us to have.
I enjoy editing photos digitally also. Back when I had the old dinosaur computer, I had a microsoft program called Digital Image, which I used all of the time, and really loved. It had basic effects you could do, and then 1-2 disks that had even more possibilities on them. There used to be an online photo editor called "Picnik" that was very popular, and they were bought out by Google, and then just disappeared. However, the former owners of Picnik started a new version called PIc-Monkey, which is very similar to the original Picnik. There is a basic free version, and then the "pro" version which is a paid version; but has lots more options for editing pictures. So far, they do not have an app for the iPad (as far as I know), and it only works if you have a regular computer. http://www.picmonkey.com
I think we have Windows Live Photo Gallery. It gives options of fixing, allowing a variety of changes to be performed, cropping, sizing, color rendition, etc. Wish I knew how to use it! Frank
I used to love picnik....pic monkey is ok but not as good as picnik...but then I only use the basic version...not sure if you get too much more for the paid version, perhaps I should try it.. I use picassa a lot but google are discontinuing it in May..
I used the advanced version of Picnik, and the difference was well worth the price of it. I think it was something like $20 for a whole year back then. As far as Picmonkey, I so seldom use my desktop computer any more that it didn't make any sense to pay for the advanced Picmonkey . If they would come out with an app, then I would definitely buy it and get the best verion available. I also tried using Picassa after the bought out Picnik; but I can't use that with the iPad either. I get something called Pixite; which is where I store pictures online, but it doessn't have the photo-editing options like Picnik or Picassa does. Thankfully, there are some really great apps for the iPad, and that is what I use for pictures. Aviary is the one I use for basic editing, and then PhotoLab Pro is great for re-sizing and adding frames and things like that.
I like Roxio PhotoSuite 5. It is an old version, but works on windows 7. Like Terry, I learn by trial and error, and Roxio has an amazing menu of options.
trouble is Joe I have a Mac...no windows here.... @Yvonne Smith , yes I too had the paid version of picnik..oooh and also, errrrm, lemme think...what was it called...?...Flickr (I think you can download flickr as an app),,,I think I'll google reviews of the paid version of pic monkey and see what they say before I decide whether it's worth it.... I use my Desktop Mac for most of my stuff. I rarely use my Ipad tbh...I I should use it more often really... it's very underused..
I also have the Flickr app on the ipad, @Holly Saunders ; and I like it because I can share pictures with my family easily that way. If they have an editor, I guess that I just never paid any attention and took the time to look for one. I think that PicMonkey probably has a free trial of their premium edition, or at least you can look at what other things are available on that version. Most of the things I liked the best were on the premium one, and at the time I used Picnik, I was raising and selling puppies; so I needed to take lots of pictures to use on my webpage and sales ads. Picnik had some great backgrounds and effects that i really liked. I imagine that the new Picmonkey version has about the same things; but I no longer raise puppies, and I don't use the computer since I can do everything with the iPad. Once I started using tthe ipad, I liked it so well that I never even considered going back to having to sit in front of a desk in an uncomfortable chair to be online. I have one of the lap-desks that rests on the arm of my recliner, and I have a Zagg keyboard case for the iPad, and I can do everything that I did before with my computer, and I can relax in my comfortable chair when I do it. Bobby has a recliner, too (although he likes to sit in his other chair near the front door), and we can both enjoy each other's company while we browse the internet from our chairs. No more hiding out in the back-office computer room for us .
I love it, and all I use is freeware. If I want to do some sort of Photoshop type editing, I google "free alternatives to photoshop" and then I download that software. GIMP is a good one to match the bells & whistles on Photoshop. My fave 2, that I can do a lot of fun stuff, are Paint.net, and Photoscape. Both free. I need to talk to Phil though and find out how he does such a good job of "cutting" and pasting his face into images.