whatdat Loc: Del Valle, Tx.

Trying to move my photography along from a beginner by taking a couple of classes through the informal class section at the local university (Univ. of Tx. at Austin. Hook'em Longhorns.) Anyway, one class will be about using Photoshop cs-6 or Photoshop CC. Have never used either one before. So, where and what is the best source,price wise, for purchasing the above? Also, need to know if either software program can be put on more than one computer, how many, and if it can be transferred to another computer if bought later. I have noticed on the internet that there can be 30 free trials on downloads; do they automatically cancel at the end of 30 days or automatically renew?
Also, any suggestions about computer capability specs to handle the software and my photos.
I know I have lots of questions, but figure I will be able to good some really good answers on UHH>
Thanks.

whatdat Loc: Del Valle, Tx.

Oops. Should proofread my posts. concerning free trials, I should have said 30 DAY free trials on downloads.

Thanks, again.

rplain1 Loc: Dayton, Oh.

I would say by far the best option is Photoshop CC. It is $10 per month for Photoshop, Lightroom and Camera Raw including free upgrades every time the make an update. If you can even still buy cs-6 whatever you pay that is what you have. There will be no updates at any price because it has all gone to cc. I didn't like it when it first came out because I had cs-5 at the time and didn't like having to pay the subscription. But after considering all I had paid over the years to upgrade I realized $10.00 per month was nothing. Hopefully they won't raise the price like my cable does.

Fred Douglas Loc: SPRINGFIELD MASONIC RETIREMENT COMMUNITY

I am not an expert for sure, but I have used Photoshop
Elements for years and found it to do all the basic manipulation I need. Lately I have noticed that Adobe wants the user to subscribe by the month. Microsoft is doing the same thing with Windows 10 and beyond with much of their software. I hate what they have done to us. I imagine people all over the country fussing to make it work. When Windows 10 first came out they didn't even have a manual, expecting the user to ask questions and eventually there were answers. I apologize for going off.

bsprague Loc: Lacey, WA, USA

My favorite is B&H as the place to buy a year of Photoshop/Lightroom CC. They don't charge sales tax and sometimes have it on discount.

Photoshop Elements is NOT Photoshop. Similar, yes. But it won't cut it if you are taking a Photoshop Class.

30 day trial? What are you going to do after the class is over?

SS319

Ask the University Representative if you can buy through the University - the cost for software on campus is very reasonable!

whatdat Loc: Del Valle, Tx.

Thanks for the quick response guys. I will ck out the alternatives mentioned

mborn Loc: Massachusetts

I would go for Creative Cloud which includes PS/LR for $10/month

jerryc41 Loc: Catskill Mts of NY

PS CS6 is not longer available, unless you can buy a copy from someone, but then registering it for yourself might be tricky. Seven days is all the "free" you get from Adobe. If it works like other free trials, you give all your payment info up front, and you have to notify them and cancel before the trial ends.

I wonder about the wisdom of offering a course that relies on someone having a subscription. Maybe you can pay the $10 for a month and cancel, but then, what's the point of learning PS? Lightroom would be a better choice for instruction - and owning - since it's still available for purchase.

http://www.adobe.com/products/photoshop/free-trial-download.html

cthahn

Take one thing at a time. If you are serious about photography, get Adobe PS, LR, and Bridge. You will then have all you probably will every need and can do. It is always updated and you will find there is no end to what you can do with your imagination.

elliott937 Loc: St. Louis

As your instructor what options the school offers. Our university is extremely student supportive when it comes to software. Learn what your options are there before you make any decisions.

DavidPine Loc: Fredericksburg, TX

There are quite a few Meetup groups in Austin where you may participate with other photographers with a variety of skills. No one will look down on you if you have little skill and no one cares what equipment you use. Photographers in Austin are very helpful. Precision Camera has quite a few classes covering a wide range of topics with some really good instructors. I also recommend Lynda.com and KelbyOne.com. Both are subscription services that offer full courses at what I consider reasonable prices. B&H, Adorama have some really informative videos for free. YouTube is chocked full of information (some very good and a few very bad). Austin is an excellent place to hone your skills. Zilker Gardens, Umlauf Sculpture Gardens, Ladybird, Bull Creek are good for practice. Search out Randy Kerr, Tim Babiak, Doc List, Dave Wilson and Mark Heaps. These are just a few of the great instructors in the area who are recognized on a city, state, national and, international scale. Each offer group and private lessons. Good luck.

Ron 717 Loc: Pennsylvania

There will be many opinions on this subject to come, and this is my opinion.
Enroll in the Adobe Photoshop Creative Cloud program and you will have the latest and continually updated to the latest and in my opinion the best photography plan available. It costs $9.99 a month, which is about the cost of 2 cups of Dunkin Donuts coffee a month. The reason there is a course on this software is because it is the most popular software among photographers.

salmander

I posted this a couple of days ago on another subject. You can get Photoshop CS2 for free from Adobe. It is over 10 years old, they stopped supporting it, and they decided to give it away for free. It is not the current version, but it more than covers all the basic manipulations most people need. Commercial interests and advanced users would require the latest version.

Register yourself at the Adobe site, if you are not already, type in "CS2 free download" when you click on the (search) magnifying glass on the top right of the home page. On the bottom of the next page you will find the download buttons for Apple and PC. Copy the key code on the right and press the button. Ignore the notices that state that these are only 15 day trial versions, or that the downloads are only good if you have a previous version of the same software. Either Adobe was too lazy to change the original page from years ago, or they want to discourage (somewhat) millions of people from downloading Photoshop (albeit an older version) for free. Only the determined will forge ahead. I did not have a previous version (long story), I've had it for more than 15 days, and it works perfectly. You should be able to download it for every computer you have, if you go through the process anew with each one. It comes with an overview of how to use CS2, and the index leads you to everything in great detail.

However, it may be too old for any classes you take, which would use the latest version. The majority of what the classes cover may still be relevant - it would be a risk - but once it starts with something that CS2 does not have, you would be lost. If I ever become a more advanced user, I would consider the $10 per month rental route or buy a more recent version which can still be purchased. I think of it as a "free trial version" (lol).

dcampbell52 Loc: Clearwater Fl

While I fell sorry for your choice of inferior colleges (I am a University of Oklahoma graduate and have been a Sooner with football, basketball baseball and softball tickets) so Boomer Sooner!! Having said that, You should be able to get the reduced cost Adobe photography package through the University for as long as you are enrolled. However, the Adobe Photography package is only $9.99 per month for non-university users so you might want to just bite the bullet and get the regular subscription. In my "cloud" package for $9.99 per month, I get Adobe Lightroom (which I use to catalog and post process my images before exporting to Photoshop. I also get Photoshop, Adobe Camera Raw (ACR), and Adobe Bridge. I also get 2 gb of cloud storage which I use to pass photos back and forth to the wife when she is in Pennsylvania, Massachusetts, Maine, or where ever and I am in Florida, Oklahoma, or where ever. The beauty of the Adobe Cloud is that I can have two computers working on it at any given time. This means that if one of us is at home and the other is traveling with the laptop, we can both be on the cloud for the same 1 ($9.99) subscription. NOTE: We have 4 computers that we use Adobe Cloud on but you can only be logged into 2 at any given time so if one or both are traveling we log out of the unused computers at home so that we can log in remotely. NO EXTRA CHARGE you just have to make sure that where you are staying has internet access. (I realize that this is deep and difficult thinking for a Longhorn but that's why you have Sooner friends!! LOL just teasing. Maybe I will get to see you in Dallas this year at the Cotton Bowl. Take care.