JohnE

I would stick with Adobe Elements and try to find a friend that can help you get going. It's as easy as they come. There are several good books at most book stores to help you with the basics. Like most things, it just takes time. If you don't know anyone close who can help one evening a week, look for a local camera club by typing in your location and "camera club." Best of luck. Once you get going you'll find it goes quite fast. Another thing. Like starting any new program - you don't need to learn everything it has. Most programs have what we bought them for, then the 60% of other things that someone else might appreciate. Make a list of what you want to achieve and stick with those things only until you master them. Best of luck. John

georgemcbride Loc: South Jersey

Hello, Just go on line and type in Photo Editing Programs, I liked Paint Net. But there are several, for Free, it all depends what You want to do and how much time You will want to apply

JohnE

Cissy, I really think you're OK with Adobe as long as it is the Photo Elements version. Hopefully you weren't pushed into buying it combined with Adobe Premier (their video processing program). Sometimes they're bundled but for those not using it daily, this only seems to complicate things. I like the Adobe Photo Elements because most book stores have several beginner books available to help get one going. I suggest you view the book before you buy it. Once committed, make a short list of what you'd like to accomplish 1st. Stick to learning these first and don't get distracted by thinking you have to learn or even use every tool available. Usually using 1/4th of the program will impress yourself and your friends. Nobody learns every technique/tool of any program that I have seen or used. That's not what they're there for. Programs throw a lot in hoping to please a wider base of users, knowing that weverything is not for everyone. Keep it simple, keep it focused and once you've mastered what you expected, you can make another list of goals. It's still fastest to find someone to help you, if only for 1 to 2 hours to get you started in the right direction. Once connected, you'll be amazed at how fast you will progress. Adobe controls also allow you to make their tools bolder if you're having problems seeing them. Best of luck and don't get locked into jumping around on programs. Regardless of which you use, as long as you're on their entry level program and they do have start up books available at your local book store - from their it just takes a bit of time. Once you get it though, you'll be amazed at how fast you understand and progress. Best wishes, john

Jack Disbrow Loc: Northern New Jersey

I regularly suggest "PhotoScape", a FREE editing program (and a lot more) coming out of Korea. Version 3.6 just came out a few months ago, and it is the best ever. (BTW, it's all in English!)

No, PhotoScape will not do everything, but it does a lot, and very well, too. It also contains a great photo viewer that makes showing a series of photos a real joy.

Give it a try. You should be able to find it on the internet. And do let everyone here how well it works for you. Good luck, and have fun.

MtnMan Loc: ID

I recommend you get the Photoshop Elements book by Kelby and Kloskowski. I was frustrated with Elements for three months before I bought it. I tried all the tutorials and videos and they didn't help much.

The book taught me more in three days than the previous three months and had me doing stuff on every page.

I now love Elements! I won't know everything for several years but now am able to do all kinds of cool stuff very easily.

But I do recommend you get Elements 10. Many things have been added. Anything lower than 9 isn't worth having.

Shop around...Adobe usually wants more for an "upgrade" than you can purchase the program for new. I got it for $49 at Costco last fall. I think now you can find it for $69.

MtnMan Loc: ID

Both of your advise posts are excellent in my book!

I will quibble with the one statement below. If you think Photoshop Elements is easy you may have forgotten what it took to learn it.

Picasa is much easier for doing simple things.

For me Photoshop Elements 10 was frustrating at first for several reasons:
1. Some of the ways that Adobe does things just are not intuitive. I use a lot of computer programs but their ways of doing things are just enough different that I kept being frustrated. (That is no longer a problem...but it is till you get accostomed.)
2. I didn't know what words like "dodge" and "burn" meant so those tools and others didn't mean anything to me.
3. The program has so many ways to do things that it is simply overwhelming. You can do most things at least three ways but that just adds to the complexity.
4. The program has so much stuff that it will take a long time to learn it all.

However, Kelby and Kloskowski take you through step by step what to do to get a result so it cuts through all the above.

Once you are getting some results it becomes fun.

Armadillo Loc: Ventura, CA

When you need to zoom in on the picture use your mouse wheel to enlarge, or decrease the image size. You can enlarge up to the individual pixels.

Michael G

ShelterCove Loc: Nowhere, CA

There often classes, at community college, community education, adult education, education for seniors at colleges and universities. Many are short (one a week for 5 -7 weeks). Usually not too costly.

jimmya Loc: Phoenix

Hi Cissy. I use both Fast Stone and Gimp for different types of editing and I find them both really easy. I do mostly simple stuff such as contrast, brightness, etc., and these two programs offere pretty simple features.

Good Luck

dragonfist Loc: Stafford, N.Y.

I highly recommend Photoscape. It is free and is quite easy to use. Just put it in your search engine a get a free download.

bubbaDon Loc: southern tier, New York

When I got windows 7, it came with Windows Live Photo Gallery, free & extremely easy.

rowandjr Loc: New Jersey

Picasa great program very easy and its free NYIP use it .

Raymond Loc: Portland Oregon

Photoscape is an excellent program.

ab7rn Loc: Portland, Oregon

I had trouble with the Adobe programs at first, too. They are so large that it is hard to find your way around at first. I found some books that helped me a lot. The series is called the "Missing Manual". They exist for Photo Shop Elements and for CS5, etc. They can be found in book stores and Amazon. Good hunting!

steve03 Loc: long Lsland

Thanks sarge69, I think it will be a big help for me.