awesome14 Loc: UK

I use ImageMagik:
https://imagemagick.org/script/download.php

Darktable:
https://www.darktable.org/install/

GIMP:

awesome14 Loc: UK

I use ImageMagik:
https://imagemagick.org/script/download.php

Darktable:
https://www.darktable.org/install/

GIMP:
https://www.gimp.org/downloads/

All are free, with superb editing algorithms that rival or surpass LR and/or PS. They all run on Win/Mac/Linux. None will be easy as a program you have been using for decades.

But the above all work nondestructively. There are no reviews or comparisons of current versions of any of the above vs LR and/or PS. But and extension or brush that works with PS will work with GIMP. GIMP starts out simple, and it grows by adding modules, extensions, brushes, or activating modes that are turned off by default.

Programs like Picasa and infraview degrade lossy image formats, like jpg, each time an image is altered and saved.

I had about 300 images I needed altered to the same resolution, same outer dimensions on the long side, whether that was the vertical or horizontal, and I needed lossless processing. That job took three minutes with ImageMagik.

I put a laptop on eBay.com. But a dark display is not attractive, and a photo of the actual display looks pretty bad. So, I used my own photo, put it over the display in the laptop photo, pulled one edge down a bit, because the perspective wasn't perfectly 90 degrees on all corners, and ended up with a spectacular image of the display. It is worth 100.00. It sold for 279.00!

That photo edit took about five minutes with GIMP. And I didn't need to open a single menu.

Darktable is a photography workflow application. It is really only absolutely 'necessary' for raw images. It understands the formats of most raw images. If your camera isn't on the list, you just need to take picture in raw format, and upload it on darktable's website.

The developers will reverse engineer the format, and add it to the program. Most raw-image formats are automatically recognized.

This is vs. the camera software, which can read and convert one raw format to a few different compressed formats like jpg.

Darktable organizes and stores images in a structure that makes it trivial to find the image you want, based on how long ago you last opened it, the overall level of lightness or darkness, percentage of skin tone, dimensions, resolution, and I don't know what all else. It also allows one-step back-up to external media.

All of the above allow lossless editing that does not alter the original image. But, the user can choose to overwrite the original image. So, until the user is absolutely sure he has the final product he wants, he can either start over, or back off the changes made, and redo as necessay.

It's all intuitively obvious, right out front, no digging around. And adding text is so simple.I could use GIMP as soon as I opened it the first time. As I've grown in my abilities, I have been able to add to GIMP according to what my imagination requires.

bsmith52 Loc: Northeast Alabama

The windows Photo application (comes with your Windows PC) is very capable for your needs as is Google Photos.
And Google Photos can be used on an IPhone as well (not sure about on a Mac PC).

bull drink water Loc: pontiac mi.

never never never when i pay for something, i want to own it. the folks a photoshop are like dentist, once they get in you pocket they are there forever.

via the lens Loc: Northern California, near Yosemite NP

I recently came across a discussion on another forum I go to and the poster mentioned an application called PhotoScapeX. I went to the website to see what it was about. The basic software is free, you can upgrade to a Pro version but probably won't need to. The software can be found on the company website or on the Apple store for Mac. The software seems to have a bit of everything in it, from a collage option to whatever else you can think of. It's got a little bit of PS, LR, ON1, Luminar, etc., includes borders and frames and text can easily be included. It won't replace my standard LrC/PS approach but I'll certainly use it to play around. It is worth looking at.

Brian Hartnell Loc: Marinette WI

You should try the free trial of Seriff Affinity Photo 2021, it only costs $49 but has all the power of the full blown Photoshop and you only pay once rather than a subscription. I own Photoshop, Elements, Faststone Image Viewer and Affinity Photo. If your not locked into a particular program, try Affinity Photo, it works on both Mac and Windows and is the software I recommend for my non professional Camera Club members as affordable and extremely powerful. You only need to learn the tools you most often need but then you can also grow into its superior other tools if you desire.

jerrym

My feelings and experience exactly.

mwsilvers Loc: Central New Jersey

I am a long time user and beta tester of DXO PhotoLab. However, even the entry level Essential version of PhotoLab is far from being free or simple to use, which is what the normpel was asking for.

mwsilvers Loc: Central New Jersey

Lightroom at $120 a year is not the free solution the OP was asking for. He also wanted something as easy to use as Picasa. Lightroom can be very difficult to master end requires external learning resources and an extensive amount of time to do so. Many people not willing to dedicate the time and effort needed to master it just give up.

Brian Hartnell Loc: Marinette WI

The biggest issue is the way in which Picasso might modify a file and the way something like Affinity Photo or a Photo shop would do is quite different in the way of quality of finished image. If someone doesn't want to learn the simplest of the tools necessary to correct an image the right way, then they probably will use the lessor software if it satisfies their needs. There is quite a difference between the programs and if you can learn the better way, you would not be dissatisfied. Free software doesn't always offer the correct way to post process an image. If your serious about photography, you need to investigate better programs to post process and they don't have to cost a fortune. Darktable and Raw Therapee are both free, Affinity is $49, Photoshop Elements is $79 or so on sale and their are others out there. Nobody said you have to learn the whole program, just the tools that accomplish what you need. Exposure adjustments, White Balance adjustments, contrast, sharpness, cropping, healing, cloning, straightening, flipping vert/horz, noise reduction ect. Free programs don't always do it as well or their tools aren't as easy to use. Basically it is whatever your up to or what you aspire to.

mwsilvers Loc: Central New Jersey

I guess then that you do not pay a monthly fee for your internet, or phone service, or health insurance, or rent if you are renting your home, or anything else you pay for on a monthly, quarterly or yearly basis that you do not actually own.

mwsilvers Loc: Central New Jersey

Just a small correction. Picasso is a long-dead 20th century cubist painter. What you intended was Picasa, of course. The spelling error is unimportant since we all know what you meant. Even the OP spelled it incorrectly. I wouldn't be surprised if it is spelled incorrectly 50% of the time. I posted only on the off chance you weren't aware of the actual name of the software product.

markngolf Loc: Bridgewater, NJ

Picasa still exists and all features are in tact, other than the ability to email directly from the application. However there is an easy "workaround" for emailing images.
I sent you a Private Message regarding a download of Picasa from my Dropbox. (no malware or advertisements, just the installation file)

Mark