Photo editing software (Page 4): If you’re serious about image making use Photoshop.

Nicholas J DeSciose

If you’re serious about image making use Photoshop.

Bethanne Loc: Newaygo County, Michigan

bobmcculloch wrote:

You might also consider Paint Shop Pro, my go to. BTW Free trial, frequent discounts, not necessary to upgrade every year if your happy.

I was reviewing that one too.

parishard

You cannot beat Affinity! I have read about Affinity's deficiencies in editing RAW here in UHH. What the detractors don't tell you is that Affinity has a two ways to process RAW. Quick and easy (almost automatic) and more thorough and complex (if you choose). Probably 99% of the time you can get by with quick and easy. The pundits complain that editing RAW is destructive. That is absolutely false. Editing jpegs is destructive (if you don't make a copy to begin with). Affinity has an endless parade of techniques available for editing RAW non-destructively; the most obvious way is to simply make a copy of the RAW file to begin with; the duplicating process takes one keystroke to a prompt. The various ways to use non-destructive layers and masks is almost endless. There must be a hundred videos on this subject. All the more advanced techniques use masks, and all the mask and layer techniques are non-destructive. The price is right-$50.00. Updates are free; just download them. There are now a half dozen 'textbooks' available on the internet explaining and guiding you through hundreds of different PP techniques. All too many people are 'hung-up' on 'free' and what the 'deficiencies' are. You might want to consider what Affinity can actually 'accomplish'. There are also literally hundreds of videos available on Youtube, from individual entrepreneurs,and on Affinity's 'help' screens. I have yet to think about a PP problem that I can't find several videos explaining it along with chapters from more than one book. And last but not least, all of this is in 'your computer' and in 'your bookcase', not on someone else's 'cloud'. I forgot! If you use the third party books and you don't understand something, just email the author at the email address (they give you these addresses in all the books). I do it all the time; usually I get a response(s) in minutes or at most in hours; you can't get that kind of service from PS; not even for $120.00 per year. Bottom line, if you are interested in actually learning PP, you cannot do yourself a better favor than to get Affinity (pay the $50.00 for the program and buy a book or two, these guys have really earned - and continue to earn - their reward). There is no deficiency in the quantity (and quality) of information available (more than you will probably ever use) for free (at least half of it), but you have to take the initiative to use it. There is also a biblical concept to consider; every worker is worth his pay. Even Scrooge was finally forced to see the truth and efficacy of that statement.

duckfan48

Bethanne wrote:

Good advice. Thank you. I have Affinity trial right now.

I did the Trial and liked it, but later added ACDSEE and Luminar, which I find I like better than Affinity.

DirtFarmer Loc: Escaped from the NYC area, back to MA

As you will have noted, everyone has their own favorite when it comes to PP software. Personally, I think that since you have been using PS, that would be the easiest way to continue, using the new subscription software. $9.99/month (+ sales tax) is less than I spend on impulse purchases every month, and the subscription provides lasting value where my impulse purchases do not. Otherwise you have a lot of options to evaluate.

Many of them will have trial periods (including the subscription) but unless you're retired or have a lot of free time, it's hard to think up all the things to test in just 30 days. Also, trying to evaluate several different programs at the same time can get confusing. If you're going to switch, plan on spending a lot of time on the selection.

sodapop Loc: Bel Air, MD

Once again, Lightroom Classic and Photoshop 2021 are NOT "on the cloud". All work is done and stored on your computer. Lightroom has many auto choices that will do the work for you if you so choose

Bethanne Loc: Newaygo County, Michigan

parishard wrote:

You cannot beat Affinity! I have read about Affinity's deficiencies in editing RAW here in UHH. What the detractors don't tell you is that Affinity has a two ways to process RAW. Quick and easy (almost automatic) and more thorough and complex (if you choose). Probably 99% of the time you can get by with quick and easy. The pundits complain that editing RAW is destructive. That is absolutely false. Editing jpegs is destructive (if you don't make a copy to begin with). Affinity has an endless parade of techniques available for editing RAW non-destructively; the most obvious way is to simply make a copy of the RAW file to begin with; the duplicating process takes one keystroke to a prompt. The various ways to use non-destructive layers and masks is almost endless. There must be a hundred videos on this subject. All the more advanced techniques use masks, and all the mask and layer techniques are non-destructive. The price is right-$50.00. Updates are free; just download them. There are now a half dozen 'textbooks' available on the internet explaining and guiding you through hundreds of different PP techniques. All too many people are 'hung-up' on 'free' and what the 'deficiencies' are. You might want to consider what Affinity can actually 'accomplish'. There are also literally hundreds of videos available on Youtube, from individual entrepreneurs,and on Affinity's 'help' screens. I have yet to think about a PP problem that I can't find several videos explaining it along with chapters from more than one book. And last but not least, all of this is in 'your computer' and in 'your bookcase', not on someone else's 'cloud'. I forgot! If you use the third party books and you don't understand something, just email the author at the email address (they give you these addresses in all the books). I do it all the time; usually I get a response(s) in minutes or at most in hours; you can't get that kind of service from PS; not even for $120.00 per year. Bottom line, if you are interested in actually learning PP, you cannot do yourself a better favor than to get Affinity (pay the $50.00 for the program and buy a book or two, these guys have really earned - and continue to earn - their reward). There is no deficiency in the quantity (and quality) of information available (more than you will probably ever use) for free (at least half of it), but you have to take the initiative to use it. There is also a biblical concept to consider; every worker is worth his pay. Even Scrooge was finally forced to see the truth and efficacy of that statement.

You cannot beat Affinity! I have read about Affini... (show quote)

Wow. Thank you

Bethanne Loc: Newaygo County, Michigan

Ysarex wrote:

It doesn't do those things -- you're talking about... (show quote)

Thanks

Ysarex Loc: St. Louis

parishard wrote:

You cannot beat Affinity! I have read about Affinity's deficiencies in editing RAW here in UHH. What the detractors don't tell you is that Affinity has a two ways to process RAW. Quick and easy (almost automatic) and more thorough and complex (if you choose).

That is incorrect.

parishard wrote:

Probably 99% of the time you can get by with quick and easy. The pundits complain that editing RAW is destructive. That is absolutely false. Editing jpegs is destructive (if you don't make a copy to begin with). Affinity has an endless parade of techniques available for editing RAW non-destructively;

So you're misunderstanding and you're wrong.
First: Affinity is an excellent raster image editor and I highly recommend it. It's the best deal out there for the price and in the category of PS competitors it is hands down the best option (second to PS).

Now Raw processing. When people point out that Affinity's raw processing is destructive they mean that in the sense that it is workflow destructive. They don't mean that it overwrites and damages the raw original. We use the term destructive with two different meanings.
Meaning one: Software that overwrites an original makes the original no longer available and that's very obviously destructive. You can't do that with raw data. If you don't delete a raw file you don't lose it -- the data can't be overwritten.
Meaning two: A destructive workflow freezes your editing work or discards your editing work so that you can't make further modifications -- the software is destructive of your work. Affinity's raw workflow is destructive in this sense. It discards any work you do in the Develop module and if you want to return to that edit and make a change you have to do your work over. That is a destructive workflow.

Easy test if you want to prove it to yourself. Open a raw file and under the Basic tab open the White Balance adjustment. A default value for Temperature will show. Add 500 to that value and write down the new value. Click on Develop and the image will open in the Photo module. Save it or close it and then go back and re-open that raw file. Go to White Balance and see if the value you wrote down is still there. If it's not you just got bit by a destructive workflow that didn't save your previous work.

parishard wrote:

the most obvious way is to simply make a copy of the RAW file to begin with; the duplicating process takes one keystroke to a prompt. The various ways to use non-destructive layers and masks is almost endless. There must be a hundred videos on this subject. All the more advanced techniques use masks, and all the mask and layer techniques are non-destructive. The price is right-$50.00. Updates are free; just download them. There are now a half dozen 'textbooks' available on the internet explaining and guiding you through hundreds of different PP techniques. All too many people are 'hung-up' on 'free' and what the 'deficiencies' are. You might want to consider what Affinity can actually 'accomplish'. There are also literally hundreds of videos available on Youtube, from individual entrepreneurs,and on Affinity's 'help' screens. I have yet to think about a PP problem that I can't find several videos explaining it along with chapters from more than one book. And last but not least, all of this is in 'your computer' and in 'your bookcase', not on someone else's 'cloud'. I forgot! If you use the third party books and you don't understand something, just email the author at the email address (they give you these addresses in all the books). I do it all the time; usually I get a response(s) in minutes or at most in hours; you can't get that kind of service from PS; not even for $120.00 per year. Bottom line, if you are interested in actually learning PP, you cannot do yourself a better favor than to get Affinity (pay the $50.00 for the program and buy a book or two, these guys have really earned - and continue to earn - their reward). There is no deficiency in the quantity (and quality) of information available (more than you will probably ever use) for free (at least half of it), but you have to take the initiative to use it. There is also a biblical concept to consider; every worker is worth his pay. Even Scrooge was finally forced to see the truth and efficacy of that statement.

the most obvious way is to simply make a copy of t... (show quote)

rfmaude41 Loc: Lancaster, Texas (DFW area)

Bethanne wrote:

Thanks. I did too and loved it. That was before Cloud. I had Photoshop 7. An older program.

For a (sort of) free version of LRc and PS, try DarkTable and GLIMPSE (previously called GIMP).

jimmol

I recommend ACDSee Ultimate. I've used it for many years. At one point I tried Lightroom but found ACDSee much superior. It has everything that Lightroom has, plus everything that I ever used in Photoshop.

koratcat

cahale wrote:

If you used Photoshop in the past, get Photoshop Elements. It's a single purchase item and does most of the major things Photoshop does without your having to pay and pay and pay.

I'd echo the things that Ysarex has already said about Affinity and add that the company seems to take good care of its customers.

That said, Photoshop Elements is also a program you should take a close look at. It may not do all of the things that its Cloud based big brother can do, but you can go a long way with it. B&H currently has the 2021 version on sale for $69.99.

Toment Loc: FL, IL

As Paul suggested, try them all. Luminar is very easy but may not offer all you need.
Have fun! (Again)

pego101

Photoshop classic

sdentice

Bethanne wrote:

Hello everyone, My name is Beth, I have been away from photography for a couple of years and currently have chosen to get back into it. I have decided not to use photoshop via cloud as my photo editing software. I am entertaining Affinity Photo instead. I would appreciate anyone's feedback or recommendation on an alternate photo editing program.

Hi Beth,

I have met several people lately that don't understand how CC works, the monthly cost for the photographer package is 9.99 for BOTH Photoshop CC and Lightroom Classic along with the Mobile version of LR, if you want to use it with a tablet. The full professional version (1000.00) of CC is mostly for professional photographers and graphic design users. There are many new features within both apps that might make the new versions worth the money. You can start in LR and then make more edits in CC and come back to LR very easily. I know we hate the idea of paying for a subscription app but unfortunately it seems that most software company's are all changing over to that platform. Photoshop Elements is also a good choice that you can usually find on sale for under 100.00. Elements has come a long way too and has many of the features of CC.