Best Photo Software for A Beginner?

6 years 7 months ago #536200 by HazelDavid
As a very beginner, I would like to ask for your professional advice in choosing a photo processing software for a beginner with a limited budget.

I look for answer to it on the Internet. Here are some suggestions I found:
2017 Five Free And Best Online Photo Editor ,
6 Best Graphic Design Software for Beginner ,
15 Essential Photo Editing Applications
From your own prospective, what is the one worthy of using? Or should I begin learning Illustrator or Photoshop instead?


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6 years 7 months ago #537369 by garyrhook
You don't need graphic design software.

The free stuff you can work with without commitment. Do it.

You don't specify your camera, nor budget.

Lightroom has a free trial. Use it. LR is more than just an editing program. It helps organize your images. You can buy a v6 license for $150 or less.

Gimp and Photoshop are the big guns. That's the wrong place to start. Paintshop Pro is a fine program, too. If you can find a trial, use it before deciding.


Photo Comments
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6 years 7 months ago #537376 by KCook
Those lists are all over the map! Thus nearly useless.

Graphic design is really an extension of photography. Which is where PS comes in.

If all you want is to refine photos, not redesign them, then you don't need to go as far as PS. GIMP, Lightroom, and Rawtherapee can handle image adjustments.

I saw that one list had Adobe Elements. Which is kind of a lightweight PS. For that role I prefer ACDSee. In fact ACDSee is about all I use anymore.

Kelly Cook

Canon 50D, Olympus PL2
kellycook.zenfolio.com/

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6 years 7 months ago - 6 years 7 months ago #537400 by Shadowfixer1
Start with whatever software comes with the camera. Then you can decide when or if you need to move up to more powerful software. If it were me I would get the Lightroom/Photoshop CC and spend the time learning how to use it. It's worth 10 bucks a month in my opinion. Skip 2 Starbucks trips and you are good for a month. If the interest in Photography wanes, then you just cancel the subscription and forget about it.
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6 years 7 months ago #537458 by Meiko
I'd echo the advice to go try the Lightroom free trial first, although I personally can't stand that Adobe charges a subscription now, and use older versions myself.

If you wanted to get into something like fashion photography, I'd probably recommend going straight to Capture One, just because it's such a standard, and for my money more logical and capable of better results in studio and professional settings.

Lightroom and Camera RAW in particular went a bit crazy with HDR-like processing which they now build into everything from exposure to highlights and shadows. It's what I turn to when I've got a bad image I need to make presentable.


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6 years 7 months ago #537558 by grahamnt
As a beginner, I only have known a few photo software good for viewing and editing. Aside from Photoshop, a friend recommended me to use a PhotoViewer Pro too. I want to know your thoughts about it.


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6 years 7 months ago #538393 by effron
The latest Elements

Why so serious?
Photo Comments
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6 years 3 months ago #553334 by Annaanna
I used  photo editor  Pictonica from the very beginning and use it now with photoshop. Its easier even for professional, and obviously useful for beginner, in my opinion


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