UKC

Looking at getting my girlfriend some photo editing software. She has a digital SLR and has been on a few portrait etc courses. Though she mainly shoots landscapes with a bit of portrait and action thrown in. She has tried GIMP and didn't get on with it.

Can go up to around £160 if needed.

Any ideas?

In reply to idiotproof (Buxton MC): You could try Photoshop Elements? It's got alot of the functions of the full Photoshop CS software and is alot cheaper! There is also a program for HDR imaging called Photomatix which is good also-you can download the trial version and a little searching on a website with you and tube init will give you access to the serial key for free, apparently

In reply to idiotproof (Buxton MC):
I'd go for Lightroom, the full monty is about £150 and will do basic editing functions very well, is really good with RAW files and will handle all your cataloging/keywording requirements. Then you can go for Elements for more extensive editing/manipulation if she thinks she needs it. Plenty of serious photographers rarely use anything else but Lightroom.

In reply to Danzig:

seems to be more than one version of photoshop elements... is it the higher number the newer the package

In reply to idiotproof (Buxton MC):

Elements 10 is the most recent; think it was released on the 7th of December.

Try "gimp" it's brilliant and free.

In reply to charlieg0pzo:

Try reading the first post fully!

In reply to idiotproof (Buxton MC): if either of you are students/teachers or have access to such an email account, you can pick up photoshop a lot cheaper from software4students.com (or it was a few weeks ago). Cs5.5 has some great features but cs3 (I think) has good features such as creating an automatic gallery for the internet and again may be cheap somewhere due to its age

In reply to idiotproof (Buxton MC):

You can indeed get Photoshop not a lot cheaper, but a lot lot lot cheaper if you get student software. However CS6 is due out next year, so I would hang on for that before getting an Adobe product. Not sure if a new Lightroom is due as well.

I have no idea what level of functionality your g/f needs. Picassa is free and might suit, Windows Live Photo Gallery will do basic editing, ie also free and is a pretty fair management tool.

However suggest she sets her camera to take both RAW and JPG, if it will, and she can go back to the RAW files later if she wants. Also make sure it is taking the JPGs at the highest quality and biggest resolution it can, and never, ever alter the original. Use 'Save As' to make sure you don't accidentally trash the original. Hard disk space will be cheap again, being mean about what size photos you take isn't the way to go about getting good quality prints.

In reply to iain abernethy:

Her dad is a lecturer at Manc uni so may be able to get it through there

In reply to idiotproof (Buxton MC): he can and depend which department he can prob obtain a university copy for you

In reply to idiotproof (Buxton MC): I like Capture One

In reply to Bob Hughes:

she has gone for elements 10 with some sort of movie editing bundle aswell. Thanks for the advice

In reply to idiotproof (Buxton MC): There's a really good one called snap speed and it's free to day on you iPad it is really good like

GIMP is a bit different to what people expect, if she only tried it for 10 minutes she may have just gave up frustrated. Four hours with a tutorial (time is money but if you save 160, 40 an hour...) would be my suggestion.

The problems with buying a proprietary product that you run into may be:
- You're only going to buy one copy, but may use multiple computers, becomes restrictive
- Unlikely to get perpetual free upgrades, new computer may require rebuying the software to support the new OS
- Limited OS support (compared to GIMP)
- The whole antipiracy clusterfsck, potentially serial numbers, online activation
- May have intentionally crippled features, requiring a more expensive version (windows is like that...)
- Licence issues, often with the discount/free versions you'll be limited in what you can use it for.

But that's just me. Lots of people use photoshop. I get really frustrated when I want to do something but some company is deliberately restricting me in order to make a profit).

In reply to needvert:

Is there anything wrong with a commercial company wanting to make a profit?

In reply to Cats:

No.

In reply to idiotproof (Buxton MC): I second lightroom

In reply to Cats:

No, there isn't, but adobe do appear to be taking the pi55...

http://www.scottkelby.com/blog/2011/archives/22903

What a torrentable situation...er, I mean terrible situation

In reply to idiotproof (Buxton MC):

You could trial Lightroom from Adobe. You simply download the entire application and play till the time period runs out.

http://www.adobe.com/products/photoshoplightroom/

Just don't go looking for any keygens.
http://isohunt.com/torrent_details/191025177/lightroom+keygen?tab=comments

In reply to idiotproof (Buxton MC): I got my students to use GIMP instead of PS because of the cost of installing 20 copies in a lab. The students had a few problems, but with a small amount of effort they managed to accomplish what was required. I bought a copy, on line, of the book "GIMP 2.6 for Photographers" by Klaus Goelker which contains tutorial methods, etc. With the book is a CD with GIMP for several OSs and other software, including "Hugin" for stitching landscapes. My experience with GIMP is quite positive and with the book I have managed to do everything I set out to do, so far. Put the money towards a nice lens.