Help with photo editing, please pretty please with cherries on top.

[Sheila]

Hey everyone! I have been looking around for a good photo editor and am not sure what to get. I am pretty new to all of this so I dont even know how to do a lot of the tricks and techniques. Heck i cant even understand how to use layers which is one thing i really want to learn. Soooo what i am here for is to get everyones opinion on what is the best photo editor, also if you know of any site or something with good tutorials or training on how to learn how to do the techniques.

I would like opinions on paid for editing software and free. I will probably start with a free one until I learn how to actually use the different options they have.

Thanks so much in advance! i appreciate all the help i can get. Also any tips you might have on how to achieve your favorite effects are appreciated if you dont mind!

[Karen Mitchell]

If you just want to have a play around Picnik is good and it's free for most of the things you want to do.

[Sheila]

Thank you Karen. I have used picnik before and i really like it but i am kind of limited there. I want to be able to grow and learn to produce more interesting photos. Problem being i have to learn first. :)

[e.gad]

Try GIMP. I just downloaded this week but haven't played with it that much. You can do layers. I also use Photoshop Elements. Not sure where you are located, but that costs less than $100. Hope this helps!

[Sarah White]

GIMP is good and there is quite a bit you can do in picnik especially if you upgrade which is a small price. I use picnik and GIMP. I did get given PSP X3 but that just kept crashing our computer so I never got to use it. GIMP is free so you may be better trying something like that and seeing how you go.

[Flamez]

Paint Shop Pro X3 ,is my all time fav :D

fab for everything really! U can get a free 30 day download trial online and its awesome

loads of tutorials online step by step making learning really really easy:D

[Sara]

If you have a Mac, you can try a 30 day trial of Pixelmator. Once the 30 days is up, it's only $30 to buy it.

[Paul Kelly]

Torrents are free allegedly.

[Emma]

I use corels paint shop photo x3 and liek flamez I really like it. I had a 30 day free trial from the website first and when it finished I really missed it and didn't enjoy going back to picnik.
I bought it on amazon for about £30 and have used it nearly every day since.

Saying that, I would LOVE to own photoshop but I don't have much spare money. However I am aware with my student id I can buy it at a huge discount so I'm hoping to save up for it for Christmas.

For tutorials there are lots of places, youtube have hundreds if you want a video tutorial.

For written tutorials I use many sites:
http://www.photomatters.org/about
http://www.digital-photography-school.com
http://www.paintshopblog.com/
http://thepioneerwoman.com/photography/
http://www.corel.com/servlet/Satellite/gb/en/Content/1192639386269

[Kiwi]

lightroom! simple to use and you don't have tyo worry about layering.

[Kiwi]

oh... but that's not free :( but if you're a student you can can get it for pretty cheap.

[Shanne]

lots of online tutorials on GIMP too if you want to try

[Shades of Grey]

Www.photoshopessentials.com. even you don't have photoshop it should help you understand techniques that you may be able to apply to whatever editing program you go with.

[Sheila]

Thanks to everyone for your help! It is greatly appreciated