I'm quite new to photography, in a sense that I am not that knowledgeable in the technical side. Lately, I have been using Lightroom 3. However, based on your personal recommendations, can you suggest other photo editing softwares?
I haven't tried photo shop, and I see it's quite intimidating. I'm looking for a more simple user friendly application, with just some additional editing options not avaialble to lightroom with some effects.
since you mention effects, i guess the first question has to be whether you want to improve your digital images or create digital art - in essence improve the shot while leaving it basically the same or manipulate it into something different. i have not wandered very far into digital art myself, but of the editors i have used on my images, i have found lightroom to be the best. basic operations like color balancing, adjusting light balance and contrast and just straightening and cropping the image are fairly simple processes that lightroom does well. the image management aspects of the program, however, do leave something to be desired in my opinion. i don't think that really addresses your inquiry, but without knowing your personal goals, it's hard to offer more.
I love lightroom and I use it to enhance my photos, yet they still remain in their original art. However, I am just curious of other photo editing softwares which will then make my pictures into a whole new art. For example, my sister has an Iphone, and she uses the Lemeleme app which she is able to put a twist in her pictures. However, that is not an editing app as the final photo already shows the effect.
It's like with regards to videos, I'm looking for After Effects, as opposed to Premiere... (I hope the analogy makes it clearer...)
You can try Picnik (very simple, easy to use on-line program) and GIMP (a download and works a bit like PS), they are both free so you can play around a bit; see how you like editing pics, before buying a program like Lightroom.
I love Lightroom! I have learned so many fun things and started using presets and more. I'm learning it...bought a book to actually LEARN it. I think you'll see it's less intimidating than Photoshop and cheaper too :)
Thanks for posting this, I've been wondering the same thing for the last week or so! I use piknik regularly, and have just downloaded GIMP. I need more time to work my way around gimp, I really wanted to know things like when I see a black and white photo on here but the eyes are still coloured, how was that done? Is it just layering? But how? I have looked through all the tutorials on gimp but can't find what I'm looking for. How do i turn a photo into B&W but still leave some bits in colour?
I haven't used anything but Photoshop and Picnik, and was first extremely intimidated by Photoshop, but it's really not so hard. You just have to remember that there are like 100 different ways to do one thing on there, and it's up to you how to execute! Layers were hard for me to grasp at first too, although looking back, I have no idea how I couldn't have understood it. Happy hunting!
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It's like with regards to videos, I'm looking for After Effects, as opposed to Premiere... (I hope the analogy makes it clearer...)
:)