#4206655 - 12/16/15 02:01 PM
Alternatives to Photoshop?
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Joined: Jan 2001
Posts: 25,138
RSColonel_131st
Lifer
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Lifer
Joined: Jan 2001
Posts: 25,138
Vienna, 2nd rock left.
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Hi Guys, I'm getting a new camera delivered... this will kind of formally retire my D200 (which hasn't been used for a long time) and mostly replace my 35mm Film Leica. So, I need new software to go with it I notice a recent (or maybe not even so recent) trend to heap a ton of filters on pictures. When I did this shoot: I used a friend's copy of CS4 (we were using his Studio and it was convenient ) where with just a few sliders, I got from average flat looking skin tones to this kind of "mid-range contrast". I believe it was mostly the "Clarity" function descriped here: http://layersmagazine.com/clarity-vibrance-and-saturation-in-adobe-photoshop-camera-raw.htmlStuff like that is really missing from my CS2 version. But of course, a full CS5 is out of question. Been looking at On1 Photo 10, but they charge VAT and the price goes to 120USD. Photoshop Elements seems cheap enough, yet I'm not sure what I'd be missing. What are your favorite afforable tools? Mostly for effects.
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#4206685 - 12/16/15 02:52 PM
Re: Alternatives to Photoshop?
[Re: RSColonel_131st]
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Joined: Jul 2000
Posts: 2,708
Paul Rix
Senior Member
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Senior Member
Joined: Jul 2000
Posts: 2,708
NW of Austin, Tx
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I signed up for Adobe Creative Cloud Photographer package. It is $9.99 per month but it gives you the latest and greatest versions of both Photoshop and Lightroom. I figure it is good value when you compare it to the cost of both packages if you were to buy them outright. Another advantage of the subscription is that you always have the latest version of the package. You still download the programs and they can be used offline. I had never used Lightroom before and now I find it a more important part of the post processing flow than Photoshop (although there are still times Photoshop is useful). Link to Adobe Creative Cloud Photographer's plan. <edit> I forgot to add that there is a free trial for this package. Also, if I recall correctly there is a minimum commitment period for the subscription, so definitely read the small print. I found the package to be well worth the monthly subscription (and I am not even a serious photographer).
Last edited by Paul Rix; 12/16/15 05:09 PM.
Who are we? We find that we live on an insignificant planet of a humdrum star lost in a galaxy tucked away in some forgotten corner of a universe in which there are far more galaxies than people. Carl Sagan
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#4206725 - 12/16/15 04:27 PM
Re: Alternatives to Photoshop?
[Re: RSColonel_131st]
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Joined: Mar 2013
Posts: 405
FlatEric
Member
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Member
Joined: Mar 2013
Posts: 405
England, UK
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Hi RSColonel_131st, I mostly use Adobe Lightroom 6 - I shoot in RAW format and Lightroom does everything I need (and more) 99% of the time. Occasionally I'll use my old copy of Photoshop CS3 (e.g. for manipulating layers, fine selections, cloning / healing tools etc..), but only rarely. You can buy a copy of Lightroom 6 outright, or 'lease it' as part of a Creative Cloud (CC) package as Paul Rix mentions above. The CC version (lease) will ensure you've always got access to the latest version of the software; buying a single copy of Lightroom 6 could be more cost effective (depends on how much you use the software and how much you value the latest 'bells and whistles'). Finally, there are tons of very good tutorials on You Tube to help you get the most out of it. Good luck
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#4206838 - 12/16/15 09:07 PM
Re: Alternatives to Photoshop?
[Re: RSColonel_131st]
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Joined: Jan 2001
Posts: 20,152
Top Gun
Lifer
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Lifer
Joined: Jan 2001
Posts: 20,152
Roch-Vegas NH
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read up about the CC light room, a lot of my photog friends aren't happy with LR and it's latest update. Something about not finding the right folders. I have PS Elements what ever the latest version is and then I bought LR 6 outright.
XboxLive Tag: DOBrienTG1969 Dave O'Brien,Top Gun PhotographyNikon D500 & D7200 Nikkor 70-200VR AF-s F/2.8 Sigma 50-500 & 17-50 F2.8 Sigma 150-600
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#4207813 - 12/19/15 09:25 AM
Re: Alternatives to Photoshop?
[Re: RSColonel_131st]
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Joined: Mar 2013
Posts: 405
FlatEric
Member
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Member
Joined: Mar 2013
Posts: 405
England, UK
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Hi RSColonel_131st, would strongly recommend that you take a free 30 day trial of Lightroom and give it a try. It's really very good Another key feature in Lightroom's favour is that it makes non-destructive edits to your RAW files. This has two advantages - firstly, and most obviously, nothing you do in Lightroom will change the original file. All your edits are stored in a separate database that you can apply / unapply / amend at any point. You will always have your original photo to go back to. Secondly, this cuts down on storage. If you edit your photos in Photoshop or PS Elements and want to be able to go back and amend things at a later date, you're generally going to have to save your files as PSD files (e.g. keeping the original layers) or as fully editable TIF files. These generally take up (a lot!) more space than the original RAW photo file so you'll need a lot more storage space compared with editing in Lightroom. I've tried lots of image editing software over the years and I can honestly say that Lightroom provides the best balance between features, useability and cost. And because it's so popular, you'll also find loads of very useful (and free!) 'How to ..' videos and guides on the internet on how to get the most out of Lightroom. Finally, if you're on a tight budget and decide to go down the PS Elements route, you could also consider getting a slightly earlier version. Latest version, I think, is 14 - however, versions 13, 12 or even 11 will probably give you 95%+ of the same functionality as the latest version but at a fraction of the price (either pre-used or just old stock that hasn't been sold). It's worth comparing the features list to see if the differences are relevant to you. Hope this helps PS/. You could also try writing a nice letter to Santa ...
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#4207970 - 12/19/15 07:42 PM
Re: Alternatives to Photoshop?
[Re: RSColonel_131st]
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Joined: Sep 2011
Posts: 241
Aiobhill
Member
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Member
Joined: Sep 2011
Posts: 241
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If your new camera is a Nikon, you can give Capture Nx-D a whirl. It's free after all. I have limited experience with it. First impressions: usability is crap, but a powerful tool in the right hands. And I don't know even one ambitious amateur or semi-professional photographer who regretted buying Lightroom.
edited the product name, I'm getting old
Last edited by Aiobhill; 12/19/15 07:46 PM.
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#4208570 - 12/21/15 06:10 PM
Re: Alternatives to Photoshop?
[Re: RSColonel_131st]
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Joined: Jan 2001
Posts: 20,152
Top Gun
Lifer
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Lifer
Joined: Jan 2001
Posts: 20,152
Roch-Vegas NH
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Okay, that was a mistake...
The functionality of Elements is okay, but the GUI is absolute crap. Any tool you open costs you hundreds of vertical pixels workspace. Looks like it's designed for tablets (likely is). Should have trialed it first - my mistake. Helmet, what do you mean by this, I've been using PSE for years and never had any of these problems?
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#4208810 - 12/22/15 11:03 AM
Re: Alternatives to Photoshop?
[Re: RSColonel_131st]
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Joined: Jan 2001
Posts: 25,138
RSColonel_131st
Lifer
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Lifer
Joined: Jan 2001
Posts: 25,138
Vienna, 2nd rock left.
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To borrow an image here... The "Quick, Guided, Expert" bar at the top I want to be able and remove. There is nothing I need in daily use in there, once it's set to expert. But it cuts down my workspace. The bottom bar with the "Photo Bin" I would also like to get rid of. And the Crop Tool options itself open another bar at the bottom (instead of a popup, or a slim line of settings on top like my CS2). Basically they are wasting tons of screen estate on menus and buttons you can press with your finger. I feel like I'm looking at my images trough a keyhole.
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#4208884 - 12/22/15 02:30 PM
Re: Alternatives to Photoshop?
[Re: RSColonel_131st]
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Joined: Jan 2001
Posts: 20,152
Top Gun
Lifer
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Lifer
Joined: Jan 2001
Posts: 20,152
Roch-Vegas NH
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go into expert, then go crop and under tool options you can put what ever you want. I have my screen always open in expert, the photo bin you just remove by clicking on the down arrow.
Can't you just go into window and uncheck the bars you don't want?
XboxLive Tag: DOBrienTG1969 Dave O'Brien,Top Gun PhotographyNikon D500 & D7200 Nikkor 70-200VR AF-s F/2.8 Sigma 50-500 & 17-50 F2.8 Sigma 150-600
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