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Forget Photo$hop! 10 Best FREE Photo Editing Software (1 Viewer)

mbig

mbig

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Forget paying $50-$250 for imagine editing.
The Vast majority of people's needs can be met and exceeded FREE.

I use the Very Simple and Fast Loading 'PhotoFiltre' which is only #9 but is far quicker and cheaper than the similar Photoshop 'Elements'. Especially good on laptops.
I tried the free Photoshop 'album starter' and hated it.. while felt I didn't need the many features and complex Irfan and GIMP.

Top 10 Best Free Photo Editing Software
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1. Picasa
"...Google’s Picasa tops the list. Picasa only works with the Windows operating systems. This software, just like all the Google applications, is extremely easy and convenient for the users. Picasa allows the users to edit and manage all your photos.... The best part about using Picasa is that after editing your photographs you can instantly create and online album and share your photographs...

2. GIMP
GIMP is the GNU Image Manipulation program. It is a popular open-source image editor that is often dubbed as the ‘free Photoshop’. It helps the user with image authoring, retouching, and composition. It works on many operating systems and is available in many languages as well. It is designed to amplify with plug-ins and extensions and the advanced scripting interface allows the simplest and the most complex procedures to be easily scripted.

3. IrfanView
IrfanView is also one of the popular free software that allows the user to edit images with the basic image editing tools. Irfan Viewer works with Windows operating systems only. It also provides specific options for printing your photos....

4. PhotoPlus 6
Although the software was a paid one earlier, now you can download a completely free and fully functional version of PhotoPlus 6. This software provides a wide variety of features ranging from an export optimizer, image slicing and image maps, selection tools, smart shapes, editable text, third-party plug-in support, red-eye removal tool.....

5. Paint.NET
Paint.NET is another free software. This software is funded by the donations on their website. Paint.NET works with Windows operating systems only. Unlimited undo is one very pertinent feature of this software..... Also if you plan to print your photographs on matte or waterproof paper, then this is the software for you!

6.Pixia
Pixia is an English version of a popular Japanese photo editing software, which is also available in many other languages. Pixia works with Windows operating system just well. This painting and retouching software, provides the users with custom brush tips, multiple layers, masking, vector- and bitmap-based drawing tools, color, tone, and lighting adjustments, and multiple undo as well as redo. This software however does not provide support while saving files in the GIF format.

7. ImageForge
ImageForge is free software that allows image editing with painting and editing tools. One notable feature of this software is that it allows the users to import files from the dig cams and the scanners....you can create photo albums and slideshows using ImageForge.

8. Adobe PhotoShop Album Starter
Yes, Adobe offers this free software for image editing. It helps you to fix the common photography errors like the red eye effect, poor lighting or improper color balance. You can find any of the saved photographs within no time thanks to the automatic organization feature that lets you view all photos in one place in a calendar view.....

9. PhotoFiltre
PhotoFiltre is a free image editing software that provides the users with a rather minimalist but a rather elegant interface. This software offers many easy and convenient one-click adjustments that are very useful for the beginners. PhotoFiltre offers an in-built image explorer panel that ensures easy navigation, basic drawing, painting, retouching and the selection tools.

10. Ultimate Paint
Ultimate Paint is a useful image editor that is available in both shareware and freeware formats. It offers convenient image creation, manipulation and display. Ultimate paint is one of those software categories that have been designed to make the photo editing process quick and easy.
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I used GIMP because it was included in my Linux installation. It's pretty good and close to Photoshop... But I still can't break my love for Photoshop CS3. :lol:

I would say Photoshop CS4 but I don't like the new interface that much to be honest.
 
When I've handed GIMP to beginning users, they've found the learning curve a bit too steep. If you need PhotoShop-level options, though, it's a good way to go.

One of my old cameras came with Elements, and I used it for a bit on one of my home computers. It's pretty basic, though, and may not do everything you need.

I'm with Phantom, PhotoShop's still my fave.
 
I found GIMP to be too difficult to get set up. I use paint.net for what little I need photo editing software to do. it's easy to use, easy to find information on, and works well. Not on the list, but worthy of mention is the openoffice.org suite, which includes an image/painting program. The paint program is not great, but the whole suite as a package is awesome.
 
Redress said:
I found GIMP to be too difficult to get set up. I use paint.net for what little I need photo editing software to do. it's easy to use, easy to find information on, and works well. Not on the list, but worthy of mention is the openoffice.org suite, which includes an image/painting program. The paint program is not great, but the whole suite as a package is awesome.
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I :heart: openoffice.org.

I've never even opened the paint program inside, but I prefer the word processor to MS Word by miles. Death to clippy!
 
Gimp doesn't have anything even remotely close to "PhotoShop-level options" (just ask yourself "how do I draw a circle in gimp?). However, it is good at what it does and has a good price.

I don't get when $50 became expensive for software. I've paid $50 for software to correct the audio sync in recorded video. Something as powerful as a good graphic software is easily worth $50 if you need to do any significant editting at all. And if you don't, the free tools are fine.
 
vvx said:
Gimp doesn't have anything even remotely close to "PhotoShop-level options" (just ask yourself "how do I draw a circle in gimp?). However, it is good at what it does and has a good price.
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Okay, granted. It can be done, though. (Make a circular selection & fill it.) I've installed it on a few computers to do some quickie images, and know some Linux zealots who use nothing else and still manage to do some nice looking work.
 
Are there any good movie editing software (not for me but for my aged Father)
 
bowerbird said:
Are there any good movie editing software (not for me but for my aged Father)
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If he has a windows computer, he already has a pretty simple to use one, Windows Movie Maker.

It's not a very powerful app, but, it's easy to use, and gives nice results for the money (free!).
 
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