Best Software for Making Photos Better?

[Sir Topham Hatt]

Hello!

I have grown up on Corel Paint Shop Pro. No matter how much I try and use Photoshop, it annoys me as there are a lot of functions missing that I can do in 5 seconds on CPSP (like zooming in using the wheel). I currently have Adobe Photoshop CS3 but after looking on a couple of sites, it seems Adobe Elements is built just for photos?

Any thoughts?

[giga Veteran]

Photoshop will be the main tool most photographers use. It can do pretty much anything you want it to do with the right skill and tools. What exactly isn't working for you or what do you want it to do?

Zooming in and out you can do by holding down alt and moving the wheel.

Elements is a dumbed-down Photoshop.

[Sam]

Theres also Photoshop Lightroom, you may find it easier.

[Brandon]

I use photoshop, but photoshop elements isn't bad for the price (if you don't get a uni discount or get it as a gift")

[moloko]

I will stick with DPP which all canons come with. The RAW software is great. Then I can plug into PS and do my further tweaks if I want. Best part DPP is free with the camera or at least included in the price.

[jwjw1]

Corel Paint Shop Pro 12.01 and Adobe Photoshop CS3 all do good..but to me its also important to have a good assortment of 'Graphic Filters'

[qdave]

Theres also Photoshop Lightroom, you may find it easier.

actually it was more complicated then photoshop. at least for me.

[Sir Topham Hatt]

Corel PSP 12 GUI though is all black and dark, or at least was for me, so I reverted back to 11.

[Nicholas-c Veteran]

lightroom is great for adjusting levels for well.. anything photo related :p

photoshop is good for editing little areas in detail

[p858snake]

I personally quite like Ulead PhotoImpact but i also do use Photoshop

[sundayx Veteran]

GIMP is free and quite powerful.

[moloko]

actually it was more complicated then photoshop. at least for me.

I thought so too. Reading the Scott Kelby book showed that it is really easy. The learning curve is much smaller than using PS.