investing in photoshop (help)

[Amyjojo]

Hello TPF, i am new to the photography world, well the editing part any ways. I would love to purchase photoshop but yet im not even sure why. i love editing. i have a simple editing program that came with my laptop. but i cant do just a lot of fun things such as cutting off my head and putting it on my husbands body ect. yes i am clueless to photoshop, but i would like to know what the pros use? And what might you suggest i purchase? or is there a more affordable product then photoshop?

thanks to all for your help.

[groovyone]

You can try Photoshop Elements. The latest version is 9 and can be picked up for under $100. It has much of the CS5 capability.

You can also download a 30 day trial from Adobe and check it out before buying.

[Amyjojo]

Thanks!
Sorry to TPF in advance..i will question everything to pieces. lol but i am so greatful for TPF.
Next question brings me to,..
Can i get great edits (professional style) photos with this element 9?
i ask because i will want to one day start to make some money. (hopefull)

[Charles Putnam]

You can download and try Photoshop for 30 days. Learning all of the in's and out's of Photoshop takes years. Best recommendation I can make is to join NAPP (photoshopuser.com) and take advantage of all of the tutorials there.

Beyond that, check out KelbyTraining.com for available books and seminars.

From an actual workflow standpoint, I use Aperture 3 form about 90% of my editing (color correction, noise reduction, etc.) and any fine tuning is done in Photoshop. Others will use Lightroom.

[cfortner]

Photoshop is by far the best. But there are other options out there as well. GIMP is an open source (Free) editing program that has many of the same features as photoshop.

GIMP - The GNU Image Manipulation Program

[The Philos]

I use CS5 Web Premium (Including Photoshop Extended and Bridge). If you're a student or faculty at a school you get a steep discount on Adobe products (which can be used for commercial purposes as per their license agreement).

[Phisch]

Originally Posted by ThePhilosopher

I use CS5 Web Premium (Including Photoshop Extended and Bridge). If you're a student or faculty at a school you get a steep discount on Adobe products (which can be used for commercial purposes as per their license agreement).

Really??! I thought the opposite was the case. Do you mind linking to a page with the info (if you have it). I would love to pay the cheaper price on PS when I upgrade.

[texkam]

GIMP - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Paint.NET - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Comparison of raster graphics editors - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
20 Great Online Image Editors
...and to learn how to use, YouTube is your friend.

[The Philos]

Originally Posted by Phisch

Really??! I thought the opposite was the case. Do you mind linking to a page with the info (if you have it). I would love to pay the cheaper price on PS when I upgrade.

academic software discounts faq, academic discount software faq | Adobe

Near the bottom of the FAQ.

[Phisch]

Thanks!!!

[Amyjojo]

i want to say thanks to everyone again. this has been very helpful. but im still undecided. im about to run to bestbuy and see it all in person so maybe that will help me out. with all thats out there to pick from, makes me wonder what seperates the pros photographers from the photoshop pros? has photography come down to who is best at photoshop? i promise with all my heart this is a honest question. i just keep getting the feeling that there is some picture i am not seeing. either way i enjoy shooting and cant seem to stop my adiction. there is the feeling that there are rules, yet theres no write or wrong way. haha maybe when i get to play in photoshop ill have the photoshop bug..yelp i feel it coming! lol
thanks again, TPF is awesome!

[juku]

if you decide to go with Photoshop Elements 9 its the Amazon Gold Box deal of the day at $59.99 AND it looks like there's a $20 mfr mail-in rebate too.

Valid today only!!

[texkam]

what seperates the pros photographers from the photoshop pros?

There are many types of photographers. Some are artists; some are craftsmen. Most specialize in a specific genre i.e. photojournalism, landscape, wedding, product, sport, etc. Photoshop pros deal more on the production side. Yes most photographers can wear both hats, some better than others, but a hard core Photoshop pro isn't really interested in capturing the shot as they are creating an image from a shot or shots. This post processing can also be looked at as an art or a craft, for many pros are paid to follow a set of instructions from the client or art director.



Image editors are tools. Choose the appropriate tool for your needs. Do you need a backhoe to plant a tomato bush once a year? If you need the feature set PS offers it's worth every penny.

i will want to one day start to make some money. (hopefull)

Read the many business type threads about how to do this legally. Good luck.

[texxter]

I highly recommend you take a look at Adobe Photoshop Lightroom 3 - its cheaper than regular Photoshop and it's a great solution for cataloguing, tagging, organizing images and more, not just postprocessing each. You can get an academic discount if you have proof of enrollment in school.

[buckstop39]

Amy, there is so much to learn from using Adobe Photoshop it is scary. It is almost a lifetime excursion to get even partially proficient. I have been using it since the late 90s and still only scratch the surface of it's capabilities. I am only a personal and learning user and have been since Photoshops 5 version.

I had Photoshop Elements 6 which was a step to start learning the elements of things the Photoshop versions can do as well as combining graphics with photos. The later versions are much better I suspect. For photography only, there are easier packages to learn as mentioned in this thread. Just learning to do conversions well from raw to usable print outs or web displays is a journey in itself. ACR for Photoshop is awesome as other vendors raw converters are I am sure, but once you learn how to work in Raw Formats and making useable outputs, personal photography takes another step upward for most people. At least it did for me.

Trust me though, to learn Photoshop CS-4 or CS-5 to any degree of proficency takes many many hours of self indulgence in the medium of art, design, and video creations. I have CS-4 extended and just recently learned how to make animated gif files which are neat to do from photographs. That learning step took me a long time to master. If you commit to a full version Photoshop, you will never regret it if you immerse yourself into that as deeply as some do. And basic creation steps once learned allow newer processes to be absorbed more quickly. I just figured out last evening how to make brushes and did some from photos..neat stuff. It is absolutly phenominal what you can do by combining the two crafts of Photography and Graphics.

I bought the first Photoshop as a Academic purchase since my wife was a school teacher and then kept upgrading ever other version since. This happens frequently and is a significant savings over time I suppose. CS-4 was the really first good version for me to use and learn to gain momentum in how it works. I use Windows but it works with Macs or Windows really well. Also there is plenty of help for Photoshop on the internet or forums and the Photoshop Help built into Adobe's site is pretty good too.

Did not mean to be so wordy here, but to really learn Photoshop and Photography has to almost be a passion to excel in those mediums. And lots of spare time. Here is a pic of a Photoshop creation I did from a brush I made that was from a photo of a wooden mouse I made from wood in my other hobby..woodworking.... Good luck in your quest.

Mike T.

Hope the pic shows up as I have not tried this before. This was a practice to play with newly made brush.