Photo Editing? Harv?

[Mrwurm]

Now that I have my digital camera I'm looking to have some fun. I have IrfanView to size and compress photos but I am looking for something more. I would like to add arrows and ballons (thoughts) to photos. Harv posted a picture once of Birds new Craftsman lawn tractor with a Kubota fel edited into the picture. I would like to be able to do stuff like that. What software do you recommend?

 

[JohnMiller3]

<font color=blue>...Harv posted a picture once of Birds new Craftsman lawn tractor with a Kubota fel...</font color=blue>

Jerry... say it ain't true... /w3tcompact/icons/blush.gif

I thought all this time... that was a natural real to life picture... /w3tcompact/icons/wink.gif

Especially, only in Texas do you see riding lawn mowers with front end loaders... /w3tcompact/icons/eyes.gif

 

[Steelfan]

Hi Jerry,
I got a home edition of Adobe Photoshop with my Digital Camera. It takes some trail, and error, but Photoshop will edit pictures for you. The professional Photoshop that is sold is very, very expensive. I was surpised to see the Home Edition bundled with my Fuji Camera. Good Luck Editing. Kent

 

[webbmeister]

Jerry:

That home edition of Photo Shop is a very fine product, and can be purchased as a separate package from a camera. Recent-but-not-current versions are popular with discount places that sell surplus software. It does everything mere mortals would want a package like that to do - and more. The Microsoft version if that is called PhotoDraw, and also does many things well. I've used them both, and even though I'm a true-blue Microsoft kinda guy, I like the Photo Shop better.

Our production people at the University use the professional version of Photo Shop and get good results.

Good luck,

Jim

 

[Bird]

Jerry, even if you have the software, you may not be able to do the things Harv does if you know as little about it as I do./w3tcompact/icons/laugh.gif My Olympus camera came with Camedia software that will do a lot of things, then I use Microsoft Works for database, spreadsheet, and word processor, and it also includes "Picture It! Publishing" with which I can do some things that either Camedia won't do or I don't know how to do with it. And when I bought this Dell computer, it came with Windows ME and my Hewlett-Packard printer came with a CD to install the software for the printer. Then I upgraded to Windows XP, with which I found my HP software was not compatible. Windows XP included some drivers that made the printer do the basic stuff, but not all the features. Now HP has finally updated their software for XP and I just got the CD to install it about a week ago, and it includes some "view images" software that will do a few things I haven't learned to do with the other two. So with 3 different programs, I can usually get at least one of them to do what I want to do./w3tcompact/icons/laugh.gif

 

[looch]

The Gimp is a freely distributed piece of software. It's name stands for GNU Image Manipulation Program. The binary for Windows is avaliable <A target="_blank" HREF=http://www2.arnes.si/~sopjsimo/gimp/>here</A>. It might take a little longer to figure out, but it is very powerful - and free.

 

[Harv]

Well, Jerry, it looks like others have already given you the same answer I would.

I think Adobe Photoshop is the ultimate photo-editing software these days, and has been for quite some time. I started with the LE (Limited Edition) version that came bundled with my flatbed scanner way back when. Eventually I shelled out the big bucks for the pro version when I started a photo restoration business. After a year I decided that was too much work for too little return, but I sure as heck learned to use Photoshop.

I notice there's a free trial version listed at the top of <A target="_blank" HREF=http://www.adobe.com/support/downloads/product.jsp?product=39&platform=Windows>this page</A> on Adobe's website -- 41 megabytes worth /w3tcompact/icons/shocked.gif. You have to sign up as a member (free) and you'll obviously need a high-speed connection. Might be easier to find someone who has one of the bundled versions.

There may be other good software out there, but since I came across Photoshop early on, I never looked too hard for anything else.

One word of warning about Photoshop -- be prepared to embark on an enormous learning curve. I have years of experience with it and have collected 5 books to help me along, but I freely admit that I'm still kind of a mid-level user.

If you don't get documentation with it (depending on how you get it), I highly recommend starting with Photoshop Visual Quickstart Guide by Peachpit Press. Easy reading, lots o' pictures and screen shots.

 

[Gatorboy]

I use <A target="_blank" HREF=http://www.jasc.com/product.asp?pf%5Fid=001>Paint Shop Pro</A>. It is a pretty powerful product.

They also have an evaluation copy you can try for free for about 30 days I think.

 

[Mrwurm]

Thanks to all that replied with helpful suggestions. I'm at work right now but I think I remember something named 'Adobe' coming with my scanner. I may already have a version of the Photoshop. I'll check it out when I get home.

 

[MossRoad]

I also use Paint Shop Pro (version 7 for now). I like it /w3tcompact/icons/smile.gif