Photography Software Links

Adobe Photoshop

Photoshop CS5

• The latest version with a new set of very powerful editing tools

Photoshop Elements 8

• The most useful tools from Photoshop in a cheaper, easier to use version

Adobe Lightroom

Lightroom 3

• An excellent combination of photo editing and storage-retrieval

Apple Aperture

Aperture 3

• Offering both photo editing and storage-retrieval and seamless transition from iPhoto

Apple iPhoto

iPhoto '09

• Offering very basic photo editing and storage-retrieval with searching by location using GPS data (if available with your camera)

GIMP 2.6 (Windows, Mac and Linux)

• Probably the most sophisticated free editing program available. It looks and acts much like Photoshop, and has a similar steep leaning curve.

Seashore (Mac)

• Seashore is an open source image editor based on GIMP's technology and uses the same native file format. Downloading and user information from the site could be easier to follow.

Photoscape (Windows)

• Seems to be more useful for web-based photo work than mainstream photogrpahy, but has several modules including a viewer, editor, batch processor, RAW converter, file renamer, print layout tool, screen capture tool, color picker, and more.

Paint.NET (Windows)

• Has support for layers, unlimited undo, special effects, and a wide variety of useful and powerful tools. Also has an growing online community for general support and exchange of ideas.

Adobe Photoshop Marketplace

• A wonderful resource with a wide variety of plugins that is completely searchable by various parameters.

The Plugin Site

• A German company with a variety of plugins and organizers for plugins for web and photo work. Software is available either free (limited use) or for sale (full use).

Nik Software

• A wide range of plugins for colour effects, filters, sharpening and conversion to black and white.

onOne Software

• A wide variety of plugins for removing backgrounds, enlarging images, colour correction, selective focus and other effects.

PixelGenius

• Plugins for creating analog effects, sharpening and creative colour effects.

Digital Anarchy

• A San Francisco-based company that creates plugins for a variety of visual effects in photo and video. Photography plugins are available for both Photoshop and Aperture.

Alien Skin Software

• Makers of well-known plugins such as: Eye Candy, Blow Up, Exposure, Bokeh, Xenofex, Image Doctor and Snap Art.

HeliconSoft

• Makers of well-known plugins such as: Eye Candy, Blow Up, Exposure, Bokeh, Xenofex, Image Doctor and Snap Art.

Photomatix (HDR)

• One of the most commonly used programs for HDR processing. It is available as a stand-alone program with a plugin to go directly from Lightroom into Photomatix.

Picturenaut (HDR "donationware")

• Developed in Germany over the past 4 years, this does the basic HDR work needed by most people.

FDRtools (HDR free and for sale)

• FDR (Full Dynamic Range) produces a variety of products that are free to full price, dependign on the features given.

HeliconSoft

• Several software packages are available including Focus, Filter, Photo Safe and 3D Viewer. The most popular and useful is Focus, which allows sandwiching differently focussed layers to produce a single image with complete depth of field in focus.

Adobe Lightroom 3 (PC or Mac)

• An excellent combination of photo editing with storage andretrieval. One of Lightroom's strongest ponts is its effective and easy keywording system.

Apple iPhoto '09 (Mac)

• Good storage and retrieval system, with some editing features and slideshow capability.

Picasa (Mac)

• Depending on who you talk to, Picasa is either a photo editing or storage and uploading program. Developed by Google, it seems to excel for storage and organization of photos with stroing upliading features, and photo editing takes a more minor role.

acdsee (PC)

• Makers of acdsee 12 and acdseepro 3, these packages do both photo managing and varying degrees of editing.

BreezeBrowser Pro 1.9 (PC)

• Fast, simple way to catalogue, browse, nad select photos.