Cheap, nasty editing software - does it work?

[JimMcrae]

Sitting bored in my office, decided to take a look at Microsoft's "Picture it!" software, which I think came free with the operating system. Not expecting much, I converted to b/w and played with levels, contrast/brightness, blur/sharpen and a few other bits and bobs including the cheesy, fading border thing. Admittedly, I didn't do anything complicated, so no layers, filters or anything like that, but I was quite pleased with the results, especially the b/w conversion.

I just wondered what others' views were on this, and any other free/cheap editing software. All other cc also appreciated.

http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4036/4389250279_99b99e9ac8_b.jpg

[nuffi]

frankly, if you want cheap/free you should be looking at the many most excellent FOSS options out there. Gimp is at the top of the list, for very good reason.

[JimMcrae]

frankly, if you want cheap/free you should be looking at the many most excellent FOSS options out there. Gimp is at the top of the list, for very good reason.

I use Photoshop normally, but just tried this as an experiment and wondered what others thought. It may also be interesting to anyone working on a limited budget who can't afford 'an arm and a leg' for editing software.

Thanks for the comment.

[skygod44]

Hey Jim!

Interesting shot....I can't put my finger on it, but I find it rather appealing ;)

Back to your question though, and of course, "cheap 'n' nasty" editing software is as good as those writing it.

I use the GIMP (open source, free, off the internet!) for all my fiddly-twiddly pixel-level editing, and have to say, it's brilliant. Takes some effort when you first see it, but I prefer to spend my hard-earned yen on gear - not software - unless it's absolutely necessary.

I also use FastStone (open source, free) for resizing/resampling, adding watermarks, batch processing, etc.

But I also have LightRoom for RAW conversion because I like the interface and how it handles detail. But many recommend other software, such as RAW Therapee (free, off the 'net).

Basically, some research on the 'net will offer up a load of programs that can do remarkable things with no cost to you, and which the various communities can add to. Some like that. Others prefer a slick, quick, highly polished interface for all their editing.
Horses for courses....
Cheers for now,
Simon

[deathcake]

Sorry not a fan of the border, but otherwise looks great! The editing seems fine to me, of course could have been a good shot straight from the camera, so not sure how this program would fair with more challenging editing work.

But yeah, Gimp is the first thing that comes to mind in terms of free editing software.

[JimMcrae]

Hey Jim!

Interesting shot....I can't put my finger on it, but I find it rather appealing ;)

Back to your question though, and of course, "cheap 'n' nasty" editing software is as good as those writing it.

I use the GIMP (open source, free, off the internet!) for all my fiddly-twiddly pixel-level editing, and have to say, it's brilliant. Takes some effort when you first see it, but I prefer to spend my hard-earned yen on gear - not software - unless it's absolutely necessary.

I also use FastStone (open source, free) for resizing/resampling, adding watermarks, batch processing, etc.

But I also have LightRoom for RAW conversion because I like the interface and how it handles detail. But many recommend other software, such as RAW Therapee (free, off the 'net).

Basically, some research on the 'net will offer up a load of programs that can do remarkable things with no cost to you, and which the various communities can add to. Some like that. Others prefer a slick, quick, highly polished interface for all their editing.
Horses for courses....
Cheers for now,
Simon

You make a lot of sense mate, especially the bit about spending your hard-earned on 'gear'! I'm going to try some of this stuff you mention. Thanks Simon.

[JimMcrae]

Sorry not a fan of the border, but otherwise looks great! The editing seems fine to me, of course could have been a good shot straight from the camera, so not sure how this program would fair with more challenging editing work.

But yeah, Gimp is the first thing that comes to mind in terms of free editing software.

That's x3 for Gimp. Interesting, I'll give that one a go.

Incidentally, I agree about the tacky border :) Thanks deathcake.

[skygod44]

You make a lot of sense mate, especially the bit about spending your hard-earned on 'gear'! I'm going to try some of this stuff you mention. Thanks Simon.

You're very welcome Jim.

Of the ones I mentioned, the biggest surprise was FastStone - a recent addition to my software - as I was using IrfanView for about 4 years.
As an example, in the resizing section, you can set the quality and see a preview with the correct number of KB for the final image using a slider.
One click up or down now, and I can get my images to squeeze inside the POTN size restriction. That's a really handy feature.

As to the GIMP. Well, it's just amazing! Every few days, yet another talented software chap/chappess writes and releases another plug-in or script that you can import to the GIMP's program folder, and Hey Presto! it can do even more than before....that kind of thing doesn't happen within Photoshop due to the business plan involved - upgrades a few times a year which attract/force people to upgrade.

TTFN!
:D

[JimMcrae]

You're very welcome Jim.

Of the ones I mentioned, the biggest surprise was FastStone - a recent addition to my software - as I was using IrfanView for about 4 years.
As an example, in the resizing section, you can set the quality and see a preview with the correct number of KB for the final image using a slider.
One click up or down now, and I can get my images to squeeze inside the POTN size restriction. That's a really handy feature.

As to the GIMP. Well, it's just amazing! Every few days, yet another talented software chap/chappess writes and releases another plug-in or script that you can import to the GIMP's program folder, and Hey Presto! it can do even more than before....that kind of thing doesn't happen within Photoshop due to the business plan involved - upgrades a few times a year which attract/force people to upgrade.

TTFN!
:D

Great stuff, thanks mate. Would you say GIMP is comparable with Photoshop then?

Incidentally, I was in Kyoto in 2008 and fell deeply in love with the place! :)

[gonzogolf]

Great stuff, thanks mate. Would you say GIMP is comparable with Photoshop then?

Incidentally, I was in Kyoto in 2008 and fell deeply in love with the place! :)
GIMP is an open source platform bit of software so its constantly being tweaked. When I tried it I found it to be sort of like a slightly older version of photoshop. The downside is that the documentation and tutorials for GIMP are limited compared to photoshop.

[JimMcrae]

GIMP is an open source platform bit of software so its constantly being tweaked. When I tried it I found it to be sort of like a slightly older version of photoshop. The downside is that the documentation and tutorials for GIMP are limited compared to photoshop.

I see. I'll need to try it out when I get time. Cheers Gonzo.

[JimMcrae]

But I also have LightRoom for RAW conversion because I like the interface and how it handles detail. But many recommend other software, such as RAW Therapee (free, off the 'net).

Simon

I find this bit interesting. I've only ever used Canon's DPP software for RAW conversion. Are these other programs better than DPP?

[wilddunk]

http://www.xnview.com/en/download.html similar to faststone excepts photoshop plug ins, views raw,
ability to excess external drives great for organizing with a wealth of features ,well worth a look

[JimMcrae]

http://www.xnview.com/en/download.html similar to faststone excepts photoshop plug ins, views raw,
ability to excess external drives great for organizing with a wealth of features ,well worth a look

Thanks for that, I'll take a look.

[jetcode]

I'm surprised you have time for photography ... nice image

[Mendal]

My only comment is the eyes look hollow, I think in the BW conversion the pupils got lost, they fade from solid black to just a bit of detail at the edges....

2 cents for what its worth.

[JimMcrae]

My only comment is the eyes look hollow, I think in the BW conversion the pupils got lost, they fade from solid black to just a bit of detail at the edges....

2 cents for what its worth.

Cheers Mendal. I'll check the original to see if this was lost in the conversion or if it was mince in the first place! :)

[corkneyfonz]

You've done a good job with that software.

[skygod44]

Great stuff, thanks mate. Would you say GIMP is comparable with Photoshop then?

Incidentally, I was in Kyoto in 2008 and fell deeply in love with the place! :)
Sorry mate....time zones are such a pain in the arse!

Anyway, regarding the GIMP, I hear what others say about there being no documentation with it, but if you click on the links below, you'll see a massive support system. It's just not the same as Photoshop....but being Open Source, is very appealing to me.

User Manual, including vector manipulation information! (http://docs.gimp.org/2.6/en/)
Plug-in and Script-Fu registry - add whatever you like to your GIMP (http://registry.gimp.org/)
One of many, many forums with new techniques (http://www.gimptalk.com/)
A site for tutorials...and there are a lot of these!!! (http://gimpguru.org/Tutorials/)

I feel that for the majority of photographers, the word "GIMP" should be seen as interchangeable with "PhotoShop". I've discussed this in other threads, and few people defend PS as a "must have". Of course, if you're a pro', then the guaranteed (read "paid for") services from Adobe might make all the difference if you're on a deadline. But even then, the type of manipulation we're talking about takes time anyway....so.....perhaps it's also an "image" thing.
I don't really care.
GIMP can do perhaps 95%~98% of what PS can do according to those who have mastered both, and there's something really special, I think, in supporting software that is changing the way people see themselves. ie, we can all ADD to the GIMP, and then reap the rewards.
PhotoShop? Perhaps the bulk of the rewards go to the board of directors, and Adobe's shareholders....
(currently $35.22 a share!!!)

Oh and I nearly forgot....Kyoto....I've never been there!
What was so enticing?
I live on a whole different island which has palm trees and perhaps the world's most active volcano, 7km across the bay from where I'm sat right now, so I don't feel desperate to go "up north" much. ;-)

[vk2gwk]

First about the shot: very nicely done, Jim. My only remark is the same as Mendal's: something got lost in the conversion around the pupils. And I like the border - it is faint enough to not to be annoying and still gives a bit of framing.

At home I am using Photoshop CS4 and the Photoshop Adobe Raw Converter ( ARC) which I like very much.
But ...Photoshop allows you only one copy on one machine. So while travelling I use GIMP with RAW-Therapy. It needs a bit of practicing and when switching between "home" and "away" I sometimes get confused. But the free open source software can do pretty much the same as the expensive Adobe stuff. It is very likely that I will not "upgrade" to a newer version of Photoshop next time that is in order but switch to the GIMP and RAW Therapy completely.

[Mendal]

Jim I realized it was the computer I was using at the time... On my home computer it is much better... sorry

[JimMcrae]

You've done a good job with that software.

Thanks mate.

First about the shot: very nicely done, Jim. My only remark is the same as Mendal's: something got lost in the conversion around the pupils. And I like the border - it is faint enough to not to be annoying and still gives a bit of framing.

At home I am using Photoshop CS4 and the Photoshop Adobe Raw Converter ( ARC) which I like very much.
But ...Photoshop allows you only one copy on one machine. So while travelling I use GIMP with RAW-Therapy. It needs a bit of practicing and when switching between "home" and "away" I sometimes get confused. But the free open source software can do pretty much the same as the expensive Adobe stuff. It is very likely that I will not "upgrade" to a newer version of Photoshop next time that is in order but switch to the GIMP and RAW Therapy completely.

Interesting, thanks Henk. Do you also use Lightroom as a lot of people seem to swear by it here? Personally, I've never used it.

Jim I realized it was the computer I was using at the time... On my home computer it is much better... sorry

No bother at all mate, especially as it looks that way on my computer too! :)

[vk2gwk]

Interesting, thanks Henk. Do you also use Lightroom as a lot of people seem to swear by it here? Personally, I've never used it.


I have the beta version of Lightroom installed - expires somewhere in April. Compared with PS CS4 it lacks functionality and I find the library/catalogue function confusing (Normally using Adobe Bridge for that). So I will not buy that when it becomes available. I'll stick to GIMP with RAW Therapy. And keep the software that came with the camera on the side for special occasions.

[JimMcrae]

Sorry mate....time zones are such a pain in the arse!

No bother mate. :)

Anyway, regarding the GIMP, I hear what others say about there being no documentation with it, but if you click on the links below, you'll see a massive support system. It's just not the same as Photoshop....but being Open Source, is very appealing to me.

I took a brief look and I take your point. I'll have a proper look when I have time.

I feel that for the majority of photographers, the word "GIMP" should be seen as interchangeable with "PhotoShop". I've discussed this in other threads, and few people defend PS as a "must have". Of course, if you're a pro', then the guaranteed (read "paid for") services from Adobe might make all the difference if you're on a deadline. But even then, the type of manipulation we're talking about takes time anyway....so.....perhaps it's also an "image" thing.

GIMP can do perhaps 95%~98% of what PS can do according to those who have mastered both, and there's something really special, I think, in supporting software that is changing the way people see themselves. ie, we can all ADD to the GIMP, and then reap the rewards.
PhotoShop? Perhaps the bulk of the rewards go to the board of directors, and Adobe's shareholders....
(currently $35.22 a share!!!)

Right, I'm with you. In the course of my work, I've turned more towards Open Office - as opposed to Microsoft Office - over the years when developing networks for the very same reasons. As you said earlier, "horses for courses" and I've just got to figure out which 'stable' I'm in? :)

Oh and I nearly forgot....Kyoto....I've never been there!
What was so enticing?

Everything! :) It's a very relaxed, slow-paced city, especially when compared to Tokyo, great restaurants and bars, lovely people, stunning architecture, and then there are all those temples. It's worth the trip there just to see the Golden Temple itself! And then there are the Geishas... :)

I live on a whole different island which has palm trees and perhaps the world's most active volcano, 7km across the bay from where I'm sat right now, so I don't feel desperate to go "up north" much. ;-)

I don't blame you, sounds great! The Gulf Stream runs up the West coast of Scotland so we have palm trees too you know - seriously, we do! :) - although they look a bit weird covered in snow & ice. :) We have regular eruptions too but mainly on Friday and Saturday nights :)

I appreciate all the time you've taken on this Simon and thanks again for all the cracking info. Cheers!

[JimMcrae]

I have the beta version of Lightroom installed - expires somewhere in April. Compared with PS CS4 it lacks functionality and I find the library/catalogue function confusing (Normally using Adobe Bridge for that). So I will not buy that when it becomes available. I'll stick to GIMP with RAW Therapy. And keep the software that came with the camera on the side for special occasions.

Good one mate, thanks.

[skygod44]

^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
Hey Jim,
You're welcome!
And thanks for mentioning Open Office....I was pondering on that one last year and forgot to look into it more. Now, I've downloaded it, dumped MS Office, and somehow got 3GB of memory back from software that's only supposed to total 248MB? Odd. But then again, I'm not a computer wizz.
:rolleyes:

[Enzosrock]

i love raw therapee. it pretty much does everything(adjusting over exposure)