What program do you use to edit images very professionally?

I know of no shortcuts. It will take a lot of your time to do as you please with post processing. I use CS5 and if I were starting over I would start with the book by Katrina Eismann entitled Restoration and Retouching using Photoshop. Unlikely title for the best tutorial hands on I have found to learn CS5.

LR3, PS5 with a ton of plugins, Corel Painter X, and if I am feeling really creative (or strange lol) Autodesk 3DS Max and Maya 8.0.

ACR for RAW conversion, then CS5 (with Nik Effects & Noise Ninja plugins and a bunch of home made actions)

CS4 will upgrade when 6 comes out.

As far as special effects go I would have to say photoshop is the most capeable. I use Adobe Camera Raw then Photoshop.

95% Lightroom 3 and 5% CS5.

Lightroom is much more simpler and almost does everything that photoshop does with an easier interface.

I shoot in RAW & use PhaseOne Pro 5. I do as much as I can in there and use photoshop very little.

The one with the most how-to books.

"The problem with taking the road less traveled is that if you have a breakdown, it might be a long time before anyone else comes along to help you."

Like most in here, I say Lightroom 3 and Photoshop CS5 if needed for when one needs to do more tricky edits or what-not.

Photo Mechanic to cull and rate.
Lightroom for ALL processing.
Photoshop for blog layout and resizing.
Indeisgn for albums.

No mater what I do, I am always back to Photoshop.

I'll be the black sheep and say Paint shop pro x3 I've been an user since PSP 7. It has a Raw lab like CS5 and organizer like light room I feel comfortable with this program a lot also I have Photomatix 4 (Landscapes )as well as portrait professional 9 (not comfortable with it yet)

All of the photo editing programs, for the most part, I could utilize to get the look what I want for the most part. Pixelmator is almost as versatile as Photoshop.

Look into it as a basic alternative as its relatively unknown but has all the photoshop tools for the most part.

Photomatix 4 for Landscapes? or for ruining photos?

Sorry, just havent seen an HDR i liked. It's the new selective color.

NickRadford wrote in post #11805839
Photomatix 4 for Landscapes? or for ruining photos?

Sorry, just havent seen an HDR i liked. It's the new selective color.

Well its a way to take a boring sunset and make it look outstanding (my opinion) I've taken some decent HDR's none of those top 20 flickr ones you see over and over. I was told from a teacher in my photography program to try it out. I want a better portrait program I don't like how this program makes the models look fake.