Best Photo Editing Software

I am sure this topic has been beaten to death. I searched the forum and google, but couldn't find a definitive answer.

Once tax money comes back I am buying my first DSLR and I am wondering what photo editing software is my best option. Currently with my p&s I am using picnik. It has basic tools along with a few advanced. However, it lacks the true advanced options photoshop has.

I don't want to spend over $200 if not necessary. I see elements and lightroom products. However, does lightroom not offer the full range of editing tools? Also, online I have seen Adobe Photoshop Elements and Premiere Elements Bundle v9.0 mini box. Not sure what the mini box is and how it is different from the full version.

Thank you for your help with this repetitive question.

That was a new term to me, but I found this description on line:

"This is the minibox version (same as retail - just different packaging)."

Photoshop Elements 9 is a nice program not only to get started with, and may be all you ever need. If you ever anticipate doing anything with video then Premiere Elements is a good thing to have, also.

Elements is powerful and has lots of features, and while much of it is understandable if you are willing to experiment a bit, Getting and studying a good companion book is well worth the time and money in my opinion. At last count I was up to four Elements references totaling over 1700 pages, and I'm still discovering new things!

I agree with Elements -- you can take a few different approaches to get started on an image, including a "bare essentials" screen with the basic controls, and then the full editor has many of the advanced features of the "full Photoshop" editor that is has inherited. Plus, if down the road you decide to experiment with setting your camer to the Raw format Elements has Camera Raw built in to get you started.

Good point. You can get started with Elements simply by experimenting with a set of Auto Correct buttons. There is even a global "fix everything at once" setting. So it is easy to get started and then do more as you learn more.

There is also a Guided Edit function that will step you through basic corrections to an image.

Thanks everyone! I will go with Elements. Also, a book to read up on things. Any book recommendations? How about the Photoshop Elements 9 for Dummies book?

DPP can do 95% of what you will ever need and is free. Until recently I only used DPP to convert from raw and then CS5 to finish up.

Well, you can grab the "For Dummies" book, sure, for a quick overview.

Scott Kelby is a long-time author covering Adobe software and has an ongoing series covering Elements. Here's a quick link to Amazon.com for that:

http://www.amazon.com …hers-Voices/dp/0321741331

And, there are many online sources, available through Adobe, KelbyTraining, and many other resources -- if you google "elements tutorials" you will get an eyefull!

MGiddings Photography wrote in post #11795984
DPP can do 95% of what you will ever need and is free. Until recently I only used DPP to convert from raw and then CS5 to finish up.

Are you speaking of DPP for Raw processing or DPP for jpeg shooting? I'm assuming the OP is for now shooting jpegs, in which case Elements may be a good "starting point".

The Scott Kelby book is great. He doesn't spend any time of "theory," but goes straight to "here's what you can do and how to do it" in a step-by-step style. As a personal experiment I installed the Amazon Kindle software on my desktop and laptop and then bought the Kindle edition so that I can refer to it on screen as I am working, or read it while sitting in my recliner. (If I had it to do over again I'm about 50-50 as to whether I would do the same thing. I do like holding and looking through a "real" book, but navigating through an E-book is great, too.)

My latest acquisition, which I can also recommend, is "Adobe Photoshop Elements 9 for Photographers" by Philip Andrews. It is more of a tool-by-tool guide explaining every function and how to use it, including a workflow for each tool. It is a beautiful book and easy to understand. By the way, Philip is Australian meaning that he says "whilst" and "dustbin" a lot -- which I think is very charming touch for U.S. readers.

Here is a link:

http://www.amazon.com …TF8&qid=1297113​706&sr=1-6

Another book that could be helpful because it tends to go a bit more into "technical details" than the Kelby book is "Photoshop Elements 9 The Missing Manual":

http://www.amazon.com …sing-Manual/dp/1449389678

If you can afford Lightroom, buy it. It's as simple as that.
It's terrific at managing your workflow AND editing your images. It does 99% of what you need to do for 95% of your images. Only if you want to start playing with layers will you have to switch to another program such as Photoshop.

Honestly, I wasn't too bad with Photoshop before lightroom. But since I started to use LR, I use PS for less than 1% of my pictures. And my overall results have improved significantly because the time I save with LR allows me to post-process ALL my images.

If you're still in doubt, think about this: very few pro photographer will use DPP/Elements, etc. Almost all of them use Lightroom or Aperture (even though it's often in addition to Photoshop).

Try to find a student in your family that can buy it for $99...

B&H has $100 off of Lightroom 3 now. Total price is $160. Not too bad. I just bought my copy.

Does Lightroom have all the features of Elements? I didn't know about the student discount. I can have my high-school student brother pick it up.

Pippen wrote in post #11796970
Does Lightroom have all the features of Elements? I didn't know about the student discount. I can have my high-school student brother pick it up.

Or anyone you know that attends a local college/university

I do know somebody, but on the site it says primary and secondary schools included. Not sure if the community college family member has finished her classes.

I think I will try the demos of each first while I am getting used to my new DSLR then decide which I prefer. Thanks again all!