System requirements: Download – PC and Mac Paint.NET More advanced users will probably find Picasa a bit simplistic and limited though. Unlike Gimp, Picasa is perfect for absolute beginners, as the program needs far less time spent fiddling with settings. Because the image editing aspect of Picasa isn’t particularly advanced there isn’t a massive amount of clutter either, which makes it ideal for novice users just looking to make some very basic alterations. The interface is relatively straightforward, with large buttons and simple icons for each function. This doesn’t mean other social networking sites are chastised though, as Twitter can be exported to directly and Facebook via a third party plugin. The links to Google are apparent from the get-go, with their Google+ social networking site prominent as an export option. On the plus side, Picasa allows you to import an impressive number of file formats, from JPEG to PSD along with a selection of Raw file formats. Be warned though: even on a superfast fibre-optic broadband connection, the Creative Kit interface can be slow. If you want to get a little more in-depth then you can also choose to open your images in the ‘Creative Kit’ web-based editor, which utilises a slightly cleaner interface. There are also a number of basic corrective settings, such as brightness and contrast, plus the ability to resize your image or save it in another file format. The editing side of things essentially boils down to a number of customizable filters, each of which comes with a few sliding controls to alter the severity of the effects. Overall, while the organisation and photo management tools of Picasa are pretty good, the editing tools are a little basic. In addition to image management and basic editing, Picasa allows you to share your images via a number of Google-owned internet services and social networking platforms such as Google+. What is it?: A Google-owned photo management and editing package that you can dowload free of charge from Google. System requirements: Download – PC and Mac (additional software required) Picasa 3.9 All of the controls are logically placed within the menus though, and there’s a number of user-made filters that can be downloaded too. In use you may well find that manipulating layers can be sluggish, while the chaotic floating window layout can also be a bit confusing. Of course, it isn’t anywhere as fast or as through as Photoshop, which is to be expected really. Gimp is a excellent solution to those not wanting to pay for Photoshop, as the functionality is extremely close to the older Adobe program from a few generations ago. Because Gimp is multi-platform there’s no restrictions on using a Linux setup, nor Windows or Mac. The interface can be moved around, adapting to the available space on your monitor, making it perfect for the likes of smaller screen laptops and desktop computers.Ī clone tool, healing tool and perspective clone tool are also offered for more in-depth photo fixes, as is the ability to create and manipulate Alpha Channels and multiple layers. For example, PSD files (Photoshop image files containing multiple layers) can be opened and altered, making it incredibly useful as a converter.Ī Histogram, which can be divided in red, green and blue channels, is also present and can be utilized to alter exposure and colour balance. Although it is not associated with Adobe in any way the end result is quite reminiscent of the pre-CS versions, giving a satisfyingly basic layout that may be instantly familiar to any long-standard Photoshop users.įrom basic cropping and resizing to correcting barrel distortion, Gimp is an all-encompassing piece of software that offers many of the same functions that Photoshop does, but for free. What is it?: Gimp is, in essence, a free version of Photoshop. Here are our picks of the best free free photo editing software and Apps for photographers… Best free photo editing software 2016 GIMP 2.8.16 If you know where to look, you’ll also find a host of image editing programs that are completely free. If you’d like to take more control over your images but don’t want to part with the cash involved with Photoshop then the good news is that there’s plenty of much more affordable software available that will serve much the same function. At the moment you can get a Photography CC package for £8.49 a month – but can you get something which is just as good for free? Imaging editing and file management is an integral part of modern day photography, but the software to carry out these tasks is not always that affordable.Īlthough Photoshop used to be available for eye-watering amounts as an up-front payment, you could argue that having to fork out for a creative cloud subscription for years is just as expensive.
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