Nearly everyone takes pictures on a daily or weekly basis these days. But people no longer need a $3,000 camera or a bulky device that they have to drag around in order to be a photographer. There are many affordable and compact digital cameras available on the market that will allow you to capture amazing shots. While you can keep your photos as they are, today’s photo editing programs really give you the tools you need to turn them into something special. From amateur projects to professional compositions, the options are endless with one of these software programs in hand.
Adobe Photoshop Elements
Image via Flickr by saigerowe
If you’re looking for professional quality editing solutions that will help you touch up your photos with an expert hand, Adobe Photoshop Elements has long been the frontrunner in this field. Users enjoy an extensive range of features for working with both photos and videos. Options like the Quick Edit mode are perfectly poised to help new users improve photos in just a few clicks.
Elements 14 comes with a host of new and improved features like custom photo looks with five pre-made effects. Guided edits make it easy to resize, add motion, or make select colors pop in a photo. If you’re looking for a high-end piece of photo editing software, Adobe Photoshop Elements is suited to everything from amateur to professional use.
Serif Affinity Photo
This software has poised itself as a Photoshop rival for Mac users. Serif Affinity Photo offers an outstanding layer system, customizable tools, and persona modules that give you an impressive amount of control over your photos. The unique personas include Photo, Liquefy, Develop, and Export. Each has its own workspace so you can make independent edits on the exact level where you want them.
While you can do simple tasks like rotate, resize, remove red eye, and edit blushes, this program also lets you delve deeper into the more minute details of photo editing. This is another pro-level pick for serious photographers and designers.
PhotoPlus X8
Designed to provide users with an intuitive interface that will make photo editing easy for amateurs, PhotoPlus X8 is nevertheless a professional quality tool. Cropping, enhancing, removing red eye, buffing out imperfections, and restoring damaged photos are all possible in just a few clicks.
This program gives you precise control over elements like saturation, color, and exposure. You can also layer effects over your photography to turn it into instant art, whether you’re pixelating it or going for a retro black and white look. With this impressive level of power, you can make any picture a masterpiece.
PhotoImpact X3
This is a suite of digital art tools that will help you touch up and edit pictures with options like ExpressFix mode, which is ideal for beginners who want to adjust color and composition quickly with clearly explained choices. With customizable templates, PhotoImpact X3 can turn your favorite pictures into photo gifts with just a few clicks. Choices include comic strips, calendars, greeting cards, and collages. If you’re looking for a clear-cut photo editing program that will help you create these types of personal projects, this is a great place to start.
Picasa
This software stands out in this list because it’s a free option that puts quality photo editing tools into the hands of anyone who has access to the Internet. Picasa is a Google program, downloadable from its website. Its Google+ integration makes it an intuitive choice for users who already back up their photos with this service. Acting as both photo management and photo editing platform in one, Picasa is the obvious choice for amateurs who want to make some nice tweaks with minimal investment.
If you’re looking for a way to make your photos jump off the screen or page in a fresh new way, a piece of quality photo editing software can give you just the solution you’re looking for. Whether you invest in the most expensive options on the market or opt for a free program, you’ll have the control you need to transform your pictures.
