Posted: 11/22/2015 1:47:53 PM EDT
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I recently got a Nikon D5500 Camera and I'm looking for some post processing software.
I typically do not do much editing beyond cropping and some adjustments for exposure etc. (No heavy editing of the photos) I have used Gimp and it works OK, and tried RawTherapee for post processing Raw files. and it is OK but I get errors when I import pictures from RawTherapee to Gimp. So the question is do I just pay the $10 a month for Lightroom and Photoshop or are there other decent alternatives for free? The money is not a big deal if it's the way to go, but sometimes I may pay the monthly fee and not even use it. Suggestions? |
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Lightroom is far and away the best overall tool for organizing and getting the best out of your images. $10/month is a bargain IMHO. What is great about Lightroom is it is non-destructive editing. So you can open any photo and always go back in history in case you want to change the cropping or other editing. You can even do some lightweight Photoshop stuff in Lightroom now.
Photoshop is more for heavy lifting and creating art out of photos (and original art). If you are new to it you might find it frustrating. Not sure if they still do but Adobe was offering early versions of LR and PS for free for awhile. And I think you can try it for 30 days for free but the true value of LR becomes apparent after years of use. |
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+1 on the above.
Adobe is doing a Black Friday deal right now that you can get Photoshop or Lightroom Elements on sale ($60-70 I think) or 20% off a photographer creative cloud subscription. IMO I did the CC for $8 a month to get the latest versions of Lightroom and Photoshop. Still need to learn Lightroom though, I learned all my post on photoshop. Lightroom is nondestructive to the files but photoshop will overwrite data easily of you aren't paying attention. Btw, shoot in NEF/RAW it'll give you a lot more editing options. |
| Shooting in RAW and having a suitable program to wring the best results from what you've shot and be able to mold it into a visually pleasing photo. I use PS at work along with Photo Mechanic to quickly organize and edit everything. Not a big fan of LR. NX2 might be available for a free 60 day trial....and it's under $100. |
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Photoshop and Lightroom are they heavy-hitters. Photoshop has a fairly steep learning curve but taking the time, patience and on-line training will pay off in spades. You can do everything from minor tweaks to full-out artwork, just takes time.
Always, always, always shoot in RAW. There are TON's of free beginners guides on Photoshop out there. Just an example of how good Photoshop is, red eye reduction. Yes it has an 'automated' tool but you can go full manual and correct based upon your subject and not take the default action. That reminds me, I need to look at upgrading to CS5 from CS3 that I have now. Posted Via AR15.Com Mobile |