Photoshop or Something Free

MT

For the time I had it, I loved Photoshop. It was awesome. However, even at a student rate bundled with a bunch of stuff I'll never use, it's really expensive. I'll probably ask for an early birthday present and get it that way, or not at all.

I have two questions:

1) If I install Photoshop CS on one PC at my home, and another PC at my dorm room, and only use one at a time, is there anything wrong with that? Or does online registration or something else screw such a scenario up.

2) Is there anything free that has a tool similar to Photoshop CS' Shadow/Highlight Correction? [url]http://www.adobe.com/products/photoshop/newfeatures.html?top10highlight#nf4[/url]

It's the feature I'd use most, next to color correction and filters in case I screw up my white balance.

I looked into GIMP, but can't figure out what I need to download. Or, I think I know what I need to download, I just don't know how to install it.

Sanfam

As far as I can tell, shadow/hilight correction is a combination of levels adjustments and selective dodge/burn (done relatively automatically), so it's nothing you couldn't easily do on your own with most other versions of photoshop, and most likely other software ( just not as easily, but who wants easy? ;))

Biggles

I can highly recommend Photoshop Elements if you don't need the really high end, professional stuff. It has a huge number of features still solidly intact and is just plain nice to use. Plus, at academic prices, it's dirt cheap. It even appears to be able to fix shadows and highlights. It doesn't seem to specifically list a "Shadow/Highlight Correction" ability, but I went through the help file and played with a photo that has some really dark areas of shadow and it came out quite well using the level adjustment functions.

Personally, I dislike gimp, mainly because of the interface. I don't like the poor attempt to mimic the original photoshop interface and general clutter (like no quick, obvious way to zoom in and out on an image).

sleepy_shadow

Regarding zoom in Gimp: it is probably easiest to use keys. Use plus to zoom in, minus to zoom out, 1 to revert to 1:1 magnification.

Regarding shadow/highlight in Gimp: yes, it has something similar, but not identical. I remember using both a simplified version and [url=http://www.hot.ee/ziirq/gimp/snap.png]manually playing with color curves.[/url]

I think it was accesiblbe via "Layer -> Color -> Curves" (or something like that).

Random Chaos

I personally tend to use Paint Shop Pro (not free, but much cheaper then Photoshop). Works well for everything I do. It has quite a few automatic contrast features that can probably do most of what you want. If it doesn't you can always do it manually.

Konrad

Use gimp!

Go to this page - [url]http://gimp-win.sourceforge.net/stable.html[/url]

Download: GTK+ 2 for Windows (version 2.4.14)
Install it...

Then:

Download: The Gimp for Windows (version 2.2.3)
Install it...

Enjoy...

the_exile

I don't do much image editing, but I've found Photoshop to be the easiest and and prettiest of the three (Photoshop, PSP, Gimp). Of course, it also costs a lot of money if you intend to use it for anything more than Fark contests.

croxis

I have never been able to adjust to the gimp workflow. I suppose I have used photoshop too long.

JackN

I definately favor Photoshop over Gimp also...

I have an older version 6.01, does absolutely everything I need, and with extra plugins even better...

Cost me a few coins, but then it was for work. ;)

The Cabl3 Guy

Photoshop is godly nothing I've seen comes close.

Random Chaos

Paint Shop Pro and Photoshop do just about the same functions now. The biggest difference is that Photoshop has some special color matching and professional printing stuff that PSP is lacking. Its all in what you are used to. I've been using PSP for over 10 years - so used to it I always have to learn my way around when I open up Photoshop for something.

Plus PSP and Photoshop handle the same plugin formats.