digital photography software for beginners

safyre

Don't beat around the bush; just go straight with lightroom, it's easy enough to learn as a beginner, relatively inexpensive, and will last with you as you get more experienced. Later on if you want to do manipulation on micro level you can get Photoshop too. I was originally a photoshop person but transitioned to lightroom because it's incredibly more efficient at batch processing. I went from 100% photoshop to now 95% lightroom/5% photoshop.

Ade

A great deal posted on the main blog for those looking to get into Lightroom:

http://nikonrumors.com/2014/05/05/deal-of-the-day-refurbished-nikon-1-j1-with-10-30mm-vr-lens-and-adobe-lightroom-5-for-149-99.aspx

Buy Lightroom for regular price ($149), get a free Nikon 1 J1 and 10-30mm VR lens (originally sold for $650).

MininMission

Nice to see that "old standby" GIMP mentioned.

For basic playing around, I would imagine that GIMP of Irfanview would work?

There is the NX package, but, I read that it may not get supported after this summer (2014)

For myself, I have signed up to the Adobe CC. They have lots of tutorials and I have a bit of time.
I didn't think that the cost/month was that bad.

I expect that I will be doing the Lightroom/Photoshop route.

sevencrossing

Lightroom can tried for free
https://www.adobe.com/cfusion/tdrc/index.cfm?product=photoshop_lightroom&loc=en_gb

Elvishefer

@Ade is right... Basically a free camera and lens with the purchase of Lightroom. Even though the camera isn't great, at that price it is, and that inventory won't last.

tganiats

I've used Aperture and Lightroom; prefer Aperture by quite a bit. Sure, they both have similar features, but the "flow" allowed by Aperture fits my style

Meeksi

what is the most sensible software for a beginner of photo manipulation

I used the software, that came with my D3100, until I bought Lightroom 4. I recommend Lightroom, because it is easy to use and one can do all the basic editing with it.

KnockKnock

What? No mention of iPhoto? If the OP is using a Mac. Free, simple, tied into the interwebs. For 95% of the world, it's all people need. Okay, 95% of the Mac world :-P

experts

GIMP is one of the amazing piece of software. it's basically as good as Photoshop.

Vipmediastar_JZ

Dang maybe I can buy that deal of the day and give the camera to my Mother. She loves taking pics too. I think I had the original V1 or J1 but I didn't like it. She might.

As for the software I would suggest Lightroom.

Symphotic

Lightroom, but, as others have mentioned, don't pay list. It is frequently bundled with something else you might want, like a lens.

JK1231

For an iDevice, two inexpensive programs I recommend are Perfectly Clear (which does an amazing cleanup of even mediocre pics) and Photo fx Ultra (for adding special effects).

Two other handy tools are ExifWizard and Over.

I use Perfectly Clear on most every shot on my iDevice, and I find myself using ExifWizard quite frequently on stuff I've loaded from my DSLR onto my iPad to preview.

None are a replacement from a desktop editing program, such as Aperture, but for quick and dirty cleanup or manipulation, they are great cheap tools.

IHTH,

JK

TriShooter

I generally agree with the previous comments, but surprised Helicon Filter 5 was not mentioned because it is an excellent stand alone program, and also a terrific plugin for Adobe PS.

I use Helicon Filter 5 as a plugin for Adobe because it is faster than light room for almost everything except for the healing brush feature in Adobe's products. It does not have the Adobe Style healing brush, or the patch tools, but it handles brightness, color, white balance, noise (there are better), edge, and fine sharpening well. Moreover, It has outstanding tools for retouching which includes control for retouching not only areas, but also targeting specific colors shades which is powerful feature for speeding up my editing.

I am personally not a fan of the way Lightroom interfaces with Photoshop. In fact think Adobe is insane not to make them feel like one common program when use together. Even having a lightroom plugin so people could use seamlessly what they have learned in Lightroom would be nice. LOL. <---- Off Track

On the positive side Lightroom is much faster than Adobe PS for any user, and it will give a result that is about 80/85 percent of what is possible in Adobe PS. 85 percent is more than adequate for most paying clients who cannot afford, or reluctant to pay, for a 6 hour magazine perfect portrait editing in Adobe PS. Lightroom's feature set is easy to use and tool set a little more complete, but Helicon Filter 5 is even easier, lighting fast, and has targeted retouching. I's stopped using Lightroom for everything but cataloging images, Helicon is that fast, and good.

Another program that is fun for beginners is Smart Photo Editor which is made by the same outfit that sells Portrait Professional. It does a lot of special effects, as well as regular sharpening, smoothing, and the like, which is neat for someone that do not know how to do it, and who have a lot of time for clicking around looking at different automatically for its users. Its obvious weakness is having to look through the templates to find the ones that work best. Nevertheless, it works and will enable an occasional user to do things that would otherwise be impossible for the average person.

Perfect Photo by OnOne has a neat little set of editing tools, and abandoned it for templates which I think was a mistake. Topaz also uses the template so I have to believe some people must really like templates, but for me, knowing what I want, poking around through templates costs me time which means less production.

Anyone who likes Adobe PS, or wants a fast stand alone editing program, will be well served to take a hard look Helicon Filter 5.

heartyfisher

I used to have PaintshopPro.. its really nice. irfanview is simple and quick. Nowadays i use the open source tools like GIMP and krita and DigiKam.

manhattanboy

I have Lightroom and DXO. I now use DXO and have abandoned LR, mainly because the default corrections in DXO are better (i.e. I start out with less work to do) and DXO does not duplicate everything (i.e. I do not have 2 RAW files floating around). The downside is that its slow as molasses.

sevencrossing

and DXO does not duplicate everything (i.e. I do not have 2 RAW files floating around).

????? LR does not duplicate RAW files although backing them up is good idea

spraynpray

and DXO does not duplicate everything (i.e. I do not have 2 RAW files floating around).

Explain please.

manhattanboy

and DXO does not duplicate everything (i.e. I do not have 2 RAW files floating around).

Explain please.

LR copies everything to your library. Google it. Its well described.

sevencrossing

If you are importing into LR from a media card, it is normal, to copy the RAW files, from the card, into you library

The original RAW files, on the card, are then deleted in camera

at the same time, LR can, if you wish, make a back up, but this is not necessary,

If you are importing a RAW files into LR, that are already in your library, there is no need to make a second copy

spraynpray

and DXO does not duplicate everything (i.e. I do not have 2 RAW files floating around).

Explain please.

LR copies everything to your library. Google it. Its well described.

Well, manhattanboy, I Googled and I Googled but I can't find it. Care to share your search terms? AFAIK you are wrong, but I am not infallible. For sure.

I import a copy from my camera to a destination on my PC, I deliberately have it make a second copy to a backup drive and it backs up to the cloud too. The last two are down to me making it do that. I presume you don't mean it makes a second copy in the catalogue? That is only a database of changes to the image file and is just a few Kb. My drive capacity doesn't diminish by 2 x the amount on my camera either. *confused*

manhattanboy

and DXO does not duplicate everything (i.e. I do not have 2 RAW files floating around).

Explain please.

LR copies everything to your library. Google it. Its well described.

Well, manhattanboy, I Googled and I Googled but I can't find it. Care to share your search terms? AFAIK you are wrong, but I am not infallible. For sure.

I import a copy from my camera to a destination on my PC, I deliberately have it make a second copy to a backup drive and it backs up to the cloud too. The last two are down to me making it do that. I presume you don't mean it makes a second copy in the catalogue? That is only a database of changes to the image file and is just a few Kb. My drive capacity doesn't diminish by 2 x the amount on my camera either. *confused*

I don't import from the SD into LR.
I transfer to the HD first and then have to import into LR, hence it makes a copy to the library

Richardflack

Just seen this thread, have a few questions - apologies if theyre a bit basic but im still at the bottom of the learnjng curve.

Why no mention of paint.net? the price is def right for a beginner, seems to have most key features and lacks the eccentric interface of Gimp.
One of the posts implied (i think) that LR has editing features but does not support layers. is that right? LR+PS is not cheap for a beginner.
There are a couple of comments about NX2 not being supported after this summer. is Nikon launching something else or just walking away?

scoobysmak

I am at the bottom of the learning curve as well but here is what I know. Nikon Capture NX2 will stopped being supported some time this year, probably the summer like you mentioned. Nikon now has Capture NX-D to replace it but many of the features that people liked/loved about Capture NX2, like control points, I believe have been removed from NX-D. Needless to say many users will jump ship because NX2 is slower to use than LR. The only reason they stayed is because they believed it provided better control and results, maybe not any more.

Between NX2 and Apples' aperture going away I see many users trying out new software this year.

sevencrossing

I don't import from the SD into LR.
I transfer to the HD first and then have to import into LR, hence it makes a copy to the library

At the top of import dialog box you see 4 options
Copy as DNG
Copy
Move
Add

Just select either of the last 2, to avoid making a second copy

Or just import straight into LR
in which case you MUST select either of the first 2

sevencrossing

when choosing digital photography software
Remember it will take time to learn how to use it
Do a search on how many books, videos, are there to help you
how much on line support is there
I don't know about other software but Lightroom is very well covered