Questions about photo editing software ..

[moray71]

I currently use the iPhoto program that came on my mac. I keep hearing about all of the other programs out there which leads me to my question. Is there much of a difference between the programs or do they all pretty much to the same thing? I see a lot of people talking about Lightroom ( for example ), does it do anything that iPhoto doesn't, or should I say is it worth the money to upgrade or is iPhoto on par with the other programs?

 

[Tigerman]

You could always download the trial version and see for yourself...
Photo editor app | Download free Adobe Photoshop Lightroom 5 trial

I have never used iPhoto so I don't know how they compare, but the main focus of Lightroom is organizing and raw development. Its not so much an editor as it is designed to make adjustments to color and crop before you make your more artistic edits with photoshop...

 

[Interceptor121]

Lightroom does much more than iPhoto especially in the latest 5 version
Think of iPhoto as a library program and lightroom as a more advanced one near to what a proper software like photoshop can do

What you cannot do in lightroom is one shot removal of backscatter, applying content sensitive scaling and other tricks and manipulate colors aggresively on very deep shots. Most of the rest you can do and is much better than iPhoto

Having said that there is a learning curve and at the beginning the improvement will feel large but once you start knowing how to use it definitely light years better

 

[kombiguy]

And while everyone else talks Lightroom, may I suggest you also look at Aperture, by Apple. I like it better than Lightroom. But, non disputandem de gustibus est.

 

[Pyro_]

Except that aperture is being retired this fall and being replaced by the new photo app that will be in the new version of OS X

 

[Tigerman]

If it contains the same features and hopefully some more, does it matter if its "included"?
Or is it going to be gimped?

 

[Pyro_]

Don't know the full details. Just know that it was announced at their last keynote presentation. The public beta for yosminite OS X is going to be out shortly so I am sure more details will be aviable soon

 

[Interceptor121]

I am part of the yosemite developer feed didn't notice anything other than imovie didn't work at beginning lol. Will check later

 

[muzikbiz22]

+1 for Aperture. Yeah, I know, it's gonna stop being offered, etc. I still use it, and will be moving over to Phase One shortly.

 

[kelemvor]

Adobe Photoshop. Photoshop elements if the price of Photoshop is too much.