Photoshop

[Paul]

As a complete beginner and not even using photoshop is their any photoshop you can recommend, preferably a free one:p

Well it is an expensive hobby you know:D

[Jeni]

gimp is free although ive never used it.

http://www.gimp.org/

also, you can download a 30 day trial version of photoshop or elements from adobe. elements is considerably cheaper than photoshop!

www.adobe.com

[benjiblanco]

they're all free if you 'buy' them from the right places. lol, shouldnt say that as an admin tut tut....


Id start with elements as it does pretty much everything to start with, however remember photoshop is a digital imaging tool, not a photo editor, therefore think about what you need, id recommend lightroom before PS for a togger.

[Jeni]

meant to add in my reply that Lightroom is also available from Adobe.com for a free 30 day trial.

[Beeje25]

they're all free if you 'buy' them from the right places. lol, shouldnt say that as an admin tut tut....

you should say that as Im a licensing specialist :D

photoshop elements is great I use it and its cheeper than the full thing

[Marvin]

Try XnView to start with. It is small, fast and genuinely FREE. www.xnview.com (http://www.xnview.com)

It won't do everything that PS will do but it also has a much shorter learning curve...:p

[Paul]

Thanks for the link Marvin.:top:

Have however downloaded a months free trial of elements 7, seems good

[cindy]

Paul I did the same as you tried a trial version of elements 7 first then after a week or so decided i would like the paid one. I use elements and it is ideal for a beginner with a guided part as well as many of the features of the full PS. I now also have PS2 which i got for a tenner from a computer fair, but use elements as my main programme and PS to experiment further.

[Paul]

Thanks Cindy. My cousins going to 'buy' me the CS4,:legal: even though this is way out my depth I would imagine as a beginner to photoshop.

Do you think it's still worth buying the elements aswell or get my cousin to 'buy' it:legal::p

[munchycarrot]

Elements is a photo organiser as well as the minor side of PS editing. Personally I love Adobe's Lightroom, you can download a free trial, usually on one of the ads at the bottom of the forum page takes you straight to it.
You can organise all of your pics and do some editing, like elements then edit in Photoshop with a right click if you need to

[cindy]

Since you already have the elements on trial why not play around on this and if by the time you have finished the trial you feel ready to progress then try out your brand new CS4. Alternaatively as Stef said you can always try lightroom. Both are compatible with CS4 so you will only gain by practicing on one of these first. You have a very generous cousin.

[Paul]

You have a very generous cousin.

Haha. Helps when your a computer whizz to get them 'free' software :rofl:

All this photoshop is pretty confusing stuff when reading through some of the threads, way over my head. Guess I'll only learn if I persevere, maybe take in nightschool :top:

[cindy]

just get on it and play! That's the best way to learn...and check out your elements as it has a guided section . If you are a computer wiz then this sort of software should be well within your grasp.