What is the best photo editing software for newbies

Would you recommend Photoshop elements for a newbie to Apple platform.
Have editing background but not very proficient in Photoshop.

iPhoto, which actually comes free with your Mac, does some basic, yet powerful things in photo editing.
I recommend Aperture because it does two things very well. First, it's like iPhoto in that it organizes photos, which is a separate App when you enter the Adobe ecosystem.
The second thing is that Aperture is extremely powerful in editing photos. But more than that you can purchase even more powerful plug-ins that have Photoshop counterparts. In other words, you can grow with Aperture from powerful photo editing/organizing tool. And as you need to get into other things like HDR editing, you can buy plug ins from photo software developers like Nik Software.
I'm a huge fan of Aperture, and I've done some cool things with it. There are huge philosophical debates between how Aperture deals with editing imaging and how the Photoshop world does, but you're a "newbie", so Aperture may be your best start in life. It's very Mac-centric. Apple supports it. And frankly, the support community here is probably one of the most vibrant on all of Apple (other than the film editing ones).

Similar Messages

  • I currently have iPhoto on my new 27" 17, iMac. What is the best photo editing software. I have photo shop elements on my previous mac which I liked many features.

    I currently have an imac 27", i7.  I have iphoto on this computer. What is the best photo editing software to purchase or download?
    On my previouw mac I had Photo Shop Elenemts and Photoshop CS3. Both of the later had features that I liked.
       I am an amatuer family photographer; What is the best photo editing software. I do not think I need the power and confusion of full version photoshop.

    I take it you are looking for replacements for the apps you used on a previous Mac?
    I do not have Photoshop Elements, so I do not know about compatibility. But this site will tell you:
    http://roaringapps.com
    Photoshop CS3 does run in OS 10.9.1. (I use it just about everyday.) You do not have to give it up.
    And there is Gimp, which is free and powerful.
    http://www.gimp.org

  • What is the best video editing software for Mac?

    I am trying to edit videos, specifically .wmv and .mpg files to put in PowerPoint presentations. What is the best software for cropping movies as well as cutting different scenes out of video (i.e. making a 2 minute video into a 30 second video). Thanks so much for the help.

    iMovie will not edit WVM nor MPEG-1. You would need to convert the movies to one of the formats iMovie can accept before you could edit them. If you will need the movies to remain or end up in WMV or MPEG-1, I'd suggest looking to a different editor. StreamClip might work for just doing basic editing:
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  • What is the best photo editing software to replace aperture

    Because Apple has decided to no longer develop Aperture, what are the best valued, most capable programs to replace Aperture?

    Regarding the "ship shape" comment: you might want to look at some other products just to see how they would handle importing images. There is a lot of chatter on that subject for obvious reasons. What you don't want is all your info being stuck in a format that is difficult to retrieve.
    First, consider referenced photos instead of the library. The managed library of Aperture/iPhoto is pretty unique to Apple. Sure, things like Lightroom's Aperture importer will copy those photos out for you, but it's a work around. If you have a photo structure in the Finder, it's always available no matter what you use, DAM or browser or just Spotlight.
    Second, consider preserving your photo adjustments. Think of them as printed pictures. The adjustments (except really simple stuff like maybe crops, etc) do not carry over to other image managing  programs per se; the way to preserve those adjustments is to export the photo as adjusted, say in a TIFF. That's what you may have noticed that plugins like Nik do: they don't pass adjustment INFO to Aperture, they pass an exported photo. Consider a workflow that does the same. Even if the new Apple products or whatever comes next is what you wanna use, it may be useful to have these. Some of the cool adjustments demo'd in Photos might translate exactly from your Aperture info, but maybe not. You might have to start anew, and having at least an exemplar might be nice.
    Third, make your photos application independent by writing in metadata. The cool thing about image files is that even your garage door opener can probably open them. They are really universal. AND so is the exif/IPTC/XMP metadata within those files or sidecars. So write it in there. You can replicate a whole Project/folder/album or collection set/collection just using heirarchical keywords. And another cool thing is that this info is available in the Finder, in other operating systems, and with searches via Spotlight. It's tremendously powerful and many Aperture and Lightroom users, who often are solo users, don't make enough use of it. Those who worked with other people/departments etc probably use this more often; Photo Mechanic is the epitome of this. Metadata in photos is far more powerful than even tags in the operating system; it's like a DAM grafted into your files.

  • What is the best Photo editing software with good organiser for a mac?

    I have been using PSE9 on our PC and have just switched to using a mac so loaded PSE9 on that and have been discovering quite a few differences, limitations or basic functions just not there.
    At the moment I'm very dissapointed because I had no idea that would be the case, I guess I just assumed it would be better than a pc. I'm obviously going to need to buy more editing software but don't want something for the same price but get less just because it's on a mac.
    I do quite a bit of tweaking with PSE9, layers, actions (downloaded of the net), general tweaking, some fun funky stuff.
    Need a better organiser than iphoto.
    I would like to be able to batch process too which I can't currently do.
    I can get the educational packages.
    What would suit those needs best?

    Yes that is what I'm saying.
    Maybe I'm doing it wrong but I was on the phone to Apple for over an hour the other day and even the man on the phone was apologetic and said that no, it doesn't sort accoring to date taken.
    My screen looks quite different to yours. I choose Finder/Pictures and then select the folders or sort. When I select the date created I get photo all out of order that I know I didn't take on those dates. It also shows me the files horizontally stacked to the right rather than a page view.
    I've included a screen shot.
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    I am used to seeing
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    etc.... all ordered all logical. If this can be done and I'm doing something wrong - I'll be so happy!
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  • What is the best photo editing app for ipad?

    I would appreciate any coaching regarding choosing an app that I can edit photos with directly on iPad

    The iPad forum would be a great place to ask iPad questions - https://discussions.apple.com/community/ipad/using_ipad
    LN

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    What is the best video editing software i can get for a macbook pro without slowing my computer way down. I need it to be able to take hd videos. With the camera i got i can't even upload my videos to imovie.

      MacBook Pro
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    https://discussions.apple.com/community/mac_os?view=discussions
    http://www.apple.com/support/macbookpro
    http://www.apple.com/support/
    http://www.apple.com/support/iphoto
    You stumbled on a Mac Tower forum, not notebooks.
    If you are running 10.6.8 then you must have bought it 3-4 yrs ago?
    Might want to check the specs and then look at various programs and their requirements as to whether Final Cut Express and ah, you want to import media to an app, not "upload."
    http://www.apple.com/support/imovie
    http://www.apple.com/support/finalcutexpress
    Checked AppStore, Google or even the forums for various Apple programs.

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    What is the best virus/spyware software for OSX 10.6.8 on an iMac?

    Csound1's answer albeit short is correct. Because there are no viruses (as in zero, none, nada, zip) for OS X having antivirus software is a waste of time, resources and possibly money. About the only need for antivirus software is if you frequently download files you know nothing about and then forward them to Windows users. In that case even though you still don't need anything for OS X you are protecting the Windows users from your passing along infected files. Most anti-virus software for OS X tend to create more problems than they solve however if  you insist I'd recommend ClamXav which is free, non-intrusive and is frequently updated.
    Roger

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    Hi
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    What is the best sound conversion software for making apple sound files?

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  • What  is the best anti-virus software for my Mac?

    What is the best anti-virus software for my IMAC?

    If you are still using OS X 10.4.x "Tiger" please confirm.
    atpatt wrote:
    What is the best anti-virus software for my IMAC?
    Use what Apple already provided.
    There will always be threats to your information security associated with using any Internet - connected communications tool:
    You can mitigate those threats by following commonsense practices
    Delegating that responsibility to software is an ineffective defense
    Assuming that any product will protect you from those threats is a hazardous attitude that is likely to result in neglecting point #1 above.
    OS X already includes everything it needs to protect itself from viruses and malware. Keep it that way with software updates from Apple.
    A much better question is "how should I protect my Mac":
    Never install any product that claims to "clean up", "speed up",  "optimize", "boost" or "accelerate" your Mac; to "wash" it, "tune" it, or to make it "shiny". Those claims are absurd.Such products are very aggressively marketed. They are all scams.
    Never install pirated or "cracked" software, software obtained from dubious websites, or other questionable sources.
    Illegally obtained software is almost certain to contain malware.
    "Questionable sources" include but are not limited to spontaneously appearing web pages or popups, download hosting sites such as C net dot com, Softonic dot com, Soft pedia dot com, Download dot com, Mac Update dot com, or any other site whose revenue is primarily derived from junk product advertisements.
    Don’t supply your password in response to a popup window requesting it, unless you know what it is and the reason your credentials are required.
    Don’t open email attachments from email addresses that you do not recognize, or click links contained in an email:
    Most of these are scams that direct you to fraudulent sites that attempt to convince you to disclose personal information.
    Such "phishing" attempts are the 21st century equivalent of a social exploit that has existed since the dawn of civilization. Don’t fall for it.
    Apple will never ask you to reveal personal information in an email. If you receive an unexpected email from Apple saying your account will be closed unless you take immediate action, just ignore it. If your iTunes or App Store account becomes disabled for valid reasons, you will know when you try to buy something or log in to this support site, and are unable to.
    Don’t install browser extensions unless you understand their purpose. Go to the Safari menu > Preferences > Extensions. If you see any extensions that you do not recognize or understand, simply click the Uninstall button and they will be gone.
    Don’t install Java unless you are certain that you need it:
    Java, a non-Apple product, is a potential vector for malware. If you are required to use Java, be mindful of that possibility.
    Java can be disabled in System Preferences.
    Despite its name JavaScript is unrelated to Java. No malware can infect your Mac through JavaScript. It’s OK to leave it enabled.
    Block browser popups: Safari menu > Preferences > Security > and check "Block popup windows":
    Popup windows are useful and required for some websites, but popups have devolved to become a common means to deliver targeted advertising that you probably do not want.
    Popups themselves cannot infect your Mac, but many contain resource-hungry code that will slow down Internet browsing.
    If you ever see a popup indicating it detected registry errors, that your Mac is infected with some ick, or that you won some prize, it is 100% fraudulent. Ignore it.
    Ignore hyperventilating popular media outlets that thrive by promoting fear and discord with entertainment products arrogantly presented as "news". Learn what real threats actually exist and how to arm yourself against them:
    The most serious threat to your data security is phishing. To date, most of these attempts have been pathetic and are easily recognized, but that is likely to change in the future as criminals become more clever.
    OS X viruses do not exist, but intentionally malicious or poorly written code, created by either nefarious or inept individuals, is nothing new.
    Never install something without first knowing what it is, what it does, how it works, and how to get rid of it when you don’t want it any more.
    If you elect to use "anti-virus" software, familiarize yourself with its limitations and potential to cause adverse effects, and apply the principle immediately preceding this one.
    Most such utilities will only slow down and destabilize your Mac while they look for viruses that do not exist, conveying no benefit whatsoever - other than to make you "feel good" about security, when you should actually be exercising sound judgment, derived from accurate knowledge, based on verifiable facts.
    Do install updates from Apple as they become available. No one knows more about Macs and how to protect them than the company that builds them.
    Summary: Use common sense and caution when you use your Mac, just like you would in any social context. There is no product, utility, or magic talisman that can protect you from all the evils of mankind.

  • What is the best/suggested CI software for SVN+ADF+Weblogic

    What is the best Conitinuous Integration software for building ADF projects on every post-commit in subversion?
    By googling I could see that Jenkins (formerly Hudson) needs to be patched for the use with weblogic. Is this still true?
    Is there anything specific and working out of the box with Weblogic?
    Thanks

    hi, this will be a late response, but anyway...
    we set up continuous integration environment for our adf projects with Hudson v1.395(version before Jenkins fork). there is no need to patch hudson for weblogic deployments.
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  • What is the best virus protection software for imac

    Can someone suggest the best anti virus software for an intel based iMac?

    If you are really running OS X "Leopard", you should be aware that Apple stopped providing updates for it years ago. On the other hand your profile also indicates you are using a Power Mac, and they do not use Intel CPUs. The good news about that is that the PowerPC platform has become so uncommon that they are extremely unlikely to be the target of any sort of malware or virus attempts. So, more information is required, but lacking that most of the following principles apply equally well to any computer.
    There will always be threats to your information security associated with using any Internet - connected communications tool:
    You can mitigate those threats by following commonsense practices
    Delegating that responsibility to software is an ineffective defense
    Assuming that any product will protect you from those threats is a hazardous attitude that is likely to result in neglecting point #1 above.
    OS X already includes everything it needs to protect itself from viruses and malware. Keep it that way with software updates from Apple.
    A much better question is "how should I protect my Mac":
    Never install any product that claims to "clean up", "speed up",  "optimize", "boost" or "accelerate" your Mac; to "wash" it, "tune" it, or to make it "shiny". Those claims are absurd.Such products are very aggressively marketed. They are all scams.
    Never install pirated or "cracked" software, software obtained from dubious websites, or other questionable sources.
    Illegally obtained software is almost certain to contain malware.
    "Questionable sources" include but are not limited to spontaneously appearing web pages or popups, download hosting sites such as C net dot com, Softonic dot com, Soft pedia dot com, Download dot com, Mac Update dot com, or any other site whose revenue is primarily derived from junk product advertisements.
    If you need to install software that isn't available from the Mac App Store, obtain it only from legitimate sources authorized by the software's developer.
    Don’t supply your password in response to a popup window requesting it, unless you know what it is and the reason your credentials are required.
    Don’t open email attachments from email addresses that you do not recognize, or click links contained in an email:
    Most of these are scams that direct you to fraudulent sites that attempt to convince you to disclose personal information.
    Such "phishing" attempts are the 21st century equivalent of a social exploit that has existed since the dawn of civilization. Don’t fall for it.
    Apple will never ask you to reveal personal information in an email. If you receive an unexpected email from Apple saying your account will be closed unless you take immediate action, just ignore it. If your iCloud, iTunes, or App Store account becomes disabled for valid reasons, you will know when you try to buy something or log in to this support site, and are unable to.
    Don’t install browser extensions unless you understand their purpose. Go to the Safari menu > Preferences > Extensions. If you see any extensions that you do not recognize or understand, simply click the Uninstall button and they will be gone.
    Don’t install Java unless you are certain that you need it:
    Java, a non-Apple product, is a potential vector for malware. If you are required to use Java, be mindful of that possibility.
    Java can be disabled in System Preferences.
    Despite its name JavaScript is unrelated to Java. No malware can infect your Mac through JavaScript. It’s OK to leave it enabled.
    The same precaution applies to Adobe Flash Player. Newly discovered Flash vulnerabilities appear almost weekly.
    Beware spontaneous popups: Safari menu > Preferences > Security > check "Block popup windows".
    Popup windows are useful and required for some websites, but unsolicited popups are commonly used to deceive people into installing unwanted software they would never intentionally install.
    Popups themselves cannot infect your Mac, but many contain resource-hungry code that will slow down Internet browsing.
    If you ever receive a popup window indicating that your Mac is infected with some ick or that you won some prize, it is 100% fraudulent. Ignore it.
    The same goes for a spontaneously appearing dialog insisting that you upgrade your video player right this instant. Such popups are frequently associated with sites that promise to deliver "free" movies or other copyrighted content that is not normally "free".
    The more insistent it is that you upgrade or install something, the more likely it is to be a scam. Close the window or tab and forget it.
    Ignore hyperventilating popular media outlets that thrive by promoting fear and discord with entertainment products arrogantly presented as "news". Learn what real threats actually exist and how to arm yourself against them:
    The most serious threat to your data security is phishing. Most of these attempts are pathetic and are easily recognized, but that hasn't stopped prominent public figures from recently succumbing to this age-old scam.
    OS X viruses do not exist, but intentionally malicious or poorly written code, created by either nefarious or inept individuals, is nothing new.
    Never install something without first knowing what it is, what it does, how it works, and how to get rid of it when you don’t want it any more.
    If you elect to use "anti-virus" software, familiarize yourself with its limitations and potential to cause adverse effects, and apply the principle immediately preceding this one.
    Most such utilities will only slow down and destabilize your Mac while they look for viruses that do not exist, conveying no benefit whatsoever - other than to make you "feel good" about security, when you should actually be exercising sound judgment, derived from accurate knowledge, based on verifiable facts.
    Do install updates from Apple as they become available. No one knows more about Macs and how to protect them than the company that builds them.
    Summary: Use common sense and caution when you use your Mac, just like you would in any social context. There is no product, utility, or magic talisman that can protect you from all the evils of mankind.

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