Posts Tagged ‘best digital photography software’

Adobe Photoshop CS4

Friday, June 26th, 2009

Never before in the history of digital photography softwarehas anyone ever been able to produce such terrific results in photo editing as has happened in the digital age.  And while there are a myriad of tools that the computer and Internet have made available to us to enhance and change the images that come from a photo shoot, none can top the popularity and power of Adobe Photoshop.  This digital photography softwarehas become so synonymous with editing and creating effects that the term, “to Photoshop” has become a verb that means to enhance or alter an image.

We can “Photoshop in” new outfits, accessories or even people to a shot where it was just not possible before.  So if you want a picture of you shaking hands with the president, you don’t have to go to Washington to get it, just “Photoshop” your image into the image of the president and it will look as real as if you had been there.

You can “Photoshop” something out of a picture you don’t want and you won’t see it anymore.You can remove physical flaws with ease.You can even remove your noisy brother in law from the background of the shot.  This digital photography is so sophisticated that these images are possible and you really cannot tell the alteration has been made.

Photoshop has become such a de facto standard for photo processing that if you are setting up a photography studio or business, a copy of the software is as necessary as Microsoft word or PowerPoint.A good thing about Photoshop is that it is available everywhere and there are many people who know how to use it.  So if you feel insecure about learning yet another computer application, you can probably find a college student, someone at the high school or maybe the junior high that knows Photoshop in and out and can help you jump start your use of the software as well.

However, Photoshop has not always been the dominate program.In 1989, two brothers named John and Thomas Knoll created this program.The brothers created Photoshop for their custom use, but it wasn’t long before the market was clamoring after it.John and Thomas were pretty smart so the founded a company called Adobe in 1990.

Adobe has been a shining example of how to achieve success in the age of the Internet.  Today few of us who use the Internet are not aware of Adobe.I don’t think there is a computer working today that does not have a free copy of Adobe reader on it.Another example of how this little company has taken over a particular market is found in a program format they own called PDF.

You need to find a copy to play with first to really become good at Adobe Photoshop.You usually can find Photoshop, like most computer applications, on someones computer that will allow you to play with the software a bit.  Then if your friend is a wizard at Photoshop, let him or her show you some of the real “wiz-bang” things they can do with Photoshop using the same menus you were just tinkering with.It is real easy to allow a little Saturday afternoon photography spree to create and Photoshop addict out of you forever.

When you are done you will need to download a copy for yourself.  You can get an evaluation version that will give you most of the features.You only need this is you are not sure you’ll be buying a copy.To avoid some frustration when you buy your copy, make sure you get a licensed copy since Photoshop dominates this market.I know you will soon find yourself just playing around with the software for hours on end just having fun and that is OK.  But don’t overlook the value of taking some organized classes in photo editing using Adobe Photoshop.  These classes can show you the shortcuts and how to get the most out of the software.

If you really want to make photographs better for your friends and customers, then the only limit will be your imagination when using this software.When someone says,”that’s OK, photoshop can fix that right up” you will be able to enthusiastically say, that is right.”