Are you looking for the best photo editing software? If so, you’ve come to the right place. Through this article, I will share with you 10 of my favorite photo editing tools, including Photoshop, Adobe Camera RAW, Lightroom, Capture One Pro , and other helpful apps.
Your photos are your legacy, so why would you settle for anything but the best? Whether it is images of your child’s first steps or your travels abroad, your image must be of an outstanding quality that will reflect on every future project. Here we look at some of the best photo editing software for professionals and amateurs alike.
Adobe Photoshop CC 2021
If all you want is technical, in-depth editing, Photoshop still rules
SPECIFICATIONS
PC: Intel Core 2 or AMD Athlon 64 processor 2 GHz, 2GB RAM (8GB recommended), Windows 7 to 10Mac: Multicore Intel 64-bit, 2GB RAM (8GB recommended), OS X 10.11 or laterHard drive: 4GBMinimum screen resolution: 1024×768 pixelsTODAY’S BEST DEALSPhotography plan (20GB)US$9.99/mthLightroom CC plan (1TB)US$9.99/mthPhotography plan (1TB)US$19.99/mthVISIT SITEat Adobe
REASONS TO BUY
+Immensely powerful+Clean, intuitive interface
REASONS TO AVOID
-Needs Lightroom for organizing-Raw processing is a separate step
Despite its immense power and constant steady improvements, Photoshop is slick and straightforward to use. Its support for selections, masks and layers is unmatched, making it the tool of choice for complex composite images, and the latest October 2021 updates bring smart new Neural Filters and auto masking. Despite its reputation for complexity, Photoshop actually offers a very clean, slick interface. There are no ‘novice’ modes, but the tools panel does offer fly-out animations that show you how the tools work and what they do. There are no image browsing or cataloguing tools in Photoshop itself, but since Lightroom is included in the same Photography Plans as Photoshop, that’s not an issue (or you can use Adobe Bridge, which is simpler). On its own, Photoshop is powerful but limited; with Adobe Lightroom it’s half of the world’s most popular image editing double-act. Remember, though, that it’s aimed at designers, illustrators and artists, not just photographers.
Affinity Photo 1.10
It has the power of Photoshop but without the subscription
SPECIFICATIONS
PC: Processor not quoted, 2GB RAM (4GB recommended), Windows 7 SP1 to 10Mac: 64-bit Core Duo 2 or better, 2GB RAM, OS X 10.9 or laterHard drive: 670MBMinimum screen resolution: 1280×768 pixels
REASONS TO BUY
+Powerful tools+Cheap to buy
REASONS TO AVOID
-No cataloguing tools-Quite technicalAdvertisement
We complain that there’s too much Photoshop doesn’t do, but the fact is for many photographers this kind of old-school image-editor is exactly what they need. And Affinity Photo gives you exactly the same thing, but subscription-free, via a single extra-low payment. Affinity Photo is sold at a budget price point, but it has the tools and the features and the power to compete with Photoshop head-on. Serif has focused particularly heavily on the retouching market, with cloning, healing and retouching tools, an Inpainting tool for automatic object removal and a dedicated Liquify persona (workspace) for localized image distortion effects. Affinity Photo is an extremely powerful photo editor with more tools and features than there’s space to list here, from focus stacking and HDR tonemapping to high-end frequency separation. Now up to version 1.10, Affinity Photo has been steadily improved and evolved since its launch, but Affinity has yet to charge for any upgrade.
Adobe Lightroom
It’s impossible to ignore Adobe Lightroom when talking about the best photo editing software for photographers. In fact, Adobe products are considered the gold-standard when it comes to image editing software.
But why? What makes Lightroom so great? Let’s take a look.
Adobe Lightroom Interface
If Photoshop comes off as too complex and cumbersome, then you’re sure to love Lightroom’s simple, beginner-friendly interface.
Lightroom’s clean and easy workspace allows you to focus on what’s important — your image. The left-hand panel gives you quick access to your image library, so you can toggle between photos as you edit. Within the right-hand panel, you’ll find drop-down menus for making quick adjustments, adding keywords to your images and more.
In order to really get into your photo editing, you’ll need to access Lightroom’s horizontal tabs along the top of the workspace. All of your basic and advanced photo editing tools live in the Develop module. From there, you can manipulate your photo with lens correction, split toning, effects and other basic adjustments.
Having a centralized panel for all of your photo editing tools sets Lightroom apart and makes it super intuitive to use!
And, in the Develop module’s left-hand panel, Lightroom keeps stock of your photo edits in a drop-down labeled History. That way, you can easily scroll back through your image edits, make changes and review your edits before saving them in a custom preset.
Also, you may notice that Lightroom gives you a guided walkthrough of each module the first time you open the program after downloading the software. Unlike some other in-app tours, Lightroom’s tutorial hits all the highlights so you don’t miss a thing. With this brief introduction alone, you’ll be able to get started on your own edits.
Multi-Use Program
This program is more than just a photo editor. It’s a photo organizer, too. Lightroom allows you to easily store and rank your images inside the program, which eliminates the need for an external photo organizing program. Simply assign your photos a star rating based on editing priority — or any other metric for that matter — and get to work!
It’s clear that Adobe designed Lightroom to work for photographers at every skill level. So rest assured, Lightroom’s navigable interface doesn’t mean it isn’t powerful. That’s what makes Lightroom all the more impressive — it doesn’t sacrifice functionality for ease of use!
Lightroom Key Features
For most freelance photo editors, Adobe Lightroom offers all the tools you’ll need to create stunning portrait, landscape, real estate and other photography. Lightroom’s host of fantastic features includes:
- Face detection for photo organization
- Camera and lens-based corrections
- Brush and gradient adjustments
- Fixing and blurring tools
- Presets and professional filters
- Customizable sliders
- Multiple device support and sync
You can get Adobe Lightroom and Photoshop together here in Adobe’s Creative Cloud Plan.
Adobe Lightroom Extras
Given its library of pre-made editing solutions called presets, Lightroom is one of the most expansive photo editors on the market. These presets make it easier than ever to achieve a specific look in your photos. Simply find a preset package you like via Lightroom’s preset marketplace or online, then apply it to one or more of your images for a flawless edit.
Of course, presets work wonderfully for batch editing your photos at a break-neck pace. And, you can even design your own custom presets, which work like editing recipes for future photo edits. You can always edit pre-made or custom presets before you apply them, or you can adjust their sliders for a tailored application, depending on your photo.
With Lightroom’s presets, you have the opportunity to continually expand the software’s editing capabilities.
Not to mention, many third-party plugins and applications have integrated with Lightroom to make using the program even easier. Envira Gallery, for example, includes Adobe Lightroom to WordPress integration that allows you to easily sync your Lightroom photo galleries with your photography website.
Cost
Adobe Lightroom is available as a singular app, or as part of one of Adobe’s Creative Cloud packages. You can get Lightroom and Photoshop together for just $9.99/month.
Skylum LuminarAI
Experiment with AI
Skylum LuminarAI is a photo editing platform that places artificial intelligence (AI) at the core of its marketing. The software uses AI and machine learning (ML) for editing with a particular focus on portraiture, such as editing skin tones, faces, eyes, and bodies.
Pros:
- User friendly
- Plugins available for Photoshop, Lightroom, and Apple Photos
- macOS and Windows support
Cons:
- Not as advanced as other options on the market
- No subscription option is available
Conclusion
Everyone’s talking about supporting their favourite photography site these days, but the tech savvy among us tell us that the only site you should be supporting is Photoshop. It is, in my opinion, the best piece of software out there for photo editors, and includes some unique tools that the rest don’t have – like several exclusive filters.