Image editing software is a godsend for those who want to manipulate their photos to make them look good. However, choosing the right image editing platform is important. We give below some of the best.
The best image editing software
#1 Adobe Photoshop
It will not be wrong to say that Adobe Photoshop rules the image editing software scene. It has become an industry standard of sorts and not knowing it may hamper your progress as a professional photographer. Why Adobe Photoshop is so popular is because it is chock-a-block with immensely helpful features. With it, you can not only crop and adjust lighting but carry out any number of common tasks in the post-production process.
Adobe Photoshop offers some amazing features, such as stroke smoothing, paint symmetry, group layer arranging, 360-degree panorama workflow, custom path color and width, and a variety of pen tools and enhanced tooltips.
#2 Corel PaintShop Pro
Despite Adobe leading the pack, Corel Paintshop Pro is not far behind. It too offers a range of incredible post-production features for professional photographers. However, this image editing software is as expensive as the full version of Adobe Photoshop that puts it into the ‘also ran’ category, since professional photographers continue to repose full faith in Adobe Photoshop.
Raw processing of this software is simply amazing and unparalleled compared to other editing software. This makes tethered shooting easy. It also handles color adjustment remarkably well and allows sending layered files to a retouching/editing department with annotated notes. The features offered by Corel PaintShop Pro are layered workflow, color improvements, export crop to path, and feather and refine masks. The handwritten annotations can be written directly on the image too.
#3 Skylum Luminar
This simple and fast photo editing program is extremely powerful. What’s more, it runs on both Mac and Windows. Its fast photo editor is capable of the most basic adjustments and is designed for all skill levels. It offers an AI Slider that is designed to provide amazing effects on the image. It also offers Customizable Panels that gives you the option of Landscape or Portrait. It is the fastest among other image editing software.
Skylum Luminar is better than Lightroom in many ways. Check out Luminar Review here.
Luminar is not only much faster than Lightroom but has more powerful tools too.
#4 Pixlr Editor
The main attraction of this image editing software is it is absolutely free to download and use. Users find this robust HTML5 photo editing software easiest to use since it eases adding and editing of image and is also effective in editing vector graphics. It supports multiple file formats and possesses a large number of editing tools, such as prebuilt filters, overlays and a wide range of effects.
Pixlr offers some great features, such as one-click manipulation for a variety of jobs, detailed layering functionality, vector editor, instant effects tool, and saturation and hue alteration. However, its user interface is clunky and working with layers, shapes and fonts are time- consuming.
#5 Affinity
This powerful image editing software for Mac is designed for professionals. The point in favor of this editing software is its robust feature set that is designed to give you as much control as possible in creating the end product. Not only does it have great flexibility, but a nice interface too. It allows you to change the mode of the program for specific designing needs.
Affinity holds some practical features, such as complex channel controls, vector drawing, detailed coloration and layer effects, including outline, shadows, glows, etc. However, the learning curve for this editing software can be a bit high.
#6 Pablo Editor
This totally free basic image editing tool is ideal for businesses and individuals, who need to alter images for use in commercial and personal projects. It allows users to edit and publish images quickly. It also offers a huge image library containing over 600,000 images and allows you to select what you want and use them for free.
Pablo Editor offers features that include light alteration tools, repositioning and resizing tools, and insert text and graphics feature. However, its best feature is ease of use. You just need to upload a shot, choose the style and write what you want and you are done!
#7 Ribbet
Ribbet is also a free photo editor that offers a full set of features. It is designed with a user-friendly interface and offers a wide range of controls. A simple and clear interface makes navigation quick and efficient with a simple click of a button. It is one of the best in collage creation and allows creating many different types of collages.
Ribbet’s features include layering and watermarking, lighting alteration. It also provides auto-fixing tools and a large selection of effects.
Conclusion
If you choose the right image editing software, you are certain to make your image more appealing. However, use the image editing tools with caution, as overdoing it will not only spoil the image but make the manipulations quite apparent to others.