The latest V1.4 brings yet more fun to the party, with new additions like panoramic photo stitching, live stacks, a haze removal filter and split toning, plus a whole lot more. New tricksįor more extreme adjustments, single-plane and dual-plane perspective corrections are easy to apply, and there's also a customisable mesh system for applying warps, again in real time.
The latest 2015 edition of Photoshop CC offers a noticeable speed increase over previous versions when using its healing, spot healing and patch tools but, even so, Affinity Photo has the edge.įor ultimate control, you can create custom brushes and nozzles with advanced flow dynamics, and there's built-in support for Wacom and other graphics tablets. Similar speed and dexterity is available when retouching images, using tools like dodge and burn, clone, blemish removal and red-eye fix. The inpainting tool enables you to literally paint people and objects out of a scene, automatically blending the resulting hole into the surroundings. Similarly, live filters offer instant previews and non-destructive application. The same immediate, constantly updating previews also apply to live layer blends, for which 30 options are available. It's great to be able to get instant feedback on adjustments, which can also be applied as 'live layers'.
The 'live' aspect of watching images update as you work on them extends to customisable effects that include lighting, blurring, tilt & shift, and many more. This makes the editing process wonderfully fluid, and enhances the creative experience. Most adjustments can be previewed live, in real time and without any lag, even if you're working on images with huge numbers of layers. Not only are the editing tools very good, with excellent fine-tuning and customisation options, they're also super-fast in action.
That speed is on show throughout Affinity Photo. The speed and fluidity with which edits are updated on screen is particularly impressive.
Do you have affordable software that you can't do without? Sound off in the comments and tell us why your budget-conscious choice is a contender.The Liquify persona comes complete with a mesh view, and contains a range of tools for push, pinch, twirl and turbulence distortions.įinally, the Liquify persona hosts an array of pinch, push, twirl and turbulence tools, complete with mesh view and the ability to freeze or thaw selected areas of the image. These are only a selection of graphics software available. Even well-versed artists will find the tools and effects to be top quality, and its tablet compatibility is a bonus feature you'll come to enjoy.
See at Adobe (opens in new tab) The bottom lineįor versatility, price, and user-friendly, software, Corel's PaintShop Pro X8 is a safe bet.
More experienced users will appreciate the customizable toolbar and workspaces, as well as support for plug-ins. From there your only limit will be your imagination. If everything is new to you, Photoshop CC includes numerous short tutorials that will teach you the essentials. You'll have access to a virtually endless supply of royalty-free photos and graphics, as well as popular assets like brushes, shapes, and shareable Libraries. The Creative Sync feature allows you to connect your project from your laptop or desktop to your phone. The tools you'll be provided with are impressive and expansive - and suitable for new users or experienced editors. The subscription model from Adobe Photoshop CC gives you the basic photography app for $29.99 for one month, or you can pay $74.99 for one month of access to over 20 apps - all continually updated. You also won't be able to do any photo merging or HDR imaging, but in all likelihood, you'll be ready to spend a little extra on your next software purchase by the time you're ready for those. The major downfall of this budget-friendly software is that it lacks 3D effects and tablet compatibility. The user-friendly interface offers easy access to lists of how-to details and interactive lessons. Batch Processing allows you to apply the same edits to groups of photos, which is a time saver. It comes with over 500 font styles, 77 photo filters, and a large number of templates and pre-designed grids.
The price is reduced significantly during regular sales on their official website so it's worthwhile to check in and make sure you're getting the best deal you can.Įven at full price, the software is an excellent deal. You'll pay as little as $19.95, but not more than $59.99 for Photo Editor 6. ACDSee offers free trials of their software, and they frequently put their packages on sale. You can learn the basics of editing and experiment with fancy effects without draining your bank account. For beginner editors, ACDSee is a good place to start.