Photo-editing program reviews: FAQs
What can I do with image editing software?
If you've never used a photo-editing program before, here’s the low-down on what you can do.
Photo editing can turn a poor shot into a great one
Photo-editing programs let you make changes to photographs stored on your computer. You can edit prints that you’ve scanned in, such as old black-and-white pictures, and slides or snaps taken with your digital camera.
The software comes with a range of tools for correcting and manipulating your snaps.
More common features include the redeye remover, the crop tool (which lets you select an area of an image and get rid of everything else) and a clone tool which lets you copy part of your picture and paste it elsewhere in the image.
Some packages come with scratch tools for gently rubbing away creases and marks like the ones you often see on old photos. You'll find that many programs will let you adjust the lighting and the way the colours have come out in a photo, too.
Advanced packages come with features that let you get creative with your snaps such as turning them into an impressionist picture.
I haven't used photo-editing software before, how easy is it to use?
Most photo-editing programs take practice to get to grips with but many have automatic correction tools which do the work for you. The success of such tools can vary, however.
The most powerful photo-editing programs have plenty of manual options, too, giving you the freedom to make precise adjustments. However, complete novices may choose to ignore features such as the histogram which graphically displays the levels of different colours and light there is in an image.
Each software package in our test has an ease-of-use rating, so use this to help you decide which one is best for you.
Is it worth upgrading?
If you already have the last version of Paint Shop Pro or Photoshop Elements, it may not be worth upgrading – it really depends on whether you're craving the extra features.
These latest versions include interesting and imaginative new functions such as the facility to merge two similar images to make one perfect image and face-enhancing tools for creating a faultless portrait photo. But we don’t think these alone are enough to warrant upgrading.