My Photo Editing Software Journey

Exploring Photography Post-Processing Software Options

(Note: I am not endorsing any products that are mentioned in this blog nor do I have any financial interest in the products)

First Steps with Photoshop Elements and Paint Shop Pro

I purchased my first digital camera over 20 years ago, a 4MP point-and-shoot camera. I started using Photoshop Elements and PaintShop Pro. You can imagine the lack of sophistication of these programs compared to what’s available today. They were so basic. You could not do much more than correcting exposure and adjusting color along with dodging and burning, cropping… Both mimicked for the most part the techniques you would be able to do if you had your own photography darkroom. The term “digital darkroom” was often used to describe the software.

Upgrading to Adobe Lightroom and Photoshop

Starting in 2007, I used Adobe Lightroom 1, purchasing updates as they were released. Lightroom provided a photo cataloging feature not available in early versions of Photoshop Elements and RAW processing capability. Later on, I added Photoshop to my post-processing routine. It provided sophisticated editing tools that allowed the combining of photos and the healing of missing portions of a photo… I used both for about 10 years until they switched to the subscription model.

I am now using Capture One Pro, but more about that later.

Adobe Photoshop Elements continues to be developed. Adobe has added many of the tools that are found in the updated versions of Lightroom and Photoshop. Photoshop Elements is available as a perpetual license. I’ve done introductory classes with several students using Photoshop Elements. It’s very capable and can meet most beginning photographer’s needs. Current versions allow you to process both camera RAW and JPEG files.

Using Old Versions of Adobe Lightroom and Photoshop CS6

I still use old versions of Adobe Lightroom and Photoshop CS6 to catalog and edit students’ photos. These versions provide a simple way to present information to enhance the learning of the photography process for my students.

Capture One Pro as My Primary Editing Software

My primary editing and photo cataloging software is Capture One Pro. Capture One Pro has many more features than you would need to start out doing photo editing. It has recently switched from a perpetual license to a subscription model. However, a perpetual license is available, with bug fixes but no enhancements updates. As Capture One Pro makes enhancements that will help me with my photography, I will update by purchasing a new perpetual license. Capture One Pro is adding AI enhancements, as are other developers, with each new software release.

Affinity Photo as An Alternative

I’ve used Affinity Photo V1 for about two years. Affinity Photo now offers V2 that has a persistent license. No subscription fees like with Adobe or Capture One. Affinity Photos V1 has received support for nearly a decade. If they do the same with V2, you will get all upgrades for a very long time. I have downloaded the complete suite of Affinity V2 products and find them very useful in creating materials for my classes. Affinity Photo provides a lower-cost alternative to the subscription models. Affinity Photo V2 offers a feature for focus-stacking photos. Focus stacking allows the photographer to combine multiple images of the same subject taken at different focal points into a single photo. I find this feature very useful in macro photography where a single photo doesn’t have enough small depth of field. This feature is not available in Capture One Pro.

Learning Resources

Adobe Lightroom, Photoshop, Capture One, and Affinity Photo all have a large ecosystem of YouTube videos to help with learning photo processing.

Mobile Platforms

Many of the aforementioned software packages have support for Android and Apple phones and tablets. I personally use Snapseed for quick editing and posting on Instagram. Several of my students, without laptop/desktop computers, use Snapseed exclusively with more than acceptable results.

Shooting in JPEG or RAW

Most of today’s digital cameras allow us to shoot in RAW and JPEG. Previously, I discussed the importance of RAW and JPEG files. Let me summarize that simply right here.

My advice if you’re a beginning photographer is to shoot JPEG. Why? It’s just simpler to use because it doesn’t require post-processing. The camera produces ready-to-use photos. The image you see on the LCD screen is a JPEG. Once you understand your camera and its controls, and you want to take your photography to the next level, I would recommend you shoot using RAW. Using RAW gives you more creative control over the final output. Remember, RAW files can be significantly larger than a JPEG file.

More details about RAW

RAW files are the camera manufacturers’ proprietary format. The RAW file records all of the information the camera sensor captures when you take a photo. RAW files require you to use post-processing software to be able to be viewed on your computer. Most camera manufacturers provide free RAW processing software dedicated to their cameras. The advantage of purchasing Adobe Lightroom/Photoshop, Capture One Pro, Affinity Photo, or other similar products is they provide a way to view and process RAW files from many different cameras. Each software developer provides its own interpretation of a camera manufacturer’s RAW file. After importing RAW files they will look dull and lack contrast, requiring post-processing. The post-processing you perform makes the photo yours giving you the ability to interpret the image in your own unique way.

RAW File extensions for some of the more popular cameras are; Canon: CRW, CA2, CA3, Nikon: NEF, Sony ARW, SRF, SR2 Olympus (4/3, m4/3): ORF, and Fujifilm RA. Cameras that can shoot RAW often also allow you to have a RAW and JPEG file saved at the same time. This feature allows you to have the best of both worlds. Remember, you will have two files: a RAW and a JPEG resulting in your memory card filling up sooner.

Post-Processing Magic

“There are times when the lighting conditions or other restrictions such as no flash or tripods allowed where you can’t achieve the best possible photo in the camera. What if you’re on a once-in-a-lifetime trip? Post-processing may be the only solution. Even the best cameras today can’t see all the variations in light to dark that we can see with our eyes. Our eyes can distinguish approximately 20 zones of black to white. The best and most expensive cameras today can only see about 15 zones. The photo below (left) was taken at Mount St. Michel in Normandy, France. The photo below (right) is post-processed and is the only way I could have conveyed what my eyes saw as I walked past the window.”

Tom Wiggins from Bold Journey 09/29/2023

use of photo editing software to create final photo — Before

The links below will provide you with reviews about many of the software packages I have mentioned as well as others.

Other Resources Photo Editing Software

If you have any questions please don’t hesitate to contact me

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photos available for purchase at FineArt America