Serious photographers - Free Photoshop clone on Wndows --GIMP

Wynona · Feb 6, 2024

barman58 said:
I have used it in the past but, decided quite a few years ago to exclusively use Adobe Lightroom for my image management needs - which is a totally different thing to image editing but an essential for serious image management.

Some time after I made my decision, Adobe made a decision themself to bundle Lightroom and Photoshop and a collection of other image application tools into their "photography" package that although not free is only around $10 a month hardly any more than Lightroom on it's own
Gimp is a fair enough program and obviously a good "Price" but nowhere as advanced as the Adobe Photography package. I also have several other image editing tools acquired over the years, including the full Affinity suite, although I tend to use the Designer and DTP applications rather than the Paint application for my needs

@barman58

Thank you kind sir. You have keyed me to explain my "needs" concerning a graphics program.

First and foremost, other than acquiring screenshots for tutorials I create for my class, I'm totally ignorant to the workings of graphics programs. Although I'd like to understand more about them.

Secondly, any program I settle on needs to have two things going for it; simple to teach, low cost (free is best). A third thing would be easy for me to learn so I can teach it to my class. Everything I put on my computer is done with the intent of sharing with my class members.

And third, as most of you know, I teach Windows 11 at the local Senior Activity Center. Typically, our seniors are on fixed income. That means some of them may be able to afford the full blown Photoshop suite, but most cannot. Some can afford $69.00 for a program, while the majority must draw the line at around $30.00. So, I have to take their financial well being into consideration.

So, now that y'all know what I'm hoping to accomplish for my senior class members, please continue on to edumacate me!

barman58 · Feb 6, 2024

@Wynona ....

I have personally found that smaller manufacturer's free options for what is always are going to be a quite complex subject such as image editing have been more difficult to learn to use efficiently.

When you look at something such as photoshop, there is a huge range of training available on the web and related sources, this includes both from adobe themselves and also third party trainers. more and more AI is being included in photoshop which can ease the learning curve for both beginners and advanced users

I think you have to look at the level that you wish to reach against the help available for the various application options. It can also help if you can find a trainer that fits with your own way of learning - whether that be repetitive copying or a more freeform training where the basic methods are explained and the user can then develop their own way of learning, what They need

Hazel123 · Feb 6, 2024

Paint.net is quite useful and free as well

I also use that. However I only download it via ninite as some download sources are dodgy - even paint.net's own web page. (Thinking about seniors there).

Ghot · Feb 6, 2024

Photoshop is awesome, and the best there is. It also costs an arm and a leg.
GIMP is very powerful and is free, but has an incredible learning curve without the benefit of Photoshop's zillions of tutorials.

Then ofc, there's the old Paint Shop Pros. They are free, fairly powerful and have a much easier learning curve...

Paint Shop Pro 4.12 and 7.04 and 8.1 and 9.01

Due to popularity, powerful features and ease of use, here are: Paint Shop Pro 4.12 and 7.04 and 8.1 and 9.01 These are all free, legal and fully functional. These work flawlessly on all versions of Windows from 7 to 11. Paint Shop Pro 4.12 and if memory serves, 7.04 also work on Windows XP...

www.elevenforum.com

I myself, like PSP 7.04 the best.

Bree · Feb 6, 2024

Like Ghot, I use PaintShop Pro 7.04 for all my image editing. In its day it was the closest rival to PhotoShop and had all the same tools. Still runs well in Windows 11.

Edwin · Feb 6, 2024

+1 for Affinity.

pparks1 · Feb 6, 2024

Ghot said:
Photoshop is awesome, and the best there is. It also costs an arm and a leg.
GIMP is very powerful and is free, but has an incredible learning curve without the benefit of Photoshop's zillions of tutorials.

Yeah, i'm not proficient with any of these apps, as graphics is not my thing and I have very little interest in getting better in that area. Paint.net is what I have used. Gimp has always been available to me, but it's more advanced feature set isn't something that I need.

My son has the Adobe Photography plan which is $9.99 a month with photoshop and light room. He's been quite happy with that, and Photoshop is the de-facto standard...so like you said lots of tutorials and such on how to do everything in photoshop and he's building a skill set if he ever works professionally with graphics as the adobe suite is again the de-facto standard for all of this stuff.

Ghot · Feb 6, 2024

pparks1 said:
Yeah, i'm not proficient with any of these apps, as graphics is not my thing and I have very little interest in getting better in that area. Paint.net is what I have used. Gimp has always been available to me, but it's more advanced feature set isn't something that I need.

My son has the Adobe Photography plan which is $9.99 a month with photoshop and light room. He's been quite happy with that, and Photoshop is the de-facto standard...so like you said lots of tutorials and such on how to do everything in photoshop and he's building a skill set if he ever works professionally with graphics as the adobe suite is again the de-facto standard for all of this stuff.

Yep. Once you learn Photoshop, the world is your... image.

BunnyJ · Feb 6, 2024

Wynona said:
@barman58

Thank you kind sir. You have keyed me to explain my "needs" concerning a graphics program.

First and foremost, other than acquiring screenshots for tutorials I create for my class, I'm totally ignorant to the workings of graphics programs. Although I'd like to understand more about them.

Secondly, any program I settle on needs to have two things going for it; simple to teach, low cost (free is best). A third thing would be easy for me to learn so I can teach it to my class. Everything I put on my computer is done with the intent of sharing with my class members.

And third, as most of you know, I teach Windows 11 at the local Senior Activity Center. Typically, our seniors are on fixed income. That means some of them may be able to afford the full blown Photoshop suite, but most cannot. Some can afford $69.00 for a program, while the majority must draw the line at around $30.00. So, I have to take their financial well being into consideration.

So, now that y'all know what I'm hoping to accomplish for my senior class members, please continue on to edumacate me!

The main question is what do you want to accomplish with the tools? IMO, none of them are all that simple or easy to learn. It takes time and effort to understand them. I've been using Photoshop for some time and I'm still learning about it and its new features

Gimp is a decent tool but you have to know what you want to do with it before you start to use it. I use Photoshop to process pictures I take and modify them. I took this picture and then I modified it in Photoshop... you can do a lot but I would suggest you think about your goals first

thecaretaker · Feb 6, 2024

I've used Gimp for many years. I use a combination of MS Paint, PaintShop Pro and Gimp. I manage to do all I need to do. Each have their own strengths and weaknesses but usually I manage to achieve what I set out to do.

glasskuter · Feb 6, 2024

I tried to learn both photoshop and Gimp (why, I have no idea since I'm not even into the whole photo thing)....nada, nope, fu-get-about-it. Whether, it was from my lack of patience or lack of smarts, needless to say, I gave up. (I'm not the sharpest tack in the box)

BunnyJ · Feb 6, 2024

glasskuter said:
I tried to learn both photoshop and Gimp (why, I have no idea since I'm not even into the whole photo thing)....nada, nope, fu-get-about-it. Whether, it was from my lack of patience or lack of smarts, needless to say, I gave up. (I'm not the sharpest tack in the box)

It can be a real challenge, but if you take your time and follow the tutorials from Adobe it's not that hard to make progress.

Edwin · Feb 6, 2024

About the time COVID hit, my Livestream design team and I were being worked to death! Then @barman58 turned me on to the Affinity suite, for which I'm truly thankful..., it forced me to learn, fast, and I'm still a novice! A real godsend!

glasskuter · Feb 6, 2024

Wynona said:
for my senior class members,

A question Wyn. Do you think the majority of your seniors have a need (or a want) to learn extreme photo editing? I know the ones I taught for a while were more interested in understanding computer basics and how to perform Windows tasks rather than using specialty software that might have limited appeal. But then, the ones I helped were total puter novices.

hdmi · Feb 6, 2024

Wynona said:
a graphics program

ShamrockRig · Feb 6, 2024

Used it around 10-15 years ago on windows at high school lol! Been on windows for decades.
Albeit being scottish, the word gimp gets thrown about pretty often, usually a name given to someone for they're behaviour. And it doesn't mean GNU Image Manipulation Program LOL

Wynona · Feb 6, 2024

hdmi said:

I use my cellphone as a phone. Only.

Unless HiPaint is a computer program, I'm afraid it's not what I'm looking for.

ShamrockRig · Feb 6, 2024

Wynona said:
I use my cellphone as a phone. Only.

Unless HiPaint is a computer program, I'm afraid it's not what I'm looking for.

Oh dyou not have a smartphone? I understand then as you can't. If it is...wasted money on a smartphone with loads of features you won't use for some reason. Its a pc in a handheld environment, Isn't just for calling. Like saying i have a car, but wont put down the windows or turn on the music because i use it solely as a car, Only.