# Photo Editor recommendations



## Alice Kramden (Mar 26, 2008)

For some reason Google Photos will no longer show the editing tools for me. I used them a few weeks ago and now they are gone. If you use Google Photos you know the ones I'm talking about, the pencil icon that you click on to edit your photos. I loved it. Really sharpened up my pics and gave them a pro look. Now its not there. 

I have Googled for an answer and can't find anything that relates to their being gone. 

Then, I have sat here most of the day trying different photo editor programs and not finding anything I like, deleting them as they don't seem to be what I want. 

Does anyone have a photo editor they can recommend? It'll have to be a free one, I can't pay what Photoshop costs. 

The new editor Google has come out with, and I don't know if that is why I can't get the old one, only works with Photoshop as an add on to it. 

Drat it, you find something that works, is simple and easy to use, and it goes away.


----------



## HermitJohn (May 10, 2002)

For Photoshop-like huge one, try GIMP. For smaller free one try Irfan View. 

Here is page that gives links to those two plus some more: http://www.techradar.com/us/news/so...e-10-top-image-editors-you-should-try-1135489 

Do google for photo editor free, and you will get couple pages of free online photo editing sites if you prefer that to actual software.


----------



## Alice Kramden (Mar 26, 2008)

Thanks, HermitJohn! Will look it over and see if I can find something I can use. Really wish I could find out what happened to the editing tools on Google Photos. It was so simple, a few slider bars to adjust and voila! a beautiful, crisp, clean, sharp, colorful pic, shadows lightened, chrome gleaming and paint with beautiful depth. Oh, well.


----------



## Heritagefarm (Feb 21, 2010)

A subscription to Photoshop can cost as little as $10 / month. Otherwise you might still be able to find CS2 for free somewhere. Adobe was offering it for free a while back to get rid of all the pirates straggling on their servers.


----------



## Alice Kramden (Mar 26, 2008)

Oh, Happy Dance! Happy Dance! 

Guys, I found the most FANTASTIC free photo editor....PhotoScape....it is Fantastic!

Easy to figure out right from the getgo. Options to customize your pics, wow, and double wow. I have played with this program all evening and don't want to stop. 

Thanks a million for your suggestions. I am having so much fun!


----------



## CajunSunshine (Apr 24, 2007)

I just checked the Adobe website, and I see Photoshop CS2 is still available for free. Here is the Adobe download for it: http://www.adobe.com/downloads/other-downloads.html

Tip: DO NOT REGISTER IT. And do not accept updates, or you will lose your free version..


----------



## Heritagefarm (Feb 21, 2010)

CajunSunshine said:


> I just checked the Adobe website, and I see Photoshop CS2 is still available for free. Here is the Adobe download for it: http://www.adobe.com/downloads/other-downloads.html
> 
> Tip: DO NOT REGISTER IT. And do not accept updates, or you will lose your free version..


I belive most Adobe products like Photoshop require an activation key to register them, unless it is the free version, where the key is built into it.


----------



## LisaPullman (Mar 26, 2021)

Adobe is good for this but I am still on the lookout for the right software for me


----------



## NRA_guy (Jun 9, 2015)

I highly recommend paint.net (it's free):

Paint.NET - Free Software for Digital Photo Editing


----------



## weaselfire (Feb 7, 2018)

If you can't afford Photoshop, get GIMP.

From a guy who does photos and photo editing for money and has used both since they were first created.

Jeff


----------



## NRA_guy (Jun 9, 2015)

I fooled with Photoshop some (and GIMP, as I recall). 

They are EXTREMELY powerful, and that translates into extremely complex. They are great for pros and advanced amateurs, but for a guy like me who just wants to crop photos, change the contrast, lighten or darken, tweak the resolution, and add text or graphics, they get too difficult and complicated to use.


----------



## GTX63 (Dec 13, 2016)

Many years ago I had a copy of Photoshop 7.
I spent from Friday evening thru Monday morning simply trying to crop a pic of one son and add him to a Christmas photo (I tend to become single minded when I feel something is purposely trying to obstruct).
These days I can do the same process in about 45 seconds.
Whether Gimp or Photoshop or whatever, it boils down to personal preference and recognizing the learning curve you are most comfortable with.


----------



## snowshoehair (Jul 3, 2008)

I like Paint.net for a quick bit of work, Photoshop for more intense work.... and did have Gimp for a while but it was too hard for me to find my way around. I didn't find it intuitive and spent way too much time reading the "how to". 
I used to have Corell Paintshop Pro and really liked it, but I think it came with a piece of equipment... camera or such... and I lost it with the new computer.


----------



## TroyT (Jun 24, 2008)

If you are shooting RAWs take a look at Dark Table it's free.


----------

