Software for the aspiring snapper

Aboobie · 06-01-2010, 18:36

It's probably been asked a 1000 times before but I did a search and didn't get satisfactory answers to my questions regarding software for photography.

I've researched and purchased a mid range SLR, I'm busy taking a lot of shots and reading an awful lot and I'm now turning my attention to software.

How important is software to the photographic process? Will I find the more pictures I take and the more time I spend composing and taking shots the more I'll find I'm interested in tinkering with the final image?

It's starting to dawn on me that there are a lot of benefits to taking my non family pictures as RAW. I've downloaded paint.NET which I've used before and I've installed Canon Digital Photo Professional to handle the RAW shots. But, how beneficial would getting hold of Photoshop be? Would Elements suffice of should I really be looking at CS? Or at this point should I really just chill out and take pictures if necessary play with the free offerings (and maybe get GIMP?).

What do people use?

Thanks!

06-01-2010, 18:36	#1
Aboobie Vodka Martini Join Date: Sep 2008 Location: Beverley Posts: 749	Software for the aspiring snapper It's probably been asked a 1000 times before but I did a search and didn't get satisfactory answers to my questions regarding software for photography. I've researched and purchased a mid range SLR, I'm busy taking a lot of shots and reading an awful lot and I'm now turning my attention to software. How important is software to the photographic process? Will I find the more pictures I take and the more time I spend composing and taking shots the more I'll find I'm interested in tinkering with the final image? It's starting to dawn on me that there are a lot of benefits to taking my non family pictures as RAW. I've downloaded paint.NET which I've used before and I've installed Canon Digital Photo Professional to handle the RAW shots. But, how beneficial would getting hold of Photoshop be? Would Elements suffice of should I really be looking at CS? Or at this point should I really just chill out and take pictures if necessary play with the free offerings (and maybe get GIMP?). What do people use? Thanks! __________________ Last edited by Aboobie; 06-01-2010 at 19:00.