Avid digital photographers are passionate about more than just cameras. They crave powerful tools to organize, edit, and share their pictures. Luckily, today's consumer photo software is more sophisticated than ever, and about $100 gets you a formidable arsenal.
We looked at four recently updated software packages for intermediate to advanced hobbyists (none support CMYK color for professional printing)--Adobe Photoshop Elements, Jasc Paint Shop Pro and Photo Album, Microsoft Digital Image Suite, and Ulead PhotoImpact. Then we picked the best utilities and plug-ins that do specific tasks better than the big guns.
Throughout, we've pinpointed new features and hidden tools that can help take your digital photography to a higher level.
See the box below for links to the various parts of this article.
- Adobe Photoshop Elements 3
- Adobe Photoshop Elements' new organizing tools
- Jasc Paint Shop Pro 9 / Paint Shop Photo Album 5 Deluxe Edition
- Jasc Paint Shop Photo Album's decorative layout templates
- Microsoft Digital Image Suite 10
- Microsoft Digital Image Suite's panoramic stitching
- Ulead PhotoImpact 10
- ULead PhotoImpact's High Dynamic Range exposure editing
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