new to PP: what do you recommend?

[LisaDes]

I recently returned from a trip to Africa and shot in RAW for the first time. I want to start learning post production processing, something I've never really done before other than simple steps in iPhoto (I have a MacBook exclusively). What are the pros / cons of PhotoShop and Aperture and which would you recommend?

[vsa]

Haven't used Aperture so can't say anything about that.

But for Photoshop...
Cons: Very expensive and managing large amount of files is tedious. Perhaps a steep learning curve.
Pros: Industry standard and beats every other software designed for editing photos.

If you're going to be making just basic adjustments like correcting colors etc and don't use brushes and other advanced features too much I'd recommend Lightroom. The file management is loads better and RAW workflow is faster and more intuitive than in Photoshop.

Try the free trial versions before buying anything!

[SusanH1970]

I've never used Aperture either, but Photoshop Elements (newest version is 8) is a great start for beginners, and it's less than $100. If you find you outgrow it eventually and need the power of a CS version, you can upgrade.

Alternatively, you can download Gimp, which is free and does pretty much everything Photoshop does. A lot of folks here use it.

[windrider86]

May I suggest using trial versions before you purchase something. That way you'll know if you like it or not.
I personally use Corel's Paint Shop Pro. I also have Cs3 and can safely say it can do everything Photoshop can do and is WAY less expensive

[inkista]

I'd recommend Lightroom 3 (to most of us "Photoshop" means Photoshop CS5, not Photoshop Lightroom or Photoshop Elements). Download the trial version to see if it's what you need before buying.

There are a ton of video tutorials for LR3 here. Try watching this one to see if it's something you might want to try.

[Krusty79]

windrider,

Now I get it. Harley + Photographer = windrider.

Is this the Paint Shop Pro you are talking about?
Amazon.com: Corel Paint Shop Pro Photo X2 Ultimate: Windows XP: Software

I can't believe it's only $24.95! The reviewers seem to love the product, but hate the support and promotional popups. Has that been a negative for you?

Can you work with layers and do the masking and those type of things in PSP?

I'm really reluctant to fork out hundreds for Photoshop, so I've been using GIMP and considering Elements. But if PSP is at least as good for $25, I'll get PSP.

Greg

[windrider86]

Yes that is the one! It supports most RAW formats, does layers and masks, supports plugins scripts (same as actions)
To be honest I have used it for years and have yet to contact support so I cant comment on that.
I also belong to a great group at Ravens Paint Shop Pro where you can find tons of tutorials, great people and find a lot of ideas

[gtpete]

if you're a Nikon shooter then you cant go past CNX 2.
worth the money & the time you need to learn it.
trial version available at Nikon website.
if you shoot with any other brand then Lghtroom 3 is the way to start.

[Krusty79]

I guess no one can answer Lisa's original question about Aperture? I've never even seen it.

A lot of you are recommending Lightroom, but I see it sells for $200-300. I think I'll use GIMP/PSP for now and after I get comfortable with layers, try the demo version of Lightroom.

Thanks to everyone for the recommendations,
Greg

[inkista]

Originally Posted by Krusty79

A lot of you are recommending Lightroom, but I see it sells for $200-300....

If you have educational/student status, I believe the price is $80.