how much easier is it? - DPChallenge Forums

03/11/2010 11:24:39 PM · #26

Originally posted by Senay:

Try checking with your school, you may get some software free or allow you to use it in the computer lab.

The only thing we have that is useful is the "mac lab" and because I do not have a mac iPhoto is pretty helpful for my photo class. However I could pass the class with my eyes closed. (thanks to this site) I am in no rush by any means... This is just for the future when I get enough money! Melethia, is there a way i could try it for the thirty day now then later on try another element for 30 days? (i know that is finagling the system but its worth the try)

Canon EF 24-105mm f/4.0L IS

03/11/2010 11:46:57 PM · #27

Well... I just looked up the online store from my school and there is no photoshop. :(

Oh well looks like I will just have to get it somewhere else.

Melethia

Canon EOS-80D

03/11/2010 11:50:29 PM · #28

"Elements" is just the program name - there are not separate elements of it, just the one program.

Panasonic LUMIX DMC-LX100

03/11/2010 11:52:36 PM · #29

Gotchya... So elements is just like a summarization of the whole thing? Sorry if I am completely wrong here...

spiritualspatula

Nikon AF-S NIKKOR 24-70mm f/2.8G ED

03/11/2010 11:55:24 PM · #30

Originally posted by mbrutus2009:

Gotchya... So elements is just like a summarization of the whole thing? Sorry if I am completely wrong here...

Kinda... think of it like.... the elements of photoshop... the core... but not all the extra frilly stuff.
Frilly stuff is awesome for lots of things, but it's hard to get all that knowledge learned. You can do a lot of stuff with elements, and for many, it's all they'll ever need. It's not a low-tier program really.
ETA: the basic process and how it works is the same as photoshop but is simplified to its core components without as many options.

Message edited by author 2010-03-11 23:56:22.

Melethia

Canon EOS-80D

Canon EF 24-105mm f/4.0L IS

03/11/2010 11:59:37 PM · #31

Yep, there's Photoshop Elements at around $70-90, and the full version of Photoshop, at around $600+ last I remember. Nearly everything you'll want to do is available in Photoshop Elements.

You might want to ask here - it comes bundled with a lot of things, including some cameras, and some people may have several copies. Maybe someone has an unused copy sitting around?

Edit to add - but first download it from Adobe and play with it for awhile.

Message edited by author 2010-03-11 23:59:59.

NikonJeb

Nikon AF-S Nikkor 28-300mm f3.5-5.6G ED VR

03/12/2010 12:02:59 AM · #32

Knowing what I know now, I wish I'd started with Elements, and I'm not sure I'd have moved on.

Yo_Spiff

Olympus OM-D E-M5 Mark III

Olympus 12-100mm f/4.0 M.Zuiko ED IS PRO

03/12/2010 12:19:58 AM · #33

Originally posted by Melethia:

Maybe someone has an unused copy sitting around?

Duh, yes. I have an older copy of elements that came with the 20D I bought from

Scalvert last year. Let me go see if I can find it.

Added: Found it. Adobe Photoshop Elements 2.0. that came bundled with the Canon 20D. Never been opened. No idea how it compares to newer versions, but if you want it, PM me a mailing address.

Message edited by author 2010-03-12 00:21:49.

salmiakki

Apple iPhone 16 Pro

Sony Sonnar T* 35mm f/2.8 ZA

03/12/2010 12:22:43 AM · #34

I used Elements only for a few years. Bought CS3 about 18 mths ago and yet still go back to Elements from time to time. I really do not need the full power of photoshop, so really do recommend Elements.

Richard Lynch, a Photoshop guru, has a website Hidden Elements dedicated to Photoshop Elements users. He has created a whole bunch of photoshop actions (something you cannot create in Elements) that can be used in Elements (if that makes sense). Check it out, you may find you never need to upgrade.

Canon EF 70-200mm f/4.0L IS USM

03/12/2010 12:41:36 AM · #35

Awesome! This is all new to me so I will definitely do a trial run! I will wait until the next challenge starts to get the trial so that I can have it for a week to play around with the shot I use and also this way I can have it for 30 day after that!

michaelmonn

Canon EOS-5D Mark II

Canon EF 85mm f/1.8 USM

03/12/2010 01:54:39 AM · #36

Hey Marko i was in the same boat as you before and luckily enough i found this site

//www.academicsuperstore.com/products/Adobe/Photoshop+Extended/951261

you just have to prove that you're a college student and you're in business for about half the price of regular photoshop. i have never used elements but i LOVE the freedom that i have with photoshop. it is a pretty crazy learning curve but i have never felt limited by it just by my ability to edit. i have learned nearly everything i know from this site and i still have so much more to learn but i can promise you that photoshop + DPC is a winning combination. better than any book i've read on CS4 at least.

best,
Max

photokariangel

Canon EOS-5D Mark III

03/12/2010 01:57:49 AM · #37

Just for your information, I get software at discounts over here at JourneyEd. They require some transcripts, but its really easy and quick. You could try to search for it on there. Good luck, photoshop is amazing.

michaelmonn

Canon EOS-5D Mark II

Canon EF 85mm f/1.8 USM

03/12/2010 02:01:14 AM · #38

Originally posted by michaelmonn:

sorry forgot to parse the link

Art Roflmao

Canon EOS-6D Mark II

Canon EF 24-105mm f/4.0L IS

03/12/2010 02:12:54 AM · #39

Thanks for the compliment, Marko. I read through the thread and agree with all the advice given - particularly these points:

- it takes time & practice. I have been messing around with digital photo editing since the early 90's when I got my first greyscale hand scanner and a copy of Aldus PhotoStyler and figured out how to make funny photos of my kids. Didn't print well on dot matrix printers though. :-( Before that, it was scissors, glue and a copy machine. First time I got Photoshop was PS2 I think. And currently I probably only use about 20% of it's capabilities and I should be a lot better than I am. There are many others on this site who are better - especially at using PS to simply enhance good photos.

- side challenges! I will say that my skills have improved massively since joining this site 5+ years ago and most of that is due to side challenges. They give me an opportunity to challenge myself with no boundaries. Join a themed SC or an anything goes and create your own theme and guidelines for yourself. It also helped my photography skills dramatically. I also feel more pressure from trying to produce a good image every day for a month, but it's good pressure. I've had to bail on many of them with only a few posts, but there's always another one next month.

- Tutorials and resources! To be honest, I have no patience for tutorials, but ironically find them invaluable. I usually get to a part that gives me an idea and I quit the tutorial and go off on my own (ADD!). But I have found tons of shortcuts and tips that have given me new tools as well as extremely reducing my editing time. I know people think I spend lots of time on many of the images, but I can actually crank them out pretty quick.

I never tried Elements, but have heard it is a good (and inexpensive) place to start. I have used Paint Shop Pro and liked it as well. There is also Gimp which I have never used, but lots of people recommend it and I think it is free.

Lastly, I'll leave you with one of my favorite photoshop tutorial series by Donnie Hoyle. They are hilariously entertaining and you do learn valuable techniques at the same time. Watch them all even just for fun. :-)

Yo_Spiff

Olympus OM-D E-M5 Mark III

Olympus 12-100mm f/4.0 M.Zuiko ED IS PRO

03/12/2010 02:21:35 AM · #40

Originally posted by Art Roflmao:

Lastly, I'll leave you with one of my favorite photoshop tutorial series by Donnie Hoyle. They are hilariously entertaining and you do learn valuable techniques at the same time. Watch them all even just for fun. :-)

I don't even have to look at the link to know it is the "You suck at PhotoShop" series. Very good stuff.

paynekj

Pentax K10D

Pentax DA 18-55mm f/3.5-5.6 AF

03/12/2010 04:45:23 AM · #41

Originally posted by Art Roflmao:

There is also Gimp which I have never used, but lots of people recommend it and I think it is free.

I'll add my recommendation for Gimp as it's what I use. It is free and you can learn lots with it and then carry that knowledge of techniques over to Photoshop in future should you want to. (I am assuming that's possible as I've never touched Photoshop)

I'll also second Art about taking part in the side challenges. I'm currently getting to be far more experimental with the Robots side challenge than I've ever been in the 100+ official challenges I've entered.

Message edited by author 2010-03-12 04:46:03.

vawendy

Sony Alpha a1 II

Sony FE 200-600mm f/5.6-6.3 G OSS

03/12/2010 06:35:06 AM · #42

I highly recommend Elements. Well worth the money. I have since switched to Photoshop, and there is so much that I miss about elements. I'm fighting my way through, because I assume that I'm missing things. I really don't think my editing has gotten better with full photoshop (it should, because there's so much you can do with it) but everything I'm doing right now, I could do with elements. (plus I'm hating finding anything in bridge--the searching was so much more immediate in organizer)

NikonJeb

Nikon AF-S Nikkor 28-300mm f3.5-5.6G ED VR

03/12/2010 06:46:10 AM · #43

Originally posted by Art Roflmao:

OMFG!!! What a SCREAM!!!

I have *SO* saved THAT link! LOL!!!

"I'm workin' on my taxes!"

Yeah.....

tamatama

Olympus OM-D E-M1 Mark II

Olympus 12-100mm f/4.0 M.Zuiko ED IS PRO

03/12/2010 07:11:46 AM · #44

I can only echo the recommendation for photoshop elements. I was using PS7 (some older version of photoshop), then played games at flickr, creating 'amazing circles', changing a picture someone supplied and that got rated afterwards, etc. and got some practice that way while playing...
When switching to mac, I got PS Elements 6 and am still using it. It has more than I need and with a couple of plugins, it's a very complete program at low cost for an amateur photographer.
The money, I don't use for the larger version, goes towards better lenses.

The best way for me to learn how to use PS was getting a book about my PS version, and go through the chapters about the tools, I used most, to learn their proper usage. There might be photoshop books in a public library!

The online tutorials are a great help, too!

wingyisleeds

Canon EOS-40D

Canon EF 50mm f/1.8 II

03/12/2010 07:30:14 AM · #45

Originally posted by NikonJeb:

Originally posted by Art Roflmao:
Lastly, I'll leave you with one of my favorite photoshop tutorial series by Donnie Hoyle. They are hilariously entertaining and you do learn valuable techniques at the same time. Watch them all even just for fun. :-)

OMFG!!! What a SCREAM!!!

I have *SO* saved THAT link! LOL!!!

"I'm workin' on my taxes!"

Yeah.....

Great, funniest thing I have watched in ages and some great tips...now after wasting 2 hours, I must get back to work !!!

Kimmymac

03/12/2010 08:55:32 AM · #46

Last night my husband bought me Photoshop Elements 8 (my early B-day gift) at Costco & it was $70.00. That's the cheapest I have seen it yet.