I’ve been using Gimp (free graphic program) for digital scrapbooking – or at least planning to use it! LOL But I’m seriously thinking about investing in Photoshop because so many tutorials are written for it! But I am confused. Do I want Photoshop or Photoshop Elements? or is that the same thing? What version should I get/avoid? I’m using Vista.
Help!!
http://www.gimp.org/tutorials/
http://www.gimp-tutorials.com/
http://community.livejournal.com/gimp_tutorial
http://wiki.gimp.org/gimp/GimpTutorials
http://gimp-tutorials.net/
There’s also a bunch of stuff on youtube!
Save your money, support open source! 🙂
Oh, and because my previous comment was entirely helpful to your question, I believe photoshop is the full (expensive, ~$600, iirc) version and elements is the lighter, cheaper one (closer to $100). It’s been a while since I looked at prices, but if you truly want photoshop, I suspect Elements would have everything you need.
My PERSONAL preference is Microsoft’s Digital Image Suite, but alas, they aren’t making it any longer. But it has been SO easy to learn to use…very low learning curve (and it’s available at amazon and ebay at very decent price.) Photoshop is probably the biggest and the best…it is VERY powerful and will do almost anything you can dream of doing. Elements is a bit toned down, but it is definitely what a lot of digital scrapbookers use. It will for sure do almost all you could dream of. Both PS and PSE do have a bigger learning curve. IF *I* personally were buying one for scrapping, I’d go with Elements. Feel free to email me with questions about digital scrapping…I LOVE the hobby and can guide you toward great places to look for free downloads of kits and things!
It depends on what you are using it for. I don’t know GIMP but know what it is. If you are just using photo editing and scrapbooking then I would stick with Elements (or GIMP – but not knowing exactly what they have or can do, I can’t answer that fully).
I would consider Photoshop CS3 if you want to go more pro with your photography OR if you want to use some of their other graphic arts programs that come in the suite to develop a web business using your current skills and developing them more.
We have considered the full Photoshop but so far have not made the leap. We both use digital SLRs and are interested in scrapbooking digitally and I have been learning A LOT on Elements 6 which is said to take the best of PS for the average person. There are tons of tutorials for all the programs so I wouldn’t let that sway your choice. If you end up getting Elements, Costco seems to have the best price without rebate at $79. And if you use Elements (or PS) I HIGHLY recommend Scott Kelby. He is a believer and he is also one of the foremost ps gurus. His books are awesome with photos and step by step and very easy to understand but go more in depth if you want it.
I have been learning to do the digital scrapbooking with PS6 with a CD from http://www.scrappersguide.com Yes, I could have probably learned without it, but this is very well done and breaks things into tiny steps so that if you forget one area you can go back to it without searching all over the place. I have about 16 pages done now from my trip to Mendocino/Ft Bragg for my 40th birthday which I am making using templates in the PS6 (which has 12×12 page templates) and the techniques i learned in the Scrappers Guide CD. It has been a lot of fun. I still have a lot to learn…but need more time! :o)
I say Elements. I have it, and I LOVE it. I wouldn’t scrap with anything else. *lol* … But, since you have Vista (like I do), get version 5 or 6. I used to have version 3 and it wouldn’t work with Vista, so I had to get 5 (6 is new).
I have Photoshop CS. Love it.
However, just to throw this out there, Creative Memories has a digital scrapbooking program. I haven’t used it yet, but am hoping to order it at the end of the month. You are more than welcome to come try out both! 🙂
I’d say Photoshop… I have Elements on my home computer and Photoshop on my lab computer… much more in the way of options with the full version. Now, the cost is definitely prohibitive, so if that is a major factor, go with Elements.
I’m buying a new laptop this summer with money I’m making for doing wedding photography for someone’s dd and when I buy the laptop I plan to invest in Adobes Creative Suite and MS Office 2007 (which should almost equal the price of the laptop! OUCH!)