About 48% of people in the US use some photo editing software. With the incredible advances in smartphone camera technology, more and more people are looking for professional-grade photo editing. Almost all of the pictures people take and post on social media have photo editing or filters on them.
If you are ready to go beyond the typical Instagram filters to actual photo retouching and editing, we have collected a list of the best photo editing software for beginners.
Please keep reading to find out which software for photo editing is best for you and make an informed decision before trying them out.
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How to Choose Photo Editing Software?
Let’s first discuss the types of photo editing software that are on the market.
There are mobile photo editing apps that can allow you to do your photo editing on the go, and there are also computer-based programs that have a little bit more processing power.
You should keep in mind the type of camera you are using to take your photos. If you are using your smartphone, a mobile-based app might do the trick. These types of images will look great when they are edited for Instagram or Facebook.
If you’re dreaming to become a professional photographer, you should try to start learning computer-based software that will allow you to work with RAW files and provide you with more control over the image.
What are RAW files? They are an uncompressed file format that will give you the most latitude when editing your images. JPEGs tend to be already compressed, which is why you may see some artifacts when you do specific edits to those types of files.
Understanding file type and why you are editing your photos is the first step in deciding what the best photo editing software is for you.
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Best Photo Editing Software for Beginners
Here are some options of the best photo editing software for beginners. In addition, there is a mix of paid and free alternatives to determine better what will work for you.
Adobe Lightroom Classic CC
Adobe Lightroom is like the little brother or sister of Photoshop. It has many professional photo editing tools, and it is a little bit easier to wrap your head around than photoshop.
You can use this software on multiple devices, including your phone, if you want to do some quick editing on the go. It has a suite of powerful tools that you will also see in more robust programs like Photoshop.,
You will find a variety of tutorials online for this software which makes learning as a beginner easy.
Adobe Photoshop CC
It may seem scary to jump right into the world of Photoshop, but it is considered one of the best on the market for a reason.
Photoshop is a layer-based editing program, which may have a bit of a learning curve, but it also achieves the best results professional photo editors look for.
If you are brand new to editing and retouching, you may want to consider free software first to get down the basics of photo editing before you dive into a program like Photoshop.
That being said, Photoshop is worth learning and does have a free trial if you want to get a feel for it before making a purchase.
Skylum Luminar 4
Beginners like this particular program because it is more intuitive than some other photo editing programs. It is a non-destructive editor, which means you don’t ever actually alter the original image file and easily go back to edits you had before.
You can also organize your images easily with this software and do things like batch edit.
There is a cost for this program, but it’s not overly expensive. This makes it accessible to beginners. It is also easy to find a bunch of tutorials online, making it easy to learn step by step.
PhotoWorks
This software is user-friendly and makes photo editing simple for beginners. It has a ton of powerful tools, and you can do things like remove backgrounds, with only a few clicks.
PhotoWorks also supports RAW photo formats, which can help if you choose to shoot in this format for more flexibility.
This program is also relatively inexpensive to buy and has a free trial, so you can try it out before you commit.
Free Photo Editing Software
Unlike some of the paid options like Adobe Photoshop or Lightroom free alternative might have everything you need. Check out this option for ways to learn photo editing basics without having to drop a ton of money upfront.
GIMP
This program is an open-source, free-to-use photo editing software that has been around for a long time. The tools are intuitive if you’ve ever used Photoshop before. If you haven’t used Photoshop and this is the first editing software, you’re in luck! This program has been around for a very long time, and there are many tutorials online that can help you get started.
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What Software Will You Choose?
With so many options to pick from on the market, it can be hard to find the software that will work best for you. Luckily, most of these options have free trials or are free altogether, so you can truly find the best photo editing software for beginners.
Are you interested in more buying guides or tech articles? Check out our blog for a ton of great advice, tips, and tricks!
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