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Step 1
Understand the difference between software-based and web-based Photoshop alternatives. There are two types of photo editing programs that can serve as free alternatives to Photoshop. The first is software that you can download that is housed on your home machine. The second type is Web-based photo editing software. Which you will probably end up liking the best depends on your personal needs. The advantages to off-line software, whether it be downloadable or able to be bought in a store, is that it is never "down," so long as your computer is functioning properly. Web-based photo editing software, while a relatively new phenomenon, is now famous for crashing, leading to lost productivity and frustrated users. To make matters worse, sometimes websites can go down entirely, making web-based photo editing software a bit of a gamble to rely on professionally.
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Step 2
Try these two great alternatives to Photoshop that are software-based. These can be found with a simple Web search, and are completely free.GIMP: The GNU Image Manipulation Program, or GIMP, is fast becoming a viable alternative to Adobe Photoshop, even for many professional users. The program is completely free, and features a suite of tools that allow the user to accomplish nearly any photo editing task they will need in the course of their academic or professional careers.Paint.NET: This is a powerful and very simple-to-use alternative to Photoshop that is specifically geared toward those without a whole lot of experience in the complicated and daunting realm of image editing.
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Step 3
Consider web-based photo editing software as well. While web-based Photoshop alternatives tend to be a little more unreliable, they definitely have their advantages. One is that the system requirements for this fast-growing type of image editing software tend to be very modest. A second is that they allow easy collaboration between users, great for completing projects on deadline, without having to upload and download large graphic files. There are two that stand out from the crowd:Picnik: A key advantage to Picnik, another very user-friendly free image editing application, is its ability to pull images off the Web from sites like MySpace and Flickr, and automatically integrate them into the editing tools, without the user having to download and upload the pictures themselves.This can save a lot of time when preparing stock photos for publication, or for those who simply want to make their personal snapshots a little better.Phoenix: This powerful alternative to Photoshop is offered as part of Aviary, which is an entire suite of creative applications especially geared toward group efforts and building an artistic community.Phoenix allows users to upload photos, which can then, should he or she who holds the rights to the photos choose to allow it, be edited by any other Aviary registered user. It is a system that not only serves as a full-featured Photoshop alternative, but can lead to some interesting artistic collaborations as well!
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Step 4
Choose a single program that meets your needs, and take the time to learn it well. This is much better than dabbling in several different programs. Users who are not professional photographers or illustrators should not plunk down hundreds of dollars for Photoshop just because its reputation. All of the above programs can be found through the links provided, are completely free to use, and will be useful to everyone interested in photography in one way or another.
