How to Choose Photo Editing Software for a Mac

Are you used to editing your photos on a Windows-based system? Not sure how to replicate those same effects on your Mac? Whether you're looking for freeware or willing to put some money into it, there are several options to meet all your photo editing needs.

Things You'll Need

• Mac computer, OS X or later

Instructions

Options

1. Stock software: Any Mac purchased within the past few years came loaded with iPhoto. Iphoto allows you to import photos directly into the program, where you can then change the color scheme, temperature, rotation, contrast and shadows. You can also remove red eye, crop, enhance and add borders and filters to customize your photos. For basic editing, iPhoto has everything you need. Upgrades are available each year for about $80 through iLife (which also includes iWeb, iMovie and Garage Band), offering more editing options. There is more information at Apple.com.

2. Freeware: There are multiple freeware programs available for Mac, with a variety of ratings and reviews that can sometimes be confusing. The most popular freeware programs, with the best reputations, are Google Picasa and GIMP 2.6. Picasa has been a popular program for Windows for several years. It offers organization, editing, sharing and conversion to other formats (such as slide shows and collages). The Mac version is still in beta, so it might have some limitations compared to the Windows-based program, but has received good reviews so far. For more information, visit http://picasa.google.com/mac/.

   GIMP 2.6 was originally developed for Linux users. As open-source software, it is easily compatible to numerous operating systems. It is often recommended as an alternative to Photoshop, and offers more in-depth editing than iPhoto or Picasa. The additional options increase the learning curve; so keep that in mind as you're determining which program will work best for you. For more information, visit http://www.gimp.org/macintosh/.

3. Software for purchase: In addition to the iPhoto upgrade available through iLife, Adobe Photoshop is a commercial program that not only works well on a Mac but was originally developed on a Mac platform. All Photoshop programs have Mac counterparts that offer the same in-depth editing capability as Photoshop for Windows, which, if you're already familiar with Photoshop, saves you from having to learn a new program. However, Photoshop for Mac must be purchased and registered separately from any Windows-based software you've used previously. Prices range from $80 (Elements) to more than $400 (CS4). More information available at Adobe.com.

Tips & Warnings

• Be sure to compare your OS capabilities with the system requirements of whichever program you consider.