Best Software for the Serious Photographer

I love Adobe. This is a company dedicated to the image. That’s it, that’s all.  And they listen to the users and build software to serve them best.

That kind of says it all. They have moved things to the cloud and subscription, away from hard copies, but have made that transition easier with this crazy good deal. $10. a month? Jump on it!

Or if you’d like to have or give a hard copy of Adobe Photoshop Lightroom 5 click here for the deal, Under $100.

I use Lightroom every day, and it is the best asset management software I’ve found. Along with DAM, it has some great tools to do some post production work, many times saving a trip into Photoshop.

Here is my review with some samples.

If you are a working pro, on assignment, then you probably already know about Photo Mechanic: the hands down, fastest, editing and uploading software on the planet.

Software for the Photographer Just Diving In

This will be easy: Adobe Photoshop Elements 12 & Premiere Elements 12 This link brings it to you for $70! It may just be the best deal on the planet.
This bundled set of software gives you simpler to use photoshop and easy as pie Premiere. Not a bad idea to get on the Premiere editing family line. After Apple blew their lead with the pro market with Final Cut X, Premiere has been moving up the ranks.

For you or the budding photographer/videographer on the list, you cannot go wrong with this product. I just received 12 for review and will follow up with an indepth look, but here is what Photoshop Elements 11 gave you.

Plug-ins to enhance your experience

OnOne Perfect Suite software is now up to Version 8. That should give you an idea of the company’s staying power.

I’ve primarily used it as a plug-in for LightRoom, with tools for adjusting focus: get your lensbaby effect in post with more control, portrait tools; lets you smooth the skin, whiten the teeth, and keep the eyes clear, work with layers, masking, enhance, size which uses Genuine Fractuals software to help you enlarge you images without loss. Essentially this software will make your creative adjustments fast and while in LightRoom.

Cost you $180 and they will constantly send you new updates and bonus add-ins till they get to Version 9.

Nik software had been a staple, and some of the folks that brought you that software, broke off and offer  2different plug-ins you can download as apps , Intensify Pro (always in the top 10 in iTunes app store) with proprietary software to enhance you photo, giving them a finished look, digging into 16 bit image processing and getting the most out of what your RAW images have to offer.

And Snapheal Pro. If you want the simplified, powerful version of content aware fill, this is worth your time.

The erasing modes on this are fast, easy. For $30, this one should be added to your plug-ins.

Both ship on reusable 4gb SD cards.

Hope you are finding these lists useful. Just one more to go before we resume with the regular postings.

After all, Cyber Monday is in a few days……