Ok before we get started I have to admit, I am a Photoshop diehard have been since version 2. I love this program and use it every single day. The program is worth every penny of it's nearly $700 purchase price. For most folks they stop at the price, and rightfully so. If you are not using a program professionally every day, and don't want to spend that kind of scratch, then I recommend Photoshop Elements. If you take digital pictures, if you want to have control over your images, if you want to print your image, manipulate your images or just play with your images, this program is a great alternative to big brother, Photoshop.
The current version 5.0 with a retail of about $100 is awesome for both the casual user as well as the serious photographer. We'll begin with the organizer. This is the place where you will be able to file your images neatly. The days of shoe boxes and 3 ring binders is gone. You can now categorize your images by date, type or even geographic location. Huh?? Yup there is a tool that allows you to literally drag and drop your images to a Yahoo map, can't remember what the date was? No worries, if you remember where the photo was taken you can access it based on the map, simply go to the place you took the photo and all the images taken there will pop up! Awesome! You can share you images with the map and others can view it through a free service online called photoshopshowcase.com.
The big news for this program though is the addition of a couple of Photoshop's standard pro tools. You can now adjust the curves of your image, giving you greater control over your final image. There is also a preview pane that will show you the before and after effects of your corrections. Want to make a great black and white image? No problem, Elements now includes a channel mixer style "convert to black and white" feature that give you more control over the final aspects of your black and white image. If you find that your image is a little blurry, Elements has now added the "smart sharpen" feature found in Photoshop, to bring it all into focus.
Photoshop Elements has enhanced it's output features as well. First there are some great web galleries that include flash layouts and a more professional looking template. If you are a scrap booker or know someone that is, this program is perfect for them. With several book templates available for design and re-design within the program, you could spend hours laying out your photo albums, then be able to send them for output. The program also interfaces with Ceiva Digital Photo Receiver, SmugMug, or Kodak EasyShare Gallery. You can also order photo greeting cards, and create flip books online or even CD/DVD jackets.
Overall this program has a lot to offer the photo enthusiast or pro-am photographer at a fraction of the cost of the full version of Photoshop. You can find it at nearly any computer store and even some of the big box retailers carry it as well. You've spent hundreds maybe even thousands of dollars on your digital camera, your computer system and maybe even your printer, Why not make the most of your images, keep them organized, archive them and then share them through a single entry point with Photoshop Elements. You can take a tour on Adobe's website of this products capabilities click here to view the tour.
