These tools offer bitmap-based image editing, photo enhancement, and painting capabilities. When choosing a photo editor for professional or business use, you need flexibility, stability, and an intuitive interface which provides a streamlined workflow. Automation capabilities are a big plus as well. Here are my picks for Macintosh image editors that best fit these requirements.
1. Adobe Photoshop
© Adobe
As the industry-standard, Photoshop skills are a necessity if you want to be employable in the graphic design field. As the most expensive choice in this category and with a learning curve to match, it's not for everyone, but the investment does pay off in increased productivity and the ultimate in flexibility.
2. ACD Systems Canvas
Canvas is an all-in-one graphics suite unified within a single interface, including photo-editing and painting tools. The Canvas user-base has historically consisted primarily of large corporations and technical professionals, but it should not be neglected as an ideal all-purpose graphics tool for small business users, Web designers, educators, and creative professionals. The one drawback of this powerhouse is its intense learning curve. (Review is for previous version, Canvas 9. Current Mac version is Canvas X.)3. Corel Painter
© Corel
As its name implies, Painter is more of an artistic tool than a photo editor. It certainly has the most sophisticated and diverse selection of natural media painting tools than any other product in this category. But it's also well equipped with photo-enhancement functions, Web graphics capabilities, automation features, and a selection of nontraditional tools. An essential digital artists' tool.
4. Synthetik Studio Artist
Studio Artist won't replace a standard photo editor like one of the products above, but for those who are willing to spend some time with it, it can be a fascinating and compelling companion product for creative professionals and experimental photography enthusiasts. This award-winning "graphics synthesizer" is both highly complex and extraordinarily unique.Comments and Feedback
If you know of a great Macintosh photo editor that I neglected to include, post a comment to let me know.
Last Updated: Dec. 2007
