These tools offer bitmap-based image editing, photo enhancement, and graphics creation capabilities for the beginner. I selected these picks based on how easy they would be for a graphics novice to learn and use, but I also looked at how flexible they would be for the long term. A program that is easy to use, but too limiting, will not bring much satisfaction.
Photoshop Elements incorporates many of Photoshop's powerful features without being too overwhelming to the novice user or "dumbed-down" to the point that it frustrates experienced users. With a photo organizer plus fun and flexible photo-sharing projects, it's a perfect all-in-one solution for the majority of digital camera users. For amateur photographers, digital imaging enthusiasts, and small business users, there is little reason to look beyond Elements for all your photo editing needs.
PhotoImpact comes loaded with hundreds of one-click presets, making it easy for the complete novice to quickly achieve polished-looking results. Yet it has enough advanced features that users won't feel limited as they gain experience. The toolset is well rounded enough to meet the needs of users looking to create original graphics, enhance photos, design Web pages, or create special effects.
Microsoft Digital Image Suite offers easy-to-use tools with an abundance of creative effects and fun designs for sharing and enjoying your photos. It's not the best choice for serious photo-editing tasks, but the learning curve is very small and the guided tasks will help new photo editor users feel comfortable very quickly. Beginners and casual home users who want to touch up photos, experiment with effects, and print creative projects will find a great deal of value in Digital Image Suite.
Paint Shop Pro also appears in my picks for advanced editors, and that should give you an indication of its flexibility. It comes with a slightly higher learning curve compared to my other picks in this category, but those willing to invest some time learning will be rewarded with a feature-rich tool that rivals those in the advanced category. The most recent versions expand on the digital photography features of the software, and offer many improvements for easing the learning curve for new users.
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