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. 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.
3. 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.If you know of a great Macintosh photo editor that I neglected to include, post a comment to let me know.
Last Updated: Dec. 2008
