Digital Imaging for Dummies and total Newbs: Part one: Aquiring Software

[Sarah]

SO.
Got some photos on your Compy that you would like to make look nicer?

Some easy effects and tips for you to use.

First of all, you need some image editing software.

Don't worry, you don't need photoshop.

There are plenty of great, reliable, and POWERFUL programs avalible for free.

Why free?

Well, some people view software as Computer Science and as a science, should be made freely avalible for the advancement of the knowledge of all.

If you prefer, you can also download Photoshop via Bit Torrent if you are willing. Dispite propaganda by the music and film industry, Downloading software, music, and movies for free from the internet is not illeagal(at least here in the US) and does not violate copyright law as to violate it, a profit has to occur as part of the transfer. IE the data is copied and given for money, a sale, not just given away.

They music and film industry in particular are lobbying to change this, and it may at some point, but in the mean time, you are not doig anything immoral or illegal by downloading software, music or data like films.

If you want to go this route, I will leave it up to you.

But if you would like some good software for free whose makers DO NOT have a problem with you downloading it for free (and give it away as such)
go to: www.gimp.org or www.irfanview.com .

the GIMP is a photoshop-like photo editing software that is free and open source.
Irfanview is a small, simple image viewer,converter and simple editor that is easy to use.

So this is how to get software.
I will continue in the next post

[Sephirah]

GIMP is what I use for practically everything and I would highly recommend it. It's very easy to use.

The Softglow and Colour Enhance features are particularly useful.

Examples:

Take this basic image (random)

This is what it looks like with Softglow applied (you can fully adjust the settings for it)

This is the base image with Colour Enhance applied:

And this is the base image with both processes applied:

Also... there's a nifty feature that lets you make any photo look old, like this:

You can even make your pictures look like art:

[RebeccaFog]

I use Gimp and Irfanview too.

Lately I've been using gimp a lot to remove McCain from news photos and stick him in pictures where there's pigeons or something.

Gimp is easy to use, but it's a little tricky to learn.  There's documentation on their site that walks you through a few examples.

I always look for opensource software before looking for the corporate stuff.  More people need to learn that opensource exists and that, if they are new to computer, they should investigate and ask around before downloading and installing any software.

I found an opensource program for scriptwriting but haven't used it yet.

[Aiden]

Tried Gimp, but found the set up to confusing and agrivating compared to Photoshop and Corel Photo Paint which was used to.  I usually pride myself in figuring out art programs, but I found the way Gimp is set up with different windows and not on one platform disorienting.

[RebeccaFog]

Open office at openoffice.org
You can use it on MS office files. You don't have to buy the cruel cruel MS product unless it has some capability that you really need. Openoffice does spreadsheets and documents and presentations and something else.