Adobe Photoshop Elements is a user friendly addition to the Adobe product lineup. This everyman’s photo editing program acts as a simplified version of the more professional Photoshop. Simplified features make the photo editing process intuitive and easy, with many of the same features as Photoshop, but fewer user controlled options.
The program was released in 2001 after several attempts at a user friendly photo editing program for the non-professional. The goal was to incorporate advanced features through single button actions that would minimize user input and create professional looking photos. Updates have appeared annually that improve on the basics of standard photo editors.
Intuitive has been a keyword driving development of this program. While earlier versions could be challenging to use, progressive versions have offered more single button features that encompass important effects with out heavy program knowledge. Simplified tasks are geared toward the non-professional and have less technical means of achieving the same ends, such as red eye reduction or skin tone improvement.
The basics of Elements include red eye reduction, skin tone improvement, layer manipulation and correction of color, contrast and lens distortion. Special effects are also there to convert photos to drawings, black-and-white, sepia and more.
The latest release has seen facial recognition, better indexing options, batch change ability and online file backup. Progressive versions of Elements have more effectively achieved advanced tasks through simplified single push button actions. This comes at the expense of user defined options like scripting (for repetitive tasks), or the Pen tool’s vector path determination. An additional major difference that defines Elements is its inability to export files in CMYK color mode. This is replaced by the RGB file type that is the standard used by home printers.
While some fine tuning options might not be available through Photoshop Elements, the program still produces professional results through intuitive means. Combined with a smaller learning curve and reasonable price point under $100, Elements is an effective and reasonable option for most photo editing enthusiasts.
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categories: image software,image editing,photo editing
Tags: image editing, image software, photo editing