Best free photo editor?

[ChrisA]

Im wondering how to superimpose a head onto a body. I have iphoto but i cant figure out how to use it (i just started using it.) i need to do this for a computer class project so i need a fast reply thanks.

Of couse you can't figure it out. It can't be done with iPhoto. iPhoto is not an image editor it is an organizer with very minimal ability to change images.

You will need a program like Adobe Photoshop. Adobe has a low priced version called"Elements". This would be ideal for your needs. There are also free programs that can edit images. The most common one is "Gimp" See www.gimp.org

But be warned, all of these image editing programs take time to learn. If you need it done fast you will need to find help. I doubt you could learn enough yourself in one day to do this and have it look real.

 

[theBB]

Im wondering how to superimpose a head onto a body. I have iphoto but i cant figure out how to use it (i just started using it.) i need to do this for a computer class project so i need a fast reply thanks.

You cannot do that with iPhoto. You need a real photo editor. GIMP and Seashore are good free options, but it would take some time to get used to any editor.

 

[147798]

Of couse you can't figure it out. It can't be done with iPhoto. iPhoto is not an image editor it is an organizer with very minimal ability to change images.

You will need a program like Adobe Photoshop. Adobe has a low priced version called"Elements". This would be ideal for your needs. There are also free programs that can edit images. The most common one is "Gimp" See www.gimp.org

But be warned, all of these image editing programs take time to learn. If you need it done fast you will need to find help. I doubt you could learn enough yourself in one day to do this and have it look real.

Two points:
1) PSE is not yet out in version 6, and version 4 for Mac is no longer available (and doesn't run on Leopard, according to Adobe. I just called today)
2) How in the world did that guy find a thread from 2006 to respond to??

 

[Fiveos22]

If only GIMP would come without the need for X11.

As long as this thread has been bumped, what is the word on an Aqua or Cocoa build of The GIMP? There are a few pages pointing to some 2003 gtk build, but I can't find anything more current (and no, I'm not paying for MacGIMP).

X11 is horrible, beyond being slow and prone to err, it acts as though each window is a separate application. Using the "follow the mouse" active window script only makes things worse.

I won't be going back to GIMP until it is native...but it is such a good program that I want to go back.

 

[snowmorrow639]

Two points:
1) PSE is not yet out in version 6, and version 4 for Mac is no longer available (and doesn't run on Leopard, according to Adobe. I just called today)
2) How in the world did that guy find a thread from 2006 to respond to??

I googled.

 

[bocomo]

Thanks ChrisA. Unfortunately, I may have used the wrong term, 'morphing', as that is more of a video/animation, where image(s) change into different version. I'm looking in this particular case where multiple images can be grouped or saved all together as one, overlaying them and/or placing side-by-side. Maybe the correct term is 'painting'. Previously, had used a program from Ulead, Photo Express, which looked at again last night - they use the terms 'painting' and 'clone'.

i think what you mean is compositing

 

[Wolfsbane]

is there a program that would work with a wacom tablet?
I used to use gimp on windows and it worked, but when I installed it on my macbook the pressure sensor wouldn't work (i know it's the program because i just tried...seashore, but it was a little basic)

 

[krye]

Im wondering how to superimpose a head onto a body. I have iphoto but i cant figure out how to use it (i just started using it.) i need to do this for a computer class project so i need a fast reply thanks.

You can't do that kind of stuff with iPhoto. You can only do simple photo editing stuff like red eye reduction, crop, rotate, and color enhancements. You need an image editor, not a photo editor. You need something like Pixelmator/Photoshop.

 

[AlaskaMoose]

Why not pay $35.00 and buy "The Poor's Man PhotoShop" instead? Buy Graphic Converter. It's an outstanding application that has been around for a long time, and used by Apple computer users since.

This application is not only "outstanding," but free-upgraded often. I use both graphic Converter and PSE6.
http://www.lemkesoft.com/

And yes, there is a steep learning curve for a new user, but you won't believe all the things you can do with such an application that costs $35.00 (or so). Want to download images from your camera, card, scanner, etc.? Want to edit your photos as nearly as efficiently as PS, all for $35.00?

Notice; I have no connections with the creators of Graphic Converter, nor am I trying to advertise this product, NOR am I making any monetary gains by mentioning it. You can read about this product in just about any Apple computer user's magazine. Graphic Converter is second to none relating to its price and what you can do with it.

 

[Balty]

Notice; I have no connections with the creators of Graphic Converter, nor am I trying to advertise this product, NOR am I making any monetary gains by mentioning it. You can read about this product in just about any Apple computer user's magazine. Graphic Converter is second to none relating to its price and what you can do with it.

That's what they all say...

But, I must admit it looks pretty good. (There is a demo version).


If only there was a Paint.NET for mac...

It's similar to photoshop (just with less features), has simple user interface, tonnes of plugins and tutorials, and is FREE.

 

[AlaskaMoose]

That's what they all say...

But, I must admit it looks pretty good. (There is a demo version).


If only there was a Paint.NET for mac...

It's similar to photoshop (just with less features), has simple user interface, tonnes of plugins and tutorials, and is FREE.

View attachment 123020

Kidding aside, Graphic Converter was created back in the Apple GS days by a guy in Germany. All the Apple computer magazines have had articles published about it. Search MacWorld, Mac Home, Mac Addit, and you will find such articles for the past 20 years or so.
http://www.macworld.com/search.html...nverter&sa=search&client=idg-cse&cof=FORID:11

 

[Rockatteer]

Anyone know of software (preferably free) which will run on 10.2?

 

[allibear]

PLEASE help!

I want to start using GIMP asap, but after double-clicking on the GIMP icon to open it, a window pops up telling me that I can't open GIMP without Apple X11. I've read on this thread about this, but I don't know what X11 is or how to get it. Please instruct me on how to put X11 on my computer so that I may begin using GIMP.

 

[02AltimaSE]

you can download it here: http://www.apple.com/downloads/macosx/apple/macosx_updates/x11formacosx.html (don't know if this is the most recent version)

If you're running Tiger or Leopard, I'm pretty sure it should already be on your computer.

 

[ChrisA]

Does anybody have any knowledge as to what would be the best free photo editor? I am looking to start such a hobby, but would like to get a feel for it before my purchase of Aperture, as I don't want to regret my purchase.

Aperture is NOT an image editor. It can do adjustments and some minor edits but it's really what we call a "work flow" program. It is good at processing and catalogging thousands of images.

If you want to edit images Photoshop is the industry standard. If you can't justify the cost of Photoshop CS4 then get "Elements" for about $80. It has everything most photographers need.

The best free image editor is Gimp. Or one of the programs based on Gimp. See www.gimp.org The only complaints we hear about Gimp is that it's user interface is not a 100% clone of Photoshop and that it lacks 16-bit color, and color management.


For beginners I always recomment iPhoto and Photoshop[ Elements. the two work together seamlessly and there is an easy no-brainer upgrade path for each of these. Upgrading iPhoto to Aperture is very easy and the same to the Elements to CS4 upgrade. But stick with iPhoto/Elements untill you have good reason to move.

 

[Apple Ink]

Comparing PSe to Aperture is BS seriously. Please compare Aperture with Adobe Lightroom. Apple currently has no offering in the PSe or even the PS segment [of note the founder of PS first actually took the concept to Apple than Adobe]

Aperture has a very smooth workflow and its very clutter free and a very slick nice elegant GUI (much like Apple) also its comparatively lighter on any core 2 duo. But its a CATALOGING software and not a general purpose photo editor. It offers some very powerful tools but all relating to editing photos in whole and not interfere with a specific part of the picture!

If you need more control over what you edit... consider PSe and the cheapie Bridge that ships free with it. Alas Adobe betrays the Mac platform again in leaving PSe for Mac at version 6 while upgrading the win version to 7.

 

[allibear]

02AltimaSE...i tried downloading X11 using the link you provided, but during the download, the download box told me "You cannot install X11 on this volume. Newer Software already exists on your computer."

Now, my next question is if I already have this on my computer, why can't I download and begin using GIMP??

 

[ChrisA]

02AltimaSE...i tried downloading X11 using the link you provided, but during the download, the download box told me "You cannot install X11 on this volume. Newer Software already exists on your computer."

Now, my next question is if I already have this on my computer, why can't I download and begin using GIMP??

As you have found out, all Macs ship with X11. You don't have to download it as it comes on the Mac OS X install DVD.

So yes, there is nothing to stop you from running Gimp. Start up your X11 server, then run gimp.

 

[allibear]

As you may have figured out by now, I am not computer savvy. What do you mean by "start up your X11 server"?

 

[02AltimaSE]

As you may have figured out by now, I am not computer savvy. What do you mean by "start up your X11 server"?

You should just be able to load GIMP by clicking on it. That should start X11. But if not, X11 is located in the Applications\Utilities folder.

 

[allibear]

I'm getting so frustrated. I just want to open GIMP! My computer obviously has no idea what X11 is. I searched for it in the Applications/Utilities folder, but it wasn't there. I've already tried installing X11 but was told that my computer already has "newer software".

 

[WildCowboy]

The link provided above won't help you...it's an update to an old version of X11, so you'd need to have it installed already, and you'd have a newer version anyway.

Did you try installing X11 from your Mac's install disc? That's what you need in order to install it.

If you've tried that and your computer has told you that it's already installed but it's not in Applications/Utilities, could it be that it was installed but got deleted? If so, check <your hard drive>/Library/Receipts for a file called "X11User.pkg". If it's there, try deleting that and then try installing X11 from your disc again.

 

[amersault]

ALIBEAR, you definitely need X11 to run GIMP.

if haven't got your install DVD's this will save your life:

X11 without the DVD install

 

[allibear]

Works like a charm now. Thanks to all for the help. Now I'm going cross-eyed trying to navigate through GIMP. Is it possible to pick out a single color in a photo and have only it showing while the rest of the picture is in black and white (using GIMP)?

 

[amersault]

you'd probably have to do it in layers.

01 magic wand the color you want to highlight in the photo
02 create a separate layer that you will place the entire photo in BW mode
03 create layer on top to Paint over the selected are

that's the easiest most straightforward way i can think of.