[EDS_]

1.  What photo software (hopefully not too expensive) should I install?  The iPhoto included with the machine seems to do about nothing.

2. Will I have trouble importing pics that were sent my external HDs via Vista OS'd machines?

[jqp]

Hmm I thought iPhoto was fairly decent, but I don't know. There is an Apple store in Charlotte where 20 people would love to help you, but you may be far from one. Should be one in Dallas?

I would say you should have no issues getting photos off of an external windows drive.

Photoshop is the one to get since it is powerful and well supported by anyone in the graphics arena, but it is pretty expensive, not sure if they make it impossible to get cheaper older versions. Nathan ?

[mcullinan]

What would you like to do with the photos? iphoto does most of the basic things... Did you read the iphoto manual???
Photoshop is the king. You could take a look at Aperture.
Mike

[BradJudy]

You can try the free trial of Photoshop elements (a more basic and much cheaper version of the software) and see if it meets your needs

http://www.adobe.com/products/photoshopelmac/

[nathanm]

If you want to keep your photos organized and do rudimentary editing then iPhoto is great.  If you want to do extensive retouching of RAW files, tonal adjustment, keywording, metadata editing, printing and organization then Adobe Lightroom is the ticket.  There are other browsers like Picasa which I've heard good things about.  It depends on what you're used to using.  A lot of Windows folks use ACDsee which is another browswer-type app.  I haven't used it in years, though.  Aperture is Apple's version of Lightroom, very hardcore pro app, but all Appley.  I don't have access to a Mac which will run it, though, so I don't know what it does exactly.  Photoshop is the workhorse, but it doesn't have any organization\database functions.  Lightroom is designed from the ground up to serve as a photographer's tool.  Personally I love it, but it may do stuff you don't need.

[EDS_]

Hey guys thanks a lot.  I worked with iPhoto a bit and as Nathan indicated it is likely all I need for a while.


Thanks much,
Ed

[drphoto]

I would avoid Pshop Elements. It's not just regular Pshop w/ advanced features disabled. I think it's really awkward to use. It's too bad they didn't make it a stripped down version of the real program.

Pshop is expensive, but if you happen to have a student in the family, maybe they could get it w/ the student discount offered by journeyed.com, among others.

I have Apereture, but other than opening it a few times and looking around, I've never used it. Maybe that's short sited, but Pshop does everything I need and I know it inside out.

[mcullinan]

Hey guys thanks a lot.  I worked with iPhoto a bit and as Nathan indicated it is likely all I need for a while.


Thanks much,
Ed

I would like some credit too plz on the did you read the manual...
I use Photoshop every day and am a Photoshop expert... bow to me
Mike 

[drphoto]

I'm probably telling something obvious, but if you're going to do any photo manipulation on a laptop, get a mouse. Using a trackpad is an exercise in frustration.

[mcullinan]

I'm probably telling something obvious, but if you're going to do any photo manipulation on a laptop, get a mouse. Using a trackpad is an exercise in frustration.

Amen...
And if you are going to do real photo editing get a Wacom pen tablet to become a real pro.
Mike

[nathanm]

I see your trackpad Photoshop and raise you a pen tool path drawn with a Wacom stylus!   

[mcullinan]

I see your trackpad Photoshop and raise you a pen tool path drawn with a Wacom stylus!   

Now thats entertainment folks!
Im going to have to see you and raise you 1 color corrected screen, and not that macbook screen either.
Mike

[nathanm]

How about Photoshop with a trackball!?  That's gotta be even more frustrating than a pen tool stylus!  I suspect both are near-impossible.  I've only touched a trackball once, then told the person, "Uh, you'll have to do it…"  I felt like I had muscular dystrophy.

[mcullinan]

The Pen takes some getting used to but you really cant unleash the POWER of the Photoshop without it. The pen is pressure/angle sensitive and opens up many doors with every aspect of using it.
Mike

[BradJudy]

How about Photoshop with a trackball!?  That's gotta be even more frustrating than a pen tool stylus!  I suspect both are near-impossible.  I've only touched a trackball once, then told the person, "Uh, you'll have to do it…"  I felt like I had muscular dystrophy.

Trackballs were actually excellent for such things once you got used to them.  They were often more precise than mice of the time.  I used the original version of this thing several years ago (I can't find a picture of the version I used, but it looked similar):



Until one of the components inside burned out and melted part of the case with it. 

[slinco]

I would avoid Pshop Elements. It's not just regular Pshop w/ advanced features disabled. I think it's really awkward to use. It's too bad they didn't make it a stripped down version of the real program.

It used to be, back in the old days (9 or 10 years ago). I got it free, I think it was bundled with an Epson 1200 printer. It used to be called Photoshop LT, or something like that, and then they changed the name to Elements. It was basically Photoshop without layers - still really powerful and a GREAT way to ease your way into Photoshop for cheap money. It's a shame they stopped doing it that way.

Also, someone said Photoshop doesn't have any organization/database functions. Photoshop comes with a separate application called Bridge which handles these duties very nicely. The combination is wonderful, and all most people would ever need to be VERY happy... 

[nathanm]

All right Mike, you talked me into it.  I took the Wacom out of the closet and am gonna try to unleash some power…

Unleashing…


Still unleashing…


Dang, what's with this leash anyway…?


I never really got the hang of right-clicking with that button.  It never quite works for me.  I sure would love to try a Cintiq, I do wonder if that would cure my stylus aversion or not.

[mcullinan]

Which one do you have? You cant do everything on the stylus.. Hybrid yourself. hehe
Mike

[nathanm]

I have a Graphite 4x6.  For whatever reason my boss thought we needed one.  The guy who originally had it never used it so I kind of snatched it.  Now I don't use it much either.  It's probably a matter of scaling.  It's too small to span the dual monitors, so clicking on small targets is kind of shaky.