Editing photos encourages people to develop both an understanding of technical know-how and an intuitive eye for photography or digital art. While photo editing is an art that can take years to master, learning how to use photo editing software is well worth the effort – you’ll be able to create striking new images, refine photo quality, restore sentimental pictures, and maybe even learn how to save water-damaged photos.
In this guide, we’ve listed 10 incredible photo editing software that will help you achieve amazing image results, no matter what kind of photography you do. We’ll also provide you with an overview of the exceptional features you get to take advantage of with each powerful photo editing software!
Why You Should Use Photo Editing Software
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Never underestimate the power of editing your photos. Photo editing software helps people modify their pictures and transform them into impressive images. Enhancing your photos adds depth, clarity, and vibrance to help these pictures come to life and catch everyone’s attention.
The Top 10 Photo Editing Software
There’s a lot to consider when it comes to choosing a photo editing software. Your skill level, interface preference, and budget all factor into which photo editing will work best for you. To help you decide, we’ve narrowed down the options to our top 10 picks of photo editing software worth trying!
1. Adobe Photoshop
We can’t talk about photo editing without mentioning the long-standing software champ, Adobe Photoshop. Despite a ton of competition, Adobe Photoshop remains the go-to software program for not just photo editing but design and art as well.
Its feature set is unmatched with a customizable interface, color corrections tools, retouching tools, 3D modeling, artificial intelligence, text effects, masks, and layers. As the gold standard of digital image creation, Adobe Photoshop is the software for anyone looking to make it big in the fields of art, design, or photography.
2. Adobe Lightroom Classic
Photographers applaud Adobe Lightroom Classic for its incredible user experience. Lightroom Classic’s clean interface allows for a smooth workflow with functions that aren’t overly complicated, making it an easy software program to learn even for beginners.
It includes features like accessible image processing tools, raw file editing, retouching tools, presets, texture, curves adjustment layer, filters, dehaze, face detection, and correction tools. On top of that, it allows users to organize their photo library so they can safely sort and store their images!
3. DxO PhotoLab 4
When it comes to noise reduction, no software can compete with DxO PhotoLab 4’s DeepPrime feature. It uses AI programming to produce clean, high-quality images and a powerful dehazing tool to restore photos easily. Other features include camera corrections, automatic repair, a customizable workspace, HSL adjustments, raw conversion, render matching, and auto microcontrast.
4. Skylum Luminar
Landscape photography never looked better with Skylum Luminar’s sky enhancement tool. This powerful software has all the staple tools needed for photo editing but mixes in a unique selection of effects that enhance photos to another level. It includes great tools for sharpening, retouching, watermarks, AI programming, image cataloging, and raw editing.
5. Serif Affinity Photo
Photo editing is easy thanks to Serif Affinity Photo’s amazing AI programming. Serif Affinity Photo saves users from the burden of learning complex technical processes by simplifying edits with AI assistance. Its features include tone mapping, layers, smart objects, stacking, customized brushes, masks, HDR, and even 360 image editing. It also allows users to manually edit and make small adjustments to refine their overall images.
6. Corel Paintshop Pro
With Corel Paintshop Pro, you don’t have to break the bank for an impressive editing software program. Unlike subscription-based photo editors, you only need to make a one-time payment for Corel Paintshop Pro and it’s yours forever! Getting your hands on this software means you can enjoy features like SmartClone, AI artifact removal, gradients, auto noise removal, HDR, filtering, multiple selections, retouching tools, and image merging.
7. ACDSee Photo Studio Ultimate
Quick, convenient, and clean – you just can’t go wrong with ACDSee Photo Studio Ultimate. This software closely matches Adobe Photoshop when it comes to editing power and file management. Its features include machine learning, HDR, photo manipulation, cloud support, face detection, cataloging, and advanced searching. As a bonus, it supports GoPro cameras, making it an excellent choice for people who take tons of travel photos.
8. ON1 Photo RAW 2021
ON1 Photo RAW 2021 is an all-in-one software that supports cloud-based editing, meaning you don’t even have to import your photos to edit them! ON1 Photo RAW 2021 focuses on creating a smooth work atmosphere for users and provides some amazing effects as well. It includes panoramas, retouching tools, special effects, advanced searching features, and plug-ins to equip users with everything they need to produce top-notch images.
9. Phase One Capture One
Say goodbye to dull images thanks to Phase One Capture One! With its exceptional color grading and color correction tools, Capture One transforms images into vibrant masterpieces. It has multi-level adjustments, sharpening tools, layers, masks, a customizable interface, curves layer, color balance, and HDR. On top of that, raw files look so much better here compared to other software since it converts them into the highest quality possible.
10. GIMP
The best things in life are free, and GIMP proves it! Praised as one of the most remarkable free photo editing software on the web, GIMP provides tools and functions that you would typically find in high-end editing software. You can create layers, color adjust, customize brushes, add filters, download plug-ins, and customize your interface. GIMP is an excellent software to use for beginners or enthusiasts looking to learn the basics before investing in a professional software program.
Start Editing Your Photos Today
Choosing a photo editor can easily feel overwhelming with all the available options online. But our guide is here to help you select the best software to meet your photo editing needs! You don’t have to waste your time dealing with inconvenient interfaces and unsatisfactory tools that deliver poor results. Just try out any of our top picks for the best editing software and experience the ease of editing with an exceptional program.
