Photoshop Vs. Alternatives

One of the most frequent questions that I have been asked as a designer is about what program I use to edit my photos. Although I do have my preference, I wanted to write this blog reviewing some of the programs that I have used over the years so here goes.

Photoshop has to be the most familiarized photo-editing program in the world. It is also probably the most widely used. This is the reason why I am comparing the alternatives to Photoshop. Photoshop is a very sophisticated program with a vast list of tasks that can be accomplished through it such as removing someone from a photo, or bringing back color to a black and white photo. You can manipulate the very content of the photo to be perceived however you so desire. Photoshop also has an extensive amount of tools at its disposal providing unlimited amount of ways to get the job done. There are countless videos and tutorials on how to use Photoshop. You can learn the essentials, even some tips and tricks to help you along the way. The only downfall is pricing. Photoshop use to be very expensive and that turned away most hobbyists from getting familiar with it. Today it is very much affordable, but on a renting basis. You can pay as little as $20 dollars a month and its yours, but the moment that you stop paying you lose the rights to use the program and you can no longer access the work that you have done.

The next on my list is Gimp. Gimp is not nearly as sophisticated as Photoshop. In fact it is probably the simplest of all the programs on this list.  The only reason that this program is even on the list is simple; it’s FREE. Truth be told when I was younger I couldn’t afford any of these fancy design program so I started using Gimp. Although it is simple, you can accomplish a lot of the same feats through Gimp that you can with Photoshop, but it would take a tremendous amount of time and effort. In comparison to Photoshop, Photoshop takes it home. Gimp most definitely has the right price for any type of designer or photographer, but it lacks in the quality that it provides and it is more time consuming.

Number 3 on this list is Corel Paint shop pro. For the longest time Corel has been in direct competition with Adobe trying to get out the best design suite of all time. Although Adobe has taken the lead on this, Corel is still a force to be reckoned with. Corel PS Pro is not as sophisticated as Photoshop. It simplicity however is not its downfall. Paint shop can do almost everything that Photoshop can when it comes to photo editing. It’s when you step outside those bounds that things become very different. The only major flaw I see is that Corel is not entirely compatible with Mac.  Paint shop is one of the programs that cannot be used on a Mac. Pricing is not bad at all though. You can pay $80 and it’s yours. If you’re a windows user and don’t want to be tied down to a monthly commitment then I would definitely recommend Corel Paint shop Pro.

Next on the list is Affinity Photo. A new up and comer to the industry and it’s pickup fame quick. Out of all the other programs listed this is the closest to Photoshop. It can do all of the same functions as Photoshop, but it is much simpler to understand. Affinity Photo compares to Corel in price because you can pay $50 and it’s yours. Just like Corel it’s only downfall is its compatibility, you can only get it on a Mac. If you’re a Mac user and can’t afford to be on a monthly commitment then I would recommend Affinity photo to get the job done.

There are more programs on the market that are and have been used to edit photos but I just mentioned the ones that I have used and have become accustomed to. I personally prefer Photoshop. It is the one that I have used the longest and the one that I have grown accustomed to. This list has been comprised of my own thoughts and personal experiences. I have not been paid to endorse any of these companies or products. Overall my preference might not be the same as yours and that’s ok. It’s what works for you that matter.

What is your inspiration?

Every one is inspired by something. Some are inspired by art, some by the artists. Some are inspired by faith, others by their own actions. Every one is inspired by something. 

In the graphics industry everything we do revolves around inspiration. All of the content that we put out has something that it is inspired by. Some would say that inspiration is the key to our success. When graphic designers create logos they gather their inspiration from the meaning of the name of the company or from the purpose behind the company.  When photographers take photos sometimes they are inspired by the event-taking place or by the emotion of the scene. These are just a few examples as to how people are inspired.  Now what do you do when your not inspired? How do you get those creative juices flowing? Everyone within the creative field needs to know how to answer these two simple questions because we are not always going to feel inspired. It’s not always that we are going to get the perfect client. We are not always going to feel inspired or motivated to do certain jobs.

As a graphic designer I am always looking for inspiration. More times than not I am inspired by music. Music allows me to open up emotions that would otherwise be suppressed.  When I am doing a job that I am not particularly inspired to do I would throw on some headphones hit play on the playlist and head to creative town.  Music is what gets my creative juices flowing, no matter how I am feeling.

I challenge you, if you’re struggling creatively, to find out what is your inspiration and run with it. For you music might not be your thing but look at other design are, or looking at other photos. Inspiration is everywhere and is often in the most unexpected places: you just have to keep your eyes open.