Photoshop is a program that needs no introduction. This is a staple in photo editing so much so that the software’s name became a term for photo manipulation. But despite all its undeniable merits, this Adobe product receives a lot of flak for being a nightmare to master. The workflow is perplexing, the interface is confusing, and the sheer number of available tools scares rather than entices.
In case you find yourself in need of an efficient photo editor, but you aren’t that tech savvy to use Photoshop, opt for more beginner-friendly alternatives. There is a whole cluster of such programs that aim to bring you a fine photo editing experience without a steep learning curve. In this article, we are going to look at some of those. Here are our top picks of the best beginner-level photo editors.
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PhotoWorks
PhotoWorks is a photo editor for PCs that was created with users of all skill levels in mind. This software boasts a minimalistic interface, a very fluid workflow, and an abundance of both essential and advanced features. There is the basic kit of tools for color balance, dynamic range, and sharpness correction, as well as a smart portrait retouch module, a batch processing feature, and a huge host of filters.
Beginners will like the fact that PhotoWorks is equipped with an advanced AI that helps to make editing easier. Automatic features include content-aware enhancement, easy background removal or change, facial and body features manipulation, and many more.
PhotoWorks is relatively affordable for a program with such a toolkit. Its biggest downside is that it does not yet allow for layer editing.
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InPixio Photo Studio
InPixio Photo Studio is a great software choice if you want to edit your image with as little effort as possible. Like any decent photo editor, this program comes with a comprehensive set of features that include tools for cropping, color balance improvement, exposure, contrast, and sharpness manipulation.
InPixio Photo Studio also comes with a semi-automatic background change tool, a few instruments for odd object removal, and a respectable library of effects.
While it is easy-to-use and cheap software, InPixio Photo Studio is not devoid of flaws. First off, it has no batch processing feature. Braised, many users report it to be a bit too buggy to their taste.
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Zoner Photo Studio X
Zoner Photo Studio X is yet another program you can turn to for easy yet comprehensive editing. With an interface similar to Photoshop, this software has all the basic editing features, but lacks more advanced ones. With it, you can perform the necessary manipulations to improve your otherwise flawed images in terms of colors, exposure, sharpness, and dynamic range. You can perform these edits manually or using a host of presets. Layer editing is also present.
When it comes to additional features, Zoner Photo Studio X has a few that might be useful. First off, there is the photo book creation mode. Then, the software grants access to stock photo libraries. Besides, the program has a convenient-ish cataloging feature.
Like many Photoshop wannabes, Zoner Photo Studio fails in some regards. Its biggest issue is processing speed which is significantly lower than that of the other entries.
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Canva
Need a tool for graphic design and not just photo editing? Then Canva is the thing for you. Whilst it only has the most basic photo manipulation tools, this web-based service excels at visual content creation. It comes with myriads templates for posters, flyers, collages, greeting cards, and whatnot. All the templates are customizable and allow for quick content creation.
While a great tool, by all means, Canva isn’t for every budget. Taking a cue from Photoshop, Canva operates on a subscription mode and costs quite a lot. Granted, you can use the free version, but its template collection is severely limited.
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PicMonkey
PicMonkey is a user-favourite cloud service that lets you edit your images in no time. This app is great for on-the-go editing. It comes with a plethora of tools that include instruments for overall image enhancement, odd objects removal, geometry correction, etc.
PicMonkey has an impressive set of portrait editing tools that include skin retouching, eye and hair color changing, teeth whitening, and red eye effect removal.
This popular service used to be free, but now it has a subscription that can be a deal breaker for some users.
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PhotoDiva
Wanted to use Photoshop to retouch portraits but would rather go with an easier program? Then direct your attention to PhotoDiva, an AI-powered portrait photo editor. This free software will help you improve headshots in a couple of clicks or slider drags.
Unlike Photoshop, PhotoDiva requires no manual selection. The software comes with a collection of beautifying presets that allow for quick yet natural results. Manual adjustments are also available. This free program also offers tools for virtual makeup application, face and body editing, a huge library of filters, and a comprehensive set of essential editing instruments.
Hopefully, you see now that there is no need to turn to Photoshop to edit your shots. There is much more affordable and easier software that you can turn to. So take your pick and edit your images without breaking the bank or stressing over the workflow.
