Photo Software

I just wanted to post a few links I found for anyone looking to edit some pictures or make some simple banners. If you don't have Photoshop and can't afford Photoshop (most people can't) you can download it for a 30 day trial here:

http://tryit.adobe.com/us/cs5/photoshop/?sdid=FPWLY&

Photoshop is user friendly...at least to me, but it probably will take awhile for a beginner to figure out. There are lots of features it can do and some of them take more time to understand than others.

If your looking for a cheaper alternative to Photoshop, Adobe does make a program called Photoshop Elements, which is the best alternative to using the fully functional Photoshop. Its directed towards casual users aswell so it should be easier to use. It is $80 (cheap for software) and you can find it here

http://tryit.adobe.com/us/photoshopelements/?sdid=EQAAM

And if you have would rather a free alternative this article lists some of the best free software out there, and while these programs might be limited, they should be able to perform any basic function you need.

http://graphicssoft.about.com/od/pixelbasedwin/tp/freephotoedw.htm

And remember, Photo software can either let you turn a crappy picture into an ok picture...or it can allow you to turn a good picture into an amazing one! Check out this post by another Etsy seller about photography techniques.

http://nerdjerk.blogspot.com/2010/07/few-great-posts-on-how-to-get-your.html

And if you do get a hold of Photoshop, or Photoshop Elements and you don't know where to start I always recommend using the HELP menu, Adobe is always there to explain how to use their software and they are the best source to go to if your trying to learn the basic interface of the program. This is probably true for any software you use.