Comments on: A suggestion for a very simple photo editor?

Question: A suggestion for a very simple photo editor?

sanka — Tue, 11 Nov 2008 08:42:41 -0800

A suggestion for a very simple photo editor?

My Dad recently got a new digital camera. While he's fairly adept in that realm, I saw a few of his photos that could benefit from some simple exposure/contrast/color/sharpness manipulation. He's also mentioned that he'd like to turn some of his photos of old barns etc into sepia tones when he forgets to turn that option on in his camera. He's recently discovered computers at 60 and his computer terminology basically extends to "double click", "icon" and "www".

Are there any very simple photo editors out there that can help him out? Simple click buttons and easy sliding bars etc. Teaching him to use GIMP or Photoshop would most definitely frustrate him and turn him off to the idea entirely, so simplicity is the key.

His computer is using Windows Vista.

By: daveyt

daveyt — Tue, 11 Nov 2008 08:47:14 -0800

Google Picasa. Even my mum can use it, and shes useless.

Slidy bits and clicky bits, and not many of them.

By: burnmp3s

burnmp3s — Tue, 11 Nov 2008 08:54:54 -0800

Paint.NET might be a little bit overkill but all of the features you mentioned are very accessible.

All he would need to is load the photo into the image, click the Adjustments menu, pick the correct type. Exposure, Contrast, Hue, and Sepia are all there, and Sharpness is in the similar Effects menu. There are very simple sliders for each one.

By: contraption

contraption — Tue, 11 Nov 2008 09:16:14 -0800

Seconding Picasa. We don't have the same dad, do we?

By: zooropa

zooropa — Tue, 11 Nov 2008 09:16:28 -0800

Picnik. http://www.picnik.com/

I hate photo editing, am not that good at it, and just don't want to be bothered. Picnik solved all of that. It's fun, makes you look good at it, and actually makes you want to take more pictures just to import them into Picnik.

It's Web-based and runs very well on Vista.

By: BoscosMom

BoscosMom — Tue, 11 Nov 2008 09:28:49 -0800

Thirding Picasa, not only easy but free as well.

By: O9scar

O9scar — Tue, 11 Nov 2008 09:32:33 -0800

The online version of photoshop is another option.

By: Agamenticus

Agamenticus — Tue, 11 Nov 2008 09:42:46 -0800

I have been amazed at Picasa. One can straighten horizons so easily, add various enhancements, crop, and do pretty much everything an amateur needs to do to a digital photograph. It's not photoshop. (and I'm glad for that)

By: micawber

micawber — Tue, 11 Nov 2008 10:55:49 -0800

nthing paint.net. I choose it almost every day over Photoshop. it is also free (or at least donation-ware).

By: qvtqht

qvtqht — Tue, 11 Nov 2008 10:56:03 -0800

+1 for Picasa. I just introduced my dad to it a couple of weeks ago, and he loves it.

By: Good Brain

Good Brain — Tue, 11 Nov 2008 12:16:18 -0800

Picassa is quick and easy for dealing with the sort of stuff you are talking about. Plus, it makes posting photos to Picassa web albums easy.

By: Good Brain

Good Brain — Tue, 11 Nov 2008 12:17:04 -0800

(Picasa, jeesh)

By: flabdablet

flabdablet — Tue, 11 Nov 2008 14:37:08 -0800

Picasa. Has good organizing and import capabilities too, and runs on Linux as well as Windows.

By: Brian Puccio

Brian Puccio — Tue, 11 Nov 2008 15:41:27 -0800

Picasa (or if he ever gets a Mac, iPhoto is as user friendly as can be, my Windows using Mom wants a Mac because all she does is surf the web and play with her digital photos).