Photoshop - Overwhelmed and Confused

Discussion in 'Graphics & Multimedia' started by fireboat, Oct 14, 2009.

  1. #1
    Way back when - 5+ years or more ago, I had an old pirated version of Photoshop on an old Mac computer and loved it.

    I have since moved on, the Mac is gone... and I have switched to windows.

    Now I run a Web design business and I need Photoshop to compress images, clone images, lighten, darken, and whatnot. Just the basics.

    I have been browsing the Adobe website and I'm overwhelmed. There's Photoshop Elements, Photoshop Elements Plus, Photoshop Lightroom, Photoshop CS4, Photoshop Something Professional....

    Somebody help me - which one is regular old, Photoshop - the most basic one to meet my needs.

    Thanks.

    P.S. It says CS4 is for the "unrivaled digital imaging power"... but 699!?!? Waaaaay too much. 199, sure. 699 - more than I can afford.
     
    fireboat, Oct 14, 2009 IP
  2. Chaps

    Chaps Peon

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    #2
    Photoshop CS4 is the regular Photoshop.

    But if all you are wanting to do is what you mentioned there, Photoshop Elements will do all that and more for about 1/7 of the price.
     
    Chaps, Oct 14, 2009 IP
  3. fireboat

    fireboat Active Member

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    #3
    Thank you. I don't need CS4 or any other version to run elements.. is that correct?
     
    fireboat, Oct 14, 2009 IP
  4. Chaps

    Chaps Peon

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    #4
    Correct. It's a standalone software.

    It's basically a watered down version of Photoshop. It will do 95% of the things the average person will do with Photoshop.
     
    Chaps, Oct 14, 2009 IP
  5. fireboat

    fireboat Active Member

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    #5
    Excellent! As long as it has cloning, color adjestments, and re-sizing tools, that'd be great.

    Thanks for the help, Chaps.
     
    fireboat, Oct 14, 2009 IP
  6. Kerosene

    Kerosene Alpha & Omega™ Staff

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    #6
    Don't overlook GIMP and PhotoFiltre
    They're both free, and will do everything you've mentioned. GIMP can open most PSDs too :)
     
    Kerosene, Oct 15, 2009 IP