Sunday, October 30, 2005

The problem is

The problem with flickr is that as soon as you start to look at other people's pictures, you get a bit depressed. They're so damn good.
In the sea

I took this today. I haven't used any tricks to make it so blue. It just was.

Does anyone know of some good, free photo-editing stuff? This computer only has MS Paint, and I ain't going to even try doing that. All I end up doing is doodling with it.

11 comments:

Unknown said...

I use The Gimp for anything heavy-duty. Free.

http://www.gimp.org/windows/

I think the "Automated Installer" should work for you. You'll need to read up on the documentation though - the whole thing (like Photoshop really) is pretty opaque. I have not the faintest idea about around 90% of the functionality.

Unknown said...

I meant to say too, that's a very nice photo.

Martha Craig said...

Thanks Alan. I knew you'd have something up your sleeve.

Anonymous said...

The Gimp can be a little tricky to use. I quite like Photo Filtre which has heaps of features.

http://www.photofiltre.com/

It's a French programme that has (mostly) been translated into English.

Unknown said...

And the Gimp is simply MASSIVE to download as well as being hard to use.

Another lightweight (and free) thing is Paint.NET

http://www.eecs.wsu.edu/paint.net/

It may do some of what you want, but I suspect it's just MSPaint with the ability to do layers. You'll need the Dot.Net framework though, which chances are you may already have if you are on XP.

On the other hand, persisting with The Gimp is worth it. It was how, after many hours of tinkering armed only with the online manuals, I managed to do last year's Christmas cards for FrogPrints...

Kate Borrell said...

Looks fantastic. It almost looks like the top of decorated Xmas trees covered in snow.

s. said...

Stoner.

I was thinking more about the tops of the Jackson Street lampposts buried in silt after a catastrophic weather event.

Martha Craig said...

Thanks Alan. I'll probably be mocked, but last night I downloaded something free called PhotoFinale. You can crop and get rid of red eye and alter contrasts and stuff. However lots of the functions are restricted to the pay version, and it keeps prompting you to upgrade, so I don't think I'll keep it after I have done all the cropping and so on. I tried to download Gimp, and got a bit flummoxed when asked about my mirror? What the? One day when I have more time I'll work through it.

And Kate and Stephen - thanks?

Actually it is Jackson St. No-one has yet noticed that Petone has sunk from view. I'm living in a submarine just out from Oriental Bay. Nice piece of real estate.

Anonymous said...

Nice photo! A mirror is a download location and there's usually a few choices (reflections?). Just pick one, maybe the one closest to you geographically...

Mr Reasonable said...

You could always buy a digital camera magazine with one of those "free" cover discs. Bound to find one with a full version of Photoshop or the like, even if it is an old version without all the bells and whistles (and you get to read about f/stop, apertures and other magical things that elude me as I point and press).

Anonymous said...

Picasa is fantastic (http://www.picasa.com)