# Photograph Programs **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [March 23, 2005, 5:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/photograph-programs/295913 "2005-03-23T17:55:14Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 7\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![NadaHappyCamper](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/278dde/32.png) [@NadaHappyCamper](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/NadaHappyCamper)\ **Post date:** [March 23, 2005, 5:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/photograph-programs/295913/1 "2005-03-23T17:55:14Z")
I would like to get a program that will allow me to clean up old photographs, take out scritches and scratches and maybe touch up or add coloring, also I would like to be able to do neat things, such as switch heads, stuff like that if you get my drift. As I am not real adept at doing things computer these programs would have to be simple to master. I would appreciate any and all assistence. ---
**Author:** ![Garfield226](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/9e8a1a/32.png) [@Garfield226](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Garfield226)\ **Post date:** [March 23, 2005, 6:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/photograph-programs/295913/2 "2005-03-23T18:11:54Z")
The most-full-featured for the price is [The GIMP](http://www.gimp.org/). It’s freeware and does just about anything. [Adobe Photoshop](http://www.adobe.com/products/photoshop/main.html) is an industry standard, but probably too full-featured and way too expensive for personal fooling-around-with. [Jasc’s Paint Shop Pro](http://www.corel.com/servlet/Satellite?pagename=Corel3/Products/Display&pfid=1047024307383&pid=1047023911984) is sort of a step down from Photoshop and has pretty much everything the casual user needs. Much cheaper too. ---
**Author:** ![Dewey\_Finn](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dewey_finn/32/4222_2.png) [@Dewey\_Finn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dewey_Finn)\ **Post date:** [March 23, 2005, 6:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/photograph-programs/295913/3 "2005-03-23T18:23:55Z")
The current issue of PC Magazine has an article that describes some of these programs. It’s not a review of the software, but instead explains how to fix various problems with photos. You may want to look at it. ---
**Author:** ![Reply](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/reply/32/15952_2.png) [@Reply](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Reply)\ **Post date:** [March 31, 2005, 9:02am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/photograph-programs/295913/4 "2005-03-31T09:02:01Z")
Another choice might be Google’s [Picasa](http://www.picasa.com). It’s a powerful but easy-to-use photo management/enhancement program and it can do everything you mentioned except switch heads (that’s a little more advanced and will require some graphics editing knowledge). But for everything else, it’s a great (and free) tool. ---
**Author:** ![daffyduck](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/ec9cab/32.png) [@daffyduck](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/daffyduck)\ **Post date:** [March 31, 2005, 8:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/photograph-programs/295913/5 "2005-03-31T20:36:17Z")
In many, if not most, cases, photo retouching is not a newbie project. Of all the programs mentioned, Paint Shop Pro has the most “one button” photo manipulation tools that will do simple things like removing red-eye and correcting colors. There are also filters for noise and scratches, but often these sorts of problems end up needing pixel by pixel reconstruction. Moving heads around is a bit trickier, but again, Paint Shop Pro has all the tools you will need. Best of all, you can download a free, fully funtional, 60 day trial package. [Trial Package](http://www.corel.com/servlet/Satellite?pagename=Corel3/Trials/Login&pid=1047023911984&cid=1047024437292) ---
**Author:** ![rjung](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/45deac/32.png) [@rjung](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/rjung)\ **Post date:** [March 31, 2005, 8:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/photograph-programs/295913/6 "2005-03-31T20:47:35Z")
I’d recommend Photoshop Elements – almost all the power of Photoshop at an affordable-for-mortals price – and a good book. Elements has a good selection of “one button” tools, though if you get more into it, you may prefer to get more hands-on in your photo editing. [Bad Pics Fixed Quick](http://www.bookpool.com/sm/0789732092) gives easy-to-follow steps for using Photoshop to fix common photography goofs, like under/overexposed subjects, messy hair, and blurry photos. [How To Cheat In Photoshop](http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/tg/detail/-/0240519531/qid=1112301773/sr=1-1/ref=sr_1_1/103-0315633-6512615?v=glance&s=books) is recommended if you want to learn to do more bizarre stuff, like swapping one person’s head for another, or making a red building blue. ---
**Author:** ![betenoir](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/258eb7/32.png) [@betenoir](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/betenoir)\ **Post date:** [April 1, 2005, 12:52am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/photograph-programs/295913/7 "2005-04-01T00:52:27Z")
> [@rjung](#): > > I’d recommend Photoshop Elements . That’s what I would say. Basically becuase I use Photoshop but if you don’t want the whole comlicated program, Elements has the crucial bits. As far as cleaning up skritches ad sctatches, two words : clone tool. Gotta love it. It’s the thing on the photoshop tool bar (and I believe on the photoshop elements tool bar) that looks like a rubber stamp. It pickes up a piece of the image and repeats it wherever you want to put it. Very good for cleaning up scraches as it covers them over while maintaining the color and texture. Ss far as switching heads I recommend the magnetic lasso. Then select and cut and paste. But that’s just me, a lot of people seem to have trouble with the magnetic lasso.