Essential photo manipulation package (Adobe Photoshop 5.5)

Member Name: Elaine

Product:	Adobe Photoshop 5.5
Date:	26/11/00 (263 review reads)
Rating:

Advantages: The most technologically advanced photo manipulation software out there

Disadvantages: This is a more advanced program designed for specialists

As a recently graduated graphics student I can not shout the necessity to attain this software loud enough. If you are part of the graphics community or want to create advanced special effects with photos for personal projects or webdesign this is the software for you.
What does it do? Well basically it enables you to scan in any image and manipulate to your hearts desire. I use it to touch up old and damaged photos - If you know what you are doing you can make an old brown torn photos from the early 1900's look like it was produced today. It enables you to touch up, entirely alter, merge, overlay, etc photos and so much more.
All the professionals use it as a must - and they cant be wrong.
I speak for the those of us who dont know what the inside of a computer look like - with a manual or helper who knows the software you can pick up the basics in 2 hours. Add on 40 hours to play and you will probably know 90% of the package's capabilities. I have been using Photoshop for 3 years now and I still discover new things.
Although I do feel that it is important to know that this is an advanced software program - without a manual or trainer it will be more difficult to pick up as there are no easy step-by-step guides as with the basic photo packages that come as standard with most computers.
As another member mentioned it would be highly beneficial to get a quality photo standard printer such as the Epson 740 - to ensure all your hard work can be printed to its highest level. Failing this printers will print it for you as they all have Photoshop - but at cost!
I can only say this is a brilliant package - without it I would be lost - everyone in my families sends me photos to touch up! At the moment I am using it to delete a person from a graduation photograph, and bring back to life a photo from 1978 that has faded to almost invisible due to exposure to sunlight.

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