Free Photo-Editing Software

Basic tools and powerful programs

While there are many free photo-editing programs available, reviews recommend Google Picasa far more than any other. The program's strengths still lie in its organizational tools, but the software now also includes editing tools -- including some fairly powerful ones -- that might be all that many users need. The current version, Google Picasa 3.6, is available for Mac as well as Windows and Linux operating systems.

One of Picasa's main advantages is that it combines image editing with organizing photos. It's basically a browser -- creating thumbnails of photos stored on your hard drive -- so reviews say it's not suitable for massive collections. For that, it's better to use a separate catalog database, such as Microsoft Expression Media (*Est. $200) or IDImager (*Est. $70 to $130). You can download trial versions of various image-management programs to decide which you prefer.

For most users, however, Google Picasa organizes photos very well. Picasa includes an optional "sync to web" feature that synchronizes files you edit on your computer with versions posted on the Internet. This is especially handy if you have a blog, website or participate in social networks. You can organize your photos by name and use face recognition to scan all of your photos to find those with the same people in them. Geotagging let's you associate photos with where they were taken. That information is stored in such a way that programs and sites, such as Google Earth, can display them on maps, etc.

Reviews are complimentary of Picasa's image-editing tools. For example, a retouching brush lets you change just part of an image. The software is easy to learn to use, another plus. Its integration with the online Photoshop.com service makes it easy to edit photos you've posted online -- in social networking sites, for example.

Most free photo-editing software and online services provide only basic tools. At the other extreme, you can find photo editors, such as GIMP (which stands for GNU Image Manipulation Program), that rival Adobe Photoshop for power in manipulating images. GIMP is available for Unix/Linux operating systems as well as for Windows and Mac.

There are significant differences between GIMP and Photoshop, however. One of the main differences used to be in color depth; GIMP was able to deal with 8-bit color (as in JPEG images) but not in higher color depths, as is typical in RAW files. However, CNET editors note that GIMP 2.6, the latest stable version, can handle 32-bit color. Reviews of this latest version are quite positive, finding its usability much improved over earlier ones.

GIMP and Photoshop have different user interfaces, and much is made of that in many reviews. We've seen comments that say GIMP's interface is not inferior, just different, and those not previously exposed to Photoshop will find it no harder -- or easier -- to learn to use; both programs have a steep learning curve. For those who really prefer the way Photoshop does things, you can try another free version of GIMP called GIMPShop.

The bottom line, however, is that just like Photoshop, most experts say GIMP is complicated, difficult to use and overkill for those who don't want to spend hours learning how to use it. Instead, other free photo-editing software is much easier for beginners, with enough editing tools to enhance photos without being so time consuming that it's not at all fun.

Note that a newer version, GIMP 2.7, is available. However, GIMP's development team cautions that it is an "unstable development version of the GNU Image Manipulation Program" and cautions potential users that some features might be incomplete or even completely broken. The next stable version will be GIMP 2.8, and it is scheduled for release in late 2010.

Other free photo-editing software gets some consideration from users and experts. Picnik, for example, integrates directly with the web. It's ideal for anyone doing social networking, since it integrates with Facebook, MySpace, Flickr, Freewebs, Yahoo!, Webshots, Photobucket, WebAlbum and Picasa. You can also install various free Picnik tools, such as a Firefox extension for quick screenshots and editing photos from the web.

Picnik earns some good reviews as a photo editor. In an older review at PC World, Harry McCracken calls Picnik's interface "superb" and says its "thoughtful touches make photo editing fun." It's easy to use, with live previews of editing options. In addition to basic editing tools, Picnik provides printing help and lets you use borders and layers.

IrfanView is for Windows only, but it supports older Windows operating systems (95/98/Me) making it a good option if you use an older computer. IrfanView first gained fame for its ability to rotate and save JPEG files losslessly, and it includes a wide range of viewing, converting and editing tools. You can also use it to create slide shows. Plug-ins let you edit video. The review at Download.com calls it a "longtime staff favorite," adding that it's "far from fancy but should be easy enough for most users to figure out."