Photography Notebook: Software

Digital photography doesn't always stop with the camera. A variety of software packages can help you improve and process your images after you download them from your camera.

These are the software programs that I use. My emphasis is on getting freeware or open-source programs that work on a variety of computer operating systems.

Photoscape

This is freeware photo editing software that I've come to appreciate very much. It is easy to use and works quickly and accurately. I use this software for noise reduction as well as photo editing when preparing HDR (High Dynamic Range) photos as well as touching up non-HDR photos.

Qtpfsgui

This is the HDR software that I use. It is open-source and available for a variety of operating systems. The latest edition has helped me produce some HDRs that I am very pleased with:

GNU Image Manipulation Program (GIMP)

This freely distributed software gives you a variety of image manipulation functions. I use this for photo retouching--specifically the rubber stamp tool. I have also used gimp for perspective transformation, such as in the image on the right, where the original shot, taken with a wide angle lens, distorted the building:

Firefox Universal Uploader(Fireuploader)

With this software, you can upload or download files to and from many photo-sharing sites through one interface, including flickr and picasa.google.com. It is invaluable because it is fast, easy, and allows you to upload images in larger sizes.