Rating: 
Summary: Worth up grading from elements 1.0
Review: I have been using 1.0 for some time and I really like it. It's very easy to use once you get used to it. I've only had 2.0 for a couple of days but I can say that it has been greatly improved with new and improved features. Many of the existing features have been improved and new ones have been added. The new picture package is one of the features I really like. One of the things I didn't like about 1.0 was the inability to print more that one picturre on a sheet. Well that has been fixed. I have tried 6.0 nice but elements it meets my needs and at a much lower price.
Rating:
Summary: Best entry level photo editor
Review: Photoshop Elements is THE only photo editing software for beginners and intermediates. The learning curve starts out slow but within a short time, you will realize the great potential that this software offers. Missing only a few professional tools of Photoshop 7.0, Elements enables the casual user to enhance and customize photos. I would also recommend purchasing a "how to" book with elements to speed up the learning curve.
Rating:
Summary: Even better than version 1.0
Review: Upgrading from the original Photoshop Elements paid off. This version is easier to use, without it being "dumbed down" too much. The help menu is easy to access and the booklet is much more understandable for the beginning photo editor. You can make ordinary photos much more professional with very little time invested. I use this program to repair valuable family photos at home, and to touch up digital pics for Microsoft Publisher brochures at work. Give it a look!
Rating:
Summary: Very Helpful. Seven Tools I Use All of the Time!
Review: Photoshop Elements is a truly outstanding photo editing program. Here are seven of the tools that I use all of the time:1. Auto Levels -- With one click, colors pop and become more vibrant. Skin tones are optimized. The color cast from indoor or fluorescent lighting is eliminated. To do this manually would be much more time consuming (and definitely hit-or-miss). 2. Auto Contrast -- Also with one click, the light/dark contrast (and tonal range) of a photo is optimized giving the image much more richness. 3. Sharpen -- This takes a few clicks, but this command will make digital photos somewhat sharper. (This also happens automatically when one uses "Auto Contrast.") Sharpening digital photos, especially at longer focal lengths (or when using lower megapixel cameras), is always welcome. 4. Fill Flash -- This command is absolutely amazing. When used, it will brighten all surfaces (in shadow) facings towards the camera (even in the background). If faces are too dark, this will lighten them. If details are lost in the shadows, this will restore them. Brighter areas are unaffected. This command almost eliminates the need for outdoor fill flash or reflectors, and results in much more natural (and more softly lit) portraits. If you take a lot of people pictures, (or if you like to shoot with natural light), this tool is indispensable. 5. Sunset Light -- This digital filter will give a photo taken during bright sunlight the warm glow of an evening image. The sky and all reflected surfaces will look warmer (and more romantic). This is a great way to add drama to scenics (turning cliches into works of art) -- especially if hanging around 'til dusk isn't an option. 6. Perspective Adjustment -- Using a wide angle lens and looking upwards will make buildings appear (on film) as though they are leaning backwards. This tool remedies this. I've found that I won't enlarge photos with leaning buildings -- but I will once they are upright again. Fixing a photo on the computer is also much more convenient than carrying a special shift perspective lens or lugging around a heavy view camera. 7. Color Cast Correction -- This is a really cool tool. For photos where the color is seriously off due to indoor incandescent or fluorescent lighting (beyond what can be remedied by the Auto Levels feature above), this tool fixes it with just one click. Simply put the cursor on an area you know to be black or gray -- and Photoshop Elements will adjust all of the colors (in the entire photo) accordingly. It works fantastically. If you're not satisfied, just keep clicking around other portions of the black or gray area until you get the overall color balance that you're seeking. For my own use, I've found that I won't print a photo -- until I run it through Photoshop Elements first! I'll usually apply tips #1-3 to every photo. (This takes but mere seconds.) I'll use the Fill Flash feature when faces are too dark (or when the contrast between light and dark is too high.) Lastly, I'll use tools #5-7 only when the situation requires it. Photoshop Elements also has a convenient "step backwards" function which will delete the effects of the last command (in case you like the previous image better). (I learned to use most of the above tools, incidentally, by reading Photoshop Elements Solutions by Mikkel Aaland -- which makes the software as easy to use as the folks at Adobe intended. I highly recommend it.) Other photo editing programs provide a lot of special effects or photo album-type backgrounds. I just want my photos to be better! Adobe Photoshop Elements is perfect for my needs.
Rating: 
Summary: The perfect compromise between consumer and prosumer tools
Review: Adobe Photoshop Elements 2.0 is a wonderful, low-cost alternative to Adobe's high-end Photoshop 7 that retains most of its bigger brother's best features, but adds tons of ease-of-use niceties. Yeah, it's still harder to use than PhotoDeluxe or Microsoft Picture It!, but a little time investment will pay off big time. I wish it came with PS 7's healing tool--that's the only reason it didn't get five stars--but otherwise, this is a rare treasure. Highly recommended.
Rating:
Summary: Adobe is still the best software designer!
Review: I love Photoshop Elements, and when my prayers came true by finding out that there was a version 2, I was ecstatic and ordered it as soon as I can. Well, the box came today and I couldn't wait to see what they had added. Some things are new and improved such as shapes (more added) and the option of having them all load at once, nifty interface: when you put the cursor over your choices, they change color! There is a very good file browser as well as more layer styles. I am still finding out more about the program so this review will not be as extensive. Overall, Adobe Photoshop Elements is a very stable and good program to use from the novice to the serious graphic designer.
Rating:
Summary: Adobe Scores Big With Software...
Review: Adobe does it again with award winning software... I have used the trial version of this software for 30 days and I have to say, it is the perfect solution for the home user... If you are needing professional software then go with Photoshop 7, if you want to save [$$$'s] and do just about anything a home user would do with graphics software then Adobe Elements is right for you... I love this program, user friendly and priced right...
Rating:
Summary: It will do what you need it to do.....
Review: I got his program primarily to annotate my digital images. I have very high resolution scans, and most programs cannot handle the file size. This can do it very well. At 4000 dpi scans, I find the font size needs to be 1 mm and there are not very many programs that can do this. In addition, one can drag and size the text boxes, and delete them individually, as each box is a layer, as well as change the color of the text. One can also do a lot of fancy things with the text. One has a large selection of image formats in which to save the file and within those formats a degree of resolution, as well as a direct to web format file size, although one has to work with a more modest file size for that to be useful.
A drawback is that the program is a serious memory hog. It is slow with 512 RAM. The program also loads slowly. And, if one forgets to click on the image background before saving (i.e. it is still on a text box) the saving of the file will be extremely slow. Also, if one sizes a text box to get the font size other than that listed in the preset sizes, only one save will be kept which may be a drawback if one is using many font sizes other than those listed. However, one has options of a number of different font sizes as one can select pixels, inches, cm, mm, picas, points and % for font size. It is trivial to put type vertical, horizontal, or on curves with a high degree of control.
The software actually comes with a written manual which is helpful. That is becoming rare nowadays.
I have taken high resolution images, selected a portion of the image, saved it at much lower resolution, and e-mailed the result in a decent file size for the recipient.
I am still learning the features, but found it easy to do what I wanted to do with minimal problems. Kudos to Adobe for allowing one to download a fully functional program good for 30 days which allowed me to determine that this program would do what I needed. I ordered the software shortly thereafter.
For all that is offered, the price is very reasonable and the features outstanding.
Rating:
Summary: digital arts teacher
Review: Elements is a program that is packed with many of the same features as the more expensive full version Adobe Photoshop. The features that it doesn't have, like duotones, channel palette and Quickmask, can be worked around with an extra step or two. It is a terrific value.
That said, the learning curve for those new to the world of Adobe, can be pretty steep. I should know - I use it to teach a digital scrapbooking class at an Educational Center in California (yes - a FREE course). For those of you who have not used Adobe Products before, there is 3 to 5 ways to do just about everything - this can be confusing for beginners. Besides a menu bar with drop down windows, there is a toolbar, a tool editor, as well as palettes that dock and separate from the main menu bar. The Layer Palette (A wonderful and useful thing) seems to be particulary hard for beginners to understand.
My suggestion is, if you are just starting to use Adobe product, find a school and take a course BEFORE your purchase. Most of my student do end up buying the software, or a scanner that includes it, by the end of the semester.
Rating:
Summary: A must buy
Review: I have worked with Photoshop for years now but I have never came accross anything as easy to use as Photoshop Elements. I can't think of anything better and more easier to use for created professional results. Really very good product!
Delroy Meadows
Nassau, Bahamas
www.bahamasissues.com
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