Which photoshop to buy?

I need to redo my photos for juries and for my website. My medium is jewelry. I may still hire a pro for the jury shots, but I can't do that for every photo on my website. So...I need to upgrade my photo editing software so I can fix the lighting or color if needed, eliminate things in the background (like a piece of fuzz), possibly change the background to a better graduation, and resize photos. Right now all my photos have a white/light grey background and I want to change it to a graduated background. I like a consistant background on all the pictures on my website. It would be great to not have to rephotograph everything. And of course I can't rephoto sold items. There are several versions and pricepoints of Adobe photoshop available and I'm having a difficult time knowing which one will meet my needs. I would love any advice or recomendations on which software I should buy (Adobe or another brand is ok too). I have a PC. I have attached one of my current jury slides so you can see where I'm starting from.

Thanks,

Tina

P-CHD-210-A-C-Z.JPG

Replies

Tina Cloud October 21, 2010 at 12:23pm

I got the photoshop elements 9 trial & I must say it has been a fairly frustrating process so far. I'm sure most of it has to do with learning a new program. When I have tried to replace the background, I can get the pendant to look good, but the chain looks horrid, and overall the whole thing looks like it is floating in space because all the shadows were lost. I spent several hours just on one photo, and I would never send it into a jury. I'm still having problems with the highlights being washed out as well. I guess I need to retake all the pictures & just come to terms with the fact that the backgrounds will be different in pictures of the "sold" gallery.
- Larry Berman > Tina Cloud October 23, 2010 at 2:10pm
  
  Replacing the background can be difficult, even for an experienced Photoshop user because it depends on the amount of detail and how similar in color the piece is to the background. Without seeing the image I can't make recommendations. But even if you think the piece looks good (but the chain doesn't), you would have needed to work on the full size file and enlarge it over 100% (closer to 400% or 500%) when doing the work so that when it's reduced back to 100% it looks good.
  
  Larry Berman
  Digital Jury Services
  http://BermanGraphics.com
  412-401-8100
Toni Saari October 21, 2010 at 10:37am

Hi, IVe had a hard time with photos. Ive hired a local photographer and paid hundreds of dollars for him to do them and to me they were not that good. Im not sure where to go. My cousin takes mine right now but I have been rejected from a few shows and Im not sure if it is my work or my photos. I know it is very important to have really good photos. I have confidence in my work and not sure what to do. I guess Im with you and asking what the heck can I do. I cant possibly have my pieces shipped out every week or less to have them photographed. Help too.
- Larry Berman > Toni Saari October 21, 2010 at 10:45am
  
  I do free image evaluations. Give me a call and I'll explain how to get me the large (ZAPP) files.
  
  Larry Berman
  Digital Jury Services
  http://BermanGraphics.com
  412-401-8100
Tina Cloud October 12, 2010 at 10:27am

Thanks Larry.
- Michael Skeen > Tina Cloud October 12, 2010 at 2:08pm
  
  or simply get "Gimp" a free software program that does many of the things that photoshop does....download it and go.
  - Jeanne Steck > Michael Skeen February 26, 2011 at 5:32am
    
    Thanks for this advice, Michael! There are so many free programs on the web that it's hard to know which one is safe. GIMP worked like a charm when I needed to clone out a sign on the wall behind my display. :)
Larry Berman October 11, 2010 at 11:50am

Photoshop Elements is usually on sale for $69. Full Photoshop is over $600 and isn't necessary for what you need. There are many user support forums for the Adobe programs so they would be a better investment than anything else. And for the most part, instructions for Photoshop can easily be used with Elements because they share most of the same tools.

The picture you attached is blown out and missing a lot of detail in the highlights. You need to expose for the piece and not let the background effect the exposure.

Larry Berman
Digital Jury Services
http://BermanGraphics.com
412-401-8100

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