Best Photo Editing Programs For Photography In 2020

Professional photographers know that the difference between a good shot and a great one is in the little details that when put together make a big difference. This includes things like exposure, focus, noise reduction, colour correction, and highlighting the essentials to create a stunning image. Editing is essential in producing stunning images, so whether you are an amateur or a professional, make sure that your editing program is capable of meeting the higher standards of the current times.

We have collated a list of the top 5 best editing programs for photography in 2020.

1) Adobe Photoshop

Adobe Photoshop is the program that most people talk about, and for a good reason. It is the most popular and go-to software for plenty of visual arts professionals because the amount of editing features it offers with so much versatility and room for creative freedom. Since it is designed specifically for professionals who need all the advanced tools in one program, it would be practically impossible to include all that Photoshop offers. Instead, here are the key features that Photoshop has:

• Supports all main image file formats such as JPG, PNG, GIF, and RAW files
• Masking and selection, and 360 editing tools
• Cloning and retouching capabilities
• Adjustment layers

Adobe Photoshop has a 1-week free trial which you can try before subscribing to their other packages. An annual plan costs around A$30 a month and comes bundled with 100GB of Creative Cloud storage so your images won’t take up any extra memory space.

2) Corel PaintShop Pro 2020

Corel PaintShop Pro is the best image editing tool for beginners. It’s a great alternative to Adobe Photoshop, but it does lack some of Photoshop’s most advanced features, so this is perfect for those who want basic and effective image editing. It allows you to work with layers and features a user-friendly interface and 360-degree image editing. It also allows you to start working from pre-existing templates and offers a comprehensive library of gradients, pictures, and pallets to choose from.

Unfortunately, this program is only available to Windows users, and a Mac version isn’t coming any time soon. For those who hate Adobe’s subscription-based services, you can avail of PaintShop through Corel with a one-time payment as low as $79.99. It also offers a 30-day money-back guarantee.

3) Adobe Lightroom

Adobe Lightroom is another top-notch program by Adobe. Compared to Photoshop, Lightroom is less intimidating and more beginner-friendly. It offers a more intuitive and user interface which is perfect for beginners or those who simply want a more straightforward tool to edit with. Since this is also an Adobe program, many photographers use Lightroom in tandem with Photoshop to achieve the perfect edit. Adobe Lightroom features customizable sliders, blurring and fixing tools, gradient and brush tools, and professional filters and presets. However, it lacks the editing options, layers, and blend modes that Photoshop offers.

An Adobe Lightroom and Photoshop bundle start at A$14.29 per month.

4) CaptureOne Pro

CaptureOne is a professional-grade program designed for those in the business and serious enthusiasts. Many consider it to be an Adobe Lightroom alternative, but what sets this program apart from the rest is that the user-interface is so customizable that you can fine-tune it to just how you like. It offers colour adjustment tools that are superior to Lightroom’s, in that they allow you to pick and colour or colour range in the image and adjust the specifics from there. It also allows you to work with masks and layers and has all the standard adjustment tools you need.

CaptureOne Pro, which supports all major camera brands such as Nikon, Sony, and Fujifilm, starts at around $28.20.

5) Skylum Luminar

Skylum Luminar is another alternative to the Adobe programs and has been gaining popularity among photographers. It can be used as a stand-alone tool or as a plug-in to either Adobe Photoshop or Lightroom. What makes Luminar unique is that it has artificial-intelligence powered tools that give you amazing edits while saving you time. Of course, you still have the option to take full control over each edit or use their artificial-intelligence powered tools to help you along. 

Luminar Pro 4 is a one-off purchase of around A$125.

The editing process is a hard but necessary step to producing beautiful images. Ultimately the best photo editing program is one that will serve you best and meets your needs in whatever field of photography you specialize in. For example, if you are a newborn and baby photographer, the best software for you is one that allows you to colour-correct skin tones to highlight a baby’s natural beauty.