To my fellow Photoshop visualizers

4 years ago

Hey, guys, I'm a regular poster who has often made mock-ups to help people visualize different exterior trim colors, or how their kitchen would look with painted cabinets, or even to add in a rug or painting by way of example. However, i recently got a new computer and find that I can no longer run the version of Photoshop that I owned. I'm not sure I can justify the high cost of a professional subscription for this kind of a hobby (although I do make idea boards for rehab projects too), but I've been using PS for decades.

Has anybody here made the transition from Photoshop to different software to their satisfaction for these same kinds of uses? I obviously don't want a tool that limits me to the kinds of edits you'd make to fix a family photo -- filters or sharpening or whatever. A quick think brought me up with these features that I value:

- draw/paint tools

- color sampler/dropper

- hue/saturation, color balance

- levels

- layers

- select inverse, freehand selection tool

- geometric shapes, text (for floorplans, say)

It's really hard to know where to start or how to dig down in software features without trying them out in person, so I'm hoping other designers or hobbyists might have a few suggestions. Those of you who don't consider this the right place for this question should just move on by... :) Thanks!!

Featured Answer

blubird

4 years ago

Photoshop Elements should be just right for you; we've been using it for years. It has most of the features of regular Photoshop, but you own it outright. i've used the download code versions.

Link to Photoshop Elements on the big A site

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Comments (8)

msjoan
4 years ago
last modified: 4 years ago
Not possible to update your photoshop version? I use Adobe Photoshop, mostly for personal photographs. You've got me worried.
acm
Original Author
4 years ago
nope. at least, digging around their site, I could only find subscriptions -- i know that a lot of business software has gone that model, but had hoped that they'd be gentler on civilians!
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Lauren Eliz
4 years ago
What version were you running before? Is it that your new operating system won’t run the older version?

If you have the original serial number, you used to be able to get a discount for an upgrade via buying it entirely new.

Adobe might be able to help if you reach out to them directly.

Also, look under their photography plans, they have one that has PS with Lightroom for only $10per month vs PS by itself for $20. It’s a marketing ploy for them to get people to use more Adobe products. Like how the Creative Suite Cloud is cheaper than buying all the programs individually.
Jean
4 years ago
last modified: 4 years ago
I run Phoroshop CS6, installed straight on my pc. I do not get any updates since I'm not on the subscription model; but CS6 does what I need it to do. What version did you have before? And what Operating system?
acm
Original Author
4 years ago
last modified: 4 years ago
CS6 cannot be bought anymore, and a subscription is $50/month. Photoshop alone is $21/mo.

I have a new MacBook running Monterey. I previously had.. an older MacBook running, you know, a slightly older system and a stand-alone copy of Photoshop (CS3). all something like 6-8 years old.

I'll look into Elements, bluebird -- I initially thought it looked like it was really just for photos, but if it has a reasonable amount of that other stuff, I'm in! thanks.
Jean
4 years ago
acm, I purchased CS6 from ebay. Just looked and there are several folks selling it. So maybe that is an option.
acm
Original Author
4 years ago
yeah, not working with latest iOS. we sure hate Planned Obsolescence!! :((