I cut my teeth on Macintosh computers in the early 80s (back in the days of monochromatic screens and MacPaint.) By the age of 5, I considered myself a seasoned graphic artist. Fast forward to 2012 and I now I’m a big fan of iPhoto for digital photo editing. It doesn’t have all the bells and whistles of PhotoShop, but it’s easy to use. Best of all, it’s free for anyone who owns a Macintosh computer.
As a new parents, my husband and I are constantly snapping photos of our son. I’m sure our baby is exhausted from the flashing lights and our constant plea for him to, “Look here! Smile!” With iPhoto, all I have to do is connect my camera’s USB cable and all those precious moments are automatically load on the screen.
One press of the “Edit” button and I can easily crop, rotate, remove red eye or my personal favorite… retouch. I can wipe out pimples and blemishes like a pro and make my family look like they belong on a magazine cover. It’s easy to make cards, calendars, slideshows or photo albums by clicking on the “Create” button. I made beautiful holiday cards in less time than it takes to change a messy diaper.
With the “Effects” tab, I can easily turn my images from color to black and white. If I’m feeling adventurous, I might go for the sepia or antique look (which gives my pictures that old fashioned look.) The “Adjust” tab offers some pretty robust options for controlling the look of my images. It’s my personal favorite because I can easily fix levels, saturation and a lot of other elements.
I’ve been a graphic artist for over 20 years and I know that some professional designers might look down on me for using iPhoto because it’s not an “industry standard.” But it works fine for me and I have even used it for some client projects. If you’re looking for a photo editing software that’s easy to use and won’t break your wallet (nothing beats free), iPhoto is a wonderful choice. Every version that Apple has released has provided more options and simplified my life… at least when it comes to digital photo editing. The only thing that’s missing is an iPhoto add on that makes my son smile on cue.