While Adobe Photoshop is justifably the industry standard photo editing application it does come with a price tag to match. Like a lot of software there will be many users who only really use maybe 10% of what it can do and really can’t justify its cost. I’m all for minimising costs when possible and there are some very practical alternatives to Photoshop that are completely free.

A quick google search will reveal the choices available for photo editing can be quite daunting in their sheer scale and variety. While it can be tempting to grab all the free stuff you can this can quickly lead to a lot of wasted time installing and playing around with multiple applications, many of which will probably become rarely used. When too much of your time is getting sucked up the quest for a free or cheap alternative starts becoming expensive!

So here are three free Photoshop replacements.

Irfanview
Irfanview is described as a graphic viewer which, while it isn’t a full image editor, I think does it a great disservice as it does a lot more than that implies. It supports Photoshop filters and can be used for common basic adjustments that are often all that a photo requires. With plugins installed a host of extra features like IPTC editing are included. I like Irfanview for its simplicity and speed. I have it as my default application for image files to load into when clicked and often use it for batch processing and resizing. It is free for non-commercial use and only a US$12 donation is requested if you’re getting serious with it! On its own though it doesn’t replace Photoshop, so you need more editing power to complement its file management.

Paint
If you’re on Windows you’ll be familiar with the basic paint program that has featured in the accessories through its evolution. This is not that paint! Originally it was intended to replace the painting software that comes with windows and has gone way beyond that. You get a pretty full featured application that supports layers and has an active community developing tutorails, plugins etc, for free.

GIMP
Of course I have to mention the the GIMP. You can’t go past this software if you’re a demanding user that wants an alternative to Photoshop. It is available on multiple operating systems and broadly speaking is a match for Photoshop just without the expense; it is free open source software. The catch for many people, is in getting to grips with it. I know when I first played with it (while experimenting with Linux at the same time, so possibly too much for me at once) I found it frustrating figuring out how to do things I knew I could have dome in moments back in photoshop. As I said if you’re wasting a lot of time trying to get to grips with free sofware it isn’t so free anymore. However investing time in getting to grips with the GIMP is definitly worth the effort if you plan to use it as long term alternative, which it is certainly capable of being.

I’m pleased to say I’m not the only person who must have found GIMP a bit of a steep climb at first because there is a hack that makes it a much more comfortable transition for users used to Photoshop. Gimpshop basically makes the user interface of GIMP much more friendly for anyone used to photo editing in Photoshop. If you’re familiar with photoshop and want a fairly painless (saving hundreds of dollars helps with a little discomfort) transition Gimpshop is the way to go.

These are my presonal recommendations for use as photo editors. Paint and GIMP are also great for graphics work but there are others worth considering for this too. I’ve no doubt there are other extremely good alternatives for photo editing too that I haven’t noticed or fully appreciated. One area I haven’t touched on in this post is the increasingly good options available from web based editing applications. If you think I’ve missed something feel free to add suggestions in the comments.

If you’re a photographer you have one of these. Its like a little guy who sits on your shoulder and ooohhs and aaggghhs about photo gear he knows you really need to make better pictures. He used to be a sucker for megapixels but is kind of over that now, to an extent. Wait though, there’s full frame sensors, lower noise, HD videos, there’s always something. He’s still very susceptible to advertising, to buzz, to beautiful design. Sometimes he’ll even drool a little with desire, which naturally makes you irrational about purchase decisions. If he’s really excited he jumps up and down so much you actually need that new DSLR body and lense to hang off the other shoulder to even things up a bit.

Ok, maybe your guy is a little different, maybe she’s a demoness, maybe she’s more subtle. But you have one, trust me. Actually if you’re a male photographer and you have the subtle gear lust demoness whispering in your ear you’re probably in more trouble than I can help you with. Sorry. For the rest of us I offer this little piece of advice; think before you buy.

This actually was drilled into me, subtly, by my Mum when I was a teenager and considering the odd signicant purchase. She told me if I wasn’t sure about a purchase to just keep thinking about it for the time being and come back later if I decided I really did want to spend the money. That has stayed with me so far and stood me in pretty good stead in life as more of a saver than a spender, which I’m grateful for. Thanks Mum!

Now in terms of photo gear purchases I develop this thinking to pause before any investment in gear and really consider how it will benefit my photography. What will I be able to do with this new gear that I can’t already do with my exisitng equipment. The answer needs to be compelling enough to justify the investment in cold hard cash. Often it isn’t and I don’t buy the gear, I probably still ‘want’ it, (and I know my demon definitely does) but I’ve given myself enough pause for thought that I know I don’t actually need it enough to justify the cost. I may still make the purchase at a later stage, when I do need it sufficiently, or find I can rent a lense for instance. I’m in control though, most of the time, not my demon.

If your photography is, at least in part, about making some income then you really need to think along these lines. The quickest way to improve your bottom line in any business is to reduce costs! An investment in new gear needs to pay dividends over time to justify the money you’ve shelled out and pausing for thought will help raise the odds in your favour that your photography equipment shopping is well considered.