Does this seem a bit too good to be true?

**Angela** · 09-08-2006, 09:36

eBay.co.uk: ADOBE PHOTOSHOP CS 8.0

Am I missing something here!?

***Dave*** · 09-08-2006, 11:43

It's pirated Software. EBAY don't seem to care about fraud

Easy way to check is to ask seller if it comes sealed with original box. You'll get normal reply of "no" to save on costs ....yeah right

Worth going for CS2 if you can

**Angela** · 09-08-2006, 11:49

Thanks Dave, I suspected it might be something like that!

**Angela** · 09-08-2006, 12:02

CS2 is £500 squids???

That's more than my camera cost!! Might have to just wait awhile before getting that then.

Is there anything a little cheaper that anyone would recommend?

**stepheno** · 09-08-2006, 12:35

Although I'm a dyed-in-the-wool Photoshop man I would have to recommend PaintShop Pro X which is on offer at half-price here. It is good but nothing beats CS2, it's just expensive. HTH.

**Angela** · 09-08-2006, 14:12

Thanks Stephen!

**Dabhand16** · 09-08-2006, 17:42

Angela - I've just bought Paint Shop Pro X from Amazon for £44.75. I could not justify the cost of CS2. PE4 may well do what you want.

If you go for PSP X, I'd recommend the book 'Paint Shop Pro X for Photographers' by Ken McMahon and Robin Nichols. £14.50 from Amazon inc p&p. The supplied manual is brief and has lots of 'full details on the PSP X help', which is true, but I like a book/manual thet I can look at without the need of a computer. PSP X also comes with Corel Photo album 6, some tutorials on the CD, AND Rawshooter Elements.

**Angela** · 09-08-2006, 18:18

Graham, thank you. That's much closer to my price range for the moment!

Maybe when I'm a bit more experienced I can aim for CS2 but at the moment I need to learn to take good pictures rather than make them good by editing. I hope that doesn't come across as dismissive because I can see that judicious editing can take a good shot and make it a "wow" shot...I just need to get to the "good shot" stage first! Does that make sense?

***Dave*** · 09-08-2006, 18:28

Not at all.....you can't beat a decent shot straight out of the camera, that needs minimal post processing

**Dabhand16** · 09-08-2006, 18:38

That makes absolute sense, Angela. However, we all are faced with taking shots in less than ideal conditions, so editing should not be veiwed too harshly. Lets face it, if you took a picture on an overcast day and spent a week in a darkroom to produce a better image, you would feel elated, and everyone would say how cleaver you are.

I've had Photoshop Elements 2 for years, and I thought long and hard before getting PSP X rather than PE4. I think PE4 or PSP X will do everything you want. From the little experience I have, it seems that PSP X has the edge on layer management, whereas PE4 is possibly a little easier to use the ajustment tools. But I have to say that I've only had PSP X for a few weeks against 4-5 years with PE2, so with more use, I may change my mind!!

**Angela** · 09-08-2006, 19:18

Quote:

Originally Posted by Dabhand16

That makes absolute sense, Angela. However, we all are faced with taking shots in less than ideal conditions, so editing should not be veiwed too harshly. Lets face it, if you took a picture on an overcast day and spent a week in a darkroom to produce a better image, you would feel elated, and everyone would say how cleaver you are.

Oh no, I'm not being harsh about editing, most of the shots I've uploaded here have had some editing with the minimal facilities I have. But, to take your example, if you are shooting on an overcast day, you will set your camera to take the best possible picture that you can given the conditions. My "problem" is that I don't yet understand how to set my camera to take that best possible picture and no amount of editing is going to make up for that!

**Dabhand16** · 09-08-2006, 20:05

No wonder you have not managed to get a shot of Uncle Bulgaria, then.

Seriously though, I see what you mean now. At least in the digital era you can try hundreds of photos, and if most are not much good they can be dumped without hurting your purse. Having said that, when I had my 'L' plates on, the fact that every shot came at a price made you focus your mind and the learning curve was perhaps steeper because of the economic factors.

Have you considered a course at a night school? They will be enrolling next month. I don't mean City & Guilds, just a more basic introduction. I find that this is often the quickest and easiest way of picking up new skills, rather than bumbling around on your own.

**Angela** · 09-08-2006, 20:36

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