Digital Photographer's Software Guide - Bertemes - Net

Comments
Many common applications have migrated to the Web, and basic image editing is no
exception. Do not expect Photoshop facilities yet, but you can make huge improvements
to your images with PhotoEditor, without having to install any software on your
machine. The vendor provides a useful online demo that allows you to use all the features
on a sample image.
Version: Aurigma PhotoEditor 2.0 (2008)
OS: At server—Windows 2000 Professional; Advanced Server with SP 2.0, XP Professional,
Server 2003; at client—browser-based, with IE, Firefox, Safari
Supported file formats: JPEG
Price level: Non-commercial use $400, private label $950
Address: Aurigma Inc., 5847 S. Lawrence, Tacoma, WA 98409, United States
www.aurigma.com
GIMP
Developer: The GIMP Team
Purpose: Free image editor with powerful Levels and Curves controls
Chapter 10 ■ Image Editors 125
Description
The GNU Image Manipulation Program from the GIMP Team is freely distributed
software for photo retouching, image composition, and image authoring. The GIMP
can perform a huge range of image processing tasks, such as correct muddy colors,
extend dynamic range, remove color casts, sharpen an image, and repair blemishes. Its
Levels and Curves controls are not so different from those in Photoshop, whereas the
hue-saturation dialog box lets you warm or chill the colors in the image. There is even
a tool for isolating the subject and deemphasizing the background, if your fastest lens
has not already achieved this effect. GIMP is also a computer graphics program with
drawing, painting, and design facilities, including paths (Bézier curves) and gradients.
There are different GIMP projects to make it run on different operating systems, notably
MacGIMP (MacGIMP.org), through which you can access vendors who package the
free source code for the convenience of the user and sell it at a “fair price.”
Comments
Over 150 people have contributed to GIMP since Peter Mattis and Spencer Kimball
started work on it in 1995. The GNU Project itself dates from 1984 and continues to
flourish, as the number of applications testifies (directory.fsf.org). Prospective GIMP
users have nothing to lose by trying a free version.