Imagine Online Images General Purpose Image Editing Software Scott Koegler
General Purpose Image Editing Software
General purpose image editing software titles like Adobe Photoshop Elements ($99.00), Jasc Paint Shop Pro ($84.00), ULead's PhotoImpact XL ($89.95), and the professional-grade Adobe Photoshop CS ($649) are great for performing a wide variety of image manipulation tasks. These are the workhorses of photo editing and are likely to be able to handle pretty much any editing task you can think of, and lots you haven't yet imagined.
Any of these programs are capable of all the image tasks listed above. In fact, if you're trying to streamline your work process rather than create artistically and technically excellent images, some of the more limited (and less costly) applications may be better suited to your needs.
Limited Purpose Applications
Resize and Convert
One of the most common tasks you're likely to do in putting images online is changing the size and type of your files. Converting a 1 megabyte TIF file to a 40 kilobyte JPG file can be done with any of the full-featured apps, but since that's only a relatively minor function within the plethora of sophisticated image manipulation commands, it may take some searching through the menus before you find the commands. Even then, it's possible to get confused in the variety of options available for that single function.
One program that can help with this task is A Smaller Image from TriVista. The program does exactly what its name implies, and does so quickly and efficiently. Drag an image file to the desktop icon, or open the program by double clicking the icon, and the original image is shown with its file size and dimensions. Slider bars allow you to reduce the size of the image and then save it as a different file type if necessary. The program can even apply the same changes to a series of similar images that require the same changes, making quick work of the conversion process. At $15, A Smaller Image is a bargain you'll probably use frequently even if you also have one of the general purpose image editing applications.
Image Editing
Making changes to your pictures using programs that run directly on your computer is generally the preferred method because the programs can make full use of your computer's processor, and the image files can be moved quickly from your disk to the program. This is the way Photoshop Elements, PaintShop Pro, and PhotoImpact work. However, there may be times you don't have access to one of these programs.
That's when an online editor like myImager can save the day. myImager is free to use, and does a decent job at a variety of image manipulation tasks, including cropping, brightness and contrast adjustments, color correction, and several other useful functions.
myImager, like most online applications, imposes restrictions on the size of files they will allow uploaded, while those kinds of restrictions don't apply to desktop applications. You may need to use a tool like A Smaller Image to reduce your file sizes before uploading them to myImager, but once you've uploaded them, the straightforward interface will let you tweak your picture as necessary. Even better, you can use a feature called cross-loading to transfer your revised image directly to the online computer that will hold your pictures for display.
