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Simple, Open Source Photo Editor


NegativeSpace

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I'm looking for some open source software for editing photos. I don't need something as powerful and time consuming as GIMP or Photoshop. I want something more simple and convenient, but not something made for beginners. I need something that can do things like crop, rotate by angle, re-size, change contrast and saturation, and more of that sort of thing. I've asked the usual suspects (google, sourceforge, etc) but I've only come up with redundant garbage thrown out the door by mega corporations. Who knows what?

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Use GIMP, I know you don't want something that powerful but you don't have to use all the features. Just learn the very basics to get what you need done.

  • Crop, use the crop tool
  • Rotate by angle, Layer->tansformation->Arbitrary Rotation
  • Resize, image->Scale Image
  • Change contrast and saturation, Check out the colours menu and pick the method that gets the best results for you

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Use GIMP, I know you don't want something that powerful but you don't have to use all the features. Just learn the very basics to get what you need done.

  • Crop, use the crop tool
  • Rotate by angle, Layer->tansformation->Arbitrary Rotation
  • Resize, image->Scale Image
  • Change contrast and saturation, Check out the colours menu and pick the method that gets the best results for you

GIMP just doesn't work for this application. It uses too much screen real estate, it uses too much computing power, and it takes too long to issue commands.

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GIMP just doesn't work for this application.

What application is this that it doesn't work for?

GIMP just doesn't work for this application. It uses too much screen real estate

I usually just have a toolbox and the image window open when working (other dialogues can be docked into the tool box to save space). Most the tools have keyboard shortcuts so if you really do need all the space for your image window you can learn them and not need your toolbox visible.

it uses too much computing power

It uses as much computing power as needed for the task at hand. Really any modern computer will be able to handle image editing (or at least the basic image editing you seem to be after).

and it takes too long to issue commands.

What commands do you struggle to issue quick enough in GIMP. The chances are there is an easier/quicker way to get the same result, or you are doing very complex edits (and if you are doing very complex edits then you need the power of GIMP,Photoshop,etc).

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What application is this that it doesn't work for?

Basic editing of thousands of photos in a single session.

I usually just have a toolbox and the image window open when working (other dialogues can be docked into the tool box to save space). Most the tools have keyboard shortcuts so if you really do need all the space for your image window you can learn them and not need your toolbox visible.

The point is moot. Every inch of screen space is needed for other things.

It uses as much computing power as needed for the task at hand. Really any modern computer will be able to handle image editing (or at least the basic image editing you seem to be after).

The task at hand is not the only one. I have more than enough power to edit photos, but not enough to browse thousands of photos for efficiency, edit those photos, work with raw images, sync files across the network, and write files to disk all at the same time.

What commands do you struggle to issue quick enough in GIMP. The chances are there is an easier/quicker way to get the same result, or you are doing very complex edits (and if you are doing very complex edits then you need the power of GIMP,Photoshop,etc).

I don't really struggle, it's more of an issue of GIMP having not been designed to do what I need, which is very efficient and basic editing, one after another. The easier/quicker way is to use software that is made to be easier and quicker. Wasting 5 or 10 seconds per photo X 1,000 photos X repeating this 1 or 2 times per month = too much time to keep using the same software that wasn't designed for the things I need to accomplish.

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If every inch of screen space is required for other things you could try ImageMagick which runs from the command line. It probably won't be able to do everything you are after but it is an alternative.

It is a shame that GIMP doesn't meet your needs. It sounds like what you would need is a batch mode for GIMP so you can process all your photos without having to do everything manually for each one.

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If every inch of screen space is required for other things you could try ImageMagick which runs from the command line. It probably won't be able to do everything you are after but it is an alternative.

It is a shame that GIMP doesn't meet your needs. It sounds like what you would need is a batch mode for GIMP so you can process all your photos without having to do everything manually for each one.

ImageMagik might be what im looking for. I'll have to try it out and see what it has to offer.

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For starters, what OS are you working on? If windows, try http://www.getpaint.net/ or just use the built in paint in windows, which does most of what you want.

I'm on windows usually but if there is some really great software that only works with another OS I am willing to use another OS. I've downloaded paint.net a few days ago but haven't tried it yet. Maybe it will turn out to work. Hope so anyway.

Edited by NegativeSpace
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