5 FREE Lightroom Alternatives | Edit your photos for free today!

Summary

The video explores five free alternatives to Adobe Lightroom for photo editing, focusing on their features, strengths, and drawbacks. Darktable, RawTherapee, Pixlr, Polarr, and LightZone are reviewed, with insights into their compatibility, editing tools, and user experience. Darktable and RawTherapee are highlighted for their powerful, in-depth controls, whereas Pixlr and Polarr are simpler but offer effective editing for beginners. The video also discusses issues like lag and compatibility, especially for Mac users, and the pros and cons of each program compared to Adobe's offerings. Viewers are encouraged to experiment with these free tools to find a suitable Lightroom alternative.

Takeaways

• 📸 There are several free alternatives to Adobe Lightroom that offer varying levels of photo editing capabilities.
• 💻 Darktable is an open-source option with a layout similar to Lightroom, but it lacks some features like panorama stitching and can be slower in responsiveness.
• 🔑 Darktable has customizable shortcuts, which might require adjustment for Mac users, as it defaults to Windows-style shortcuts.
• 🌐 Pixlr is an online photo editor resembling Photoshop, with a strong focus on layers and filters, but it doesn’t support RAW files.
• 🚫 Pixlr has a subscription model to remove ads and unlock additional features, but it may not be as comprehensive as Adobe's offerings.
• 📷 RawTherapee is another open-source editor with extensive RAW support and detailed editing tools, though it requires good file organization as it doesn't import images directly.
• 🖼️ Polar is a mobile-friendly editor focusing on filters and local adjustments, with many pro features locked behind a subscription.
• 🚀 LightZone offers advanced editing capabilities but may have compatibility issues, particularly on Mac systems.
• 🆓 All these alternatives are free, offering options for users looking to avoid Adobe's subscription fees.
• 📝 The video encourages users to try out different editors to find the best fit for their needs and provides links in the description for easy access.

Q & A

Why is the author looking for free Lightroom alternatives?

The author's Adobe subscription is up for renewal, and they are exploring free alternatives to Lightroom to avoid the cost of renewing the subscription.

What is one of the main advantages of free photo editing software, according to the author?

One main advantage is that you don't need to commit to a purchase or trial period, meaning you can download and use the free software indefinitely without time restrictions.

What are some of the key features of Darktable that make it similar to Lightroom?

Darktable has a similar layout to Lightroom, with a film strip along the bottom, panels on either side, and modules for editing. It also supports raw files from over 400 different cameras.

What is a disadvantage of using Darktable compared to Lightroom, based on the author's experience?

The author found Darktable to be laggy when making adjustments, with changes taking a short while to reflect, which is slower than Lightroom.

Why might Mac users find Darktable's shortcuts frustrating?

Darktable uses Ctrl+Z for undo, even on Mac, whereas most Mac users are accustomed to using Command+Z. This inconsistency can cause confusion for those who are used to Mac's standard shortcuts.

What is a significant feature missing from Darktable that Lightroom offers?

Darktable does not currently offer the ability to create stitched images, such as panoramas, which is a feature available in Lightroom.

What editing style does Pixlr focus on, and why might it not be suitable for all photographers?

Pixlr focuses on a Photoshop-style editing workflow with layers and filters, making it ideal for creating thumbnails or composite images but less suitable for photographers who need raw file support, as it only supports JPEG, PNG, and PSD formats.

What makes RawTherapee stand out for raw file processing?

RawTherapee excels at handling raw files with advanced demosaicing algorithms, pixel shift, multiple frame raw files, and features like hot pixel correction, making it ideal for detailed raw image processing.

What issue did the author face with RawTherapee regarding external hard drives?

The author had difficulty getting RawTherapee to recognize images stored on an external hard drive, which required them to transfer the images to their computer's internal storage for the program to read them.

Why did the author struggle to get LightZone to work, and what was the suspected cause?

The author couldn't get LightZone to function properly on their Mac, likely due to compatibility issues or Mac's stringent security systems, as well as potentially limited developer support for the Mac version.

Outlines

00:00

📸 Exploring Free Lightroom Alternatives

The author discusses the dilemma of renewing their Adobe subscription and explores five free alternatives to Adobe Lightroom. These free programs offer flexibility as they don't require committing to a trial period, allowing users to try them at their convenience. The focus is on offering options for those who want to edit photos without paying for software. The author invites suggestions from viewers if they know of other noteworthy free alternatives.

05:01

💻 Darktable: Open-Source Lightroom Alternative

Darktable is introduced as a powerful open-source alternative to Lightroom, supporting RAW files from over 400 different cameras. Its interface is similar to Lightroom with features like a film strip and editing panels. However, Darktable can be slower in responsiveness compared to Lightroom, especially when using sliders to edit images. The program lacks built-in options for stitched images and panoramas but allows HDR blending. Mac users may face issues with shortcut differences, but they can customize them to ease the transition from Lightroom.

10:01

🎨 Darktable Features: Customization and Shortcuts

Darktable stands out for its many advanced features that rival Lightroom, such as its control over various settings and customizable shortcuts. However, it requires a learning curve, especially for Mac users accustomed to using generic shortcuts like Command + Z, which differs in Darktable. The program lacks mobile compatibility but offers interesting effects like 'bloom,' which gives images a soft focus effect similar to the Orton effect. The author notes that these differences can make Darktable feel less user-friendly at first but encourages users to invest time in learning the software.

15:02

🔧 Darktable: Advanced Features vs Lightroom

The author delves deeper into Darktable’s extensive features, comparing it to Lightroom. They highlight the range of customization options, including color balance tools and sharpening sliders that offer more depth than Lightroom’s basic tools. Darktable's features, though not as powerful as Photoshop, provide significant control for editing. Despite the learning curve, the author recommends Darktable for users willing to spend time getting familiar with its features. The non-destructive editing approach makes it safe to experiment without damaging original images.

🌐 Pixlr: Photoshop-Like Online Editor

Pixlr is an online editor that operates similarly to Photoshop, using layers for editing. While its basic features are free, it requires an internet connection and doesn’t support RAW files, limiting its utility for photographers who work with RAW images. It’s suitable for simple tasks like building thumbnails or composite images. The free version includes ads, but premium packages remove ads and offer additional AI tools and overlays. However, the author notes that for users who want more comprehensive editing features, Adobe's photo package might be a better investment.

🖼️ RawTherapee: A Complex RAW Image Editor

RawTherapee is described as a highly detailed, open-source RAW image editor. It excels in reading and processing RAW files, offering various advanced features like demosaicing algorithms, hot pixel correction, and pixel shift. However, its interface is less intuitive compared to Lightroom, and the file browser requires more effort for organization. RawTherapee has advanced tabs for exposure, color, and detail adjustments, making it more powerful than Lightroom in some respects but not as comprehensive as Photoshop. It’s ideal for users who are meticulous about RAW file editing and organization.

⚙️ RawTherapee: Detailed Controls and Limitations

RawTherapee offers extensive editing tools and a wide range of sliders for precise adjustments, including exposure, color balance, and more. However, users may experience some lag compared to Lightroom, although it performs faster than Darktable. The filmstrip organization differs from Lightroom, and the user must manage their files carefully as the program doesn't automatically import them. Batch editing and export options are available, and the editing layout is quite different, resembling Adobe Bridge more than Lightroom. RawTherapee is noted for its extensive RAW file support and customization options.

📱 Polar: Basic Editing with Filters and Limitations

Polar is a photo editor that is reminiscent of mobile editing apps, focusing on filters and basic editing tools. It includes useful features like curves, split toning, and local adjustment tools such as gradient and brush tools. However, the free version limits users to one export per day, with a subscription required for more advanced features. Polar is compared to Lightroom CC and positioned as a simpler, tablet-friendly option, but the author recommends programs like Darktable or RawTherapee for more advanced RAW editing.

🖼️ LightZone: Potential but Unreliable on Mac

LightZone promises to be a robust photo editor comparable to Darktable and RawTherapee, but the author faced significant issues running it on their Mac. Despite bypassing security warnings, the program failed to load properly, frustrating the author. They speculate that LightZone may work better on Windows and express hope to try it again on a different platform. The program’s instability and issues with Mac security measures highlight the importance of cross-platform compatibility in software development.

🆓 Conclusion: Free Alternatives to Lightroom

The author summarizes the available free alternatives to Lightroom, ranging from basic editors like Polar to more advanced options like Darktable and RawTherapee. They note that while some programs offer pro-level editing, subscription models for additional features may deter users. The author encourages viewers to explore these free options, emphasizing that they require time and effort to learn, but can offer powerful tools for photo editing without the need for a costly Adobe subscription. They conclude by inviting viewers to share their own experiences with free photo editors.

Keywords

💡Lightroom

Lightroom is a powerful photo editing software by Adobe, popular for its ability to manage and edit large collections of photos. In the video, the speaker compares Lightroom to other free alternatives, evaluating its speed, features, and performance. It is described as more responsive and user-friendly, with familiar shortcuts and functionalities that streamline professional workflows.

💡Darktable

Darktable is a free, open-source alternative to Lightroom, focused on raw image processing. The speaker highlights its similarities in layout to Lightroom, but notes it can be laggy and less responsive. Darktable offers a range of features and a high level of control, though some shortcuts and features, like image stitching, are less intuitive or absent compared to Lightroom.

💡Raw Files

Raw files are uncompressed image files that preserve all the data from the camera's sensor, allowing for more extensive post-processing. In the video, various editors like Darktable and RawTherapee are praised for their ability to handle raw files, unlike Pixlr, which only supports JPEGs and PNGs, limiting its utility for professional photographers.

💡Post-processing

Post-processing refers to the editing work done after an image is captured, such as adjusting exposure, contrast, and color. The video discusses how different programs (like Darktable and RawTherapee) allow for in-depth post-processing, with some offering more advanced controls than others. The ability to edit non-destructively, meaning the original image remains unaltered, is a key feature of these editors.

💡Pixlr

Pixlr is another photo editor discussed in the video, known for its Photoshop-like interface and layer-based editing. It’s an online tool that works well for basic adjustments, but lacks support for raw files. The speaker describes Pixlr as more suited for creating composite images or thumbnails, making it less useful for serious photographers working with raw formats.

💡RawTherapee

RawTherapee is a highly detailed open-source photo editor that supports raw files and offers extensive post-processing options. The video points out that while it’s not as fast as Lightroom, it performs better than Darktable in some areas, particularly in its ability to handle raw image imperfections, such as noise reduction and color correction.

💡Free Alternatives

The video focuses on free alternatives to Lightroom, like Darktable, RawTherapee, Pixlr, and Polar Photo Editor. These programs offer a range of editing capabilities without the need for a subscription, making them attractive to photographers looking to avoid Adobe's paid plans. The speaker evaluates their features, performance, and suitability for different types of users.

💡Non-destructive editing

Non-destructive editing refers to the process where the original photo remains untouched, and all edits are saved separately, allowing users to revert to the original version. Both Darktable and RawTherapee are praised for offering non-destructive editing, enabling photographers to experiment with adjustments without risking the loss of their original data.

💡Subscription Model

Subscription models require users to pay recurring fees for access to software. The video mentions how Adobe's Lightroom and Photoshop are part of such a model, which can be a downside for users who want to avoid ongoing payments. Free alternatives like Darktable and RawTherapee do not require subscriptions, making them appealing to budget-conscious users.

💡Export options

Export options determine how and in what formats edited photos are saved or shared. The speaker highlights that free programs like RawTherapee provide bulk export options, while others like Polar have limits on the number of images you can export without upgrading to a paid version. Lightroom is mentioned as offering robust export settings tailored to professional needs.

Highlights

The video reviews five free alternatives to Adobe Lightroom, helping users decide whether to renew their Adobe subscription or switch to a free software.

Darktable is an open-source post-processing program that supports raw files from over 400 cameras and offers numerous features, though it can be laggy on some systems.

Darktable lacks mobile compatibility and does not sync across platforms, which limits flexibility for users who edit on the go.

One downside of Darktable for Mac users is its reliance on Ctrl instead of Command shortcuts, which disrupts the familiar Mac workflow.

Darktable doesn't support stitched images or panoramas natively, requiring third-party plugins for these tasks.

Pixlr is a free online editor that closely resembles Photoshop in terms of its layer-based editing, but lacks support for raw files.

Pixlr offers a basic free package with ads and two paid subscription models with additional features like AI tools and tutorials.

RawTherapee is a detailed, open-source raw photo editor with excellent raw file support, including advanced features like hot pixel correction and pixel shift.

RawTherapee has a unique workflow where images are not imported into the program but are edited directly from the folder, requiring solid file management skills.

RawTherapee is faster than Darktable but slower than Lightroom in terms of responsiveness when making adjustments.

Polarr is a filter-based photo editor that offers more in-depth tools like curves, brushes, and local adjustments, but the free version limits users to one export per day.

Polarr’s pro version offers more advanced features through a paid subscription, though it's still less powerful than Lightroom or Photoshop.

LightZone is another potential alternative, but the reviewer faced technical issues on Mac, rendering the software unusable.

Free photo editors range from basic to highly detailed programs like Darktable and RawTherapee, making them solid alternatives to paid options like Adobe Lightroom.

The reviewer encourages viewers to explore free photo editors if they can't afford Adobe subscriptions or prefer not to commit to subscription models.

Transcripts

today i'm going to take a look at five

free lightroom alternatives

[Music]

[Applause]

this month my adobe subscription is up

for renewal so i've had a look at these

five free alternatives to lightroom to

see how they compare

i'm not sure whether to renew my adobe

subscription or go

with one of the paid packages or one of

the free packages

so today i'm looking at those free ones

you can download these now and start

giving them a go

the links are in the description and

that's the great thing with these free

bits of software

you don't have to commit or make a

decision in the 7 days or

30 days or however long it is that some

paid programs and apps give you as a

a free trial period so you'll always

have it on your computer

and you can always use it and have

access to it therefore if you don't want

to buy software to edit your photos

or your adobe subscription is up for

renewal like mine

you might want to have a look at these

five now there are plenty more out there

but these seem to be the top ones that

i've found

so if i have missed any that you think

are worthy of looking at

let me know in the comments below dark

table is an

open source post processing program it

supports raw files from over 400

different cameras

and opens a whole host of different file

types when you open it up

it looks a lot like lightroom you have a

film strip along the bottom

which can either be images or a timeline

of when you took the photographs

your selected photo is in the middle

window there are panels

either side and you have the modules in

the top right hand corner when importing

it doesn't move the images or give you

an option to store them in a different

place

it just looks at them and expects them

to be in their current location

so if you have them on your sd card make

sure you copy them to your hard drive

before importing them to dark table

when making changes i found dark table

to be a little bit laggy on my system

compared to lightroom

so if i move one of the sliders it takes

a short while to respond

and show what i've done and those

changes i've made in the image

now this could just be my system but

side by side

lightroom does seem to be a lot more

responsive one thing i do when going

through a lot of images

is to give them a star rating in

lightroom to quickly cull the rubbish

ones

in lightroom i use the left and right

cursors to go through the images

and then the numbers one to five to star

rate them with dark table you can do

this

but you use the space bar to move

forward along the time strip

and delete to move back and then numbers

one to five to star rate them again like

in lightroom but the position of my hand

was a little bit uncomfortable compared

to holding my fingers over the cursors

so for me darktable is a little bit

uncomfortable to do this process

now there are a list of shortcuts which

are customizable

so you could change these to the cursors

if that's something you like to do with

your images and whilst we're on the

subject of shortcuts i use these

all of the time in lightroom and it's

one of the things that once you learn

them

it can really speed up your workflow

however with dark table

it doesn't seem to use the generic

shortcuts on the mac

like command z to undo which seems a bit

weird as

everyone or most people do know about

those generic shortcuts

after a while i worked out that they use

ctrl regardless of whether you are on a

mac

or a pc so if you are a mac user

undo is ctrl z and not command z

now this may not seem much to a pc user

who is used to control zed

but for a mac user when you have built

in your muscle memory to command z

it gets a little bit annoying i found

that when i wanted to undo a task i was

always going for a command zed

the computer wouldn't do anything and

then i had to go right it's

ctrl z so you're kind of switching

backwards and forwards

and then if you're using other programs

on your mac

that use command z that's when it gets

really confusing because you've got to

cross between the two so if you are

thinking of coming across from lightroom

you might want to change these shortcuts

to mirror lightroom

this would then make the transition a

little bit easier at the moment you

can't build stitched images in dark

table

so things like panoramas and then

stitched images where you might want to

shoot wider than your lens allows

so you would need a plug-in or a

third-party app to stitch them together

a little bit like pt gui or something

similar

however you can take bracketed images so

you can create hdr blended stacked

images if you tag and put keywords on

your images

you can do this in the light table

module which is similar to the library

in lightroom

now at the moment as of the making of

this video there is no mobile

compatibility

so no syncing across platforms and

continuing to edit your photos on the

way to work

on your tablet or on your phone now it

might sound like a bashing dark table

but it does have some really cool

features

like bloom where it gives you a look

similar to the orton effect

now if you don't know what that is nick

page did a great video on it

so click on the i in the corner or the

link in the description to his video on

the autumn effect

framing is another great one as you can

frame up your shots really quickly and

easily

and this leads me on to the amount of

features in this program

this is where dark table does push ahead

of lightroom there are so many and i

could probably make a video about two

hours long going through each one of

these

but i was surprised as to how much

control you have over

each and every one of the settings now

it's not quite as powerful as photoshop

but some of the settings do look similar

if you're used to that editing program

for instance the color balance tools are

very much like that in photoshop

some features have sliders and others

have much more in-depth features

for example when sharpening you have the

three sliders which have radius

amount and threshold very much like in

lightroom

whereas if you click on the color

balance that i've already mentioned it's

much more advanced than lightroom

overall once i got the hang of it and

i've found all of the shortcut keys i'm

used to

it really did feel very much like

lightroom it just takes a little bit of

getting used to to the different

features

and how they're laid out compared to

lightroom in saying that

back in 2009 when i first got into

lightroom

it did take me a while and it did seem

really daunting

so i can understand how a program like

this might seem

very overwhelming but if you get into it

properly

and learn the program by bringing your

images into that program

and just editing them and exploring them

because it is a non-destructive editor

it's not going to touch your files at

all even if you make lots of different

changes

if you do that you'll be surprised at

how fast you'll actually learn to use

that program properly now if this

is your first editor you're going to get

into i'd say get the manual

and take some time to read through it

properly and then try the different

things you're learning

in your own copy of the program with

your own images

as you go through that manual then

you'll get the best out of it

and before you know it you'll be using

it to really bring out the best

in your photos

pixlr is very much like photoshop in the

way that it works with layers

and that layout is very reminiscent of

photoshop as well

it's an online editor so all you need is

a google chrome browser

with an internet connection now this

gives us our first disadvantage

which is that you do need an internet

connection when you open it up

it does give you a series of templates

so this is also

a little like the website canva another

disadvantage

is that it doesn't allow raw files just

jpegs pngs or photoshop images

so if you do have raw files you could

save it as a psd

file and then bring it into this online

editor

but in saying that you would need a

program to do that conversion in the

first place

so if you shoot raw this probably isn't

a program for you

now in this program they really seem to

push the filters

and layers with the layers you can do

local adjustments

and obviously filters are a bit like the

presets in lightroom

so you have a predetermined look that

you can drop onto your image

and then manipulate with those layers

like i've already said this is very much

a photoshop based editor rather

than a lightroom based editor it is

great for building thumbnails

composite images and basically layering

up your images and your photographs

it's not as detailed as photoshop but if

you're not sure about photoshop

and you find it a little bit daunting it

is worth trying out

as it's free and if you like this layout

you'll probably like and you'll probably

want to get into photoshop over

lightroom

talking of being free the basic package

is free

and you can do a lot with this but they

do have adverts to cover their costs

now if you want to get rid of these

adverts they do have two paid options

and they're a subscription model it's

either 7.99 per month or 29.99 per month

depending on which package you take

or if you pay up front annually it's

4.90 per month

or 14.99 per month this includes their

ai tools

overlay stickers different texts

tutorials and support

in the premium plan so as they don't

allow you to work with raw files

if you were thinking of paying for this

it'll be worth getting

the photo package from adobe instead as

you get

so much more with that you get photoshop

and lightroom

and you don't have to convert your raw

files before editing them

raw therapy is another very detailed

open source post

processing program it can be used as a

standalone editor

or as a raw loader for programs such as

once again

it's a non-destructive program so your

starting images won't be touched

just red it looks a little bit different

to lightroom but has very similar

features

in their about section on their website

it does say

raw therapy benefits users who take the

time to learn what it can do

so this implies that it's a complex

program it does concentrate on raw files

but also reads other formats as well and

the raw support it gives is outstanding

from using two demosaicing algorithms on

the same image

compositing pixel shift raw files

multiple frame raw files

dart frame subtraction and hot pixel

correction it definitely does a lot

so basically it blends raw files looks

at raw files

reads them really well and removes a lot

of the imperfections that might be

in those raw files which is all welcomed

over on the left hand side

you have what would be modules in

lightroom and this consists of the

editor

the queue and the file browser i keep

all of my images on an

external hard drive and it did have a

hard time reading that

i couldn't get it to see the files on

the hard drive which was really annoying

if you are looking for your external

hard drives they'll be located

in the volumes folder i ended up having

to transfer them to the hard drive on my

computer

to get the program to see them the file

browser is a bit like the library module

in lightroom

but it's very different it looks at the

files in the folders

on your hard drive but doesn't import

them into the program

once you see your images in the middle

in the file browser

you double click on them and then it

opens them in the editor module

it reminds me of adobe bridge which is

the file manager from adobe

and was very popular before lightroom

came along like in the lightroom library

module

you can rate search as well as some

other basic editing processes

and you can also find your camera

settings used for each image

one thing i liked about this is the

inspection tab

this zooms in and allows you to look at

the image closely

and it's really quick i didn't see any

lagging when using this function

so when rating your images you can very

quickly use this to see if you've got

the focus right

in each and every shot there are also a

few other tabs next to inspect

these are filter but not as in preset

filters this is to filter through your

images to find what you're looking for

from a specific setting to a given lens

then there's batch edit

which does exactly that you edit a

series of images with the same settings

also there's fast export so this is

where you could quickly export your

images if you need some to show

your friends family or a client that

you're working for

now with lightroom you input the image

into the catalog

and it keeps a reference file in that

catalog but

with this it just seems to look in a

specific folder you've told it to

so if you have your images all over the

place or on different hard drives

this could be an issue so you really do

have to be good with your file

management on your hard drives

whereas with lightroom you bring them

into lightroom and it shows them up on

the film strip

no matter where they are in your system

now the cue tab

on the left hand side gives you your

export options

whether you're going to do bulk

exporting or just doing the odd file

this is where you would set your export

parameters depending on what you were

going to use the image for

the editor tab is obviously where you

edit your photos

and when you click on an image and open

this up this is quite different from

lightroom the film strip is along the

top

the photo you work on is in the middle

and then there are two panels down

either side

on the left hand side you have the

histogram navigator history and

snapshots

and on the right hand side you have all

of your editing tools

above and below the main image you have

a set of tools that you might use more

often than others

from showing your clipped highlights and

crushed shadows

to the current size you're zoomed in on

and plenty more

when it comes to editing your photos the

panel down the right hand side

is extensive to say the least there is a

slider for pretty much

anything you would ever want you have

seven tabs along the top of the right

hand panel

including exposure detail color advanced

transform raw and metadata it does have

more features and refined controls than

lightroom

but not as many as photoshop above this

there is the profiles panel

and this is where you can drop certain

edits onto a photo

these are very much like the presets in

lightroom you can load up profiles from

other people

create your own or copy and paste them

from other images

again this is a very detailed editor and

the best way to learn it fully is to

read through the manual

and then try out the things it teaches

you there is also an extensive online

community around this program

so if you did start using it and had a

few issues

i'm sure you'd be able to find a

solution to the problem after editing

with raw

therapy i found that there was a little

bit of a lag when moving the sliders

a little bit more than lightroom but not

as much as dark table

so it's faster than dark table but

slower than lightroom

the polar photo editor is very much like

a tablet

or phone editor it is based around

filters

but does have some deeper editing tools

but these are similar to the tools in

the basic panel in the lightroom develop

module

you do have curves and split toning

which is really good then there's a

distortion tool

to correct your lens imperfections and a

border tool to frame your shot

it also has a gradient tool and brushes

to do local adjustments

so again this is really powerful and you

can really make parts of your image

stand out

now there is a caveat to this a lot of

these are pro

features and have limits with the free

version you can only export

one image per day unless you upgrade to

polar pro

which is again a subscription based

model with a price of 3.99 per month

or 1949 per year so it's quite

reasonable

but it's still that subscription model

lightroom classic does make this look

very basic

but it does remind me of lightroom cc so

if you want a lot of decent editing

tools for raw files

i'd go with either dark table or raw

therapy and take the time to learn that

program you choose properly

however with the likes of snapseed being

free if you do like

this type of editor that seems to be the

one that would be

well worth going for because it has all

of those pro tools

and it's completely free the only thing

to take into consideration with snapseed

is that you can't edit on the mac there

was i think one for the pc

but you can't edit on the mac unless you

get i think there was a plug-in or

something like that

it just seemed a little bit too

complicated but if you do use a tablet

and you do like editing on a tablet i'd

go for snapseed

over this program

now light zone looks like it could be a

good editor on the same level as dark

table and raw therapy

however i couldn't get it to work on my

system

and looking at the comments for the

4.2.2 release

it looks like i'm not alone it took me a

while to find the download files

my mac said there could be malware as

it's not a trusted website

but i kind of bypassed that anyway and

opened it on my computer and this is

where it opens the program with the

start page

but then doesn't open a window it just

flashes a scanning pictures pop-up

this then disappears and it never opens

a window

this is really annoying as i was looking

forward to using this editor to see what

it could do

if anyone has successfully got this to

work let me know your thoughts on it in

the comments below

and i'll pin your comment if you've got

some good points and also

let me know how you got it to work i'd

really like to get it to work on my mac

but it doesn't seem to work on it at the

moment now the one thing that developers

really need to do

is to make sure the software is stable

and it works on all of the platforms

that they say

it's meant to work on once i build my

windows machine

i'm going to try this again on that

platform now i'm guessing that the

developers are mostly windows users

so this might be the issue where they're

not paying as much attention

with the mac version but on the other

hand as

all of you that are sony users are

finding with the mac systems in

upgrading the firmware it could be the

mac system rejecting it

as their security systems are getting

stronger and they're getting harder to

work around

either way it was frustrating to go

through the whole process of installing

it

to have it not work all in all there are

some great free photo editors out there

they range from the very basic editors

like polar through to the very in-depth

dark table and raw

therapy or pixlr if you're used to the

photoshop way of editing

but don't want the monumentally powerful

and daunting program that is photoshop

now some of them do offer pro level

editing on a subscription model

but i'm guessing as you're watching this

video that is not what you're after

however you edit your photos is up to

you but the great thing with all of

these is that they're all

free so if you can't afford the adobe

photo package

or just don't like signing up for the

subscription packages that we keep

getting bombarded with you might as well

try some of these

as they all are free so with a little

bit of time and effort

you can learn them and really start

getting the best out of your photographs

now what do you edit in do you edit in

lightroom or photoshop or another

program altogether

and have you tried any of these free

programs or do you use one of these as

your main editing program

if so let me know in the comments below

it'll be great to hear your thoughts

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