Through the years, my love of photography has evolved along with the technology. I remember my parents taking photos with an old box camera, and I was just amazed. An amateur photographer was born!

I could never afford the latest and the greatest cameras though, not to mention the costs of developing the photos....so indulging my passion was always my one splurge. Thank goodness photo technology has continued to grow!

Between having access to a digital camera and the photo editing software available now a days, taking and developing pictures has become MUCH more affordable....and, it's even more fun for me now too.

I could never afford a dark room, and never took more than a night school photography class so I always, like most, sent my pictures to the photo shop for developing. Now, I can partake in the developing process at home, with my computer and my printer!  

It's been such an exciting journey I thought others might like to consider taking the leap!  So read on for more info along with some great videos at the end that can give you a short preview of a few of the different photo editing programs otu there.

To start with, here are the names of some of the more common photo editing programs:

The PhotoShop series by Adobe

The Paint Shop series by Corel

Roxio Creator

There are many different programs currently on the market though and it's important to try to find one that can accommodate both your budget and your experience level.

Hobbies are a luxury in most people's budgets....and many, like photography are expensive! You need a good camera, batteries, lenses etc....and then there's the photo editing software. So, how can you get the most "bang for your buck"?

One of my favorite ways to save money on software (or any other part of my photography habit) is using coupons...just like I would at the grocery store. Just look around online; you can find Corel or Adobe coupons easily....coupons for most any software brand really.

Beyond that, you need to consider what you want to accomplish, and what your skill level is; both with photography overall, as well as with computers. No program is a bargain if you can't use it!

When you begin looking around, you'll find programs ranging anywhere from $40 to $100 and up. But, the most expensive isn't always the best. Explore the features of each product carefully considering both your creative and your financial needs. Overall though, no matter what you pay, it will be more affordable (and much more fun!) in the long term than developing all of your photos through a third party company.

Photo editing software runs the full spectrum of skill levels from beginner to advanced/professional. While it may seem like a good idea to get a program with a lot of complicated features, be sure you stick to something that's within your skill set....you'll be much happier in the end when you can quickly get to work on your photos instead of spending hours and hours with the manual.

As far as finding out which is the right program for you, try reading the online reviews. Many of them are very helpful and can give you a basic idea of the programs ease of use and other features.

Some photo editing programs have free trials too (check their website) so that you can get the basic feel for the software and see if its for you before you buy it....don't pass these up!

Just as with any type of software, there are just some things that any good photo editing program should have. You'll want to make sure to look for :

Basic Editing Capabilities - You want to at least be able to edit your photos for things like red eye, lighting, and general "touch-ups" like these that improve or add to the photo.

Photo Sharing Capabilities - Sharing your photos right from the program is an important feature. And, you should be able to optimize your pictures for the sharing method (email, cell phones, print, etc) of your choice.

Import and Export Formats - You should have quite a few options to choose from here including JPG, GIF, PDF, PICT, and, BMP.

Help and Support - Photo editing programs can seem overwhelming with all of their options and features, but they don't have to. A good program will include tutorials to guide you through the process of learning how to use your new software. A solid customer support plan (including email and phone support, as well as a thorough FAQs page) is important as well.

And Now Some Videos - To Help you Get a Quick Peek at a Few of the Programs