REVIEWS

Photo editing has evolved, and the programs can take you in many different directions…

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For a long time, Photoshop was considered the definitive professional photo editor, and still is by many. But today, when it’s compared to other software, its specialist focus and limitations become apparent. Photoshop may still be the best for in-depth photo editing, manipulation and compositing, but it’s really designed for working in-depth on individual images. Lightroom, for example, is better suited to busy photography, where it can quickly display, organise and enhance whole batches of images. While Photoshop might be the ‘best’ in some respects, other programs offer tools, presets and inspiration that Photoshop doesn’t. The fact that both Photoshop and Lightroom are included in the Photography Plan makes them a great double-act, but that doesn’t make Adobe the best for everyone. Subscriptions are unpopular with some, but that’s the way the world is heading. A few of the programs in our list are available as single-fee licenses, but more and more publishers favour subscriptions – Capture One looks to be choosing them in 2023, and Skylum has practically finished the transition. When choosing a software suite, the best solution is to decide based on the kind of photography you do. If you regularly output huge numbers of images, and find yourself revisiting specific shots years down the line, a program with good archiving funtionality is for you. Alternatively, if you mostly shoot images for use on social media, small one-off clients, or creative briefs, then sotware with the ability to apply and store complex presets is a good option. You’ll probably also benefit from a subscription plan, as these generally provide continuous updates and access to the lastest features, presets and creative tools, while a on-time purchase may require a manual upgrade later.

Rod Lawton

Radiant Photo

£159/$159

Clever AI photo fixer for busy professionals, and really effective

www.radiantimaginglabs.com

Radiant Photo takes AI image enhancement to the next level. Instead of using conventional editing tools, it uses AI from the outset to work out what’s in your photo, segment it into regions and subjects and automatically enhance it, region-by-region. It’s not designed for special effects, retouching or montages. Instead, its sole job is to make each image look its very best. The process takes a few seconds, but the results are always a worthwhile improvement and sometimes genuinely surprising. Radiant Photo can turn images from rejects into keepers, and without you having to sit down and think through exactly what needs to be done. With one click, you can find out if an image has potential or not. If you don’t like the AI-driven default treatment, you can choose a Smart Preset designed for specific subject types, a regular preset or even adjust the settings yourself in a tools panel.