Adobe’s new Elements 10 is out, providing the most feature packed version yet, with more powerful tools, upgrade to old features, and powerful new features … and that’s the problem.
Software engineers always walk a line between making a product simple and loading up on cool features. Generally, as you get more features, the product becomes harder to use.
Photoshop Elements 10 is no exception, but you do have an option of using the most basic and simple menus, guided menus or advanced features. Any way you choose, Photoshop beginners shouldn’t expect to dive right in and start editing without spending some quality time with video tutorials or a manual.
Part of the complexity comes from the enhanced organization program, Adobe Elements 10 Organizer, that collects all of your photos and videos, but is really a separate program. You pick a photo or video to work on, then switch over to the right editing program (although you can make quick, automatic adjustments, like “auto color” in the organizer itself).
The new version of the organizer adds new ways to search, looking for specific object, and refining the search by focusing on shapes or colors. It works well, but not faultlessly – a picture of a dog also turns up some shots of people and buildings, but it does narrow down your choices. It also connects to Facebook and will use your friend’s list to help you tag people in your photos, and makes it easier to post and e-mail pictures.
In editing, there are several levels of adjustment, from the simplest “quick” menu which lets you automatically improve a photo with a one-button “smart fix,” or you can tweak it using simple slider controls. But if that is all you want to do, you can save your money and use similar features on Adobe’s free Photoshop.com website.
For those a bit more adventurous, there is the guided edit menu, which coaches you through edits step-by-step, from simple cropping to more advanced techniques, like color correction, or creating a depth-of-field background blur. The problem I had with is feature was the number of glitches I experienced. To be fair, I am working on an advance copy—what you get in the store may be less glitchy.
Then there are some full blown Photoshop tools that you would find on the professional version of Photoshop. Don’t plan on using these unless you already know your Rectangular Marquee Tool from your Spot Healing Brush or are prepared to hunker down with video tutorials and manuals. Working with a step-by-step reviewer’s guide I couldn’t make some of effects work. After several tries I was still perplexed as to what I was doing wrong.
Photoshop Elements 10 retails for $100, including 2GB of storage on Adobe’s website – that’s about 1,500 photos – which you can then view from anywhere and share in albums online. For an additional $40 you can get 20GB of storage, which amounts to about 15,000 photos.
This software may be an extravagance for the photo dabbler, but if you want to take the next step toward professional quality images or photo illustration, Elements 10 is probably worth the money (and time, lots and lots of time) you’ll put in learning to perfect your pixels.