Review : Photoshop Express Beta

Adobe has finally ripped off its premium software tag and released a lighter and free version of their path breaking Photoshop software called Photoshop Express. There is no need to install anything since it is on-line at www.photoshop.com/express. Though still in the beta phase it still is better than its peers already out in there on the web.

The flash based interface is extremely intuitive and is very different from any of the other competitors. The first step is to register where you can specify your own unique URL for your photos. The selection for country is restricted to the United States in the beta phase. The rest of the registration process is routine.

Adobe Photoshop express is a combination of a photo sharing website and an on-line tool for adding some breath taking effects to your photos. Adobe has already partnered with Picassa, Facebook and Photobucket and there are talks about bringing Flickr on board soon. That way you should be able to edit photos stored on these websites, edit them via Express and re upload them in the original websites. As of now the photos can be open only in Express there is no API in place in the partner sites for the same. Photoshop Express offers 2 GB space for on-line storage and lets you organize them into albums, share with friends and also create flash slide-shows. It has its own up-loader in case you would want to upload your photos faster.

The effects that have been provided are more than sufficient to let the average photographer retouch his photos with basic effects such as removing red eye, removing blemishes and enhancing colors. In addition Express also provides with effects such as distort and sketch. There is just about enough here to convert the boring photos into exciting works of art.

Any beta application has bugs and Express has its fair share. At this point of time there is no help available except for a bunch of video tutorials and a forum. Express only supports photos with dimensions less than 4000 mega pixel, so the bulky photos cannot be edited. Currently there is no printing possible and no search based on keywords or tags. Also the up-loader does not let you create directories or upload them. Photos have to be organized only after they are completely uploaded.

Adobe has big plans for Express. There will be a premium edition in the future which might offer more space and better effects. There are also plans to integrate with other products such as Lightroom and also video support with Premier Elements. It should be worth the wait to see how these products are integrated into Express. Except for the minor bugs and glitches, Express brings in a fresh change in the monotonous world of photo sharing sites. It also raises expectations to all the fantastic changes that could be seen in the future releases.