Why I Love GIMP2

With various photography editing software available in stores and online today, the world of digital photography seems to remain limitless. You can choose from professional quality gear that will suit you up for work in your own private studio, or simply download a free (and legal) version of the plethora of simple and easy to use programs available on the internet today. Besides the classic "Adobe Photoshop" (in all its many forms and versions), I have found another favorite photography editing program online. GIMP2 is free and compatible with windows (and perhaps macs) and has a very simple and user friendly set up. Here is a list of my top four favorite features of GIMP2, and why I choose to utilize them.

1) Brightness/Contrast: Located under "colors" in the image editing toolbar, this tool will allow you to digitally alter and correct the brightness/contrast of colors in your photograph in order to produce a clearer, sharper image. This tool can be used to make your colors more distinct (by upping the contrast bar), or more subdued (by lowering the contrast bar). I have found this tool remarkably useful for correcting somewhat faded photographs, or digital shots that were taken in poorer lighting.

2) Retinex: Also under the "colors" section of the image editing toolbar, this snazzy effect can be added to your photography. The retinex filter instantly alters the coloring of your photograph to a very modern style of artwork, and can therefore change the overall feel of your work completely. The bright colors that result from adding this effect to a photograph give your every day photography a unique appeal. Although this effect is obviously a photo shop alteration of the photograph (it doesn't look natural at all), it can be a wonderful tool in creating an instant creative image.

3) Clone Stamping and Airbrush: By simply control clicking on a region of the picture to select a color region, and then clicking on another part of the portrait, you can "fix" various blemishes in your photography. These tools work great to get rid of that splurge of acne across your forehead, or that smear of mustard on your shirt. Since both tools simply borrow their colors from other regions of the photograph, you can ensure a realistic look to your photograph, often to the point where you touchups are unnoticeable to the untrained eye.

4) The undo button: As simple as it sounds, this feature of GIMP2 is quite possibly the photography artist's best friend. Located under the "edit" portion of the toolbar, this undo arrow provides you with the option of undoing any changes to a photograph you made. What's wonderfully unique about this specific program's undo option, is that you can go as far back in the photograph's editing as you wish, continuing to undo any alterations that you may have made.

GIMP2 is wonderful because it is free, easy to use, and has many wonderful features that can prove very helpful in the photography editing process.