Adobe Photoshop

Adobe Photoshop is a raster image editor to allows users to retouch their images on a professional level. It is one of the older image editors that was launched in 1987 for the first time by Adobe Inc. Thomas and John Knoll were the developers who developed this innovative application for Windows and macOS operating systems.

It offers services for professional photographers and artists to edit their masterpieces, and also for personal use to edit your images and share them with others. Its availability of an awesome collection of filters, layers, effects, and other unique tools and features helps you to make innovative changes to your photos.

What is Adobe Photoshop?

Adobe Photoshop was launched by Adobe Inc. for editing photos using multiple innovative features and tools. It is one of the best solutions for personnel, professionals, and enthusiasts to enhance, edit, and manipulate their images, photos, and designs. Generally, professionals use this industry-standard app because of its steep learning curve. 

The innovative app since 1987 has had multiple awesome versions and is embedded with AI-driven tools to make changes using a smart prompt. The new version of Adobe Photoshop was given the name “CS”, and launched eight versions within the name, and the ninth version is CS2, which lasted to CS6. Next, Creative Cloud was released in June 2013, and the CS was turned into CC. 

Moreover, you will find some additional software, including Adobe ImageReady, Adobe Fireworks, Adobe Bridge, Adobe Device Central, and Adobe Camera RAW, which is also part of Adobe Photoshop. Adobe has also launched Photoshop Elements, Photoshop Lightroom, Photoshop Express, Photoshop Fix, Adobe Illustrator, and Photoshop Mix. 

Features of Adobe Photoshop

Firefly Generative Fill

It is a game-changer tool that users can use to remove blemishes, extend images, and so on. The non-destructive tool offers multiple functionalities such as enabling users to use text prompts for adding and replacing objects, auto-creating images using realistic visuals, adjusting of quality, selecting their favorite content type, and so on. 

Organized & Smooth Interface

The clear and intuitive interface is a combination of menu bar, toolbars, panels, workspace, and options. It gives quick access to all features and tools to start your work. You will find the workspace in the center, the toolbar on the left panel, the options window on the top, and the section of layers and masks is available on the right panel. 

Remove Tool

It will help you to clear unwanted elements from your image. If you want to edit your photo in a way to removes unnecessary elements such as wires, people, etc, you can get help from the Remove tool, as it offers an auto-detecting process for such elements, and removes them from the photo.

Supported File Format

The software offers PSD file type by default, which is stands for “Photoshop Document”. This file type supports all features of Photoshop including alpha channels, clipping paths, masks, transparency, text, duotone settings, and so on. The file size is two gigabytes, and the height is 30,000 pixels. As the file is heavier in size, you can store your created work into other formats such as TIF, JPEG, GIF, etc.

Awesome Layers

Photoshop mostly depends on layers for editing photos or images. You can use different layers for different elements. The adjustment and manipulation of layers is exclusively used for a specific element, and it doesn’t affect the remaining layers applied to other elements.

Plugin Support

The add-ons used in the software as Photoshop plugins, such as Camera Raw, and multiple belong to third parties and are available for free and paid as well. You will find them as part of Photoshop or as a standalone position. Some of the important plugins are selection, color correction, automation, export, import, and one of the most important is the filter plugins housed in the File menu of Photoshop. It helps to create content and modify the available image. 

Extra Photoshop CC

Adjustment Layers

It is another innovative and non-destructive feature used for adjusting the overall appearance of the photo without making changes to the original pixels. You will find different types of adjustment layers such as Levels, Hue/Saturation, Vibrance, Brightness/Contrast, etc for improving the quality of your photos. 

Support Basic Tools

The support for multiple basic tools helps the users to edit their images more reliably. You can get help from Selection tools, Marquee tools, Lasso tools, Move tools, Magic Wand tools, Eraser tools, Brush tools, and so on for making selections, moving elements, applying adjustments, and multiple other tasks reliably.

Built-in Video Editor

The software is equipped with a built-in video editor to enable users to edit their videos using different simple video editing tools. You can cut out the extra content or combine two videos into one. Here, you are capable of importing various video clips to create a large video. 

In-app Makeup

If you want to polish your photos to enhance your beauty, you will find an in-app makeup option to smooth skin. Plus, use free automatic cutouts for creating scrapbook collage effects. 

Limitless Font Selection

An improved Font Browser offers more than 25,000 fonts for your ease of searching, and use the Type tool to create bulleted and numbered lists for any text. 

Design Tool

You can create new and unique images with the Design tool, as it will help in merging multiple images and creating new, awesome masterpieces for sharing with others. 

Fuse Looks

The feature can be used for modifying the foreground and background of the image, and also perform multiple difficult tasks such as retouching, noise reduction, cutouts, and so on with the software skillfully.

Seamless Customization

You will find an amazing toolkit embedded with multiple customization options for creating amazing graphics. You have the option to change color, text, and elements and create unique and innovative content.

Crop Tool

If you have an image with extra material or unwanted borders or frames, the Crop tool will give you ease of mind, as it will seamlessly crop the entire selected or outside area of your photo to make it suitable for sharing.

Brush Tool

After removing unwanted elements from your photo, you can use the Selection Brush tool to fill the clear space while adding paint in a unique style. Moreover, it blends the edits using hardness and opacity controls. It will help to remove blemishes from the photos.

Connect Community

You can use the Discover feed to watch playbacks of other users and learn how others are editing. It will help you to apply the same editing process, and get the results you want.

Some Common Uses of Adobe Photoshop

Adobe Photoshop is an industry-standard image editing app that offers a lot of functions to make your images unique and attractive. Some of the common functions are given below;

Manipulate: You can add multiple innovative effects to make the elements of the image prominent.

Correction & Retouch: Use all basic tools to correct and retouch your image to get enhanced and smooth skin while removing blemishes.

Drawing & Illustration: the collection of innovative Brushes along with drawing tools to draw your own and shape it into any digital illustration.

Awesome Effects: create unique digital designs while adding effects.

Web Design: create web pages with designs, interfaces, and applications. 

System Requirements

• Operating systems: Windows 98, Windows 2000, Windows XP, and Windows Vista.
• Processor: Pentium III or 4 processor (or equivalent).
• Memory: at least 128 MB of RAM (256 MB or more is recommended).
• Hard drive space: at least 220 MB of available hard drive space.
• Display: display with a minimum resolution of 800×600 pixels.
• Graphics card: a graphics card that supports hardware acceleration.
• Input devices: compatible with a variety of input devices, including a mouse, stylus, and graphics tablet.
• File formats: supports file formats, including popular image formats such as JPG, PNG, and GIF, as well as raw image formats and vector graphic formats.
• Language support: English, French, German, and Japanese.

How to Download Adobe Photoshop

Follow the given steps to download Photoshop on your system.

• Visit the official website of Photoshop, and go to the download page.
• Select from two options given on the page: “Buy Now” or “Free Trial”.
• If you want to go with the trial version, click on the Start free trial option.
• You are prompted to create an Adobe account. You need to enter your details i.e. email, password, and log in to Adobe.
• Next, enter payment details, as the trial version will not charge you any payment, but after this, you have to pay according to the selected plan.
• You are directed to the “Download page”, and you are asked to select the operating system you want to download; Windows PC, or macOS. 
• Your file will start downloading as a zip file.

How to Install Adobe Photoshop

• Extract the downloaded zip file, and double-click it to run the installer.
• Click “Yes” for the prompt asking to make changes to your hard drive.
• You are prompted to sign in. You can use Google, Facebook, or Apple ID to sign in.
• A verification code is sent on the ID you have used for sign-in, enter the security code, and verify your ID.
• Enter the password, and click on “Connect” option.
• Check the box to accept the Terms and Conditions, and click on the “Continue” button.
• The installation process will start automatically.
• Click on the Language & Location option to select your language and installation location. You can skip the location option while leaving it on the default settings.
• Click on the Continue button, and make sure the device is connecting to the internet during the installation process. 
• After installation, click the app icon from the desktop, and select your required option i.e. Photo Editor Option.
• Now, activate the software, and enter the product ID, or click the “Try this software” option.
• Click on “Start free trial version, and finally click the “OK” button.
• Wait for some time, as the software takes some time to load, and it will open in Quick Mode.
• You can switch to “Expert Mode” for other graphical tasks.

Alternatives to Adobe Photoshop

Pixelmator Pro

It is similar to Photoshop Lite and is the best combination of photo editing, illustration, and painting tools. The non-destructive image editing with support of tabs, split view, and full screen enables users to make awesome changes to their photos, such as background removal.

GIMP

It was launched in 1995 as an alternative to Photoshop with an open-source facility. It is supported by a dedicated community to adds a lot of enhancements. You will find support for multiple file formats as well.

Paint.Net

It belongs to the Microsoft Paint tool, so a lot of features and tools are similar to MS applications. It proves to be the best alternative to Photoshop, although it is not as powerful as Photoshop. It supports a lot of innovative tools, including pens and drawing, and is capable of importing custom brushes from Photoshop. You will find multiple third-party plugins as part of this amazing software.

Photopea

The powerful app with the support of multiple formats i.e. JPG, PNG, RAW offers layers, and layer masks to make your editing process smooth and reliable. It offers a free version, but it is equipped with irritating advertisements. 

Adobe Photoshop 7.0

If you are not interested in Photoshop CC or find it expensive, you can use Adobe Photoshop 7.0. It is an old version of Photoshop which is available on the internet.

Krita

It is free and open-source software that is offered by artists as affordable art tools for common users to edit their images. You will find concept art, texture and matte painters, comics, illustrations, and so on. 

Difference between Photoshop CC and Photoshop 7.0

Photoshop 7.0

• Support Old versions of Windows 7,10, and XP
• Manual Work
• Less Functionality

Photoshop CC

• Support Old versions of Windows 7,10, and XP
• Auto-creating of images using realistic visuals
• Advanced features, updates, cloud storage, and overall

Pros

• Awesome retouching tools to fill plain places
• Embedded with layers, effects, and filters
• Support third-party plugins
• Edit videos using all basic tools
• Drawing and illustration facility
• Simple but organized interface
• Seamless customizing process

Cons

• Steep learning curves
• Demands latest operating systems with huge system requirements
• Expensive software
• Support huge file size
• Lagging issues because of file size