Ahh Photoshop! (I just wrote and deleted a 3pg essay
)
Here is a few thoughts for the image manipulators considering photoshop:
If it is your "must have" tool, a couple things to bear in mind:
* Initial purchase sucks
* upgrades are relatively cheap BUT
* don't feel like you HAVE to upgrade with every version, you can skip one or two versions and save money!
* If your computer at work is licensed for Photoshop (Adobe CS in general) you are entitled to run the same version at home for free(!)
If photoshop still seems expensive, look at it like you would that amazing astrophotography dream rig you are working towards... $20k, $50k?... what's $1000 or less for photoshop?
If all of the above arguments still leave you thinking it is too expensive... go free... embrace you new (open source) friend - Gimp!!
For the forseeable future I'll be a photoshop guy: It's been part of my Job for 20 years... habits are hard to break!
Whatever your choice, enjoy that marvellous cosmos out there!!
Clear skies to you all!
Rob