I want to get into photography.. i have a mac computer. what kind of photoshop do you recommend?

Question

where can i buy photoshop? and does anyone know a good camera i should start out with? i was considering getting this http://www.staples.ca/ENG/images/products/CA746760_1_std.jpg

to start out with

Answer 1

Your first thought about getting into photography, shouldn't be photoshop. You should really concentrate on taking good photos at the cameras.

Although the camera you have linked has a nice quality Carl Zeiss lens, it's function will be more limited since it is a point and shoot. You should aim for a SLR or a rangefinder than can give much more manual options.  

Answer 2

adobe photoshopcs3 and or aperture from apple. and get a nikon d40

Answer 3

If you are going to start off with a low end camera because of the cost, then there is no point in buying the expensive full version Photoshop.  

If you are SERIOUS about photography, you should begin with a good camera.  Anything less will be much like a toy.  It may be good for family and vacation snapshots, but serious photography, while possible, will be much more difficult and limited in scope.  A good photographer should NEVER depend on computer software to fix poor photographs.

That's the bad news.  What CAN work for you and a limited budget is a decent entry level camera.  As long as you stick to the name brands, you should be able to find plenty of models that you can afford.  As far a WHICH models, you have to, first, ask yourself what you need your camera to do.  Do you want a lot of automated features or do you want more control?  Do you need high magnification, like a good telephoto?  Then look for the most OPTICAL zoom feature (digital zoom is pretty much useless)  Do you plan to do a lot of action shots?  You'll need a fast shutter speed.  There are a LOT of features available, so you will need to research what you need, and find the models that have those features.

So, good photography starts with a good camera and an operator who knows how to use it.

As far as software for working on images AFTER the shoot, I recommend Adobe Photoshop ELEMENTS.  It is a powerful graphics application and only costs around $100.  It has the most popular features and tools of the full version Photoshop, but at a fraction of the cost.  Most users NEVER outgrow the features of Elements.  If you do, by that time you will need to upgrade your camera before you have to think about upgrading the software.

Answer 4

adobe photoshop CS3

Start out with a low-range digital slr, like a nikon d-40

trust me, you'll regret buying a point and shoot like the one in your picture because of the quality of the photos

If you simply can't afford or save up for a nicer camera, buy a used nikon or canon rebel.

BEFORE you start going around shooting, buy a book on the concepts of photography and how cameras work. This will help a ton in the long run.

Answer 5

What Vince said.

Just be sure you buy the Mac version of Elements 6.

Answer 6

I would suggest the Nikon D40 or D60 for the camera. adobe photoshop CS3 is a great program but it cost about as much as the camera. Most recreational photographers can do all they want with photoshop elements. It does the most commonly used functions of CS3 though at times it takes a few more steps to get there and its less than 100  

Answer 7

I would recommend that your first camera be a fully manual FILM slr, for a couple of reasons:

1) A used film slr (such as a Pentax K1000) is pretty cheap these days.  The camera on the staples.ca website you are looking at is 200 dollars, and photoshop elements would be another 100.  for that money, you could buy a used (but in great shape) film slr, a book or two to teach yourself the basics of photography, and some film to get started.  the nice thing about these older slrs is that you can always sell them on craigslist or whatnot for about the same money you paid for it (there are always people taking photo classes in college that need these cameras) if you decide that either photography is not for you, or if you decide to sell it to finance nicer gear.   on the other hand, if you buy a point and shoot digicam and photoshop elements, and realize that you aren't interested in continuing to pursue photography, you will be stuck with the software and unable to get very much money for the camera.

2)  Using a fully manual film SLR is a more surefire way to actually learn the process involved in photography, and it will do a better job of teaching you how to control a camera in order to better get the results you desire.  using film, and having a limited number of exposures at a time, forces you to take more time, consider how you are composing the shot, and pay more attention to the process of photography than you would firing off a point and shoot camera willy-nilly.  also, don't forget that once you do get a handle on using a manual film slr, you will be all set to operate nearly any camera, from a point and shoot to a 30 thousand dollar hasselblad.  

3) if you do use a film camera and find that photography is right for you, you can always scan (or have scanned) negatives that turn out well, if you decide to go digital in the future.

whatever you choose, good luck!