Picturesque: Photo Edits for Mac that Trump Photoshop

Posted on 21. Apr, 2009 by Luis Sandoval in Apple, Internet Tools

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There is no doubt that Photoshop has become the heavy hitter with photo edits and graphic creation. Adobe has laid it’s dominance down for quite sometime, and with the acquisition of Macromedia, there is little out there to offer competition enough to change the tide of popularity. Several open source applications have risen up to tackle the behemoth, the most popular being GIMP. GIMP has acquired quite the following but even those followers admit that Photoshop offers a bevy of choices that GIMP still does not offer.

But what about the casual user who just wants to touch up photos? Photoshop can have a steep learning curve for those not familiar with the product, and more time will be spent learning the applicatoin then actual work. So where is the happy medium for a user where an application is both easy to use, and quick to make the edits necessary? The answer comes in a small Mac application called Picturesque.

What is Picturesque?

Picturesque is an amazing application built with ease of use in mind. The idea was to develop an application that could help create the best web photos possible with the smallest learning curve. The concept was to create an intuitive interface where users could quickly make the necessary changes, save and move on. A big step away from the heavier Photoshop software from Adobe. The application was made with a fundamental drag-and-drop process that make loading pictures easy and quick, as opposed to opening the file search window and scouring your computer files for the right image.

In terms of design and functionality, you won’t get lost here. With only two window panes, one where you load, and one where you edit, it’s easy to see why this Mac application has gained so much popularity. While it does not offer the full functionality of the heavier editor like Photoshop, for quick edits you can make photos look amazing with just a few of the options offered by Picturesque. If you find yourself doing the same edits to multiple photos, set the Automator and instantly the workflow becomes systematic and fast.

Picturesque becomes the perfect application to add add reflections, 3D effects, curves, shadows, borders etc. on the fly. Again with little to no learning curve the instant enhancements of web photos becomes attractive to bloggers, web writers, and site designers.

Last Word

I highly recommend Picturesque if you’re not that interested in complicated fixes and just looking at some edits to make your web photos stand out. I’m not sure that this would be a pro photographers first choice, but I’m sure it has its perks. Still, as mentioned above, for a blogger and web writer this can really add some life to the photos you include on your posts and sites. The price may be a little steep, coming in at $34.95 USD, but again, depending on the use, it might be an good investment.

(By) Luis Sandoval is a media professional and consultant who shares his insights on social media and technology on his blog The Daily Slackr.

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