Publisher or Photoshop?

you can do all the stuff lumapix does using photoshop, but it's not as fast. Even if you are good at photoshop it still takes longer than lumapix. So I use lumapix to make photobooks, siggy, pics, etc.

Photoshop it what you'd want to editing pictures. it is a lot of fun & very useful. I've saved so many pictures that would have otherwise been ruined. Like my favorite engagement pic was ruined because mike's shirt was tucked in his pants goofy. I was able to remove the tuck & the picture is great.

Actually there is a express version of photoshop on the web thats free:
https://www.photoshop.com/express/landing.html

Also if you are looking for something to play with there is a program that is used by the computer geek community called Gimp. It is very much like photoshop but free. It use to be exclusive to the Linux platform and recently has had a version available for Windows.
GIMP - The GNU Image Manipulation Program

For your monogram either program would be perfect. BUT those programs are really made for editing images not creating whole pamphlets. What I am doing is creating monograms and edit photos with photoshop/gimp then using word to create the STD's, pamphlets, ceremony program. That way you can take a word file to a printer and get them printed on high quality paper. Word is a very common program and almost any printer should be able to use it.

I really love both Gimp and photoshop. I am a software developer and don't have any training in image creation but I learned them really quickly. If you google the word tutorial and the program you are using they have some great examples of how to use them. Hope this helps. Sorry its so long Carla

Carla: Thanks for all these other suggestions! It looks like I have a lot of trial versions of software to try out this upcoming weekend!
I'm excited to see what all these things can do. And even happier that there are some free programs out there that I may be able to play with to start with.

Thanks to everyone else for the feedback. Yippee!

If I come up with anything fun, I'll be sure to post.

Btw: I cannot believe you can untuck someone's shirt in Photoshop. That is AMAZING. And also kind of funny

I found GIMP about 6 months ago and I love it. I use it all the time for editing pics. I wasn't aware of photoshop express. I will have to try that out!

kevsgirl...I also use Publisher and I think it's great and it is very simple to learn especially if you already know Word and PPT. I don't have Photoshop so I couldn't give you a comparisson between the two. It is something I would like to buy though. My son wants to get into graphic design and he is dying for me to buy it!

**also a leftie switched to a rightie - but that didn't happen until the 4th grade. marrying a leftie and hoping my daughter is a leftie**

 

I use PSE (photoshop elements) 5.0 and love it. I agree with others that it takes a little time to figure out, but once you got it you got it.

 

Also, there is a free program similar to PSE called paint.net. Check it out.

I'm marrying a leftie too! And FI's dad is a leftie Hoping to have little leftie kiddies

I would go for photoshop hands down. Its the program I use for my blog and I love it. I pretty much taught myself with a little help from my FI. So, if I can do it anyone can!! Also if you have any students in your life you can get them to purchase it for you at the student rate. Good luck and let me know if you need help getting started.

I am having SO much fun with this program right now!!! I have to go to sleep though (work all day and event all evening tomorrow - ugh!). Tried to download the GIMP thing and couldn't get it onto the computer. I think I'll try my laptop.

Thanks again for the suggestions.

I love all the colour options

It is addictive isn't it.

I will have to take a look.......but I think I still have the disk with my copies of the whole CS3 suite on it. I have photoshop, illustrator, and all that other stuff.

 

It is of questionable legality, but if I still have it I can send you a copy.