How Do I Choose the Best Image Processing Toolkit?

The idea of a medical lab using imagine processing is pretty interesting to me. I remember how much trouble I had looking at things under the microscope when I took biology in college.

I would imagine medical lab technologists would probably have the same problem. It makes complete sense they might use some kind of imaging processing tools to help them analyze their data.

@Azuza - I see what you're saying. Also, professional level image processing tools tend to have professional level pricing. (And by that I mean insanely expensive pricing.)

One thing I wanted to point out though, is that people are starting to come out with a lot of open source software. Open source software is free, and a lot of time it can perform the same functions as the paid version.

So if you're an "average consumer" and you want to try a professional level image processing toolkit, search and see if there is a free version.

I was a photography major in college, so I have some experience with imagine processing toolkits. When I was in college, I learned to use a fairly complicated program that's the industry standard. It was great for making art work!

However, the average person does not need all those tools. If all you want to do is rotate your photo and maybe brighten it up a little, all you need is the software that came with your computer. Most operating systems come with a very simple imaging processing toolkit that is just fine for someone who isn't a photographer!

I took an image making course in college as part of my art major. I would have loved to take the higher level classes afterward, but the teacher was so difficult and cold that I could not stand to deal with him another semester.

We learned how to realistically manipulate photographs and incorporate objects that didn’t belong while making them believable. The professor made it so incredibly hard to get an A, even though I worked really hard and tried my best.

I could have taken three-dimensional art and website design, for they would have really helped me in my field, but because of his demeanor, I didn’t. Maybe someday I will get the chance to update my education and learn how to use other types of image processing tools.

I work in the ad department of a newspaper, and I have to use an image processing toolkit every day. The best toolkit for people like me who have to build ads using photos after processing them is one that includes one program specifically for image handling and another one for constructing ads easily.

Often, I have to use the image software to convert photos to black and white. Then, I use the ad construction software, because it is much quicker and easier to add text, shapes, and frames in this program. It is possible to do these things with the image software, but it will take much longer and is somewhat frustrating.

The cool thing about the ad construction program is that I can do little things to manipulate the photos as well. I can add a semi-transparent colored box over a photo for a cool color effect. I can incorporate a photo into an octagonal frame, or I can drag the edges of the photo around to frame it with a custom shape. However, there are certain vital things that can only be accomplished with the image processing software.

I use an image processing toolkit at home to touch up my own photos, which I then print out on glossy photo paper. This is the way I get my photographs, because I no longer own a film camera.

I love the red eye removal feature. I often forget to turn off the flash, so a lot of my subjects end up with shiny red eyes. All I have to do is click on the removal tool and click in the red area of someone’s eye to get rid of it.

I can also edit photos if something got in the picture that I didn’t intend to be there. I once was taking a photo of my parents on their anniversary when a bird flew over and pooped on my mom’s shoulder. I was able to edit that out of the picture by cloning the fabric of her jacket over the spot.

I am a graphic designer, and I have always worked with the same image processing toolkit. Over the years, I have upgraded the program a few times, but the basic functions remain the same.

I use the program most often to adjust the lighting in photographs to make them appear attractive and highly visible in publications. Sometimes, people give me photos that are either way too dark or washed out, and I can adjust the brightness and contrast by dragging an arrow around until the right mixture appears.

Also, some photos have an unattractive yellow or green tint because of the lighting in which they were taken. I can remove this color cast by adding an overlay of a different color. If a photo is too yellow, I will add blue, and if it’s too green, I add red.