Photoshop Elements 11
Company:Â Adobe
Price: $99.99 new, $79.99 upgrade                                                          brazzersxhamster
 Every year Adobe updates its consumer line of products, which includes Photoshop Elements. Every time this happens you probably find yourself wondering if it is worth your money to upgrade or if you should stick with what you have. In the case of Elements 11, a lot depends on your expertise.
As the title of this article suggests, this review is geared towards the advanced user. In other words, someone who has Photoshop experience (Elements or full Photoshop). In this reviewers opinion, the more advanced user should save your money and pass on this update. Read on to find out why.
It seams as if every year Photoshop Elements is becoming geared more towards the beginner audience and becoming simpler and simpler to use. In 11 this has never been more evident and is noticeable right when the program opens.
When the program opens you have a very simple user interface with three modes: Quick Mode, Guided, and Expert. Quick mode does exactly what the name implies. It allows you to quickly edit a photo and be done. You are presented with drop down effects on the right such as exposure, levels, etc. In each adjustment you are presented with nine presets. Mouse over them to see its effect on your photo. There are also sliders for a little more control. I have to say the animation in the drop down menus is very nice and smooth.
Another nice feature, that I have not noticed before is the option to view your photo side by side with the edited version.
The second mode is Guided. This gives you step by step instructions for editing your photos and adding effects. Need to perfect a skin tone? There is a guide for that. This is the intermediate section and a stepping stone to the final Expert mode.
Expert mode gives you the traditional Photoshop/Photoshop Elements interface that you are probably familiar with. The tools down the left and the traditional view. If you are an advanced user you’ll probably find yourself using this mode more than anything. While the Quick mode is nice and fast, you have a lot more control in Expert mode.
I do want to mention that the filters and effects that Photoshop is known for are available in all three modes.
Speaking of filters, there are a few new filters in Elements. These are Comic, Graphic Novel, and Pen& Ink. While all three of these filters create nice effects, if you are an advanced user you can probably get these looks with other filters and techniques. They are nice tools to have, but not something I would say is a must have.
The other big addition to Elements is in the Organizer. I have never been a fan of the Organizer. I use iPhoto to organize my photos and, personally, I see no need to organize twice. However, if you do use organizer you will notice it is more iPhoto like. In Elements 11 you can now organize your photos by places, events, and people. Unless you are very much into organizing your photos this is not a must have feature. Like the filters, a nice addition, but not a must have.
As with each Elements update you also have new templates for taking your photo and turning it into a project.
While the new features of Photoshop Elements are nice additions, I can’t say I would recommend it as an update- especially for an advanced user. There just isn’t anything there that is must have. I would prefer to see Adobe skip a year on updating this line of products and come back with a version packed with new features that really makes it a must have for advanced and beginner users alike.
For a more in depth look at Elements 11 for the beginnner check at Elisa Pacelli’s review here at MyMac.
MyMac.com Rating 7 out of 10 (based on being an advanced user)
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