Adobe Free Alternatives

Even just a year ago I would not have recommended these two programs... However, today they are mature enough to wholeheartedly endorse as LightRoom and Photoshop alternatives. Your first post image capture steps typically includes applying star ratings, process categorizing, keyword tagging, and culling (which photos deserve the garbage can or which deserve sharing). The second procedure is touching up those photos to set mood (White Balance, contrast, etc.), composure (cropping), preparation for morphing and plastic surgery. 

• Most people would say Adobe LightRoom is your go-to software for this task and normally I would agree but they have had some blunders lately and subscriptions drive me crazy. 

• LightRoom Replacement = darktable is an open source completely free, and free of advertising mature piece of software. darktable does everything LightRoom does and much more. Works exactly the same in Windows, Mac's and Linux.

darktable info and download

Fantastic YouTube videos to get started in darktable

• Next, if you want to do some really heavy lifting plastic surgery on your photos (changing backgrounds removing the ex-friend etc. then people would tell you Adobe PhotoShop. Instead I would suggest an open source completely free, and free of advertising mature piece of software. Gimp does nearly everything Photoshop does again is free of cost period. Works exactly the same in Windows, Mac's and Linux.

GIMP info and download

Fantastic YouTube videos to get started in GIMP

RawTherapee would be better than darktable but the ability to tag your photos with cataloging information has a lot to be desired and uses a non-standard sidecar file to keep track of everything.

Reid Park Zoo - Great day at the zoo with family!