Photoshop is the hands down winner in the feature comparison, no discussion. The latest version is also pretty easy to use even for a novice, although some understanding of photographic and retouch theory helps a lot.
It takes a good grasp of theory in several field to get good mileage out of Photoshop. It's also a help if you know a fair amount about manual photo editing techniques and understand the how's and what's. Since most people don't have - or want - this knowledge, Paintshop Pro or some similar software will make life a lot simpler.
Paintshop Pro has already decided that what you're after is simply touching up photographs. You're not interested in enough rope to hang yourself and most of your family, you just want to get the job done - and for that it's a perfect tool. It's the difference between a full welder's shop and some superglue. Most people would burn the shop down before they managed to get Aunt Hilda's broken lamp back together, but give them some superglue and noone will know the difference.
I think you're being unfair with CorelPhoto Paint. I've used Both Corel's Product and Photoshop for a number of years, and I still prefer Corel.
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I don't mean to knock the product, or Corel's effort, I used Corel Draw or many years and tried their bitmap software as well. But when I look at books on photo retouching, advanced digital darkroom techniques, anything beyond "basic howto", there is nothing for any software except Photoshop. Certainly nothing for Corel.
That sounds like a limitation to me. Photographic editing involves many different areas of expertise, and software like Photoshop draws from all of them.
By catering to this group, Photoshop automatically includes a lot of other user groups as well. Anyone who wants excellent quality and high flexibility should definitely look at Photoshop.
It's only a limitation IF you want to be a graphic designer BUT, IF photography is what you are doing and after all this is a photography based website then this software is excellent.
If you just click on the "Documents" link you would have found all the information one needs. In pdf file format.
Once again, this is a photography based website. Why would I want a bunch of useless things that PS has within it. As a photographer I would never use them. Thus, it would (was) be a waste of money.
Serious work, of course you mean graphics.
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I agree there. If some other piece of software does all you need, why go somewhere else.
I mean documentation on advanced photo reparation techniques, selective enhancement using levels, filters etc., as well as photo montage and realistic manipulation.
I'm a photographer as well, and I couldn't do what I do without Photoshop level software. I use Gimp because Photoshop is not available for my platform of choice, but I do feel its limitations at times. I would use Photoshop if I could.
No. I mean serious manipulation of photographs. For graphics you need more tools, such as DTP and vector graphics software. Photoshop is designed for bitmapped images, especially photographs, and does the job eminently.
I feel the are two reasons for Photoshop being featured in digital photography classes. One is Adobes' marketing. Perhaps they offer better incentives for schools to offer Photoshop. Two, teachers don't have the time to learn and then teach two different applications.
