Editing Photos Programs For Mac

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  1. Good Photo Editing Program For Mac
  2. Editing Photos Programs For Macbook Pro
  3. Editing Photos Programs For Mac Osx
  4. Best Free Photo Editing Programs
  • January 02, 2020
  • 28 min to read

Canva: Canva is the best free photo editing software for Mac. It is used for the professional level of photo editing with different kinds of templates. To make logos, posters. Adobe Photoshop Elements. Where you can use it: Mac and Windows Why we love it: While not truly a free photo editor, Photoshop Elements does have a free trial, and it’s far and away among the best photo editing software for Mac and Windows.The suite of automated editing tools — including for exposure, color balance, and reducing the effects of camera shake — make short work of the. Best Photo Editing Software for Mac OS X. Although, most editing tools support both Windows and Mac, but there are some specifically made for Mac OS X as well. Let’s checkout free photo editing software for Mac. Photos is a photo organizing tool offered by Apple itself in the latest version of Mac. Free photo editing software, free download - Fotor Photo Editor, ACDSee Pro 3, Adobe Acrobat Reader DC, and many more programs. Download PhotoPad photo editing software for Windows/Mac to easily edit digital photos. Resize, crop, touch up or add any number of effects to any image. PhotoPad lets you easily remove red-eye and blemishes, enhance colors, crop photos and more. Get Started with your Photos Today.

A comprehensive review of the best RAW photo editors on the market

There are many RAW photo editors available, and they get better every year. It can be hard and time-consuming to try all of them, so we’ve tried them for you and come up with a list of the best RAW photo editors you should consider right now.

Professional photographers shoot in RAW to preserve as much detail as possible. They want high-resolution images with a wide dynamic range, natural-looking colors, and sharp details. RAW files are large files that need powerful editors. A good RAW photo editor is able to edit RAW files while preserving image quality and color accuracy.

The first criterion in choosing a RAW photo editor is how good the RAW processor is and how well it renders the RAW data. But there are also other criteria to consider, such as support for batch processing, digital asset management, preset libraries, layers and masks, and local editing tools. Practicality is also important. Consider system requirements, processing speed, the user interface and workflow, and, of course, the price.

Because RAW editors are sophisticated software that require a long time to develop, you’ll hardly find free RAW photo editors. The only free editors on our list are darktable and RawTherapee, cross-platform image processing programs with enthusiastic communities around them. Nevertheless, all paid RAW photo editors on this list offer free trials that allow you to test them before buying.

The best RAW photo editors on the market

1. Luminar 4

Released at the end of 2019, Luminar 4 is a RAW photo editor that includes AI-based technology. Yes, it provides support for most RAW file formats and all the basic adjustments you need, but it also provides content-aware automatic adjustments. Its smart features and friendly interface have already convinced many professional photographers to become Skylum Ambassadors.

Luminar’s AI-based features analyze your images and make decisions based on their contents. Luminar 4 recognizes objects and people and applies custom adjustments for different types of pictures. It includes AI-based features for sky replacement, skin and portrait enhancement, structure enhancement, general image enhancement, and adding sun rays.

Moreover, Luminar 4 comes with more than 70 built-in presets, called Looks, that provide easy access to the most popular artistic styles. You can also create your own presets and download Signature Looks designed by renowned photographers from the Luminar Marketplace.

Luminar 4 allows you to fine-tune every aspect of an image, which is great because in RAW editing, every detail counts. Luminar works with layers and masks and provides easy tools for controlling opacity and blending modes. The workflow is fluid and easy to learn, and you’ll find features such as batch processing, adjustment synchronization, digital asset management, and image rating and labeling.

Luminar 4 works as standalone software, a plugin for Adobe Photoshop and Lightroom, and an extension for Apple Photos. It’s available for Mac and Windows and costs $89.

2. Aurora HDR

Aurora HDR was the first Skylum solution for RAW photo editing and is one of the most appreciated HDR photo editors. It’s the perfect choice if you want to create images with a wide dynamic range. Aurora provides tools for bracket merging that create high-quality images without halos, chromatic aberrations, or artifacts. It also includes basic tools such as color toning, a polarizer filter, detail enhancer, and LUT mapping.

Like Luminar 4, Aurora HDR makes use of AI technology to separate noise from detail and deliver exquisite denoising and detail enhancing tools. As Aurora is a RAW photo editor, its support for layers and masks is especially useful. Also useful are the presets designed in collaboration with professional photographers, which deliver amazing effects in seconds.

In terms of practical features, Aurora HDR offers batch processing, support for most popular cameras, and the ability to run as standalone software or a plugin for Adobe and Apple products. Aurora HDR is available for Windows and Mac and costs $110.

3. Adobe Lightroom

Due to its prestigious producer, Adobe Lightroom has been the standard in RAW photo editing for a long time. But it has lost many fans since Adobe introduced the monthly subscription plan. Yes, Lightroom is a RAW photo editor that gives you access to cloud space and synchronizes your edits across all your devices. But it’s expensive, and people have started to look for cheaper alternatives. Adobe Lightroom costs $9.99 per month, which means almost $120 per year. That’s more than other software costs for a lifetime license.

For this money, Adobe Lightroom offers endless sharing capabilities, image synchronization, exquisite image management tools, and easy-to-use image editing tools. It also has many presets, and you can find more in the large Adobe community, which also offers books, tutorials, and video materials.

Adobe Lightroom is available for Windows and Mac, but check the system requirements before you buy it because it requires relatively new operating system versions.

4. ACDSee Photo Studio

ACDsee is known for its image organizing software, but its latest products show that it has become a powerful competitor on the photo editor market. Photo Studio is a complete editing solution that includes RAW processing, image editing tools, and the amazing ACDSee digital asset management.

ACDSee Photo Studio Professional 2020 supports more than 500 camera models and offers RAW editing tools such as LUTs, non-destructive color grading, lens corrections, noise and haze removal, contrast and brightness adjustments, layers and masks, selection tools, and local adjustments. It’s fast and supports many file formats, offers batch processing, and has a lot of tools for zooming, previewing, and reviewing images. In terms of the interface and image management, it’s one of the best RAW photo editors.

ACDSee Photo Studio Professional 2020 is available only for Windows. There’s also a separate ACDSee Photo Studio for Mac 6. You can choose between a monthly subscription at $8.90 and a lifetime license for $99.95.

5. PhotoDirector Ultra

With PhotoDirector Ultra, Cyberlink aims to deliver a photo editor that accumulates the functionalities of Adobe Photoshop and Lightroom at a better price. PhotoDirector Ultra supports many RAW file formats and provides AI-based tools for image retouching, layer editing, and presets.

This software is aimed at a wide variety of users, from professional photographers to the general public. It mixes powerful content-aware image adjustments with tools for making videos out of images, frame templates, and 360-degree photo editing. Delivering a wide variety of features isn’t always the best idea, however. Professional photographers are more interested in color accuracy, noise reduction, and detail preservation than in applying brushstrokes that simulate painting styles.

But despite the features unrelated to RAW editing, PhotoDirector Ultra is very good at recovering blurred images, eliminating haze and fog, and retouching portraits. It also provides image management tools, cloud storage, and additional products such as special effects and dedicated plugins.

PhotoDirector Ultra is available for Windows and Mac and costs $74.99.

6. Capture One Pro 2020

Capture One develops a RAW photo editor that supports many RAW file formats and has dedicated versions for Fuji and Sony camera users. Capture One Pro 2020 is a complete photo editing solution for all cameras, and it provides tools for image editing and management.

While Capture One Pro 2020 isn’t very easy to learn and use, once you get to know it, you’ll have full control over every aspect of your images. This software’s features range from tools for basic image adjustments (fixing exposure, color, and contrast) to HDR tools, advanced color adjustments, and presets. Essential for a RAW editor, Capture One Pro 2020 works with layers and masks and provides non-destructive editing.

Editing photos app for mac

Capture One Pro 2020 is a powerful photo editor even if its workflow isn’t for beginners. It provides lens and camera profiles, lens correction, high color accuracy, and tools for printing and creative artwork. All these features come with a price, however: Capture One Pro 2020 costs $27 per month. It’s available for Windows and Mac.

7. DxO PhotoLab

Like Capture One Pro, DxO PhotoLab is a complex RAW photo editor for professional photographers. It focuses on color accuracy and camera compatibility. DxO PhotoLab matches the rendering of over 60 camera models and provides optical corrections and custom lens profiles.

Among its best features are exquisite color tools such as ICC profiles, Moiré removal, and the new HSL tool, more than 40 presets, haze removal based on colorimetric component analysis, noise removal that’s been optimized to process RAW files at high speed, and local adjustments. DxO PhotoLab is an editor for color perfectionists and aims to satisfy the most demanding professionals.

DxO PhotoLab provides digital asset management with all you need for organizing images in a neat interface. It’s available for Windows and Mac and costs $140.

8. PaintShop Pro

PaintShop Pro is one of Corel’s solutions for photo editing that includes RAW functionalities. Keeping to Corel’s long tradition in graphic design, PaintShop Pro provides not only photo editing tools but also graphic design tools. So if you want tools for creating artistic compositions, drawing, and painting onto images, PaintShop Pro is the best editor for you.

In terms of RAW photo editing, PaintShop Pro offers a powerful RAW processor, lens correction, HDR editing, geometric transformations, basic adjustments for image retouching, and layers and masks. It doesn’t have too many filters and presets, but it offers support for third-party plugins such as the NiK Collection from DxO and Topaz Labs plugins. This may cover the need for extra features, but these plugins come with an additional cost.

In terms of useful functionalities, PaintShop Pro doesn’t have digital asset management, but it does provide batch processing and support for many file formats. PaintShop Pro is easy to learn and has a customizable workspace. But if you don’t need graphic design tools, they’ll only slow you down.

PaintShop Pro is available only for Windows and costs $79.

9. AfterShot Pro

Another RAW photo editing solution from Corel is AfterShot Pro. Designed to compete with Adobe Lightroom, AfterShot Pro focuses on increasing processing speed while delivering high-quality images.

Unlike PaintShop Pro, however, AfterShot Pro is dedicated to photography. This means is has RAW camera profiles, lens corrections, a large library of presets, and highlight recovery for images with a wide dynamic range. It also provides efficient digital asset management and integrates with other editors. In exchange, it doesn’t have graphic design tools.

In terms of RAW photo editing, we’re more interested in color accuracy, noise reduction, and HDR tools than in drawing tools. Still, the advanced selection tools provided by Corel’s programs are always welcome for local adjustments and subtle image retouching.

Good Photo Editing Program For Mac

AfterShot Pro is a better option than PaintShop Pro for RAW editing. It’s also more expensive, as it costs $99.99. But if you compare it with Adobe Lightroom, you’ll see that it’s worth the money.

10. Darktable

Darktable is an open-source, free RAW photo editor available for Linux, Mac / macports, BSD, Windows, and Solaris 11 / GNOME. It’s designed to be a virtual darkroom and allows you to view negatives through a zoomable lighttable.

Aiming to be more than a RAW convertor, darktable provides tools for image enhancement, batch processing, and tethered shooting. It also allows you to develop your own image processing modules and add them to the program.

For a free editor, darktable offers exquisite tools, from an optimized RAW processor that can manage large files to non-destructive edits and professional color management. It has ICC profiles, several demosaicing methods, base and tone curves, lens corrections, and tools for dithering, haze, fringing, noise removal, color, contrast, and white balance adjustments. It also offers a few filters for creative effects.

However, darktable has minimal image organizing functionalities. It does allow you to search for images by tags, stars, and labels, and it works with metadata.

11. RAW Power

Gentlemen Coders offers a RAW photo editor for Mac and iOS called RAW Power that can run as standalone software or a Photos extension.

RAW Power uses Apple’s RAW decoder to provide high-quality images. Among its best features are support for hundreds of camera models, precise curve adjustments, white balance recovery, lots of presets, and perspective and chromatic aberration corrections.

RAW Power also provides digital asset management, batch processing, synchronization between devices via iCloud Photo Library, multiple editing windows, and batch export. It comes as an extension to Apple Photos and costs $29.99

12. RawTherapee

RawTherapee is a free RAW photo editor for Windows, Mac, and Linux. It provides high-quality images with high dynamic range and uses state-of-the-art demosaicing algorithms. Although it’s open-source software, RawTherapee supports most common RAW file formats, including those from Pentax and Sony.

Among its best features are RAW histograms, adjustments for fixing exposure, contrast, detail, and color, color profiles, and advanced controls. RawTherapee also lets you save your current editing profile for later use or batch editing. Unfortunately, it doesn’t support layers, and you have to apply all adjustments to the same layer, which may be confusing.

RawTherapee has a neat workspace that allows you to find all you need in seconds. It’s intuitive, well-labeled, and has shortcuts for everything. It also provides file browsing, ratings, and color labeling, and it supports metadata. For those who want to see how printed images will look, RawTherapee runs a simulation with a specific printer profile.

13. Affinity Photo

Affinity Photo provides powerful photo editing and graphic design tools. Alongside RAW editing, it provides HDR editing and focus stacking, panorama stitching, support for editing Adobe Photoshop files, and painting tools.

In terms of RAW photo editing, Affinity Photo’s big advantage is its ability to process very large files (more than 100 Megapixels) and to offer smooth zoom at 60 frames per second. It gives you full control over the smallest details of your images and provides editing tools such as levels, curves, HSL, and exposure and white balance adjustments. All edits are non-destructive because Affinity Photo works with layers and masks. You can perform local adjustments using advanced selection tools, analyze histograms, and edit EXIF information.

Affinity Photo provides lens corrections, noise reduction, and hot pixel removal, which is essential for RAW editing. It also provides presets and effects, including brush libraries and text and vector tools. It’s one of the best RAW photo editors for creating artistic compositions and collages.

Affinity Photo is available for Windows, Mac, and iPad and costs $49.99 respectively $19.99.

In conclusion

We’ve tested the most powerful RAW photo editors on the market, but the final decision is yours. Choose the best editor for your needs. Consider your budget, frequency of use, skills, and artistic preferences. For example, you shouldn’t buy an editor with graphic design functionalities if you don’t do abstract photography and strong editing. If you work with large amounts of similar images, batch processing is a must. So is digital asset management when you have lots of albums and catalogs. Keep in mind that trying before buying is the wisest thing you can do.

Do you still use a high-end DSLR for clicking pictures and capturing mesmerizing moments? Well with the advancements of smartphones, now everyone can be a photographer. But in the curiosity to get that one perfect click will end up taking hundreds of shots.

In addition to the high-end camera of our smartphones, we still need a good photo editing software to edit and polish our dull shots, and make then Instagram suitable. Mac photo editing apps help you to fix and organize your pictures according to your taste and liking.

If you are looking for a professional photo editing tool to add meaning to your dull pictures and make them aesthetically pleasing then refer to our list of best mac photo editing apps. Learn How to Edit Photos on Your Mac to improve the overall quality and look of your picture.

Fortunately, the market is filled with an ocean of options but to help you pick the best tool in the lot, here we have compiled a well-researched list of some of the best photo editing apps and software for mac. Read ahead to find out the best option according to your needs.

12 Best Photo Editors For Mac in 2020:

1. Adobe Photoshop

By far the best photo editing apps for Mac and Windows devices. It is undeniably the most loved tool in the market and commonly known as a synonym to photo editing software.

Loaded with an ocean of features and high-end benefits it is highly popular amongst the fraternity of artists, photographers, designers, and illustrators. In addition to beginners, it is specifically built to suit the high-end requirements of professionals. The key features of this amazing tool listed below, you name it and Adobe Photoshop will have it.

  • It comes with incredible retouching capabilities and cloning.
  • It can polish your dull images in seconds including the large size images.
  • It includes a great list of selection and masking tools.
  • Adobe Photoshop can support images of multiple formats including PNG, JPG, GIF, and many more.
  • With this incredible tool, you get access to almost 360 editing tools and map support for HEIF files.
  • It uses a non-destructive editing mechanism to enhance the overall appearance and look of your images.

Read More: 15 Best Duplicate Photo Finder & Cleaner Software for Windows

2. Skylum Luminar 4

Known for its array of best filters and HDR, Skylum luminar 4 deserves a spot on our list of best batch photo editing apps. With its affordable pricing structure and image editing capabilities it has gained massive popularity in the last few years.

It is a perfect amalgamation of the features of both Adobe Photoshop and Lightroom. Some of the key features of this Mac photo editing tool are:

  • For better user experience it offers 24/7 sales and technical support.
  • It is powered with fast editing tools and functionalities.
  • Loaded with an array of adjustment masks and layers.
  • With its clever editing shortcuts and capabilities, you can effortlessly manage your photographs.
  • It comes with multiple viewing options including a single image view, filmstrip view, and gallery view.
  • Sun rays, AI-powered sky enhancers, and accidental AI are few of its other offerings.

3. Adobe Lightroom

If you are looking for an online Mac photo editing app, then Adobe Lightroom can be a good pick to start with. With its cutting edge technology and photo editing abilities, it enjoys great popularity in the world of photo editing software. It is a cloud-based tool.

It comes with easy to use yet high-end editing features. In addition to this, its interface is quite user-friendly and simple to use.

  • Lightroom can easily sync with several devices.
  • It comes with customizable sliders along with brush adjustment tools and gradients.
  • You also get access to multiple preset filters and professional filters with it.
  • Fixing tools, lens-based correction capabilities, and blurring tools are few of its other offerings.
  • Manage your photo gallery more efficiently with its face detection feature.

4. Skylum Aurora HDR

Next on our list of image editing software for mac is Skylum Aurora HDR. It works well with Windows devices as well and can easily be integrated as an Apple photo extension. With its AI-based neural network, you can create HDR images within seconds.

  • It is loaded with an array of 20+ editing tools to create HDR images.
  • It offers a great way to polish your raw images and leverage their appearance with its 80 unique presets.
  • Enhance the clarity and optimize the contrast of your images with its HDR clarity feature.
  • It can add depth and details to your photo and can also clean noise.

Editing Photos Programs For Macbook Pro

5. Canva

If your search for the best apps for mac photo editing is still going on then Canva can help you. It is a great tool for designing photo templates for both business and personal use. It comes with a clean interface and easy to use editing tools and graphics.

Use it to add various fonts and graphics to your dull images and make them Instagram ready.

  • Works well on both computer system and smartphones,
  • It comes with image cropping, image straightening features along with a speech bubble maker.
  • It is packed with a massive library of graphic designs and images and also supports cloud storage.
  • With Canva you get access to over 8000+ photo templates, icons, photos and pre-designed cards to create visually stunning content.

Read More: 10 Best Photo/Image Viewers for Windows 10 in 2020

6. Vsco

Next on our list of Mac photo editing apps is Vsco. Its advanced effects and stylish photo editing abilities make it highly popular amongst the fraternity of professional photographers.

Add life to your dull images with the help of its preset filters. Highlights, white balance, exposure are few of its editing tools with which you can adjust the color, exposure, and sharpness of your images.

7. DesignWizard

Are you still wondering what is the best photo editor for Mac users, then try DesignWizard. This feature-rich tool is packed with advanced controls and is well known for its high-end image design templates.

In addition to this, it also comes with a massive range of images, graphics, illustrations, and high-quality videos. Along with this you also get access to various marketing tools like sale posters, Linkedin Ads, Facebook Ads campaigns, and much more.

It comes with a clean and convenient interface and works seamlessly well with iOS devices.

8. Capture One

If you have been using Adobe Lightroom, then try Capture One now to enjoy a lot of other unique features. With this incredible photo editing software, you can polish your images within seconds.

Use it ‘s advanced color editing features and masking capabilities to add life to your images.

9. ON1 Photo Raw

Experience a completely new taste of photo editing with our next pick of Best Mac Photo Editing Apps, ON1 Photo Raw. Its cutting edge capabilities allow you to convert your raw clicks into stunning images without spending too much time and effort.

With its dual-mode feature, you can not only edit but also browse various images. Enjoy live adjustments and preview with this power-packer photo editor software.

Read More: 11 Best Free PDF Editors For Mac in 2020

10. GIMP

Also known as the GNU Image Manipulation Program. GIMP is an open-source mac photo editor app.

Use it to retouch your dull images and create stunning pieces of the original artwork. Apart from this it also allows you to create pro-level graphic design elements. It is a free application and comes loaded with several pre-level editing features.

11. Adobe Photoshop Elements

If you are new to the world of photography and image editing. Choose Adobe Photoshop Elements . It comes with a clean interface and easy to use features.

It is powered with an advanced AI- capability. Use its Guided Edit feature to create memes, part-image sketches, and multi-photo texts.

12. PortraitPro

If you love portrait photography, then Portraitpro is a blessing for you. The software is loaded with all the essential features that you need to create stunning portrait pieces.

Use its Advanced makeup tool to efficiently transform dull faces. You can also try its wrinkle removing and skin smoothing features.

Wrapping Up

Editing Photos Programs For Mac Osx

Dive in the world of photography with photo editing apps and software. Each Mac photo editing tool mentioned above has a unique feature to offer alongside the basic features.

Best Free Photo Editing Programs

Refer to our list and pick the best-suited tool for yourself depending on your need, photography skills, budget, and preferences.