Get set up: Image editing applications

Image editing software helps you manipulate digital images in every possible way. Here are some of the most common changes you can make to an existing digital image:

Crop and straighten the image to improve composition and horizon alignment.
Adjust exposure, brightness, contrast and overall lighting using one-click fixes or by adjusting Levels or Curves.
Sharpen details and add clarity/texture for extra crispness.
Reduce noise and grain, especially in low‑light images.
Convert images to black and white or apply creative colour grading/toning looks.
Resize and export images for web, print or social media with appropriate resolution and sharpening.

Free option 1: Affinity Studio

You can download a fully-working version of Affinity Studio here: Affinity Studio

Canva purchased Serif last year (2025), including their popular creative applications. Affinity Studio includes individual applications for photo editing (Pixel), graphic design and illustration (Vector) and desktop publishing (Layout), accessed with a single click from the main interface. These fully-featured applications are available for free:

A drawing of a pink robot holding a "Welcome!" banner is open in photo editing software.

Homepage of Affinity with a "Creative freedom" slogan, download button, and colorful artwork thumbnails displayed below.

A digital art software window displays an edited image of a woman, flowers, and a hummingbird.

Free option 2: GIMP

You can download GIMP for PC or MAC here: GIMP download

GIMP is a ‘go to’ app for newbies to image editing. If that’s you, you’ll be pleased to find this full-featured application is FREE! See you next month for our introductory video explainers using GIMP!

PaintShop Pro

You can download a free 30-day demo of Paintshop Pro. If you plan to join us next month for introductory workflows, you might like to wait until then to install the demo.

This application has been around since 1992 and can be purchased for a one-off fee. It runs on PCs and is not available for Macs. At time of writing (early 2026) the latest version is PaintShop Pro 2023 – There are no newer versions. Corel runs regular promotional pricing so look for a deal!

See you next month for our introductory video explainers using Paintshop Pro!

Adobe Photoshop

New users can download a 30 day trial of Adobe Creative Cloud. If you’ll be joining us for introductory image editing workflows next month, you might like to wait until then to install it.

Photoshop provides all the editing tools you could ever need. Recent updates continue the gradual move towards AI-enhanced editing. This application can be overkill if you’re an occasional or casual user, though if you’ll be using it in your work life it could be essential for your CV. We’ll be introducing simple workflows suitable for beginners in our series of video explainers next month!