Adobe Photoshop CS2 Complete package

I have been using Adobe photoshop for approximately five years now (through-out different versions), and currently use this version. I have to say that this is one of the most feature packed graphic design and editing programs commercially available today.

The program can be used for a very wide range of purposes, including editing of digital photos, image creation, word art, frame by frame animation, digital rendering, and many more. Pretty much any function you could want from a graphics program is in here, and I could go on and on for hour listing all the functions, so instead I will pick out the ones that stand out most to me.

As a professional designer and photographer I rely on powerful imaging software that will consistantly be stable within the operating environment. I do a lot of my (design) work using a program called Alias Studiotools (a 3D design program), and then transfer the completed images to Adobe Photoshop CS2. On here there are a whole host of additional effects and additions I can apply to make the image look professionally complete.

1) There is a very large colour/shader and pattern pallet, useful for applying backgrounds and shaders to complete an image or fill in any blank spaces. There are also various methods of applying a fill, including a good range of different gradients (oval, circular, linear, square, etc), such as colour orientation and pattern.

2) Almost everything in the program is customisable, from the pattern effects and gradients to the colours within the set effects.

3) There is a huge number of filters that can be applied to an image to change the look of media, effects, photographic enhancement, blur, sharpness, etc. These are also especially useful with photographs.

4) Colour, contrast and brightness balance controls are also available and very easy to access to brighten or dull an image. These are under the "image" menu, and also included here are other useful options for changing the image size and resolution (useful when putting images on the web).

Once you get used to the menus and options on Photoshop, the program will be a dream to use. Unfortunately some of the menus are a little unclear and there are so many different options it can take a while to get used to them. However the instructions and help are resonable, and with enough reading up most proplems can be overcome!

I believe that there is a trial version of this program available for download on Adobe's website, so you can check it out for free! My conclusion: Highly recommended, five stars!