GIMP (GNU Image Manipulation Program) 2.8.14 (free)

GIMP (GNU Image Manipulation Program) 2.8.14 (free)

Gimp.org (www.gimp.org/downloads)

A The free and open-source GIMP package is another iconic photo-editing application, considered by many to be the equal of Photoshop. It is a similarly complex program, carrying the same kind of steep learning curve. GIMP also has a wide selection of learning and tutorial resources easily available online. Hands-on GIMP courses and workshops are available in many areas.

So, GIMP is great, and it's freeware. But some people worry about the fact that so many of the photo-editing suggestions or methods that they find on the Web are written specifically for the PhotoShop user. Not to worry, there's even something that will help you modify GIMP to look & feel more like PhotoShop and in some cases, even accept PhotoShop plug-ins. Take a look at these:

• GimPhoto  (http://www.gimphoto.com/) - "Gimphoto is a GIMP modification with new menu, additional plugins and resources to bring the best GIMP experience to Photoshop users."
  
  
• Photoshop Plugins In The GIMP (http://www.instructables.com/id/Photoshop-Plugins-In-The-GIMP/) - "GIMP can, in fact, use Photoshop Plugins with relatively little effort, with the use of the? GIMP PSPI plugin from Tor Lillqvist (http://www.gimp.org/~tml/gimp/win32/pspi.html)."
  
  
• Better Than Photoshop? Make GIMP Even More Powerful With These Plugins (http://www.makeuseof.com/tag/better-than-photoshop-make-gimp-even-more-powerful-with-these-plugins/) -