Photo answers review
Photo answers rating 
Adobe Photoshop Elements is the premier budget image editing software option. It is a powerful application that borrows many of its features from its big brother, the industry standard Daddy of all photo editing packages, Photoshop. The main thing that makes Elements so attractive is that it costs only a fraction as much as the full version of Photoshop, and as a reduced version is much easier to get to grips with.
The 10-year anniversary of this software is a clear landmark for Adobe, and this milestone should suggest something special in Elements 10. As always there are some new features, but nothing quite as significant as the new features Adobe added to Elements 9 in 2010. The thing about Elements is, where can it go next? Save adding more guided edits, improved image searching and increased compatibility with social networking websites, there aren’t many additions Adobe can make. Add too many new editing features and Elements starts snapping at the heels of Photoshop. So what stands out this time?
There are a number of new features in Elements 10, including 30 new Smart Brush effects and filters, new Guided edits including Depth-of-field effect and Orton effect (a soft-focus effect), and new curved text effects among others. However, the most significant change from the previous version of Elements has to be the improvements in image searching capabilities, where visual searches can be made to find shots that contain similar shapes, colours and even the same subject. To make this work you have to select the image you want to use for the basis of the search, then choose one of three visual search options: Search for Visually similar photo(s) and video(s), Search for Objects within photos, and Search for Duplicates photos. Once activated the feature cleverly finds images matching the visual search criteria. Of course, it’s not perfect and throws in a few anomalies, but on the whole it works as you’d expect.
Another new feature, and one that will probably be very popular is the ability to tag people in photos using your Facebook friends list. Then, when you upload your photos to Facebook they’re already tagged for you, saving time and effort. Generally speaking, speed seems to be the key element of this upgrade with new features that ultimately make your workflow from finding images to editing them quicker and easier than before.
www.adobe.co.uk
Best new feature
The new Depth-of-field effect is a Guided edit that can be used to drop parts of photos out of focus to simulate a shallow depth-of-field. This can be useful for shots where for whatever reason, the background is too sharp and distracts from the subject. With the option to apply the effect with the Gradient Tool or Quick Selection Tool you can make selections for blurring shots in the way most appropriate to the subject. Of course, the feature is crude compared to a dedicated plug-in, but the ease with which you can apply it makes it highly effective, and attractive to enthusiasts looking for a fast way of working.
System requirements
Microsoft Windows: 1.6GHz or faster processor (including single-core support)
Microsoft Windows XP with Service Pack 3, Windows Vista®, or Windows 7
Colour monitor with 16-bit colour video card
1024x576 display resolution
Microsoft DirectX 9 compatible display driver
Mac OS: 1024x768 display resolution
Multicore Intel processor
Mac OS X v10.5.8 through v10.7
QuickTime 7 software required for multimedia features
For both Windows and Mac OS: 1GB of RAM (2GB for HD video functions)
4GB of available hard disk space (additional free space required during installation)
DVD-ROM drive
Internet connection required
PA verdict
As an upgrade Elements 10 doesn’t really offer much to make it worthwhile, especially as an upgrade costs nearly as much as the full version. However, if this is your first purchase of the software, or you’re upgrading from earlier than v9, you won’t go wrong with Elements 10. Windows 7 64-bit users can benefit from 64-bit support, meaning Elements 10 will handle larger image files and utilise more of the computer’s power. Mac users will have to settle for 32-bit for now.
AS FEATURED IN THE NOVEMBER ISSUE OF PRACTICAL PHOTOGRAPHY