Photography Gift Guide: Photo Editors, Mobile Apps, More

23.11.2010
When I was about 10 years old, I begged my parents for a pocket-sized transistor radio. I didn't really want the radio very much; instead, I secretly wanted to pretend it was a number of other things, including a walkie-talkie and a camera. That's right: Cameras were too expensive for 10 year olds, so I asked for something more affordable as a prop for my photographic imagination. Since then, I've learned to ask for what I really want. To help you do the same, I rounded up a bunch of cool photo gadgets in the first part of my . Here's part two, filled with more software and camera peripherals. Happy holiday shopping!

I recently discovered that a friend of mine is still using Corel Paint Shop Pro 8. I was aghast: Digital photography has grown up twice over since that program was new. I know what I'll be giving him for Christmas: a shiny new image editor.

All-Around Photo Editor. If you're already comfortable with an older version of Paint Shop Pro, a logical choice for your upgraded digital darkroom is , the newest member of the family. PaintShop Pro is one of my all-around favorite photo editors, with full support for RAW photos. It can also merge a series of images into a High Dynamic Range photo. The new Ultimate edition includes Corel's KPT Collection of photo-effects filters and Corel Painter Essentials 4 (which is designed for digital sketching, drawing, and painting), all for about $90.

Pro Tools for Non-Pros. is another superb option. While the full version of Photoshop--now called --packs a lot more photo editing than most nonprofessionals need (or can easily master), Photoshop Elements is chock full of easy-to-use tools to make your photos look awesome (and it costs a more affordable $90). You can use Photomerge, for example, to blend similar photos with differing exposures or to combine elements from different flawed photos to make one better image. Recompose lets you crop and resize images without changing elements within the photo--the effect is not unlike magic.

Disc Burner Makes 3D Movies. Want to experiment with 3D? has you covered. This is my usual go-to program for burning, copying, and sharing CDs and DVDs, and all that stuff is still in there. But among the dozens of things this all-around media management software does is let you make 3D photos and videos from 2D originals. It's fun to play with, and even includes a pair of red/blue glasses to sample your results without a 3D television. It costs about $90.