Sad but True: There are Limits to iPhoto
Know the limits to iPhoto so you can use the program to its full potential!
As with all software programs, there are limits to iPhoto and its capabilities. That's not to disparage the program: it's one of the best out there for editing, cropping, and instantly sharing photographs.
The reason some people find iPhoto disappointing is because they expect it to be a Mac version of Photoshop. Unfortunately, that isn't the case. IPhoto is a great program, but in order to use it properly you have to understand its limits.
What iPhoto Can't Do
IPhoto is a photo refining and sharing program. It is not, like Photoshop, a fully equipped photo editing suite. What iPhoto does, it does well. But there are certain limits to iPhoto, and it's good to be aware of them!
Things you can't do on iPhoto include:
-Wild special effects
You won't be able to make your picture glow, and flares, or put a halo over your cuddly puppy's head. iPhoto just isn't equipped to do that.
-Draw on photos
This is another one of the limits to iPhoto: it's designed to make your photos look their best, not perform significant alterations. You won't find a paintbrush icon in your iPhoto menu!
-Do fancy alterations
You know the pictures of elephants balancing on stepladders that people cook up in Photoshop and send around the Internet? If that's what you're interested in, iPhoto is not for you. There's no clone tool -- in fact, no way at all to cut and paste parts of photos.
What iPhoto Can Do
The limits to iPhoto aren't designer flaws. They're left out of the program because, while programs like Photoshop focus on editing and working on photos, iPhoto is primarily a sharing program. In other words, although it allows you to edit your photos quite successfully, its main purpose is putting those pictures together to tell a story.
Things you can do on iPhoto include:
-Basic editing
You can crop, enhance, brighten, remove red eye, and a host of other basic editing applications.
-Simple fun effects
The limits to iPhoto don't prevent you from making a few fun alterations -- changing your pictures to black and white, for instance, or blurring the edges.
-Creating professional looking books, cards, and calendars
This is where iPhoto really excels. In a few simple steps, you can create a beautiful way to share your photos with friends and family.
Some people declare iPhoto inferior to Photoshop, but that's comparing (excuse the cliché) apples and oranges. Photoshop is an editing suite. IPhoto is a sharing program. Once you understand that, the limits suddenly vanish. There are few limits to iPhoto when it comes to photo sharing!
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