Originally Posted by SilentKnight

Photoshop is arguably the biggest and best editor of course...but there's been cheaper alternatives that do almost everything Pshop does.

Photoshop Elements for example. Or Ulead PhotoImpact...PhotoScape, Gimp, etc.

I used an ancient copy of (shareware) Aldus Photostyler2.0 for many, many years to do much of my photo editing and image manipulation. I still use it quite often these days...despite having bought copies of both PS CS4 and Elements.

A $10/hr. designer can have the 'Ferrari' app - but unless he knows how to use it properly to its full potential...he's still just a $10/hr. designer.