Good app for facial touch up - with Photos Extension

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Level 4

2,581 points

Good app for facial touch up - with Photos Extension

Still debating on whether or not to switch from Lightroom to Photos and looking for advice. One thing that the adjustments in Photos are lacking are decent tools/brushes for doing facial "repairs" like wrinkles. The touch up brush handles things like blemishes or beauty marks pretty well, but really falls short for things like wrinkles and shadows under the eyes IMHO.

Any suggestions for a Mac app that works better - preferably with Photos extensions? I am sure that I could eventually learn to do it in Affinity, but its learning curve is almost as bad as Photoshop.

iMac, macOS Sierra (10.12.2)

Posted on Jan 31, 2017 9:49 PM

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Answer 1

Old Toad

Level 10

215,778 points

Feb 1, 2017 11:00 AM in response to swandy

Photoshop Elements for Mac can do about 80% of what Photoshop can do and is reasonable priced. It have very good retouching capabilities which can be utilized from within Photos.

Or try the free GIMP for Mac, the open source version of Photoshop.

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Answer 2

Jan 31, 2017 9:57 PM in response to swandy

Do not switch to Photos. I know this is Apple Support Community but you will never have the power, control, ability or anything with Photos over Lightroom.

For $10(ish) a month you can get Lightroom and Photoshop, both are very powerful professional programs to do everything you want to do. If you don't want to use Lightroom or Photoshop then go with Affinity. Photos will never have the ability to do what Lightroom or Affinity can do. Apple just isn't venturing down that path anymore.

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Answer 3

swandy Author

Level 4

2,581 points

Jan 31, 2017 10:20 PM in response to Nick Jeremiah

while you are right not everyone needs a powerful editor like Photoshop - or wants to pay $120 a year for the rest of their photography lives either. That is why I switched to Affinity Photo - just learning it but looks like it can do pretty much what the majority of photographers use PS for.

I have Lightroom and while I like it - admittedly not as much as the discontinued Aperture - there are things I like better about Photos. And with the ability to do more extensive editing either through extensions or editing in another app, I am seriously considering switching.

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Answer 4

LarryHN

Level 10

106,142 points

Jan 31, 2017 10:32 PM in response to swandy

Ok but as I said with EEfP you can use any external editor you want - not just those two that you bought but do not like - as to what you would like better obviously that is your personal choice and no one but you can figure that one out

And of course for now Aperture works fine if you are up to date and is still in use by many people

LN

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Answer 5

léonie

Level 10

200,651 points

Jan 31, 2017 10:34 PM in response to swandy

The BeFunky extension can do facial touch ups - skin smoothing, whiten teeth, brighten eyes. But you cannot adjust the brushes enough. The results will not look natural. It will turn human faces into doll faces.

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Answer 6

swandy Author

Level 4

2,581 points

Feb 1, 2017 11:04 AM in response to LarryHN

I know that program does - and would be willing to accept a Mac app that does not have extensions. Just not all that familiar with the Mac touch up apps and wanted some suggestions till I become more comfortable using Affinity for those types of touch ups. Thanks.

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