Sep 27, 2009 - Adobe announced an update to their entry-level photo editing program Photoshop Elements to version 8. This is a great program for the photographer just getting started with editing their digital photos. Some of the new features include Photomerge® Exposure which creates perfectly lit photos by combining multiple shots of the same scene with just a few simple clicks. The Recompose feature allows the user to automatically resize photos without distorting the important parts and Quick Fix previews allow users to visually choose the best color, contrast and lighting adjustments from a series of previews. Mac users will have access to a few additional tools like Photomerge Scene Cleaner for brushing away unwanted elements in the image, Smart Brush for applying effects to a specific area of a photo and Touch-Up Brushes for common editing tasks like whitening teeth or making bright blue skies. Photoshop Elements 8 for Windows is available now from Adobe.com for $99 and will be available for Mac in October for $99.

If you’re into video and have a Windows computer you may want to check out Adobe’s Photoshop Elements 8 and Premiere Elements 8 bundle. You’ll have all the great photo editing features from Photoshop Elements plus the ability to easily edit your videos. Some new features added to the Premiere update include Smart Fix which automatically fixes shaky footage and color and lighting problems. Smart Trim identifies and helps get rid of the least interesting, lowest quality footage. Smart Mix seamlessly balances audio to give your video professional-quality sound throughout. Motion-tracking gives users the power to add graphics, text and effects such as thought bubbles and motion blur that will automatically follow a subject within a scene. The bundle is available now at Adobe’s website for $149.99 and will be hitting retail outlets soon. Premiere Elements 8 for Windows can also be purchased separately for $99. Read More→