In a recent article for OpenSource.com, JT Pennington shares his favorite open source tools for photography enthusiasts. He points out that, while most people “scoff at the idea of a professional workflow on anything other than Windows or Mac,” that there are plenty of open source software options out there.
Pennington explains that “[t]he software landscape on Windows and Mac is so dominated by Photoshop and Lightroom…[but] we know of a better way—the open source way—and this is yet another example of how open source leads to more options and innovations.”
Here are 14 open source photography tools recommended by Pennington and commenters on his post.
1. Gimp
Gimp is an open source alternative to Photoshop that enables photo retouching, image composition, image authoring and more.
2. darktable
darktable is an open source photography RAW developer and workflow application that enables photographers to work with digital images, from capture to delivery.
3. LightZone
LightZone is professional-level digital darkroom software that works on Windows, Mac OS X, and Linux. It includes RAW processing and editing and has an “international group of members and volunteers dedicated to the preservation, sharing, mutual support, and further development.”
4. Shotwell
Shotwell is a photo manager for GNOME 3, a desktop environment created by the international GNOME Foundation and composed entirely of free and open-source software.
5. Raw Therapee
Raw Therapee is a cross-platform raw image processing program released under the GNU General Public License Version 3. It enables a number of editing operations aimed at non-destructive raw photo post-production and is primarily focused on “improving a photographer’s workflow by facilitating the handling of large numbers of images.”
6. digiKam
digiKam is a digital photo management application for Linux, Windows, and Mac OSX that enables photographers to manage, edit, enhance, organize, tag, and share photographs under Linux systems.
7. Photovito
Photovito is a free and open source photo processor that handles RAW files as well as bitmap files (TIFF, JPEG, BMP, PNG, etc.). It does so in a non-destructive, 16 bit processing pipe with Gimp workflow integration and batch mode.
8. UFRaw
UFRaw (Unidentified Flying Raw) is a utility to read and manipulate raw images from digital cameras—either on its own, or as a Gimp plug-in. It supports color management workflow and allows users to apply ICC color profiles.
9. Fotoxx
Fotoxx is a free, open source Linux program for image editing and collection management with a goal to “meet the needs of serious photographers while remaining fast and easy to use.”
10. Rapid Photo Downloader
Rapid Photo Downloader is free software, written by a photographer for professionals and amateurs alike and released under the GNU GPL license, that allows users to import photos and videos efficiently and reliably.
11. F-Spot
F-Spot is a personal photo management application for the GNOME desktop that aims to simplify digital photography by providing intuitive tools to help users share, touch-up, find and organize images.
12. Photoflow
Photoflow is a photo retouching program that provides a complete layer-based workflow. The aim of the project is to provide a fully non-destructive photo retouching program with a complete workflow including RAW image development.
13. Pixls
Pixls is a platform that provides tutorials, workflows and a showcase for high-quality photography using free/open source software. As the site states, “There are many wonderful free/open source software projects dedicated to photography. Yet there aren’t nearly as many resources dedicated to photographic workflows with them.”
14. Hugin
Hugin enables user to assemble a mosaic of photographs into a “complete, immersive panorama, stitch any series of overlapping pictures and more.” The goal for the project is to be an easy to use cross-platform panoramic imaging toolchain based on Panorama Tools.
Looking for content? Check out the “Best Free Image Resources Online” here.
Top photo: Paul Skorupskas (CC-0)
