ACDSee Photo Editor

If you're into photo editing, you might want to check out ACDSee Photo Editor. The newest version, ACDSee Photo Editor 6, is a solid tool made by ACD Systems International Inc. for serious photo work. It’s built for Mac OS X Tiger, and you can grab it straight from their site for free. Windows users aren’t left out upgrading is pretty straightforward. Just back up your photos with your current Windows setup, then either drop your new images into the program’s main folder or upload them online if you’re connected.

What makes this editor stand out? For starters, it’s got some really handy features. You get better layer editing, which is great if you like stacking effects or making complex compositions. There’s also full RAW support, so you can work with high quality image files right out of your camera. Want to personalize your workspace? You can even set custom background images. Version 6 also plays nice with CorelDraw and supports directory integration, making it easier to keep your projects organized. Plus, you can tweak layers with filters and use tags to sort your photos and info super useful when you’ve got a lot of files to manage. The main editing window shows you all the effects you’ve applied to your image, so you always know what’s what.

ACD Systems has been in the game for a while and is known for making pro level editing software. ACDSee Photo Editor is one of their big hits, and it comes in both free and paid versions. Oh, and just a heads up if you plan to work with PDFs in the mix, you’ll need Adobe Acrobat Reader installed (the free one works fine). Whether you're a hobbyist or a pro, this editor has enough tools to help you make your photos look exactly how you want.