Dazzling pictures are easy to take for your information products, using any of the new digital cameras. But no matter how well you plan your pictures, you usually need to fix them before you add them to your masterpiece. The pictues are too dark, they have too much blank space, you didn't center your subject, or a multitude of other problems mean you need some way to fix you pictures.

Well, today that's easy because of the number of new software programs created just to make your pictures look professional. Below we've listed a number of programs from the low cost PhotoStudio 2000 at $49 to the high cost Adobe Photoshop at $609. Quite a spread and yes, you do get what you pay for.

But often those high cost software programs come with so many extras that you never learn how to use them. Because...

the learning curve of many of these tools is very high.

I know everytime I start to crop a picture, change it's brightness and contrast, etc., I have to reread the book. But if you plan on using digital pictures in your information projects you'll need one of these software tools.

I use Paint Shop Pro 7, JascSoftware's 10th Anniversary Edition. I just got it at my local Costco for a great discount price of $79.99. Plus it came with a $20 mail-in rebate. So this $109 priced software package only cost me $59.99.

You'll probably find other sources offering this $20 rebate. But I like the way Costco does rebates, especially after Microsoft never paid one of my $35 rebate. Costco gives you a special receipt that you mail directly to Costco's rebate program.

And you actually get your money back!

One of the reasons that Microsoft said they couldn't send my rebate check was that when I was living in June Lake I was using a PO Box number. Seems that Microsoft won't send a rebate to PO Boxes. Now in June Lake that's the only way you could get mail since there was no delivery. But since Microsoft created the Earth... we can't fool with their rules.

Oh, by the way... Microsoft ware using a PO Box number in Florida for their rebate program.

That's why I don't even bother about a Microsoft rebate... since I don't believe they plan on paying the rebate.

Anyway, here's the list of the most important photo manipulating software available today.

Product	Price	Comments	Source
PhotoStudio 2000	$49	Simple, icon-based interface - great introduction to digital imaging Basic image-editing tools, photo-stitching, autoediting functions and many effects and filters Macintosh version (PhotoStudio X) available for $99	www.arcsoft.com 800-762-8657
PhotoSuite 4 Platinum edition	$49	Unique interface - very easy to use GIF animation tools, photo-stitching, more than 1500 home and business templates and photo-mosaic tools Windows only	www.mgisoft.com 888-644-7638
Picture It Photo Premium Edition 2001	$54	Interface laden with pictures - definitely a program for home users Picture It Publishing Platinum 2001 version integrates photo-editing tools with home desktop-publishing tools Create calendars, cards, collages, animation, labels and stickers with the dozens of templates Picture It 2002 due for release with more than 15,000 templates for cards, photo albums, calendars, flyers, invitations, stickers and Web pages Windows only	www.microsoft.com 800-426-9400
Photolmpact 6	$89	Edit images, create Web graphics and build complete Web pages with integrated Web-site creation tools Solid standard photo-editing tools Supports 2D and 3D vector graphics Built-in animation studio	www.ulead.com 800-858-5323
Photoshop Elements	$99	Based on high-end code from Adobe's Photoshop Advanced photo editing alongside beginner-friendly features, such as autostraighten, autocrop, red-eye removal, fill flash, backlighting and dozens of filters Hints and Recipes to help guide users through tasks GIF animation and other Web tools No CMYK support	www.adobe.com 800-833-6687
CorelDraw Essentials	$109	Includes Photo-Paint 9 and CorelDraw 9 programs Quick tour, Web help and CorelTutor features for accessibility for beginners Page-layout tools for print projects Create wizard-aided HTML layouts and image maps	www.corel.com 800-772-6735
Paint Shop Pro 7	$109	Good, straightforward photo-editing capabilities Web tools to create image maps and roll-overs Animation Shop 3 software included in package Feature to convert groups of files from one format to another Free unlimited technical support	www.jasc.com 800-622-2793
Fireworks 4	$299	Top-line Web-graphics program Vector and bitmap image support Pop-up Menu Creator, selective JPEG compressibility, animation, tight integration with Dreamweaver and Flash programs, plus many other Web-friendly tools Open and edit Photoshop files while preserving layer information High price tag	www.macromedia.com 800-470-7211
Photoshop 6	$609	Top-shelf photo editing, used by professional designers Advanced color-separation tools for professional printing Create JavaScript roll-overs, GIF animation, image maps and other dynamic Web element Manage vector graphics Curve tools for find-tuning colors and contrast Add written or voice comments to photos High price tag	www.adobe.com 800-833-6687