Affinity Photo is a photo editing software that has been making waves in the recent years as a more affordable alternative to Adobe Photoshop. Each program have their benefits feature similar shortcuts, tools and user interface. The similarities make switching between the two rather easy and can help you in making a quick adjustment. However there will still be a learning curve, as with any program.
Both of the programs work well for photo editing and graphic design. For most users either will probably satisfy your needs. Both products come with a free trial that you can use to test how they work. This may be the best way to see which program you would prefer to use. Your choice will probably depend on which UI and workflow you prefer.
What can you do with Photoshop and Affinity Photo?
Both Photohsop and Affinity Photo have endless capabilities when it comes to design and photo editing. However there are popular uses for these programs that you may be interested in. Here are some things that you can use the software for
- Color adjusting Photos and Images.
- Removing blemishes, acne, or other imperfections.
- Masking out people or objects.
- Removing objects from an image.
- Cropping.
- Change or alter perspective.
- Photo manipulations.
- Blur backgrounds.
- Add text to images.
- Sharpen images and photographs.
Live Previews
In recent times Affinity Photo has been getting some love for its intuitive features that can help with photo editing and designing. One of the more popular features is the preview effect that many of the tools give. This is a great time saver as it prevents you from having to constantly make adjustments and undo them until you have it how you want. With Photoshop there is typically a lot of trial and error, making the undo feature your best friend.
The live previews work for brushes, blending modes, gradients and many more effects that graphic designers commonly use.
User Interface
Each program has their own unique design when it comes to the user interface. Affinity has a more color rich UI that has a lot of the same features and tools that Photoshop does. As a design tool, a lot of people prefer the more colorful design that Affinity features.
The Photoshop interface is a more bland black, white and grey design. However this doesn’t mean that the tools aren’t as good or useful. Although this is only a minor detail for people that spend all day using a program it might be a deciding factor.
The UI of Photoshop and the rest of the Adobe Suite is something that has been getting reasonable updates over the years. When looking back to the design of older Adobe programs to the current look you can see that it has advanced some bit. With a design that is easier on the eyes and still user friendly.
Plugins
One of the things that makes Adobe Photoshop so appealing is the support of plugins. With an array of different third party plugins Photoshop can become even more powerful and feature rich. Affinity Photo however isn’t compatible with many plugins as of current, although that is likely to change.
Features
With years of experience and existence Photoshop has accumulated a load of features to its toolbelt. The beauty of having so many cool effects is being able to customise each design uniquely and get the exact look you want. You truly feel like creating anything is possible with Photoshop.
Transforming and Warping
When designing you will often find yourself transforming shapes and layers. This is incredibly useful for modifying the perspective of layers and objects. Affinity Photo has a pretty good perspective tool which allows you to work with either one or two planes. Other altercations, such as skewing, will need the use of filters. Affinity Photo has a range of both destructive and non-destructive filters that you can use.
With Photoshop you also have a lot of the same or similar filters. However the inbuilt transform options are greatly superior. When you have entered the transform mode on a layer you can right click and choose between different transform modes. The transform options allow you to skew, alter perspective, warp and free transform. With so many options you can modify the layer really well and match your scene or design.
Performance
Powerful programs like Affinity Photo and Adobe Photoshop make major adjustments and changes to photos and designs. When working with large files or making more severe changes the software has to deal with the stress.
Photoshop typically performs better and has a smoother transition when making color adjustments to your image. With Affinity you might notice a laggy feel, or see the image transition slowly through boxes. This isn’t a major obstacle that needs to be overcome. However if you’re used to Photoshop this is something that you will notice a change in.
Workflow
When comparing the appearance of Affinity Photo and Photoshop you’ll notice that they both look rather similar. In some aspects they are, and their general workflow is also similar. They both use layers and can be fairly non-destructive. However there are small differences between the two that you might notice.Selecting and working with color adjustments differ, as well as the general process of photo editing.
Adjustment layers are a major part of both of the raster graphics editors. They allow you to make crucial changes, like color grading, to your photos and designs. Adjustment layers are used in most, if not all projects of designers and photographers.
The layout for both Affinity Photo and Photoshop is similar, however the Affinity version is more intrusive. It typically takes up the side panel, where as in Photoshop it is a simple click and select menu. For most this isn’t going to be a major deterring factor, but is something you should know if considering making the switch from Photoshop.
Photoshop uses smart object layers to allow you to make non-destructive changes to images. An example of this includes resizing of images. Typically a layer in Photoshop won’t be a smart object but you can easily convert it to one by right clicking. Affinity Photo however treats all layers like a smart object by default. This means that by resizing the image once you’ve scaled it down, re-scaling it back up won’t cause any distortion or pixelation.
Affinity Macros vs Photoshop Actions
Beginners may not be familiar with what these are, however if you have experience in either raster graphics software then there’s a good chance you do. Macros or Actions allow you to record a series of steps in your workflow and have them play back at a later time. This means that if you have an effect you plan on using again you can easily apply it to a new piece of work with a simple click. Short macros can save some time and tinkering when editing, and perfecting longer scripts can be a complete game changer.
At the current time there are more capabilities with photoshop’s action system, allowing you to record a wider variety of effects and apply them to your edit. For most users or simpler tasks Affinity Photo will do an adequate job.
With both programs you can save, export and even share your created scripts. You can find different actions and macros being given away or sold online, that you can use and take advantage of to better your work. Because of the pure popularity and long lasting existence of Photoshop there are more actions available for the program.
Something to note is that you can’t load Affinity Macros in Photoshop, or Photoshop Actions in Affinity Photo. Although they’re not compatible recording the same steps shouldn’t be too difficult, but may take some time to get used to the alternative system.
Price
Although both programs are great Photo editing tools, the price difference is a fairly notable difference. Photoshop is the more expensive of the two, and is a monthly subscription that you pay for. Photoshop will cost you $20.99 USD a month, or $9.99 if you get the Photography plan which also comes with lightroom. Whereas Affinity Photo is a one off payment for just $49.99.
Should you make the change from Photoshop to Affinity Photo?
If you’re already using Photoshop as your main software you may be drawn to making the switch to Affinity Photo. The program works very similar and is capable of many of the same things. If you make the switch you will notice the previously mentioned differences, as well as some others along the way.
Generally speaking you should be able to achieve most of the same things in either program. The price of Affinity Photo is a major driving factor in making the switch, and for most users the change will be worth it.
Affinity Photo is constantly growing, with more users making the switch, and new resources being created. Affinity seem to be working hard on constantly expanding the features, effects and capabilities of their applications. Slowly they’re becoming a more worthy competitor to Photoshop.
Conclusion
Adobe Photoshop is our pick for the superior photo editing program. It is used widely across the world and has established itself as the go to application for photo editing. Photoshop is great for power users who will find themselves constantly editing photos, designing or working within the design space.
The versatility and communication between Photoshop and the other applications in the Adobe Suite is also a bonus if you’re looking to expand into other realms of design and videography.
Photoshop has been around for years, and with this comes experience and the continuously growing toolbelt of effects, filters and tools that you can take advantage of. Because of the popularity surrounding Photoshop there are also many guides and tutorials online and on YouTube that can help you learn the program from scratch which is another bonus.
If you’re just starting out with design or photo editing, you may want to opt for Affinity Photo. It is a much cheaper program that has many of the common tools and benefits that Photoshop does. At such an affordable price it is a really good option and alternative.
As a designer you will be able to create a lot of the same things you can in Photoshop, if not all of them. The methods may vary, however using whatever tool you feel comfortable with is going to benefit you in the long run. Although the array of tutorials and guides aren’t as rich, there are still enough to teach you the basics and get your creativity flowing.
