Good alternatives to lightroom (free)

[Hoogle]

Does anyone know any good alternatives to Adobe lightroom that is free, Autodesk Pixlr looks like the best at the moment on quick look on google,

However I will describe what it is for then maybe you can best oint me in the right direction.

I am starting a local photography club with my local library which I volunteer at, we have just ordered a variety of cameras which people can use if they do not have their own, this has been passed as an expense that will benefit the library but of course they will not pay for software, that said our computers in the library cant run any advance software accept for 8 nice laptops which we have, as the old computers are server based and run windows xp.

The idea is we will go on an outing take photos from all sorts of cameras as we will have beginners to pros with their own cameras, plus noobies using library cameras, this will be 1 evening/ day etc then on another I will be holding sessions on basic editing to advanced which of course I do not want everyone using y laptop for as it has the software, nor can I ask everyone to supply their own laptops along with an adobe subscription.

As we do not know who will be joining the club, it does not officially start until next week, we have to assume people will be joining on a very low budget as it is a comunity project not designed for pro toggers etc.

So what do you guys think is a good alternative for quickly touching up pictures and batch processing images to lightroom.

I can google it but would rather people with real experience who uses it.

has to be user friendly pretending someone hasnt used photo software before etc.

 

[Eggy]

Here's one I stumbled across

https://www.photoshopgurus.com/forum/redirect-to/?redirect=http://lightzoneproject.org/user/register

 

[Tom Mann]

Hi Hoogle - do you need LR's database & metadata capabilities or any of the other features that LR offers (eg, easy production of everything from contact sheets to photo books), or just straightforward image adjustments & modifications?

Also, have u given any thought to Adobe's deep academic discounts?

Cheers,

Tom

 

[Hoogle]

We are not a registered learning institute, and I am no longer a Registered Instructor (I believe not renewed in years)

the fact is that it has to be available to everyone from the poorest backgrounds to people that will not think twice about spending the money on lightroom.

so it is best to start safe with free software to see who sticks around and who wants to learn that side of things as we already have 40+ people signed up for interest in the new club we can not provide software for everyone, however speaking to friends of library on monday who may be willing to add premium software to the laptops which we have on the grounds that everyone else can afford their own computers and we will just make them available to the people that don't at set times, with a drop in session when I am there to guide as much as possible.

 

[Tom Mann]

Ok on the population that you will be dealing with. I understood that from your 1st post, but what's your take on features (...as I asked in my previous post?). I, of course, have my own opinions on this, but u will have a much better idea than I would.

For example, why was LR the first thing that u mentioned, not something vastly simpler and free like Irfanview?

Tom

 

[Paul]

Maybe because everyone as heard of Lightroom and can then make a valid comparison?