Free Windows Screen Capture Software

This article was written on September 03, 2010 by CyberNet.

greenshot.pngI use screenshot tools all the time no matter what computer I’m on. One interesting Windows screenshot tool that I came across recently is called Greenshot. It’s not the most feature-packed utility that you can find, but I’d say it ranks pretty highly seeing that it does come with its own image editor.

Once I started using Greenshot there were some things that immediately popped out to me. The first is something that you can clearly see in the screenshot to the right, and it’s that it highlights the region that will be captured along with providing the dimensions. You don’t have to capture a region though… there are also options to grab a window or the entire screen.

The screenshot editor is simple, but useful. With it you’re able to add some common shapes and text so that the image can be more easily understood by the recipient. You can also highlight or obfuscate parts of the capture. I was a bit surprised when I used the obfuscate feature because it doesn’t blur it out the same way that many other apps do. Instead of being a smoothly blurred area it will be heavily pixelized, which in some ways I actually l like better.

If you dive into the settings you can customize options like the default action you want done after you’ve taken a screenshot. It can open it in the image editor, copy it to the clipboard, send it to a printer, display a dialog to save the file, save it to a pre-defined destination, or email it. One of those options are bound to be what you’re looking for.

Overall I’d say that Greenshot is pretty nice, but will obviously lack features that paid applications like SnagIt offer. It only uses around 16MB when sitting idle though, which is a comfortable amount for a utility like this.

Greenshot Homepage (Windows only; Freeware)

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Create HDR Photos with Picturenaut

This article was written on January 24, 2012 by CyberNet.

Hdr software

HDR is the process of combining multiple photos with the hope that the resulting image is clear in both the light and dark areas. Getting good free HDR software that is capable of merging the photos together can be a little tricky since there are a lot of things it has to take into account, such as perfectly aligning each image.

Picturenaut is a free HDR app for Windows that has done a wonderful job with my photos. The program has been in the works for over 4 years, and you can tell that a lot of sweat has been put into making it. Merging your images will generally take just a few seconds, and with the settings available you are able to tweak the resulting photo to look exactly how you want it to.

Here are some of the high-level features offered by Picturenaut:

  • Automatic image alignment
  • Exposure correction
  • Color balancing
  • Ghost removal
  • RAW support
  • Noise level compensation
  • Full control over camera curve

Picturenaut Homepage (Windows only; Freeware)
[Images used for HDR example are from Wikipedia]

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Free Cross-Platform Image Editor Similar to Paint.NET

This article was written on July 10, 2012 by CyberNet.

Free image editor

I’ve always thought that free tools like Paint.NET are incredible pieces of software because they drastically simplify the image editing process for most users while still offering a lot of the advanced options for the power users out there. The downside to Paint.NET is that it’s only available on Windows, but a free app called Pinta tries to bring a similar set of features to all platforms.

Pinta takes many cues from Paint.NET, and that’s a good thing in my book. Since the app is cross-platform you can easily edit your images on Windows, Linux and Mac which can help make moving between operating systems an easier transition when you consider the interface will be the same on them all.

There’s not much else to say about the tool because it does what you’d want an image editor to do. Here is an overview of some of the features highlighted on the project’s page:

  • Drawing Tools
    Use easy drawing tools to draw freehand, lines, rectangles, ellipses, and more.
  • Full History
    Don’t be afraid to experiment, Pinta tracks your full history so you can always undo.
  • Unlimited Layers
    Use layers to help separate and group elements of your image for easy editing.
  • Adjustments and Effects
    Pinta includes over 35 adjustments and effects for tweaking your images.
  • Your Workspace
    Like docked windows? No problem. Floating windows? No problem. Pinta will even let you mix and match. 

One thing I do want to note is to take a look at the prerequisites on the download page. For example, Windows users will need to install .NET 4 and GTK before Pinta will work.

Pinta Homepage (Windows/Mac/Linux; Freeware)

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Apply Effects to Your Photos With BeFunky

This article was written on December 08, 2011 by CyberNet.

Befunky

For the every-day photos that you snap just for fun, there’s no reason to spend hefty sums of money and quality time learning Photoshop. Instead, head over to BeFunky.com where you can quickly, and easily, edit your photos for free. Not only can you edit your photos, you can also add effects and design elements with very little effort.

No need to sign-up for an account, with BeFunky, you can get started right away. You can pull in your pictures from all sorts of various sites like Facebook and Picasa, or you can tinker around with a few sample photos which is what I did to get the gist of what BeFunky is all about.

Using a simple interface, BeFunky makes it possible for anyone to navigate and use their services. Want your photos black and white? No problem. Want to add a frame? Simple. With just a few clicks, users are able to use their imaginations to transform photos into something much more than they originally were. Creative options include photo effects, artsy effects, a framer, goodies (like “stickers”), and a text editor.

A word of caution: not ALL features are available for free. There are some “premium” effects that are available for a nominal fee. They offer enough free of charge options that for most people, an upgrade won’t be necessary. With tons of interesting ways to express yourself, BeFunky is a cool way to add a little something special to your photos.

BeFunky Homepage

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Google buys Snapseed developer Nik Software, raises the eyebrows of Instagram shutterbugs

Google buys Snapseed developer Nik Software, puts Instagram shutterbugs on notice

Google makes a lot of acquisitions, some of them more important than others. Its latest purchase might skew towards the grander side, as it just bought imaging app developer Nik Software. While the company is known for pro photography apps like Capture NX and its Efex Pro series, the real prize might be Snapseed, Nik’s simpler image tool for desktop and iOS users. Both Nik and Google’s Senior Engineering VP Vic Gundotra are silent on the exact plans, but it doesn’t take much to imagine a parallel between Facebook’s buyout of Instagram and what Google is doing here: there’s no direct, Google-run equivalent to Instagram’s social photo service in Android or for Google+ users, and Nik’s technology might bridge the gap. Whether or not Googlegram becomes a reality, the deal is likely to create waves among photographers of all kinds — including those who’ve never bought a dedicated camera.

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Google buys Snapseed developer Nik Software, raises the eyebrows of Instagram shutterbugs originally appeared on Engadget on Mon, 17 Sep 2012 14:38:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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