Late last week Google announced the closure of the fabulous photo editing Picnik site, in order to roll out some of it’s functions into Google+ photos. But that also means from what I’ve read that all your photos edited on it are then also made public via your Google+ account – I could be wrong so don’t hold me to that! But this move by Google (motto: ‘Don’t be Evil’) pretty much stuffs up loads of Bloggers and small Etsy business people who don’t have access to photo editing software and used Picnik on a daily basis.
So what can you replace it with? Well frankly none of them out there are as good as Picnik was. I tried lots of them over the weekend and I could weep for the lack of decent competition. So what is there?
Web
Photobucket – http://photobucket.com/ the adverts on it will drive you mad, flashing intrusive and bloody annoying BUT the photo editing on there is pretty good and you can store images on there. Lots of image editing available change colours, crop, add text and other shinies to it.
Big Huge Labs - http://www.bighugelabs.com/ I love this site, it’s not fancy but there are some great utilities and you can make collages really easily on there.
Avaiary - http://advanced.aviary.com/ this is ok, I found it a little clunky to use but I think this is a service that will rapidly get better now Picnik has gone.
and a few I’ve not tried http://fotoflexer.com/ http://www.phixr.com/ http://www.photoshop.com/ http://pixlr.com/express/
Software – If you want to invest some money have a look at Photoshop Elements. It’s a cut down version of Photoshop, it does a lot but is depending in where you buy it between £60 and £100 but you can get this for Mac or Windows
Also there is Gimp which is free for both Mac and Windows, I’ve personally not used it but I know a lot of people rave about it.
For the Mac
There are now some cool apps you can by in the Mac App Store for editing photos. I’ve not used any of these as I’m a Photoshop girl but my husband who hates Photoshop swears by this:
Pixelmator - http://www.pixelmator.com/ It’s £20.99
For Windows
I’ve not been on a Windows machine for years, but I’m assured by people in the know that the new version of Paint is ok and if you are lucky enough to have Office, have a look at Publisher and Powerpoint – you can edit photos on either of those. Off the top of my head I can’t remember if you can add text to photos on Windows Photo Editor? But that comes with basic Windows, so have a look it’s possible you can.
I’m sure I’ve missed some, so if you know of any that are brilliant let us know all about it.
{ 33 comments… read them below or add one }
I just heard about that! That’s mad! Google seems to be going crazy all of a sudden- don’t like it!
I agree, I was irate when I heard about it at the weekend. So many people use it for blogs and their businesses. I really don’t know what they are hoping to achieve?
Thanks for this. I am mourning the loss of picnik so will look into the above x
Hope it helps x
I’m gutted that I paid for another year for a premium account just a couple of months back.I noticed that you can jazz up photos you upload on G+ before adding them to your profile using Picnik after Christmas.I feel duped into paying for something I didn’t need to pay for.
They are giving full refunds no matter when you signed up for premium which is something but it’s still crap x
Thanks for this Liz, really useful. This is so maddening of Google, very short sighted.
Aly, they are offering a full refund now matter how close to the end of your subscription you are so you can get your money back. C x
What a hugely helpful post, Liz. I use Picnik almost daily, so I’d be looking for some good alternatives. Thank you.
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Perfectly timed post: I have just been searching for a replacement. I wouldn’t mind, but I’ve only just got used to Picnik!!
If you’re on a PC and use Office, try Office Picture Manager – you can do a lot of picture editing and resizing in that, I use it a lot for blog photos.
Photoshop Elements is good – and remember you can pick up the (not latest) version on Amazon for around 50 quid.
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Yeah I couldn’t remember if you could add text on Photo Editor? And agreed Elements is great value for £50 worth it if you do a lot of photo work.
Oh, does this mean Picasa will only be available for G+ images or could you still use that? I know a lot of people use it for basic image editing and making collages etc.
I’m not a Picasa user so I don’t know. I would have thought it’d end up being sucked into the G+ void as soon as they can if this and the other things they’ve done recently are anything to go by? I’m wonder what Picnik editing is going to be replaced with on Flickr?
Sumopaint on the web and paint.net for Windows are the two weapons of choice for me. Sumopaint is particularly impressive.
Thanks for the recommendation Alex!
I have been wandering around all weekend muttering about this, am most discombobulated! I am having a look at BeFunky to see how that works out, although I am not happy with the resizing method they use but that may be better on the premium version.
I also object to everyone accessing all my pics, when I want to share I will let people know, not sure I want people to see absolutely everything
Thank you for this. I only recently got into picnik after struggling with many other recommended sites. I am not technically minded at all and was really impressed with how simple and effective picnik is. I’ll take a look at your recommendations .
OMG – I hadn’t heard – what am i to do?
Will try some of the others now!
BNM
I didn’t use Picnic to start with. But I do have Photoshop Elements (9) and I really like it. It is much cheaper then Photoshop and not as complicated. Mac also has iPhoto. I only use it for Photostream.
I am gutted that Picnik is closing – I recently found an article that may help with other choices out there like Befunky & iPiccy:-
http://news.yahoo.com/google-closing-picnik-along-number-other-services-032411846.html
Sam
Brilliant thanks Sam for the link, I’d not heard of Befunky x
Hello
I found you via Slugs on the Refrigerator and I and to say a huge thank you as I am gutted about Picnik being no more. This isa perfect post for me to look into alternatives. Now I’m off to browse through your beautiful blog xox
Hello! Lovely to meet you and thank you for your kind comment and stopping by
Came across your post just as I was looking for photo editing applications! Some really great advice here on your fab post and the comments…thank you
I just found out about this today and it’s not an exaggeration to say I am distraught! I use Picnik ALL the time — it’s so easy and does exactly what I need. Years ago I had the full Photoshop and found it to be just overly complicated and too much technology for the simple things I needed to do. So I very much appreciate this post. Especially the tip on Big Huge Labs — going to check that out now. Thanks!
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I am not a sophisticated photo user but I use Firefox Mozilla and can recommend the Gimp for photo editing. It’s also free.
Thank you for the bighugelabs intro!
I am also disappointed by the decision to shut down Picnik, have used it for several years.
However, I’ve just had a look at the image editor in Google+ and it is pretty much the same.
So it seems to be a ploy to get more people into Google+.
Yes I had a look at it too and it doesn’t seem to do the collages that a lot of bloggers use and you have to publish your photos whether you like it or not. I think it’s a very short sighted decision in order to force people over to Google+. A shame.
I could spit nails!! HOW COULD GOOGLE DO THIS TO US!?! I survive on my photography business and they have nearly RUINED ME. Not because, I can’t adjust. But the Ortan effect was all my clients favorite effect. I officially HATE Google !!!!!!!!!!
I agree it’s really going to hit small businesses, it’s all very well rolling it into G+ but not all the functionality is there and you have to publish it whether you like it or not. Very, very annoying!! x
I agree with this 100 %, Picnik was just Great, they, Google, have done nothing to replace it, if they do not correct the problem I am going to quit using quite using any Google software product period, Get a package that
is Great and discontinue it, what kind of Business thinking is that?
I have been in Photography a really long time and I must say that is the very worst decision
that I have ever seen in the history of Photography.
Gimp is a Disaster Really hard to use.
Does nothing basically ~
Photo Shop is ok, if you are rich and you have about two years extra time on your hands, to go to school to Learn to use it. Gimp Free but virtually no one cane make it work.
“InfranView” is a really low level photo editor, has a few nice Filters, that is about all, The Framing is really poor.
“Portrait Professional” Forget that, not even worth the time to down load it for a free trial.
Bottom Line, there is nothing to Replace Picnik for Image processing, Framing etc. What an Incredibly nad decision on the part of Google