Adobe has just announced the latest versions of its entry-level photo and video editing software, Photoshop Elements 13 and Premiere Elements 13. With the latest iteration of the two software tools, Adobe puts an even stronger focus on making them as easy and as intuitive to use as possible. At the same time, each software packs a lot of punch from its higher-end relatives, Photoshop CC and Premiere CC.
For those new to photo and video editing, Adobe has a new learning center called “Elements Live” where how-to tutorials from the Web to all important functions of Photoshop and Premiere Elements are being curated. While many of these can also be found on the Internet, Elements Live aims to make it quicker and easier to find relevant information. From within Elements Live, it is now also much easier to reach Adobe’s Help Service.
When it comes to edits, Adobe says the most important function for many users is the cropping function. In order to make image cropping even more intuitive, Photoshop Elements 13 will now make suggestions based on a photograph’s contents. By analyzing the photo and applying the rules of composition, Photoshop Elements suggests four crops that the user can choose from.
Another popular feature in Photoshop Elements are the Guided Edits, which help achieve complex edits without actually needing to know how to do them. In Version 13, Photoshop Elements adds three Guided Edits pertaining to black-and-white images. While one does a basic b&w conversion, the other two focus on selective colors, offering to desaturate all but one color or to keep the color information only in specific areas of an image.
The Media Tab of Photoshop Elements 13 retains the Quick, Guided, Expert modes, with the Quick mode receiving 40 new one-click effects. For those eager to learn how these effects work, Expert mode reveals all the details by showing the individual layers that are applied to the original image. Also new and added by user demand is the Photomerge Compose function, which lets you cut individual objects out of one picture and add them into another picture. Another interesting feature that Facebook users will enjoy is the ability to create custom cover and profile photos that neatly blend together to create a unique presentation.
In Premiere Elements 13, Adobe has now made video trimming much easier than before. By watching through a video and marking favorite moments, the software is now able to automatically trim the video down to include only those scenes the user likes the most. For video clips that have been taken with smartphones or action cams, Premiere Elements 13 now offers more powerful stabilization options.
Another new feature in Premiere Elements 13 is the possibility to easily create video stories by genre. Whether you filmed a birthday party, a wedding, or other big events, Premiere Elements 13 lets you quickly create comprehensive video stories that includes chapters, transitions between clips, background music, and even still photographs. Once completed, the video stories can easily be shared online.
Premiere Elements 13 has also gained new Guided Edits that let you add motion inside movie titles or add effects or blurs into scenes. Furthermore, both Photoshop Elements 13 and Premiere Elements 13 have been redesigned for high-resolution displays including Apple’s Retina MacBooks, making full use of all the pixel real estate that these offer.
While Adobe has transitioned the higher-end CC versions to a subscription model, Elements remains available as a boxed version. The prices of the new Elements version will stay the same, with updates starting at $79 for the individual software and $119 for the Photoshop-Premiere bundle. The full versions of Photoshop and Premiere Elements 13 will be available for $99 individually or $149 bundled.
Related: Adobe acquires Aviary, adds mobile photo editor’s SDK to its cloud platform
