Kestrel GX

Whenever you want to edit photos, you will find that Microsoft Paint, the default tool which comes with Windows, is extremely limited and doesn't offer too many features, even for beginners. On the other hand, installing a software like Adobe Photoshop may seem the wrong option when it comes to beginners, as this tool has too many features and seems difficult to use, while also taking up a lot of system resources. In this case, you could just install Kestrel GX, which is an image editing program that offers the right balance between functionality and ease of use.

Installing Kestrel GX is not a problem, as its installer offers point and click functionality. When running the software, the user will notice that the main interface resembles the one of Windows Explorer, allowing you to browse through folders with ease and quickly find the desired images. The program allows you to index all your photos, so that you can find and access them more quickly. When selecting an image folder, all the contained pictures will be automatically displayed as thumbnails.

At this point, the user is able to rotate or rename any of the photos. Renaming photos can be performed automatically using rules, as the program can use the EXIF data of any photo to rename it. Unfortunately, there is no option for renaming multiple photos at the same time. When selecting an image and clicking on the edit button, a new window will be opened, in which the user can add a series of effects to the image. These effects can make the photo more personal and can even correct some camera mistakes. As such, the user can change the photo's brightness, contrast, saturation, sharpness and can even remove the red-eye effect.

Another useful feature is the possibility of adding text watermarks to any photo, for copyright issues. There is no option for adding new effects and filters to the application. After editing photos, you are able to save them to a new format and customize quality settings or create a PDF photo book.