MAC's Livequartz For Filtering And Retouching Photos

If you own a Mac and expensive photo editing software isn't in your budget, the look at Livequartz image editor for its powerful features. Developed by Romain Piveteau, it utilizes nondestructive layers and filters much like CoreImage. It has been constantly updated since its birth, including fixing bugs.

LiveQuartz is a free photo editor for MAC OS X Leopard. If your Mac is multi-touch trackpad enabled, use can use gestures for tool control, layer control, magnification, zoom and rotate. Drag and drop to add or remove layers, or re-order and merge layers intuitively.

Intuitively select normal image layers or select to filter layers and build several filter layers on top of each other on the same image layer. Render photos or change filter options to render.

All of the user interface is in one window which shows which tools are available. All of the layers options are to the right, and all of the tools are to the left, unless you choose to hide the layers and filters so all of the window space is filled up with just your photo.

LiveQuartz supports all the common image formats including pdf, jpeg, tiff, gif, bmp, raw, and many others and its QuickLook and Spotlight ready. It's available in 11 languages, including Japanese, Traditional or simplified Chinese, Russian, and Spanish.

For the artist in you, use the brush (B) to paint with the color in the size you choose. Retouch photos with the duplication tool (S). Use the drawing tools (U) to line, full or stroke a rectangle. The eraser tool (E) or the background eraser tool (O) replaces an image with transparent color. Add text with the text tool (T), then modify it or change the font.

One of the newer features is the lasso tool (L), which allows you to copy a portion of your image and to restrict your painting and erasing area. The shape is controlled by dragging the mouse.

Use the hand (H or Space) to move the image viewing area. Zoom (Z) or unzoom (alt), or with the Apple + and - keys. Cut, copy, or paste pixels in the layers you select with the Apple X, C, and V keys.

One of the more useful features is being able to make hand motions to tell the software what to do. In multi-touch support, use the hand gesture of a horizontal swipe to change the selected tool, or a vertical swipe to change the selected layer.

Use your fingers to pinch and expand magnification in the default mode, or if the layer dragging tool is selected, transform the scale on the selected layer.

With a rotate hand gesture, if the layer dragging tool is selected, you can rotate the selected layers. If there are scroll bars, you can scroll.

While Livequartz Image Editor does not have all the features of a software package that can cost several hundred dollars plus hours of learning curve, it does have many powerful features that will make you look like a pro.