What's a good photo editing program for the PC, preferably free?

Picasa
I’ve been using it for the last 3 months or so and love it! It does cropping, contrast adjustments (manual & auto), convert to B&W & Sepia, etc. It can straighten your photos and more. Often to me it looks as it has just the right amount of buttons, not the overkill found in others. And I like the way it shows you in one column all the folders (plus desktop too) where every single photo you have is stored while on the center you see the photo you are working on, with a strip of the other photos in its folder placed right above, so you can move easily from the current photo to the next, or out back to the folders themselves. Go for it I say! It’s free and the learning curve is very short. Feels like something that Apple could have designed =)

I have the perfect thing for you, but its a website.

http://www.lunapic.com

Its an online photo editing site and I use it all the time. Hope this helps.

the gimp is a free program designed to work like Photoshop. if your friend’s aunt is not familiar with photoshop or paint shop pro or something like that, then this is probably not for her, but if she is willing to learn it, she can do a lot with it.

Also, Adobe has the new online Photoshop Express. You upload the photo and edit it online.

I like using Paint.NET.

http://www.getpaint.net/

Hey, glass, welcome to the Fluther collective!

I agree with bryantng, go with Paint.NET.

i know you asked program for the PC. but i have an even better idea, have you tried http://www.picnik.com ? its AMAZING. i love that site. you don’t have to download a single thing! you can edit it all online (yes, its free) and they have amazing features without the technical hassle. and yes, i do shamelessly advertise that site wherever i go.

I vote for the gimp

Definitely go with Picasa. It’s pretty awesome and its free! Just Google Picasa.

he/she says s/he DOESN’T want picasa (in the details of the question)

Exactly, her “friend’s aunt is not happy with Picasa”. Many of us here like it very much, so the only way is for Glass to give it a try.

yes, but i believe the question is asked FOR the aunt. so its like telling the aunt “yeah i know you don’t like the program, BUT, i think you should keep at it anyway because others do like it”

I’m sorry, it doesn’t get any simpler than Picasa. She should try a bit harder, considering complete computer noobs and computer geeks prefer it for the effects you’re talking about.