Question- how do you crop and color correct layout photos without photoshop?

Hello Monday!

My posts may stop for a bit as I transition to new digs in Salt Lake City.
Writing won't be an issue but getting good photos of my projects without using photoshop is going to be a problem.

How do you crop your photos and color correct of you don't use photoshop?

I guess I could "stage" pages and shoot low rez in morning light.

If you have any tips on programs you use and love, please comment.

In any case I want to show you a page I'm crazy about:

MATERIALS: American Crafts cardstock, Graphic Circles model # 2013076, Lanky Upper Case Alphabet model # 2007011, Lanky lower case alphabet model #2007012, Basic Grey Fact and Fiction stickers, Plaid chalkboard paint, MT washi tape in red and red grid, Crate Paper bingo alphas, Studio Calico paper (strips), Studio Calico vellum

The lanky alphas are about 2 inches high so there is a
lot of surface area to play with. I wanted to go wild an crazy
with some geometric doodles but decided to stick with
something I've tried before. Not surprisingly they took
chalkboard paint really well so I'll have to use it again.

For the circle arrow I just used some washi tape and
a gel pen to make dots- so simple but so FUN.
I'm thinking of "joining the cloud" and using an online subscription service instead of filling up my computer with a bunch of programs.
The tech rumor I keep hearing from professional graphic artists is that owning software and having it take up space in your personal computer is slowly becoming a thing of the past.
I have my eye on Photoshop Elements- do you use it? Do you like it? And also Lightroom. Do you use that?
I thought RADLAB was a subscription / cloud-based photo retouching program but it isn't.
It's a photoshop plugin that allows you to add pretty non-destructive light and color effects to your images. Non destructive means you can reverse any changes made- something that cannot be said for images taken on the "Hipstamatic" or "Instagram" smart-phone apps.
College friend and fellow Mariposa, Saidy Lopez, and I went to Governor's Island on saturday to check out Figment.

The cloud pavilion which was made with thousands of milk jugs.
Inside was quite the 70;'s funkadelic dance party.
Lola found many earthworms. And ate one.

Not sure who these dudes (and dudettes) were but they paraded around
we got picked up as Lola was wearing her T Rex costume.
It. was. awesome!
Saidy took this photo:

It was the end of the day. Lola was tired and refusing to smile.
I was suffering from extreme hat hair but STILL this photo ROCKS!!!!
That is what a good photographer can do for you.
Do not under estimate it.
This photo convinced me that a. I need to pick up my DSLR again b. I need to start noticing things like f-stop and shutter speed again. I've been messing around for too long. For realz.
There is no photoshop trickery here- it's pure light and a photographer who stood her ground till BOOM she got the shot.

Have a GREAT week!
Michelle