Editing pictures used to be something that only professional photographers had to worry about, but with the rising popularity of digital cameras and an abundance of free online photograph editing software, even novices are taking the few extra minutes it takes to touch up their pictures before printing them or posting them online. Picture editing is usually a quick and easy process. All you need are the right tools and a basic understanding of how to use those tools.
There are dozens of free photograph editing sites and software downloads available on the internet. For the basic editing that most people will need to do, these programs work well. It is important to choose an editor that is easy to use, as knowing how to use your picture editor is one of the most important steps to editing pictures. Learn where all of the basic settings are, and experiment to see what everything does.
One of the easiest picture flaws to fix is red eyes. Most picture editing programs have a tool that allows users to simply highlight the affected eyes, and then get rid of the redness with just one click. Cropping is another easy way to improve pictures by removing extra background, and allowing the user to zoom in on the subject of the photograph. Take a second look at pictures before you delete them. There may be a part of the picture that is worth keeping, and the cropping tool can allow you to do that. Cropping and red eye removal are the two most commonly used tools for editing pictures, and can have the greatest overall effect on the final picture.
Editing pictures by using the color controls sounds challenging, but it's not as hard as many people think. Most picture editing software has a simple tool that allows you to alter both the light and color of a picture in one screen. The gamma control can lighten the dark parts of a picture without overexposing the lighter areas, while hue and saturation alter the colors in the picture. Contrast and brightness tools also adjust the colors in photographs. These tools require some practice to get use to, but with a little experience, fixing the color and lighting in pictures becomes easier.
There are not many pictures that cannot be improved through basic picture editing. It is important to remember to only edit copies of pictures so that you can start over fresh if you make a mistake. Don't be afraid to try new techniques and to have fun when you are editing pictures, as even the worst photograph can usually be edited into a usable picture.
