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ArticleHow to edit photos to get the perfect effect?
Editing photos may seem like a daunting task to novice photographers, but the variety of functions of graphic programs makes it easy to create the perfect image. Good processing does not have to focus on many tools. The most important thing is that it should be directed at evoking a specific impression in the viewer, stimulating interpretative processes, since a photograph can express more than words.
How to process photos in Adobe Lightroom?
At the editing stage, digital photos undergo such operations as improving contrast, brightness or color saturation. Advanced graphics programs also offer many other possibilities, and their choice depends on the photographer’s preferences, the concept adopted, the compositional techniques used while working with the camera, etc.
One of the most widely used tools is Adobe Lightroom, available for free within a trial period. The program is based on Adobe Camera Raw technology, allowing it to support more than 100 uncompressed formats. With Lightroom, any photographer can organize his photos, convert files, prepare creative animations, create slides, etc. The editing process is done via a computer, a browser or a mobile app installed on a phone.
Reworking photos can include, for example, adding ready-made filters, such as sepia
Adobe Photoshop Lightroom offers convenient and easy-to-use sliders for changing lighting settings, while the Tone Curves and Color Mixer features allow you to fine-tune the color saturation of individual photo elements. In the cropping tools, users can set values such as the size and aspect ratio of the selected area of the photo. There is also an option to apply an additional tri-partition overlay with strong points.
The image above shows an example of playing with color saturation modification
Adobe Lightroom is also ideal for those who want to create a stunning bokeh effect by modifying the depth of field of the main subject and the background behind it. This is a big help for novice photographers who are not skilled at setting the right aperture values. One of Adobe’s huge pluses is the option to save the settings of a particular section, so you don’t have to enter your preferred values from scratch every time.
An example of a photo showing the “bokeh” effect
How to process photos in Canva?
Canva is another program that is very popular not only among photographers, but also among people who want to upload an original photo to their social media. The platform’s greatest strengths are its ease of use, intuitiveness and the variety of solutions available. Canva, like Adobe, can be used on a computer or mobile device.
Photo editing includes adding filters, removing backgrounds, bokeh, cropping and much more. There is also an option here to add objects such as frames, designer letters or gifs to create interesting graphics. However, many photographers emphasize that Canva is dedicated to people who are starting out with the camera. This is because such tools as masking, gradients or curve settings do not work as well as in more advanced graphics programs.
Canva also offers ready-made templates into which you can paste a photograph
How to process photos on your phone?
Smartphones are usually used as editors for photos shared on social media. Each phone offers a few processing options, and these are sufficient for people who do not pay attention to details, but just want a nice photo. However, advanced editing is guaranteed by special applications. In addition to Adobe and Canva, these include Pixir and Snapseed. Android and iOS phone owners can easily use them.
Pixir is considered one of the best photo editing programs. Its features include applying filters and frames, adding effects, cropping, rotating and changing color tones. There is also an option to automatically adjust colors. Pixir smooths, blurs and sharpens images according to user preference. An additional feature is the ability to create collages from selected photos. Snapseed offers the same capabilities, plus it can adjust the position of the face relative to the lens, mainly in portrait photos.
The photograph shows an example of a collage of photos. This is a very interesting way of presenting, for example, your face or landscape at different times of the year or at other times of the day when the lighting changes
Photo processing is a skill that requires experience and knowledge of the program being used. It is worth remembering that failures at the beginning should not discourage you. The key to success is patience and practice. To make the editing process easier, it is worth taking advantage of available instructional materials, such as videos that discuss in detail the functions and tools available in selected applications. With these, you will be able to master photo editing techniques step by step and achieve the desired results.
