How To Edit a Photo: 6 Tips To Follow
You have seven seconds to make a great first impression, and this applies to your photos too.
In photography, shooting is the easy part because the real work goes behind editing the image. Although it feels overwhelming, once you understand the basics, it’ll streamline the process. Perhaps you’re not sure how to edit a photo and you’re looking for inspiration.
Sounds like you? Don’t worry, you’ve come to the right place. Here’s how to edit a photo.
1. Play Around With the Software
Before you edit a photo, familiarize yourself with the software. It’s wise to copy your image so you can try different tools or effects without worrying about the original photo. For instance, if you want to make an image transparent, experiment with the options until you’re confident navigating the software.
2. Crop and Clean Up the Photo
A key part of photo editing is cropping the photo. Make sure the image has a straight horizon and figure out which part of the image you want to show. If you’re shooting a photo of a landmark and there are people in the way, resize the photo so it remains the main subject.
3. Adjust the White Balance
An important step of image editing is tweaking the white balance. Note, this relates to color levels, so if your photo is in an unnatural shade, adjust the white balance to fix it. Most software offers “flash”, “daylight”, and “cloudy” settings so you can find the setting that suits your needs.
4. Experiment With Contrast
One of the top editing tips is to play around with the contrast. This refers to the range of dark to light tones, so when it’s cranked up, you’ll see a stark difference between colors in the image. As a general rule, choose a middle contrast to get the best results.
5. Adjust Color Vibrancy and Saturation
When you edit an image, it’s important to consider the photo’s color vibrancy and saturation. Using this setting, you can refine the current photos in the image and make them pop. If you already have a vibrant image, this tool will maintain its intensity while increasing the saturation and making the colors more dramatic.
But it’s important to adjust the white balance first so it’s effective.
6. Remove Unwanted Backgrounds
One of the top editing ideas is removing unwanted backgrounds. This is a lifesaver if someone has photobombed your image or an object is obstructing the view.
To do this, use the lasso tool to select the main object and invert the image so the background is an active layer. Then, hit delete and you’re sorted!
How to Edit a Photo
Hopefully, after reading this article, you know how to edit a photo.
Start by figuring out the software, resizing the image, and adjusting the white balance before editing. You should also remove unwanted backgrounds and tweak the color vibrancy for the best results. Good luck!
Found this article helpful? Great! Then check out the rest of our blog for more tips and tricks.
