10 Different Types of Photo Editing Software and Why You Need Them

1. 10 Different Types of Photo Editing Software and Why You Need Them Adjust and edit your photos Photo editing is the changing of images. These images can be digital photographs, illustrations, prints, or photographs on film. The software that comes installed with your smartphone is usually pretty decent, but it lacks the power needed to do serious processing on your photos. Amateur photographers will normally go with basic filters and editing tools on their smartphones, which allow you to fix a blemish or maybe cut out the back of a building in your photo, but they're nowhere near powerful enough to use on a professional level. If you're serious about learning how to take photos that actually look good, then you'll want to look into a powerful photo editing software. Photoshop, Photoshop is still the king of editing tools, and it offers a wide variety of filters, effects, and tools. Edit and retouch your photos

2. Photo Retouching means the elimination of all the imperfections from a photo, which usually includes colour and tone correction, blemishes and under-eye circles removal, change of brightness, contrast and saturation. If you'd like to have a more professional looking picture for your Instagram profile or Facebook page, you'll need software with tools that will help you do the following: Organize and save photos. Some photo editing software is capable of organizing and saving your photos into organized libraries. If you do not take the time to label and categorize your photos, you'll never really be able to put them away. Capture highlights and undertones. An editing tool that's capable of adding a "warm" or "cool" shift to your images can make them look as though they've been taken on a different type of camera. Boost a photo's color or saturation. Highlighting and de-saturating colors in the right proportions can give a photo that picture-perfect look. Balance a photo's colors and brightness. Enhance your photos You don't have to use software on your smartphone. You can use a desktop or laptop with an excellent photo-editing program (or two). You can use free options such as iPhoto, Photoshop Elements, and Paint.net, or you can shell out for more powerful versions, such as Adobe Photoshop CC (an amazing $9.99 a month), Photogene Elements (a free edition for OS X and Windows, with pro versions for $19.99 and $29.99 a month respectively), or Photoshop Elements: Photo editing programs can do a lot more than edit the picture. After all, no one will remember the original picture in five years' time, so it's important to make your photos do more. Shoot photos of the family you'll never be able to photograph in real life. Take panoramic photos and make them big and bright so they're not pixelated. Make collages with photo editing software Because you can now create stunning prints in your home or studio using only your smartphone, those nifty Instagram filters, and a few photo editors, your smartphone is becoming your new point-and- shoot. However, there's a huge difference between your smartphone photos and prints that you can hang on your wall. That's where the good stuff—namely, photo editing software—comes in. A photo editor can do wonders for the photos you take with your smartphone. It can make them shine—making them even better than they already are. Create gifs with photo editing software Companies such as Pixlr and Paint.NET are making it easier and more fun to adjust your photographs, and in some cases, there are free options. Other software is very professional, including expensive professional tools, such as Photoshop, Enlighten, Photoshop Elements, Lightroom, Adobe Photoshop Lightroom Classic, Photoshop Elements, and others. There are even tools that will clone your photo, but we won't go into that. No matter what the software, you can't go wrong. Just use it wisely.

3. Add filters to your photos Assign different effects to a particular area of the image Using the right brush can change the focus and focal length of the photo, or the saturation and sharpness. In addition, filters create interesting textures to the image that you wouldn't have gotten with the unaltered version. Change the size of an image Resize an image so it's easier to view in full-screen mode on your computer or mobile device. Remove red eye How many times have you tried unsuccessfully to remove red eye from your shots? EasyFix brings back the luster of your photos without the interference. The app works by removing the unnatural color cast of a photo, plus it helps correct skin tone, reduce glare, and sharpen edges in photos. Create memes with photo editing software Photo editing software makes it easier to grab the best photos from your smartphone and put them into a post on social media. But just because it's there, doesn't mean you should rely on it exclusively. There are a multitude of photo editing options available for download from the web, and they're constantly evolving. The same might be said of our own digital cameras, and the software used to download, edit, and share those photos. A lot of the editing options and features we're familiar with from a full-fledged camera can also be found in photo editing software—especially when it comes to image sharing on the web and in social media. Conclusion Whether you have one of these devices, or you're in the market for a new one, the growing number of options means there's a photo editing software tool for everyone. And if you've already got one, remember: The more you edit, the better it gets. The following tools are but a few of the hundreds available. With that in mind, we suggest spending just a few moments to browse the latest versions and features, and determine which might suit your needs and purposes best. Then, go ahead and make some photo magic. This story, "10 Different Types of Photo Editing Software and Why You Need Them" was originally published by Computerworld.