In the past, editing your digital images used to mean you had to purchase an expensive editing tool or software program like Photoshop and learn how to use its features. That often meant spending a great deal of money and time. However, thanks to the increasing number of low-cost digital cameras and simpler software, most individuals can now edit their own photos using image-editing applications from their iPhones.
Image editing, together with photography, image styling, and sharing, is becoming one of the most popular applications sold in The App Store. This has also become one of the most saturated genre of apps.
If you are a beginner, it can be difficult to determine which image-editing applications are worth their price and easy to use. To help you make a decision, here are some of the best image-editing applications you can choose from.
1. Adobe Photoshop Express by Adobe (Free)
Before Adobe Photoshop was made readily available for smartphones, it was already a popular image-editing application. Now that it is available for iPhone users, this has become one of the handiest image-editing tools today. This application offers different editing and styling options—from basic editing tools like cropping, straightening, rotating and flipping images; color adjustments like exposure, saturation and contrast; filters that sketch, sharpen and reduce noise; to an assortment of filters and borders. This application provides iPhone users a quick way to enhance any mobile photo before sharing them on social platforms like Facebook and Twitter.
2. Cross Process by Banana Camera Co. ($1.99)
This photo-editing application is based on the photography technique of cross processing. A technique originally developed for film photographers using different kinds of film and chemicals in their dark rooms. Cross Process gives you a different outcome while the colors appear superb. You can achieve unique, vintage-like images that focus on using colors. In addition, this application features vignettes, tints and filters.
3. iDarkroom by Maple Studio ($0.99)
iDarkroom’s image-editing features range from cross process, texture, and vignette. Their textured backgrounds are worth noting because they are not usually seen in other image-editing tools. You can choose either to manually apply the effects or allow the application to randomly choose an effect for you. It offers simple and intuitive user interface, vignetting and border options, and 20 different color filters. It also allows you to customize your wallpaper and cardboard through the use of different kinds of paper and textures. One of the best things about the app is that it also allows you to add various light effects on your images such as the Bokeh effects.
Since all the effects are displayed in a thumbnail located at the bottom of the screen, it will be easier for you to see and preview the results. You can also share your finished images to social networking sites like Facebook and Twitter.
4. Instagram by Burbn, Inc. (Free)
Instagram is undeniably one of the most popular photography applications today. It is free, and it allows users to take pictures and edit them. This application is popular because it offers a wide variety of filters that transform simple snapshots into unique looking photos. It also offers a tilt-shift effect that allows life-sized subjects to look like miniature models. Additionally, it lets you share images with your family and friends through its own network or through Facebook, Twitter and Flickr.
5. Filterstorm by Tai Shimizu ($2.99)
This photo-editing app works with iPad and iPhone. It offers editing options that are available in Windows application of Mac OS X. Filterstorm can import and process raw images and offers tools such as color correction, curves manipulation, sharpening and vignetting, and noise reduction. It is also popularized by its user-friendly interface that makes the commands and options easy to understand and use. With the use of the app, you can convert a photo to black and white as well as get rid of clutters or stray people and objects who are not supposed to be included in the shot.
6. Handy Photo by ADVA Soft ($1.99)
This app is designed for anyone who has great passion in editing photos, and it’s an excellent tool to use if you want to correct and enhance images from all possible angles. The app offers a complete set of powerful tools that allow you to crop your images in a unique way and straighten crooked horizon without affecting the photo’s original size. It also helps you make your images come alive by allowing you to move any object anywhere you like.
7. Facetune by Lightricks Ltd. ($2.99)
This app can transform average-looking images into glamor shots. The app is designed for portrait-style pictures, and it offers retouching capabilities that allow you to fix flaws in the photos you took using your iPhone. The app can help hide gray hairs, whiten teeth, and smooth out skin in the pictures. It can also clear up pimples and remove dark circles in the face. There is also a tool offered by the app that allows you to change the shape of your face especially when the image was taken in an unflattering angle. All it takes is a little effort and a few taps to enhance your photos and share them on Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, Tumblr, or Flickr.
8. Frametastic by Imaginary Feet, LLC (Free)
Frametastic allows you to add frames and effects on your images. The app offers many editing features that can add charm and character to your images. You can take advantage of over 70 frame layouts and backgrounds such as green grass, wood, sand, and white lacy fabric. There are also color effects which you would surely enjoy working with such as sepia, paint, black, and white. If you want to make your photos more dramatic, you can customize the effects offered by the app. You can also share your photo on social networking sites or send them through email.
9. Magic Hour Lite by Kiwiple (Free)
This fully featured app offers a wide variety of filters and frames that you can apply on your photos. The subtle filters and tilt-shift function provided by the app can help you produce unique photo results. It can give a soft and lovely luminescence and provides filters that work best on photos that are taken in daylight.
10. FXCamera by Bitcellar (Free)
This app is designed to help you enhance your photos with ease and enjoyment. The app offers 30 different filters and a wide variety of fantastic editing features. Not only that, it also has a Voice Picture feature that allows you to record your voice while trying to capture images. You can also share your voice pictures on Facebook if you like.
Editing and enhancing photos for personal consumption has now become a trend. There are many apps online that are extremely helpful, and you just need to choose one that can provide you with the enhancement tools that you need.