Hello! I wanted to share with you some of my favorite and most used editing techniques - all of which can be done on your phone. I have an Iphone and do not know if these applications are available on all operating systems, but I’m sure a quick google search can provide you a similar applications. I would recommend these tips to anyone who wants to edit their photos just a little bit but doesn’t necessarily have the time or desire to learn a program like photoshop.

~ Change or animate the sky

I’ve shared this tip multiple times because it can have a huge impact on a photo. Using the photo editing applications Pixaloop and Quickshot, you can change a dull gray sky into a sunny sky, a sunny day into a sunset or even choose an animated sky. I like to use this feature if my sky is washed out or there aren’t enough clouds for my liking.  Sometimes, I play around with the galaxy sky or lightning if I don’t mind the photo looking highly edited.

~ Animate the photo

I also love to animate photos of water droplets, underwater shots, beach photos, and waterfalls using the Pixaloop application. It’s not for every photo, but it’s super fun to play with.  Just make sure you secure every single little spot you do not want to move and look over it several times before saving it to avoid any unwanted warping of the animation.

~ Seamlessly remove unwanted objects

This photo originally had a huge pole in it that I seamlessly removed with one swipe.

Snapseed has my favorite blemish tool because it replaces the ‘blemish’ with one tap or swipe. It kind of pinches over the spot you are trying to remove or conceal by duplicating the pixels around it. I have removed signs, people, trash, my own tattoos – you name it! I’ve also completely rebuilt fences with this tool. I love it. Just be careful to really inspect the photo afterwards because it can leave some areas looking a little blurry.

~Use Lightroom presets

I am fairly certain this was edited with Sorelle Amore’s preset in microgreens.

First of all, if you aren’t using Lightroom -  you’re missing out. It’s the first photo editing application I put every photo through. Presets are basically pre-saved settings that you apply to a photo and work basically as a filter would. They allow you to edit a photo with just one click. Now adjustments will usually still need to be made after applying a preset, however it gives you a great place to start from. There are many free Lightroom presets out there, but I would recommend purchasing from several different creators on Etsy and then creating your own presets as you edit your own photos.  

 ~ Add in effects

I use the Lightleap app to add effects to my photos. I most commonly will add in orbs, light rays, rainbows, birds or a sun depending on what I think would enhance the photograph best. Again, it’s not for every photo, but I enjoy a whimsical look so I add in effects quite often.  

~ Increase the details

I would say I use this feature on most photos I edit. I use this on both macro and landscape photos alike. The detail tool in Facetune is my favorite and can easily make certain areas of your photo pop out.

~ Strategically blur areas of your photo to create focus

I use this a lot when editing photos underwater and macro flower shots. I like both the blur tool in Snapseed and the smooth tool in Facetune. The latter gives you more control in the blur placement and intensity. Blurring out certain parts of your photograph, like the background, draws your eye in to the subject more and helps it stand out.

I hope you enjoyed this post and use some of these techniques on your own photos. Have a w0nderful day!