10 The Perfect

Know how to ace mobile photography with these simple editing tools and filters.

- Nidhi Singal

Going by the number of sensational pictures posted on social media networks today, it appears that everyone is a photographer, and a good one at that. Producing flawless, frame-worthy pictures is no longer the privilege of SLR camera owners alone. Although clicking outstanding pictures requires expertise, a decent smartphone camera and editing apps can skilfully add finesse to most photos.

If you’ve said “wow” to too many of your friends’ pictures, it’s time to wow them now. We have picked out a few apps that can instantly add a ‘pro’ touch to your pictures and videos. Download them, get clicking, and unleash the (professional) photographer in you.

SNAPSEED: 

This is an easy-to-use app by Google offering a range of editing tools and filters. You can crop images, rotate, adjust vertical and horizontal perspective, adjust white balance and curves, expand the image and much more. The Tune image tool allows you to manually adjust brightness, contrast, saturation, ambience, highlights, shadows and warmth. The Healing tool removes unwanted spots with just a tap or brush. The Lens Blur filter creates a blur area around the subject quite well. You can experiment with a variety of filter effects such as Glamour Glow, HDR Scape, Drama, Grainy Film, Vintage, Noir, Frames and Double Exposure, among others. There is a special tool for editing faces – automatic and manual spotlight adjustment, skin smoothing, eye clarity, options to choose skin colour between pale, fair, medium and dark. Its newest addition is the Pose tool that allows you to tilt or pan the face to a certain degree. It also lets you to control the intensity of the subject’s smile without distorting the image. On Snapseed, you can also edit RAW images imported from other cameras.

FREE; IOS AND ANDROID

PHOTO EDITOR BY AVIARY: