Would you need to embellish the photos you took during your last vacation abroad? You are not very experienced in photo editing and therefore you are afraid of not being able to complete such a feat? You are very wrong! There are many solutions that allow you to do this in a rather simple way: you just have to choose the one that best suits your needs.
How do you say? Would you like to know more? Well, because you've come to the right place at the right time! In the next paragraphs of this guide, in fact, I will be able to illustrate you in detail how to retouch a photo using both professional photo editing programs and free software, online services and even apps for smartphones and tablets suitable for the purpose.
Since I see you quite caught up in the subject, I would say not to waste any more precious time in small talk and to take action immediately. Strength and courage: make yourself comfortable, take all the time you need to immerse yourself in reading this guide and, above all, implement the instructions I am about to give you.
How to retouch a photo with Photoshop
In a tutorial dedicated to how to retouch a photo, one could not but start from Photoshop, the photo editing program appreciated by professionals all over the world, as well as by amateur users who delight in photo editing. As you may already know, it is a professional software and, therefore, it is not free. It can be downloaded and tried for free for 7 days, then it costs 12,19 euro / month. More info here.
How to retouch the face in a photo
Would you retouch the face in a photo, perhaps by removing pimples, spots, warts e skin imperfections of various kinds? Well there are various Photoshop tools suitable for this purpose, including the Spot Healing Brush.
To use it, click on the icon plaster located in the sidebar on the left, open the drop-down menu at the top left and set dimensions e hardness of the instrument. Then "color" the areas of the face where there are defects to be corrected, holding down the left mouse button while you pass the brush over them. More info here.
As far as the Red eyesInstead, right click on the patch icon, select it Red Eye tool and make a selection on the entire pupil. As if by "magic", the red eye effect will be removed. More info here.
How to retouch the background of a photo
If you want retouch the background of a photo, in the sense that you want to replace it with another one, you have to import the two photos to be used in Photoshop: the one in which the main subject is present and the one to be used as a background. After that you have to make use of the magnetic lasso tool and cut out the subject whose background you want to change.
After selecting, you need to activate the quick maskby clicking on the icon rectangular at the bottom right, in the section dedicated to levels. Then refine the selection with lo brush tool, setting the colors in the Photoshop palette White e black: the first will allow you to add new contents to the selection, while the second will allow you to remove them.
At the end of the operation, press the icon again rectangle to turn off the quick mask and click on the button Refine Edge, to improve the selection made and soften it. You just have to copy the selection made on the subject by pressing Ctrl + C (your Windows) or cmd + c (on macOS), select the image to use as a new background and paste the previously cut-out and selected one, pressing the keys Ctrl + V (your Windows) or cmd + v (your macOS).
If you want more information on how to retouch the background of a photo with Photoshop, please consult the guide I have just linked to you: it will be of great help.
How to retouch a blurry photo
Sometimes it happens to take pictures that have a less than optimal focus. For retouch a blurry photo with Photoshop, you can make use of special filters and tools: the filter Accentuate passage, the filter Sharpness> Unsharp Mask and Blur reduction. After calling up one of them, you need to make use of the adjustment bars that appear on the screen to obtain the desired effect.
Since using them involves some relatively complex procedures to be implemented, perhaps it is better if you learn more about the subject by reading my guide on how to fix a blurry photo with Photoshop, so as to proceed in the best way.
How to retouch a grainy photo
Retouch a grainy photo it could be a difficult task to complete and the results are not always guaranteed, even using Photoshop. However groped costs nothing, as they say in these cases, and therefore we might as well try to use the famous photo editing program to improve photos that have that ugly grain effect, especially if it is due to digital noise.
How can you do it? In this specific case, I suggest you go to the menu Filter> Noise> Reduce Noise and adjust the values Intensity, Keep details, Reduce Color Noise ed Highlight details, using the special cursors you see on the screen. Then, when you are ready to do so, apply the changes made by clicking on the button OK.
How to retouch a photo for free
Let's see now how to retouch a photo for free, using free alternatives to the aforementioned Photoshop. You decide which of the following solutions can be right for you.
GIMP (Windows / macOS / Linux)
GIMP is the best free and open source alternative to Photoshop. Available for Windows, macOS and Linux, this program offers tons of tools and functions to retouch your shots. Let me guide you through its installation and briefly describe how it works.
To download GIMP on your computer, you must first go to this page, click on the button Download x.xx.x and then on the button Download GIMP x.xx.x directly.
Once the download is complete, if you are using a PC Windows, april il .exe file you got and then click on the buttons Yes, OK, Install e end, in order to complete the setup. If you use a Macinstead, drag GIMP in the folder Applications say macOS, click on destroy the program icon and select the voice apri twice in a row, so as to "override" the restrictions imposed by macOS on programs from non-certified developers (this operation is only necessary when starting GIMP for the first time).
After installing and starting GIMP, you will find yourself in front of the program's user interface, divided into four main sections: on the left is the toolbar containing the various GIMP tools (e.g. Rectangular marquee tool, Crop tool, Band-aid tool, etc.), in the center is theworking area in which to display the image to be edited, on the right there is the panel that allows you to manage the levels, while at the top is the menu bar, which allows you to access specific program functions, such as those relating to the use of filters.
The operation of GIMP roughly follows that of Photoshop, so the indications I gave you before should help you retouch your shots in it too, but if you want to learn more about how it works, I refer you to reading the guides in which I explain how to use GIMP and how edit photos with GIMP.
Other programs to retouch photos for free
There are also other free photo retouching programs that, depending on the operations you need to perform, may come in handy.
- Windows 10 photo - the integrated “standard” photo manager in Windows 10 offers several photo editing tools useful for carrying out simple operations to correct your shots. More info here.
- MacOS Photos and Preview - macOS also integrates predefined tools, Photos for managing the photo library, and Preview for viewing images and PDFs, and they also include some useful photo editing tools for editing your shots quickly and easily. More info here.
- Paint .Net (Windows) - photo editing program for Windows which, in addition to including some useful drawing functions, allows you to adjust colors, contrast, brightness, etc., in a rather simple way.
- Paintbrush (macOS) - software available only for macOS, characterized by a simple and well-organized user interface, which facilitates its use. It integrates multiple editing tools that allow you to correct your shots and even draw on them.
How to retouch a photo online
The idea of being able to tickle you retouch a photo online, without having to install programs on your PC? Well, then try the solutions listed below, which are compatible with all major browsers.
Photopea
The first photo editing web application I recommend you try is Photopea, which fairly faithfully follows the interface and functions available in Photoshop (with the due limitations of the case). It is developed in HTML5, which allows you to use it in all major browsers without installing plugins, and it is free (although it must be said that it has removable non-invasive advertising banners by subscribing to the $ 9 / month subscription).
To retouch a photo with Photopea, go to its home page and possibly translate its interface into British by selecting the item cityno from the menu More > Language placed at the top. Now, click on the item Open from computer to import the photo to edit or, if you prefer, select the item apri from the menu Fillet (top left).
Next, you just have to take advantage of the many tools included in the toolbar on the left to edit the photo: after selecting the one that's right for you, adjust its characteristics using the menu located at the top and use it by acting directly on theworking area, which is placed in the center. On the right, however, you will find the panel that allows you to manage the levels and access the chronology of the changes made.
As I told you, Photopea follows the characteristics and functioning of Photoshop quite faithfully, so you shouldn't have any problems using this online service following the instructions I gave you before. In any case, to get an idea of how to take advantage of some of its specific features, take a look at the guide that I have almost entirely dedicated to the service.
Other services to retouch photos online
There are also other services for retouch photos online that deserve to be considered, such as those listed in the following lines. At least take a look at them. OK?
- Pixlr - online photo editing platform based on the WebGL library, which integrates many photo editing tools that can be used without installing any plugins in the browser, since it uses the HTML5 Canvas elements to work. A must try!
- Polarr - it is a Web application that allows you to correct photos by applying ready-to-use filters and “manually” adjusting the main parameters of the shots. Works without plugins on all major browsers.
- Photoshop Express Editor - is the "online version" of Adobe Photoshop CC, which allows you to make changes to your shots, but only if they are in JPG format. Requires Adobe Flash Player to work.
- iPiccy - well-known online photo editing service, which is free and easy to use. Please note that, to use it, you need to activate the Adobe Flash Player plugin.
For more information on how to retouch photos online, I refer you to reading the in-depth analysis in which I have illustrated how these and other photo editing services work.
How to retouch a photo with Android and iPhone
Let's see now how to retouch a photo with android and iphone, taking advantage of both some predefined functions of Android and iOS, as well as some third-party apps.
Predefined functions
Let's start with default functions of Android and iOS to retouch your shots. On both platforms, in fact, the apps Gallery / Google Photos (Android) e Photo (iOS / iPadOS) allow you to make small corrections to your shots, which is particularly useful especially if you do not have great needs and if you want to make some mild changes to your photos.
Su Android, avvia l'app Galleria / Google Photo from the Home screen or from the application drawer, tap onpreview of the photo to retouch and then press the icon of pencil, which could be located at the bottom or top right (depending on the device in your possession).
Subsequently, in the screen that opens, select the photo editing function you want to use (eg. Cut out, Filter, Adhesive, Text, Rule, etc. and follow the instructions that appear on the screen to edit the shot, using the adjustment bars he indicators available according to the chosen instrument. When you're done making changes, remember to save work using the appropriate button.
Su iPhone (or iPad), instead, launch the app Gallery, fai tap sull 'preview of the shot you intend to change and presses on the item Modification located at the top right. Next, click on the icon of knob at the bottom of the screen) and scroll the menu that appears, to access the various photo editing tools available, useful for editing brightness, contrast, saturation, ombre and so on.
By pressing on the icon of three intertwined circles and on the symbol of clipping (at the bottom of the screen), however, you can respectively apply filters to the photo and crop it. At the end of the changes, presses on the item end placed at the bottom right, so as to apply them.
Photo retouching app
If the features present "standard" on Android and iOS seem too limiting, try using the following photo retouching app: I think you will find them very useful.
- Snapseed (Android / iOS / iPadOS) - is one of the best photo editing apps available for smartphones and tablets, developed directly by Google, which integrates multiple easy-to-use photo editing tools.
- VSCO (Android / iOS / iPadOS) - this is another free app (with in-app purchases for additional filters) that allows you to retouch your shots both via ready-to-use filters and manual commands, which makes it suitable both to inexperienced users and to those who want to act more directly on the main parameters of the photos.
- Photoshop for iPad (iPadOS) - is the most advanced mobile version of Photoshop, as it combines the features of Photoshop CC with functions designed for touch screen technology and official iPad accessories, such as the Apple Pencil. It is free for the first 30 days, then costs € 10,99 / month.
For more information on how to use these and other apps to retouch photos, I refer you to reading the in-depth article I just linked to.
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