4 Easy Photo Editing Tips for Beginners

Did you know that 71% of people edit their selfies?

Thanks to easy editing tools on social media platforms like Instagram, just about everyone is an amateur photo editor these days. However, photo editing software can do more than just snatch your jawline or erase your acne scars. It can also transform run-of-the-mill images into show-stopping masterpieces.

However, if you don’t know how to edit photos realistically, you can also easily ruin images.

Are you thinking of becoming a photographer? If so, keep reading to find out 4 beginner-friendly photo editing tips.

1. Increase the Saturation

If you’re not sure which photo editing ideas and functions to use, the first place to start is usually increasing saturation.

Most cameras do not capture the full saturation levels you can see with the naked eye. The human eye is inherently more adept a focusing and adjusting to light than a camera lens. Thanks to this, you might often find that your unedited photos lack vibrancy.

For instance, when was the last time you took a photo of a stunning sunset? Chances are the photo wasn’t nearly as vibrant and dramatic as the sunset was in real life.

When it comes to saturation one of the most important photo editing tips is to not overdo it. It can be very tempting to ramp up the saturation and watch your image jump from the screen with color.

However, overdone saturation can completely ruin an image by making it look fake and overdone. It is also a hallmark of amateur editing skills.

If you are using pro-level photo editing software like Photoshop, you can also ask to selectively increase the saturation of certain areas of your image. For example, if you’re working with a sunset image, you can increase the vibrancy of the sunset, while keeping elements in the foreground close to the original saturation.

2. Tweak the Brightness

Whether you’re using a manual DSLR camera or smartphone it can be hard to get the brightness on your image just right. Fortunately, this is another thing you can correct in post-production. Adjusting the brightness is a pretty simple edit, and most programs allow you to do it with a slider.

3. Play With Sharpness

Adjusting the sharpness of your image is another top tip you’ll see in any guide to photo editing for beginners. Increasing the sharpness can make the details pop and render the image more true to life.

However, once again, be careful not to overdo it. Ramping up the sharpness in post-production can make your image look more professional, but if you take it too far it can start to look jagged and manipulated.

4. Adjust the Contrast

Another quick hack for making your images come alive is to adjust the contrast. Increasing contrast levels will enhance light and dark areas making them stand out from each other. If an image is feeling flat, washed out, and lacking in dimension, adding a little bit of contrast is usually one of the best photo editing ideas to implement.

Try Out These Photo Editing Tips and Watch Your Images Pop

Are you thinking of becoming a photographer? Photo editing for beginners doesn’t have to be complicated. Try out these photo editing tips and watch your images come alive in front of your eyes.

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