Want to turn boring images into better, more eye-catching visual masterpieces for your blog and social media posts but don’t want to invest hundreds of dollars on Photoshop? Then this post is definitely for you. There is no reason why our clients can’t add photos to their websites and social media sites on their own. Actually we encourage it. That is after all, why we have turned to WordPress to create all of our websites. It makes it so you, as the client can edit your website and and add photos on your own without always having to ask us for help.
For most of our clients, Photoshop’s huge feature set is just too complicated. In fact, for many quick design or photo editing needs, a lot of people can get by just fine with free online photo editors. The problem is, most of these online editors aren’t very good. Fortunately, there are a few that are extremely viable options and that are very user-friendly. Here are three you should definitely try:
1. Pixlr
This web editor is by far the most powerful free Photoshop alternative you’ll find. Pixlr combines image design and paint tools with photo editing and adjustment features. Pixlr has many of the advanced editing tools that Photoshop offers, like cloning and color replacement. Yet, despite its deep feature-set, Pixlr remains simplistic, intuitive and, most importantly, user-friendly. Here are some of Pixlr’s standout features:
- A fully customizable user interface with movable and scalable windows
- Navigation-free drop-down menus featuring all filters, adjustment and layering options
- Intuitive design and paint features with a dedicated history window for reference and quick undo/redo
- A “Photo Express” portal for quick, simple changes to images and photographs
2. Adobe Photoshop Express Editor
One of the many awesome things about Adobe is that they offer some of the image editing tools from their paid programs for free online. You can’t go wrong when picking a photo editing app from Adobe, the company who basically invented the basis for all photo editing software. Adobe Photoshop Express Editor is pretty simple: basic (crop, re-size, general touch-up); adjustment (exposure, highlight, sharpen); and effects (crystallize, sketch, distort). But its features are very effective. Some of the best features are found in the decorating tool sets. You can easily add text, sticky notes, and other fun stuff to your photos with this online photo app.
3. PicMonkey
Even if you have full access to the entire Photoshop suite, PicMonkey is a great alternative or complement to photo editing. For those of you who’ve never heard of PicMonkey before, it is essentially an online tool that allows you to do basic photo editing without downloading any kind of software. The simple but powerful editing capabilities of this app will do wonders for your image and it is extremely easy to use. All you need to do is go to PicMonkey, click ‘edit photo,’ upload the image of your choice, hit ‘open,’ and it’s ready for some editing! Here are some of PicMonkey’s great features:
- Resize
- Crop
- Adjust exposure
- Add frames
- Add effects
- Add fun stickers
- Add text
- Add overlays
- Add logos or watermarks
So, if you are on a budget or don’t want to invest a lot of money, start exploring these tools today. These feature rich photo editing applications are capable of enhancing your images and creatively adding effects and filters without breaking the bank. They are just the answer to help visually enhance your business.
~ Bethany Howell, art director
