Photo Editing

Digital and physical photographs have become an essential part of our lives. Social media platforms like Instagram and Pinterest are based mainly on photos and images. Instagram alone has over 2 billion users! So, photo editing is a hot topic among people of all ages, nationalities, and walks of life. 

A raw image taken using a smartphone may not look the best. You can edit the images yourself using free photo editors online. There are many options for “online photoshopping,” as it’s called. Online photo editors are convenient for editing images on any device. 

Users preferring to edit images on their smartphones can download free photo editing apps. Desktop users have the most powerful photo editing software at their fingertips, like Adobe Photoshop. So, regardless of your preference, photoshop editing is simpler than ever! 

This photo editing guide will cover all you need to know about photos and creating awesome images. You will learn about photoshop editing techniques, benefits, and best photo editors online, and the top apps and software you can download.

What is a Photo?

A photo is a picture/snapshot taken by a camera, digital camera, or smartphone. The photograph can be physical or digital (hardcopy or softcopy). 

Other names for a photo include the following:

• Image
• Photograph
• Snap
• Snapshot
• Shot
• Picture
• Portrait

The process and practice of creating a photo are called photography. 

In this photo editing guide, photo (and its synonyms) will refer to digital images.

Photo File Formats

Ever got an email with an image but you cannot view it? The reason is that the image is an incompatible format for your device.

There are numerous image file types. Not only are there image formats, but many software has their own native file format. It can be difficult to know which image file type best suits your needs. 

Image file formats are divided into two main categories:

• Raster
• Vector 

Raster Image Files

Raster (or bitmap) image files are the most common image format. The raster image is what is produced when you click a photograph (on a camera or smartphone). 

A raster image is made of tiny dots, called pixels. These pixels contain unique color and tonal information that combine to create the image. 

Raster images are pixel-based, making them resolution-dependent. What does that mean? The quality of a raster image depends on the number of pixels displayed per inch. More pixels with higher resolution result in a higher-quality image.

Common Raster Image File Formats:

• JPG
• TIFF
• GIF
• PNG
• BMP

Vector Image Files

Vector images are more flexible compared to raster files. Instead of tracking millions of pixels like a raster image, vector files track points and the equations of the lines that connect them. 

In simple terms, vector images consist of lines (or paths) that are infinitely scalable because they are based on algorithms rather than individual pixels. 

One of the advantages of using vector images is that they can be re-sized infinitely larger or smaller. There will be no increase or decrease in the file size or quality regardless of the image dimensions. As a result, vector images are commonly used for billboards and other large areas.

Common Vector Image File Formats:

• EPS
• SVG
• AI
• PDF

What is Photo Editing?

Photo editing is the process of enhancing an image to make it look how you want. Other names for photo editing include:

• Image Editing
• Picture Editing
• Post-Processing
• Image/Photo Manipulation
• Photoshopping
• Image/Photo Enhancement

Clicking photos with digital cameras is a simple process. However, the photos can have low contrast, muted colors, and off-balanced lighting. Taking the perfect photograph is very time-consuming. So, photoshop editing helps correct issues and make the photo pixel-perfect.

This photoshop editing article refers to editing digital photographs only. Traditional editing is out of the scope of this photo editing guide.

Importance of Photo Editing

Photo Editing helps you achieve the best possible image. You can use photo editing to make a photograph look as close to what you imagine when you take it.

Niche photographers can use photo editing to create distinctive styles. Businesses use photo editing for branding purposes. 

Pixel vs Parametric Photo Editing

Two methods of digital image editing are pixel editing and parametric photo editing. Let’s look at each of them to understand the differences:

Pixel Editing

Pixel editing, or pixel-level editing, is when the image is altered at the pixel level. 

Altering the pixels of an image permanently changes the image file. It is called destructive photo editing because it is not easy to undo the changes and restore the original image file. 

Parametric Image Editing

Parametric image editing is a type of non-destructive photo editing. The photo editor does not alter the original files. Instead, the edits are recorded as sets of instructions or parameters. 

Parametric image editing (PIE) is not always suitable for all types of edits.

Photoshop editing is a technical task. It is the process of working on an existing photo/image/picture to make it effective according to the task owner’s wishes. It can be digital photographs, illustrations, prints, photographs on film, or anything else considered an image/picture/photo.

As photo editing is a technical task, it needs performers, and we call them photo editors.

Two types of photo editors exist in the photoshop editing field:

• Ordinary or Casual Photo Editors
  and
• Professional Photo Editors.

Ordinary or Casual Photo Editors

This type of photo editor can be anyone.

Any technical skills are optional because they don’t consider pixel-perfect photos.

They need to do some basic tasks using basic image editing online or offline tools.

Also, they are happy with their teeny-tiny task.

They think they got a photo editing wizard, so they need not worry about anything.

Whatever is discussed about their small task, it is true in this future-centric technology world, many photo editing tools exist that work as a magician’s wand.

By using this efficient image editing tool, anyone can do amazing photoshop editing work for their photos, making them more attractive and effective for their desired application.

For example, you can try ‘VIMORY: Photo Editor & Video Maker.’ It’s a lifesaver for those who want to do photo editing extremely fast, like a magician, and make videos from photos instantly.

Sometimes we need more than our limited knowledge to support our photoshop editing work in this realistic world because of the demand of followers, customers, clients, buyers, etc.

So, now I will tell you about another type of photo editor.

We need them to do our professional photo editing work without flow to engage our desired people in business massively to increase sales and fame.

Professional Photo Editors

Professional photo editors are an expensive kind of photo editing expert on this photo editing planet.

They can make an existing ordinary photo extraordinary.

Photo editors are extremely skillful, knowledgeable, and experienced to make your photo stand out from the crowd.

They know everything about photo editing and its tools.

Professional photoshop editing requires specific skills, and every professional photo editor has them.

To become one of them, you must acquire the best knowledge about professional photo editing.

So, you see, professional photo editing is not for all.

Professional photo editors work for those who need to fulfill their professional demands, such as eCommerce businesses, online or offline shops, photography agencies, influencers, etc.

To get professional photo editors, you must search online using search engines Google, Bing, Yahoo, YouTube, etc.

These will help you find a professional photo editing service provider very quickly.

Photo Editing Examples

You now have an idea of what photo editing is. Want to see some before-after examples in action? I have provided some image editing examples to convince you of the possibilities of editing for photos.

History of Photo Editing

Nowadays, people edit images straight from their Android or iOS smartphones. However, this wasn’t always the case. Are you interested in understanding the history of photo editing? 

Photo editing gradually developed since the invention of the first cameras. I will briefly explain the major steps in the evolution of photo editing, which include:

• First Photo Editing Techniques
• Image Retouching During the 20th Century
• Photoshop Editing In the Current Era

First Photo Editing Techniques

The first famous example of photo editing was by Calvert Richard Jones in 1846. He took a photograph of five Capuchin monks on the roof of a building in Malta. Four of the monks were together in a group. However, the fifth monk was a few feet behind the other four.

Jones did not like how the fifth monk looked separated from the rest. So, he painted over the fifth monk in the negative film using Indian ink. As a result, the positive print had only four monks with the fifth looking like a white patch of sky. 

Image Retouching During the 20th Century

Photo Editing and Retouching started taking off during the 20th century. During this time period, the geniuses of photography entered the scene. 

Some of the photo editing techniques applied during the 20th Century include the following:

• Adding People Who Missed the Photoshoots
• Changing History
• Creation of Heroic Images
• Photo Editing Tricks 

Photoshop Editing In the Current Era

We now enter the current day and age. Photoshop editing and retouching are simpler than ever using tools like Photoshop. 

Photo editing in the current era includes the following:

• Enhance skin tone
• Remove spots & imperfections
• Whiten teeth
• Restore old photographs
• Color B&W images
• Change backgrounds, and much more!

Benefits of Photo Editing

What are the benefits of editing your photos? Digital photos are popular for both individuals and businesses. 

Properly edited photos represent your brand and convey your desired message in the best way. 

Photoshop editing is an essential part of every marketing, communication, or branding activity. As a result, outsourced photo editing services are highly popular in the industry.

Benefits of Photo Editing for Individuals

An individual is an everyday person. Why should you edit your photos? Some of the benefits of photo editing for individuals include the following:

• Make creative edits like photo collages for social media.
• Get more likes, upvotes, followers, etc. on social media. 
• Save precious memories perfectly (weddings, graduations, birthdays, etc.).

Benefits of Photo Editing for Businesses

Say you own a business. Why should you edit your photos? Some of the benefits of photoshop editing for businesses include the following:

• Build their brand and reputation.
• Increase sales in eCommerce platforms.
• Grow social media and website presence for your business.

Benefits of Photo Editing for Job Seekers

Are you looking to get a job? Then you will benefit from having a professionally edited headshot on your CV, resume, cover letter, and LinkedIn profiles. 

You can learn how to edit photos by yourself using tools like Photoshop and Lightroom. Know more about downloading Photoshop. On the other hand, if you do not have the time or expertise to edit images, you can hire a professional photo editor to improve your portraits. 

Benefits of Photo Editing for Students

As a student, you are probably looking for part-time earning opportunities. Freelance photoshop editing is a great option for earning money online. 

Platforms like Fivver and Upwork are filled with customers looking for professional photo editing services. As a student, you can help these customers get their photos edited while earning good money. 

On a lighter note, there are other benefits of photoshop editing for students. Want to improve your social media following? Skillful editing can transform the photos from your smartphone into attractive images that beg to be liked by your peers. 

Why Edit Photos? 

Have you ever taken the perfect photograph only to spot a minor imperfection later? That is incredibly frustrating! However, there is a simple solution; photo editing. 

Some benefits of image editing include the following:

• Change the Background
• Build Your Style
• Correct Colors
• Retouch Imperfections
• Crop Unwanted Parts
• Adjust Contrast And Brightness
• Restore Images
• Tell Your Story
• Create Realistic Shadows
• Market Your Product (Or Yourself!)

Let’s explore each of these reasons in detail. By the end of this section, you will understand the merits of editing your photos. 

Change the Background

Have you ever clicked a photo only to realize the background looks unappealing? The flaw can be an undesired object or background color. Changing the background is the solution! Simply removing the background and replacing it with another, more suitable one will help your image stand out. 

Background removal is a simple yet popular photo editing service. Your image will look amazing by just replacing an imperfect background. Furthermore, many free background removal software exists that makes the process easy.

Build Your Style

The most effective way to stand out with your photographs is to have your own style. Individuals posting selfies and photos on social media will have better engagement if they use their own style (with particular colors, contrast, and size). 

Brand identity is especially important for businesses. Photos are an effective way in which businesses communicate with their customers. Having a unique and distinctive style will help your business stay fresh in customers’ minds. You can achieve your own style using photo editing and stick to it throughout your photography endeavor.

Correct Colors

You won’t always have the perfect lighting in your photos. For example, a family photo taken at a diner at night may have imperfect lighting. What can you do about it? Color Correction, of course! 

Editing for photos includes color correction to make the image vibrant and have the right tone. Also, if you want to change the colors of your clothing, recolor your gray hair, or make the background more colorful, color correction is the way to go!

Retouch Imperfections

Ever wondered how your favorite celebrity looks perfect on social media? Photo Retouching! Retouching helps you eliminate imperfections like wrinkles, acne, and other blemishes. 

Transform the appearance of your model using retouching. You can: 

• Add/Remove Unwanted Objects 
• Remove Wrinkles 
• Whiten Teeth 
• Change Eye/Hair Color
• Remove Background, and more!

Crop Unwanted Parts

Remove unwanted content from your photos with cropping. Have annoying people on the edge of your photos? You can get rid of them easily using the cropping tool. 

Cropping is the best solution to focus on the main person/item in the image by cropping out the distracting elements. 

Also, cropping saves you from deleting a photo completely when it has unwanted parts. Furthermore, cropping is a basic image editing skill that you can complete with just a few simple steps using any online editor. 

Moreover, if you need bulk image cropping services, you can work with experts.

Adjust Contrast And Brightness

Ever taken a photograph that is too dark or too bright? Then, you need to adjust the brightness and contrast. 

Contrast is the difference in brightness between light and dark parts of images. 

Editing for photos includes contrast/brightness adjustments that change the tonal range. Increasing the contrast makes the photo sharper and the dark areas brighter. It is suitable for darker images. 

In contrast, lowering the contrast helps make a too-bright image grayer and less sharp. 

Adjusting contrast in photos is very important; you may need some knowledge about tone and color matching. With a little knowledge, you can produce images with the perfect contrast and brightness.

Restore Images

Do you wish your precious family photos from 20+ years ago looked better? You can do that with Photo Restoration! Transform your important photos and memories into a new picture with image restoration. 

If you are a photo editing business, not all your clients will send you new photos taken with professional cameras. Sometimes, they will ask you to restore their vintage photos and make them feel new and appealing. 

Tell Your Story

Are you a creative storyteller? Creatively edit pictures to tell your story. Want to convey a dark mood with your photos? Adjust the tone and temperature! Looking to make a collection of special memories? Build a photo collage! 

The possibilities are endless with online photoshopping. Another example is Photo Manipulation, where you add special effects to tell your story creatively. You can emphasize subjects on the image you want to draw attention to and recreate the whole narrative behind the photograph.

Create Realistic Shadows

Realistic shadows around your subjects will make your photographs look professional and believable. However, you may be unable to take the photo in the right settings with the correct lighting to get the shadows you need. 

Editing for photos includes adding natural-looking shadows to your photos using a photo editing tool. Learn how shadows work and implement them to create a much-needed contrast and highlight the brighter parts of an image with Photo Shadow Creation. 

Market Your Product (Or Yourself!)

Are you selling your products online? Then, boost your sales with perfect photos highlighting product features, colors, and quality. Conversely, market yourself with professional-looking photos on LinkedIn, Instagram, and Facebook.

Editing photos for marketing doesn’t have to be complicated. For example, using an online photoshopping tool, you can add text to your photos with your contact information, social media handles, and relevant hashtags. A simple edit like this will provide great value for branding and helping customers contact you.

Who Needs Photo Editing?

Wondering if you require photo editing? Anyone who wants to improve their images needs photoshop editing. However, in general, the following types of people and companies benefit from image editing:

• Small to Medium Businesses (SMBs)
• Magazines and Publishing Houses
• Graphics and Designing Houses
• Product / Model Photographers
• Wedding Photography Industry
• Real Estate Businesses
• eCommerce Businesses
• Interactive Agencies
• Advertising Agencies
• Automobile Sectors
• Photography Studios
• Fashion Studios
• Product Marketers
• Modeling Agencies
• Online Retailers
• Digital Agencies
• Portrait Studios
• Apparel Stores
• Jewelry Shops
• Freelancers
• Individuals

Are you one of the above individuals or entities? Then, you will benefit from learning photo editing, having in-house photo editors, or outsourcing photo editing services.

Photo Editing Basics

Now that you know what image editing is and why you will benefit from it, it’s time to learn the photo editing basics. 

Learning a few photoshop editing essentials will help you put the finishing touches on your artistic vision. 

Here are the key stages in photoshop editing:

• Crop and Clean the Photo
• Adjust White Balance (WB)
• Correct Exposure and Contrast
• Adjust Color Vibrancy and Saturation
• Adjust Sharpening
• Finalize and Share Your Photos

Crop and Clean the Photo

The first edits you should make for your image are straightening, cropping, and resizing. Let’s explore each of these in detail. 

Straighten the Image

Straightening is the process of making your photo’s horizon horizontal (flat). An image with a crooked horizon or angle must be corrected to look more professional and complete. 

Crop the Image

Cropping is cutting a part of an image to improve framing, emphasize a subject, or change the aspect ratio. Photoshop editing with crops allows you to keep all the features you want while removing those you don’t.

When should you crop an image? Cropping an image helps to remove distracting elements at the edge of the frame or reposition your subject slightly.

Spot Clean the Photo

Photos taken outdoors sometimes have small “spots” in them due to dust on the lens. These spots are more visible on images with plain backgrounds.

It is important to remove these spots for a clean-looking image. 

Most photo editing programs have built-in tools to remove spots. The first is called Spot Healing Brush Tool. Using the spot healing brush is simple; paint over the area with the spot. Another more advanced tool is the clone tool, copy over another area to cover the spots. 

Work your way methodically around your image until you have a spot-free image. 

Adjust White Balance (WB)

White Balance (WB) relates to the color temperature of an image. 

The ideal white balance is a neutral temperature. However, sometimes your photo will have a yellow or blue tone at opposite ends of the temperature scale. These images can look unnatural, so you need to adjust the white balance. 

Most photo editors offer white balance presets like daylight, cloudy, or flash. These are one-click adjustments for simple WB changes. In addition, many image editors have a temperature and tint slider to fine-tune the overall lighting cast on an image.

Note: JPG files capture less digital data than RAW files, offering less white balance adjustment. So, it is best to shoot in RAW (if possible) for the best results. 

Correct Exposure and Contrast

Adjust the exposure to make the image as bright or dark as needed. 

Contrast is the range of the tones displayed in the image. It is important to have a full tonal range, showing the black-and-white pixels (and everything in between). 

Use the contrast adjustment layer to adjust the number of shades between the lightest and darkest areas of your image. 

Adjust Color Vibrancy and Saturation

Color vibrancy is when a color appears bright and strong. 

Saturation of a color refers to the intensity of color in an image. More saturation makes the colors purer. 

Fine-tune vibrancy by adjusting the slider. The vibrancy slider has a strong effect on the muted colors of an image. 

The saturation slider increases the color intensity of all colors in the image. A high-saturation image looks brighter and more vivid. 

Adjust Sharpening

Sharpening your image gives it a crisper, cleaner look. 

Photo editing software and apps offer sharpening tools on a slider. 

Begin by adjusting the overall sharpness (on a scale from 0 to 100). Start at the middle (50 percent), then adjust the slider up or down to get the sharpness you prefer.

Finalize and Share Your Photos 

Resize your image if needed. For example, the ideal Instagram image size is 1080px by 1080px at a 1:1 aspect ratio. Likewise, other platforms have their own requirements. So, before exporting the image, you must select the appropriate dimensions. 

Well, there you go! You should be able to use the photo editing basics to make your images look fantastic.

Basic Photo Editing Techniques

Before we dive into the advanced photoshop editing styles and techniques, you must first understand the basics. 

Basic photoshop editing techniques include the following:

• HSL
• Grain 
• Clarity 
• Vignette
• Exposure
• Contrast
• Saturation
• Brush Tool
• Sharpening
• White Balance
• Noise Reduction

HSL

The HSL panel is used to adjust three main aspects of the photo. 

• Hue
• Saturation
• Luminance

You can use the HSL slider to independently adjust the hue, saturation, and luminance of red, orange, yellow, green, aqua, blue, purple, and magenta colors. 

Grain 

Add film grain to your images for a vintage effect. You can add film grain including the following:

• Film Grain Portraits
• Black & White Film Grain
• Chromatic Film Grain
• Monotone Film Grain

Clarity 

Clarity increases the local contrast that focuses on the mid-tones of the photo. Increasing clarity helps enhance texture. On the other hand, decreasing clarity can give your photos a dreamy look. 

Vignette

A vignette is the darkening of areas at an image’s border. It is done to highlight the subject at the center of the photograph. Other benefits include:

• Focus Attention
• For Vintage Effects
• Draw the Eye Gently
• Counter Distracting Lines or Points of Focus

Exposure

Exposure controls the overall brightness and darkness of the photo. To control the brighter areas, adjust the highlights. On the other hand, shadows control the darker areas of the image. 

Contrast

Contrast is the difference between the lighter and darker parts of the image. Adding contrast makes the darks darker and the brights brighter. 

Images with low contrast have a narrow range of colors. High-contrast images have bright (light) highlights and dark shadows. 

Increase the contrast to make the image more vivid or decrease it to mute the tones for a more subdued feel.

Saturation

Saturation shows how much color information is in the image. It is the depth or intensity of color present in the photo. 

Saturation is similar to vibrance, heightening the muted colors in the image without affecting the colors that are already highly saturated.

Boost the saturation levels to make your photo look vibrant. However, it is not advisable to overdo the saturation levels in either direction. 

Brush Tool

The brush tool is a common addition to photo editing software. It works similarly to a real brush; you paint over the image using a mouse or pen/tablet. 

The digital brush can be adjusted as follows:

• Brush Size – Makes the brush larger and smaller
• Brush Hardness – Makes the edges harder or softer
• Brush Tip – Makes the tips different (pen, marker, etc)
• Brush Opacity – Changes the brush intensity 

White Balance

White balance is how warm or cool your image is. Adjusting the white balance is helpful to make the colors more realistic. 

Sharpening

Different lighting conditions give an image of various color temperatures. As a result, the lighting and color temperatures convey diverse moods. 

Make your image look sharper by increasing the contrast anywhere a light area meets a dark area. Sharpening increases the visual sharpness of the photo by removing blurriness. Using photo editing tools like Photoshop makes it simple to increase the focus on the blurry areas.

Adjust the white balance to increase or decrease the warm colors as you desire.

Noise Reduction

Noise is a random variation in the color of an image. It is produced during the photography process.

Noise is not grain, and is generally considered undesirable.

There are two main types of photo (image) noise:

• Color Noise
• Luminance Noise

Noise reduction is a method to smooth out any “noise” in a photo. An image is “noisy” when taken by severely underexposing and/or shooting at a very high ISO.

Styles of Photo Editing

You have understood how to edit a photo in the previous sections. Are you interested in knowing about more photoshop editing techniques? These photo editing styles will keep your photo looking fresh. 

In this online showcasing era, photoshop editing abilities at your fingertips are more impressive now than ever.

The large number of photo filters, presets, and editing techniques available can be overwhelming.

Whether you are crafting to increase your brand awareness, you can try the following photo editing styles:

• Collages
• HDR Editing
• Matte Effect
• Clean Editing
• High Contrast
• Cross Processed
• Natural and Soft
• Artistic Effects
• Retro and Vintage
• Damaged Film Look
• Black and White (B&W)

Collages

Photo collage creation is a fun and accessible way of connecting images together. You can combine various images to showcase a sequence of events. 

For example, a photo collage can have various shots from a vacation. The photo collage is a fun way to keep summary records of an event. You can share the photo collage on social media like Instagram and Facebook. 

HDR Editing

Dynamic Range is the ratio between the darkest and lightest parts of an image. High Dynamic Range (HDR) photos show more details than a short DR image.

What is HDR Editing? You take at least three photos at various exposure levels. Then, you use photo editing software to merge the photos (from low to high exposure). The result? A highly detailed photograph accurately captures the darkest and lightest parts of the image.

Matte Effect

The Matte Effect neutralizes the shadows of the image. You can create a smoothing effect that suits different skin tones and presets. Use the matte effect to quickly add a sense of moodiness to your portraits.

The matte effect is great for the following:

• Food Photography
• Portrait Photography
• Lifestyle Photography
• Landscape Photography

Clean Editing

Clean editing is a photoshop editing technique to return an image to its natural state.

Lighting issues during photography can result in a distorted image. 

Clean editing helps solve any problems caused by interruptions or distortions during the photoshoot. 

You can adjust the sharpness, color temperature, and clarity to remove artificial distortions.

High Contrast

High-contrast photo editing is a popular technique to make the image more vibrant. Using high contrast image editing for vivid colors, dark blacks, bright whites, and rich textures.

Low contrast photos are warmer and software. Increasing the contrast showcases the variance between the dark and light areas. 

For example, high-contrast photoshop editing will make a photo of the night sky look amazing. The stars will shine brighter in the blanket of the dark night sky. 

Cross Processed

Cross-processing is a technique first applied in photo films in the darkroom. The film would purposely be developed using the wrong chemicals to get special color effects. 

Nowadays, it is possible to use photo editing software to mimic the cross-processing effect. 

The cross-processing preset in Photoshop gives you artistic control over red, blue, and green channels. You can create beautiful cross-processed photos with otherworldly tones. 

Natural and Soft

Smoothen the harsh edges of your photos to give them a natural and soft look. 

The natural and soft Photoshop editing technique has been popularized by smartphone filters like “vivid warm” and “dramatic warm”. 

Natural and soft images give a cozy feeling and are suitable for conveying a relaxed mood. 

Artistic Effects

Photo editing software helps you unleash your imagination. 

Want to build a composite image? Looking to turn your photo into a cartoon? You can achieve all of the following using photo editing tools like Adobe Photoshop.

Some of the most popular artistic effects you can create include the following:

• Cartoon Photo Effect
• Double Exposure Effect
• Watercolor Painting Effect
• Photo Abstract Painting Effect

Retro and Vintage

Vintage and retro photos are used to give a throwback feel to images. 

There is no need to use an old or antique camera to get a vintage photograph. 

Photo editing apps have countless retro/vintage filters that help you quickly get your desired effect. 

You can also manually adjust aspects of the image like color balance and grain to give a custom retro feel. 

Damaged Film Look

Similar to vintage and retro photoshop editing, the damaged film effect gives a distorted, grainy, and blotchy look to a standard photo. 

You can use downloadable film textures to transform a photograph into an old and degraded image. 

The damaged film look gives a nostalgic feeling to your photos.

Black and White (B&W)

Black and white photographs are timeless. Want to convey nostalgia, sadness, or yearning? B&W photos help you achieve that! 

You can use photo editing software to adjust the light levels of your image’s colors. Remove all tones, keeping just the gray tones.

Photo Editing Tips

You should have a basic understanding of the photo editing process and techniques. I have included 6 basic tips in my photo editing guide to help you further get familiar with image post-processing. 

• Speed Up Simple Processes
• Use Your Photo Editor’s Keyboard Shortcuts
• Make Use of Preset and Action Settings
• Crop for Better Composition
• Adjust Brightness and Contrast
• Outsource to Photo Editing Experts

Speed Up Simple Processes

The main issue faced by beginner photo editors is figuring out an optimized workflow. 

New photo editors should speed up simple editing processes by:

• Use Import and Export Tools of Your Photo Editing Software
• Organize Your Photo in Folders For Fast Access
• Use Batch Editing (Edit More Than 1 Photo At a Time)
• Streamline Your Editing Process (Have Well-Defined Steps)

Use Your Photo Editor’s Keyboard Shortcuts

The fastest way to move around inside your photo editor is using shortcuts. 

Keyboard shortcuts provide quick access to a particular function within your photo editor. For example, Control + C (Or Command + C) is the universal shortcut for copying. 

Get better at photoshop editing by using shortcuts for commonly used commands like Zoom, Create Layer, Scale, and more. 

Make Use of Preset and Action Settings

The steps needed to completely edit a photo can be long. A lot of times it is better to not start from scratch. 

Presets and actions are photo editing tools with “recorded” steps that you can apply to your photo. 

Lightroom uses presets and Photoshop uses actions. 

Using these presets and actions can massively improve your photo editing time and effort. 

Crop for Better Composition

The most basic photo editing tool is the crop. Virtually every photo editing tool, regardless of complexity, can crop photographs.

Crop an image to quickly remove unwanted elements and frame your subject better. Just a simple crop improves your photo quality massively by only keeping your desired objects. 

Remember to keep the shortcut for cropping in mind for lightning-fast edits.

Adjust Brightness and Contrast

Another simple adjustment to master are the brightness and contrast sliders. 

Adjust your photo’s brightness to increase the level of light. 

The contrast adjustment will ensure light and dark parts of your image is balanced. 

A simple brightness and contrast adjustment will go a long way in making your photo look polished. 

Outsource to Photo Editing Experts

Do all the steps in the earlier sections sound too complicated? Or do you have thousands of photos to edit? If the answer is yes, then there is another solution! Outsource photo editing to an expert individual or business! 

Photoshop editing experts have years of experience creating beautiful photos quickly. You can leverage their expertise for your desired edits. However, it is best you check out various businesses before making the decision. 

Should You Edit Photos Yourself?

Should you edit your own pictures or get a professional to do it? Well, it depends. If you only edit a few photos per week, then, by all means, do it yourself. 

However, it’s best to work with a professional for complex editing for photos, like Photo Manipulation, Ghost Mannequin, or Photo Restoration. For example, photo restoration can take up to a week to accomplish! If you do not have that kind of time, a Photo Editing Company is the best option. 
Professional photographers and businesses with large deliverables will benefit from outsourcing image editing. In that case, a photo editing service provider will help offload the post-processing to save time and resources.

Types of Photo Editing

Does photo editing sound too difficult? Do not have time to edit all your photos? Require a professional touch to your photographs? If the answer to any of these questions is yes, then you will benefit from getting Professional Photo Editing Services from an experienced company (or individual). 

To help you choose the best editing type, this photo editing guide lists the top photoshop editing services. You can get an idea of the services you can use for your bespoke requirements.

There are multiple types of photo editing available in the image editing field.

I am going to show you some of them here.

• Clipping Path
• Image Masking
• Ghost Mannequin
• Photo Shadow Creation
• Photo Retouching
• Photo Color Correction
• Photo Restoration
• Vector Conversion
• Body Photo Editing
• Photo Manipulation
• Photo Background Removal
• Wedding Photo Editing
• Newborn Photo Editing
• Product Photo Editing
• Portrait Photo Editing
• Real Estate Photo Editing
• Animal Photo Editing

Clipping Path

A clipping path is a closed vector path that is used to remove part of an image using photo editing software. After the clipping path is applied, the output will have a part of the image inside, and anything outside the path will be removed. 

Types of Clipping Path:

• Single Layer Path
• Multi-Layer Clipping Paths
• Illustrator Clipping Path

Clipping Path Tools/Software:

• Adobe Photoshop CC
• PaintShop Pro
• Affinity Photo
• Pixelmator
• Acorn

Image Masking

Image masking is a very useful technique to edit images in a non-destructive way. 

Use image masking to “conceal and reveal,” meaning portions of the image can be hidden. 

Other portions can be displayed, allowing the photo editor flexibility during editing. 

Types of Image Masks:

• Vector Masks
• Clip Masks
• Layer Masks
• Alpha Channel Masks
• CSS Image Masking

Image Masking Tools/Software:

• Adobe Photoshop CC
• Affinity Designer
• PaintShop Pro
• PhotoDirector
• Amadine

Ghost Mannequin

The ghost mannequin effect is a powerful photo editing technique for clothing photos. 

Ghost mannequin involves editing together images of the interior and exterior of the garment. Then, the model or mannequin is removed, leaving behind an image that perfectly represents how the apparel product fits in 3D.

Types of Ghost Mannequin Photo Editing:

• Bottom Joint
• Neck Joint
• Sleeves Joint
• Mannequin To Model
• 360° Packshot Ghost Mannequin

Shadow Creation

Photo shadow creation adds a 3D effect to an image. 

Shadow creation is where you can create shadows and add them to the image. The result? Your image will look more realistic by having depth.

Types of Shadow Creation:

• Natural Shadow Creation
• Drop Shadow Creation
• Reflection/Mirror Shadow Effect
• Retain Original Shadow
• Castaway Shadow Creation

Shadow Creation Tools/Software:

• Adobe Photoshop CC
• Luminar AI
• Sharpen AI
• CorelDraw
• GIMP

Photo Color Correction

Photo color correction is the image editing process to neutralize and correct any differences in how the human eye sees a picture. In digital photo editing, color correction helps make the image look, feel, and appear similar to how it looked originally (or better). All it takes is a few easy adjustments.

Photo Color Correction Types:

• Color Variants
• Color Palette Adjustment
• Temperature Adjustment
• Brightness And Contrast
• White Balance Correction
• Shadows And Highlights

Photo Color Correction Software/Tools:

• Adobe Photoshop CC
• Adobe Lightroom
• GIMP
• Skylum Luminar
• Corel PaintShop Pro

Photo Restoration

Image restoration uses digital restoration tools and software to create digital versions of images while improving quality and repairing the damage. 

An expert photo editor can fix rips, tears, faded colors, and other imperfections. The result? Your old, memorable photos are given a new lease on life. 

Types of Photo Restoration You Can Apply:

• Environmental Damage Photo Restoration
• Color Loss Photo Restoration
• Torn Photo Restoration
• Digital Photo Damage Restoration
• Water Damage Photo Restoration
• Crease Damage Photo Restoration

Photograph Restoration Software/Tools: 

• Adobe Photoshop CC
• PhotoGlory PRO
• GFP-GAN
• Luminar Neo
• Retouch Pilot
• SoftOrbits Photo Retoucher

Vector Conversion

Vector conversion refers to the conversion of a raster image to vector formats. 

Raster images are common, pixel-based formats such as JPG, PNG, and GIF. 

Vector graphics are computer-made images made up of points, lines, and curves based on mathematical equations, not pixels. Professionals use vector conversion to convert raster to vector formats.

Types of Vector Conversions:

• Raster to Vector Conversion
• Convert Image to Vector Drawing
• Convert Image to Vector Line Art
• Photo to Illustration
• Exact-Copy Vectorization
• Convert Bitmap Format to Vector Format
  • JPG to Vector
  • GIF to Vector
  • PNG to Vector
  • PSD to Vector
  • BMP to Vector
  • TIF to Vector
  • PDF to Vector

Vector Conversion Tools/Software: 

• Adobe Illustrator
• Corel DRAW
• Inkscape
• Sketch
• Affinity Designer

Body Photo Editing

Are you dissatisfied with how your body looks? You can use body photo editing software to alter your body shape, size, and other undesirable aspects. Body reshaping is a common request for most people. I cover more on this a topic in a body photo editing guide.

Types of Body Photo Editing:

• Add Six-Pack
• Reshape Body
• Body Slimming
• Accentuate Waist
• Remove Unwanted Fat
• Enlarge or Reduce Breasts
• Make Legs Longer & Slimmer

Body Photo Editing Tools/Software:

• Adobe Photoshop CC
• RetouchMe
• Perfect Me
• ‎Body Editor

Photo Manipulation

Want to transform your regular photos into something that looks out of this world? You can do so with photo manipulation! 

Photo manipulation is the photo editing process to alter the photograph in a fairly subtle or quite dramatic fashion. 

Types of photo manipulations you can make:

• Digital Double Exposure
• Make Subject Disappear
• Multiply Subject
• Restructure Landscape
• Cut-Out Collage Effect
• Photography and Illustration Hybrid

Photo Manipulation Tools/Software:

• Adobe Photoshop CC
• Corel PaintShop Pro
• CyberLink PhotoDirector
• Skylum Luminar Neo

Background Removal

Ever clicked a photo on a cloudy day? Then, you probably wanted to change the cloudy backdrop. Background removal is the process of removing an image’s backdrop.

Easily replace/change unwanted backgrounds using photo editing software like Photoshop! Furthermore, there are many free background removal tools online for a one-click backdrop cut-out!

Types of Background Removal You Can Do:

• Background Merging
• Background Blurring
• Background Extension
• Background Replacement
• Background Removal Using Clipping Path
• Background Removal Using Image Masking
• Background Removal for Photo Manipulation
• Product Photo Background Removal
  • Amazon Product Background Removal 
  • eBay Product Background Removal
  • Alibaba Product Background Removal
  • Walmart Product Background Removal

Background Removal Software/Tools: 

• Canva
• Slazzer
• Remove.bg
• Cutout.pro
• Wondershare PixCut
• Adobe Photoshop CC

Wedding Photo Editing

Weddings are special occasions for all involved. If you are the bride or groom, you probably want to make your wedding look perfect. You can work with professional wedding photo editors or do the edits yourself.

Wedding photo editing uses tools and software to fix makeup, remove blemishes, straighten clothing, and fix flyaway hairs. 

Other Wedding Event Photo You Can Edits Include the Following:

• Engagement Photo Editing
• Bridal Shower Photo Editing
• Bachelor Party Photo Editing
• Bachelorette Party Photo Editing
• Rehearsal Dinner Photo Editing

Wedding Photo Editing Software/Tools:

• Adobe Photoshop
• Adobe Lightroom
• Capture One 
• DxO PhotoLab
• Cyberlink PhotoDirector

Newborn Photo Editing

Are you excited about sharing your newborn’s photos on social media? Then, you could benefit from baby photo editing to fix small imperfections, add creative backgrounds, and other fixes to make your baby look adorable. 

Types of Newborn Photo Editing:

• Newborn Photo Color Correction
• Newborn Photo Background Editing
• Newborn Portrait Photo Editing
• Newborn Photo Retouching
• Creative Newborn Photo Editing
• Newborn Photo Manipulation
• Newborn Boy Photo Editing
• Newborn Girl Photo Editing

Newborn Photo Editing Software/Tools:

• Adobe Photoshop
• Adobe Lightroom
• Snapseed
• Baby Pics

Product Photo Editing

Are you worried about your products not selling well online? A major factor in impressing customers is a top-quality product photo. 

Product photo editing helps make your product look its best. For example, the product’s color can be made to pop and appropriate shadows added. 

Types of Products You Can Edit Include the Following:

• Jewelry Product Photo Editing
  • Ring Photo Editing
  • Earing Photo Editing
  • Bangle Photo Editing
  • Necklace Photo Editing
• Electronics Product Photo Editing
  • Accessories Photo Editing
  • Camera Photo Editing
  • Cell Phone Photo Editing
  • Computer Photo Editing
  • Headphones Photo Editing
  • Televisions Photo Editing
  • Video Game Consoles Photo Editing
  • Wearable Technology Photo Editing
• Apparel Product Photo Editing
  • Men’s Apparel Product Photo Editing
  • Women’s Apparel Product Photo Editing
  • Girls’ Apparel Product Photo Editing
  • Boys’ Apparel Product Photo Editing
• Furniture Product Photo Editing
  • Bedroom Furniture Photo Editing
  • Living Room Furniture Photo Editing
  • Dining Room Furniture Photo Editing
  • Kitchen Furniture Photo Editing
  • Bathroom Furniture Photo Editing
• Beauty & Personal Care Product Photo Editing
  • Makeup Product Photo Editing
  • Skin Care Product Photo Editing
  • Hair Care Product Photo Editing
  • Shave and Hair Removal Product Photo Editing
• Food Product Photo Editing
• Toys Product Photo Editing

Product Photo Editing Software/Tools:

• Adobe Photoshop
• Corel PaintShop Pro
• GIMP
• Snapspeed
• CorelDRAW

Portrait Photo Editing

Seeking a new job? You can impress headhunters with a professionally shot portrait. 

Portrait photo editing, also known as headshot photo editing is used to fix and retouch photos of the face. 

Types of Portraits You Can Edit Include the Following:

• LinkedIn Portrait Photo Editing
• Commercial Portrait Photo Editing
• Actor Portrait Photo Editing
• Beauty Portrait Photo Editing
• Model Portrait Photo Editing
• Corporate Portrait Photo Editing
• Family Portrait Photo Editing

Portrait Photo Editing Software/Tools:

• Adobe Photoshop CC
• Portrait Pro
• PhotoDiva Luminar 
• Adobe Lightroom

Real Estate Photo Editing

Planning on selling your home? You can reach more potential buyers by advertising your property online. A polished and professional real estate photo will grab your customer’s attention. 

Real estate photo editing makes property photos look professional and eye-catching. They help owners sell quicker and for more money. 

Real Estate Photo Editing Types: 

• Residential Real Estate Photo Editing
  • Single-Family Home Photo Editing
  • Condominium Photo Editing
  • Duplex Photo Editing
• Commercial Real Estate Photo Editing
  • Apartment Complex Photo Editing
  • Hotel Photo Editing
  • Restaurant Photo Editing
• Industrial Real Estate Photo Editing
  • Warehouse Photo Editing
  • Data Center Photo Editing
• Land Photo Editing
  • Agricultural Land Photo Editing
  • Undeveloped Property Photo Editing
• Special Purpose Real Estate Photo Editing
  • Government Building Photo Editing
  • Park Photo Editing
• Architectural Real Estate Photo Editing
• Drone-Based Real Estate Photo Editing
• Real Estate Interior Photo Editing

Animal Photo Editing

Want to make your pet look more adorable in photos? Or are you looking to improve the wild animals you took during a safari? 

You can do both of the above with animal photo editing. Photo editing tools let you adjust the animal’s fur, teeth, and other features. 

Types of Animals You Can Photo Edit Include:

• Mammals Photo Editing
  • Cat Photo Editing
  • Dog Photo Editing
  • Monkey Photo Editing
  • Dolphin Photo Editing
• Birds Photo Editing
  • Parrot Photo Editing
  • Dove Photo Editing
  • Hummingbird Photo Editing
  • Pigeon Photo Editing
• Reptiles Photo Editing
  • Snake Photo Editing
  • Turtle Photo Editing
  • Lizard Photo Editing
• Fish Photo Editing
  • Goldfish Photo Editing
  • Mollies Photo Editing
• Amphibians Photo Editing
  • Frogs Photo Editing
  • Salamandar Photo Editing

Animal Photo Editing Software/Tools:

• Adobe Photoshop CC
• YouCam Perfect

Photo Editing Software Tools

So far this photo editing guide has covered the basics of editing. You must have a pressing question on your mind. Where do I apply these photo editing techniques? 

You have probably heard of the household name for editing photos: Adobe Photoshop. However, there are countless other photo editing software, apps, and online websites for diverse image editing needs. 

For simplicity, I have divided photo editing software into three categories, which are:

• Photo Editing Software (For Desktop)
• Photo Editing Apps (For Smartphones)
• Photo Editing Online (For Web Browsers)

Photo Editing Software 

Desktop photo editing software is the most powerful editing software for professionals. 

Photo editing on a desktop means running the software on macOS, Windows, and Linux. 

Not all photo editing software runs on all operating systems (OS). It is important to check if your chosen photo editing software is compatible with your OS.

The most popular photo editing software includes the following:

• Adobe Photoshop (Windows and macOS)
• Affinity Photo (Windows and macOS)
• Cyberlink PhotoDirector 365 (Windows and macOS)
• Luminar NEO (Windows and macOS)
• GIMP (Linux, macOS, Windows)

Photo Editing Apps 

Photo Editing Apps run on Android and iOS smartphones. In the past, only desktop computers could run image editing applications. Nowadays, editing on your smartphone has become an easy process. 

Every Android and iOS smartphone has default photo editors built-in with basic features. However, for more advanced editing, it is recommended to download third-party apps from the Google Play Store and Apple App Store. 

The most popular photo editing apps include the following:

• VIMORY: Slideshow Video Maker & Photo Editor (Android, iOS)
• PicsArt (Android, iOS)
• Snapseed (Android, iOS)
• Adobe Photoshop Camera (Android, iOS)
• Pixlr (Android, iOS)
• Adobe Lightroom (Android, iOS)

Photo Editing Online 

Do you use a basic laptop, desktop, or Chromebook? Then, your device probably does not have the capacity to download a heavy application. 

Online photo editors were created to help people edit photos quickly without downloading any software. 

That does not mean that these online image editors are basic. Online editors are capable of simple to advanced photo editing. 

The most popular online (web-based) photo editor include the following:

• Pixlr X
• Fotor
• Canva
• BeFunky
• Adobe Express
• Photopea

Photo Editing Cost

Wondering how much photo editing costs? It doesn’t have to cost anything! Free online photo editors like Pixlr, Fotor, and Canva can accomplish basic editing tasks! All you require is a compatible device with the Internet and a web browser. 

On the other hand, advanced photo editing software like Adobe Photoshop and Cyberlink PhotoDirector 365 are paid tools. You will pay either a subscription fee or a one-time cost, depending on the software. 

If you do not have the time or skill to edit photos yourself, you can outsource it to a freelancer or photo editing business. 

Freelance photo editors charge $90/hour on average. That equates to around $3 per photo. 

Photo editing companies charge based on the photo’s complexity. Furthermore, they offer bulk services for hundreds of photos.

How to Hire a Photo Editor?

Photo editing is fun and interesting work. However, it is not always possible to do all the work yourself (or in-house). In that case, you will benefit from hiring one or more photo editors. You have two options when it comes to hiring photo editors: 

• Freelance Photo Editors
• Photo Editing Company

Hire Freelance Photo Editors

Freelance websites like Fivver and Upwork have thousands of photo editors with varying skill levels. You can browse the top photo editors for your price categories. The caveat is that there is always a risk with freelancers. So it is important to do your research before hiring freelance photo editors.

Hire Photo Editing Company

A photo editing company specializes in delivering thousands of edited images at affordable prices. If you require high quality images quickly, an experienced photo editing company is your best choice. Just search online for the top photo editing companies and check out their offerings. 

Different photo editing companies offer different pricing for their services. A good tip is to try out the Free Trials on offer. You can judge the quality of their services and decide if it is best for you. 

Photo Editing Trends

Want to know about photo editing trends? You can join the trending photos on Instagram by editing photos in line with the latest trends. 

The top photo editing trends on social media like Instagram include:

• Photo Dumps
• Text Overlays
• Extreme Lighting
• Consistent Color Schemes
• Authentic, Unedited Photos
• ‘70s (via the ‘00s) Nostalgia
• Desaturated, Moody Palettes

Follow these trends before they run their course! You never know, you may become a popular personality online!

What is the Future of Photo Editing?

The future of photo editing is Artificial Intelligence (AI). AI-based photo editing software and tools will become better at finding and correcting mistakes. For example, removing unwanted elements from a photo will be fast and accurate using AI. 

AI will add more functionality to traditional photo editing software by taking repetitive and manually intensive tasks and helping the editor achieve them more efficiently. 

The AI photo editor will learn what we want and perform complex tasks quickly. Automation will reduce human error and allow us more time to dream and experiment to get superior results.

Photo editors can use AI-powered tools to enhance: 

• Portrait Shots
• Abstract Work
• Nature Images
• Wedding Photos
• Magazine Covers
• Event Photography, and more!

Photo Editing Career

Interested in pursuing photo editing as a career? Photo editors are responsible for creating a full, rich user experience by ensuring all images are shot and edited on time for publication. 

A career in photo editing can be rewarding. 

A photo editing expert stays up to date with new image editing technologies and coordinates with the team members to identify photography needs.

You can work for a photo editing company or a photography studio.

Photo Editing Industries

Wondering which industries you can work with as a photo editor? Photo editing is required for virtually every industry vertical. You will not lack job opportunities as a photo editor.

Industries Needing Photo Editors Include the Following:

• Medical
• Textiles
• eCommerce
• Education
• Technology
• Real Estate
• Engineering 
• Manufacturing
• Publishing Houses
• Advertising and Marketing
• Portrait and Printing Studios

How to Become a Photo Editor?

Many employers require photo editors to have a bachelor’s degree in photojournalism, visual arts, photography, or a similar field. 

However, it is not necessary to have a degree in photo editing. A strong portfolio with diverse photo editing works will help elevate you above other candidates. 

You must have a strong working knowledge of photo editing software like Adobe Lightroom, Photoshop, and InDesign. 

Being a good photo editor requires creativity, collaborative & technical skills, and experience. You need to communicate well with your managers and photographers to understand the project’s essence. 

Photo Editing Job Skills

A skilled photo editor should have advanced knowledge of photography, design, imagery, and editing software. 

As a photo editor, it is important to understand elements like lighting, color balance, and staging to deliver a visually pleasing final image. 

Other common skills a talented photo editor should have include:

• Creativity and artistic mindset
• Leadership and motivational skills
• Knowledge of photography techniques
• Collaboration and team-building abilities
• Organization and time management abilities
• Strong working knowledge of photo editing software tools

Conclusion

Nowadays, photo editing is essential for businesses and influencers trying to increase brand awareness.

So, make yourself more productive by assigning your professional photo editing mass load to an online professional photo editing service provider.

And for the individuals, please try different types of amazing online and online photo editing tools to make yourself more productive than ever.

I hope you learned something from this photo editing guide. The goal of this article is to cover every major topic to help photo editors and people seeking to hire/outsource photo editing. 

In summary, this image editing guide has covered what photo editing is, the photo editing basics, techniques & tips, image editing software, and career information.

Please don’t forget to share because we know well that sharing is caring.

The next section contains the frequently asked questions (FAQs) about photo editing.

Photo Editing FAQs

Have questions after reading this article? Check out the frequently asked questions about photo editing in general. If you have further questions, feel free to comment below.

Thank you so much for your patience!

Please leave a comment below if you want more information regarding photo editing. I will try to answer your questions. In addition, if relevant, I will add the information to the photo editing guide.