There are many reasons why you might need to professionally edit photos. Perhaps it’s a hobby, or perhaps you want to start your own online store and need professional products and editorial photos to get the job done. Whatever your reason, there are many tools out there to help make the photo editing process easier, starting with this free, easy guide:
Pick Your Camera of Choice
There are more camera options out there than you might be aware of, with some of the best categories including:
– Your phone
– A DSLR
– Sports camera
– 360 camera
– A Drone
When it comes to taking photos or videos with these tools, it is important to check your settings. You want the biggest possible file to edit with, and on a DSLR it is best to stick to the RAW file format. Unlike a JPEG, these RAW files are massive and have unprocessed data you can later tweak in a photo editor.
What You Will Need Before You Edit
You will need a few more tools of the trade before you start editing.
A Laptop
Though you can edit photos on your phone, their screen size makes it difficult to really zero in on details. You also won’t be able to have full control over the editing process, as the UI on mobile devices is severely dumbed down. As such, you will want to invest in a good laptop computer like a DELL; they have many laptops that designed with such jobs in mind. Before you settle on buying one, however, it is best to compare DELL laptops online to ensure you are investing in the best model for your needs.
A Cloud Account or External Disk Space
A cloud account or external hard drive is where you should keep your photos after you have sorted through them and even finished editing them. Ideally you should back them up on both, to ensure you never lose your carefully created images.
A Photo Editing Program
There are many photo editing programs out there.
Free Options
– Darktable
– GIMP
– Apple Photos
– Photoscape X
– Microsoft Windows 10 Photos
Premium Options
– Adobe Photoshop CC
– Adobe Lightroom CC
– Affinity Photo 1.6
– PhaseOne Capture One Pro
– DxO PhotoLab 2.1
How to Learn How to Edit
Once you have all the tools on hand, it is time to start learning how to use them.
Through a Designated Course – University, college, or through short courses. These formal courses are great for those who want to learn fast and are willing to pay the course fees.
Through Online Tutorials – There are both free and paid online tutorials to help you learn how to use your chosen photo editing program, as well as how to edit photos depending on lighting conditions, subject, and theme.
Get Your Photos Out There
Once your photos are edited, you need to get them out there. Publish them on social media, on your own personal site, or submit them to contests. Building your brand name is how you can open up possibilities and eventually start making money through your art.
