Best Editing Photos Apps Software for Free

Not so long ago you needed a high-spec computer and expensive software to be able to edit and process digital photos that you had taken. With the advent of the mobile-phone camera we have become accustomed to being able to capture photographs wherever we go and as mobile processors have caught up, we can now edit those photos on our mobile devices, too. One big drawback of smartphones is their relatively small screen size and the fact that our fingers are much less precise than a mouse cursor is. This makes the iPad, and its ten-inch screen, a much more accomplished image editing device.

Photoshop Express is a mobile-specific version of the popular desktop image-editing software, and allows you to perform common tasks such as cropping, adjusting brightness and so on. While it doesn’t offer all the elements of the full Photoshop, it still means you can make quick edits while out and about. TouchUp is similar but adds its own one-click fix and lots of unique effects to spruce up your photos. Then there’s Photo Effects HD Lite, which has some very impressive natural-looking filters.

Learn how to edit photos like a pro with these wonderful apps for your iPad

Get the power of Photoshop on your iPad for free

App used: Photoshop Express
Developer: Adobe Systems Incorporated
Price: Free

1: The interface
The main interface for Photoshop Express is very user-friendly. The first thing you need to do is choose an image to edit. This can be any photo you have saved on your Camera Roll.

2: Quick fixes
The app has a series of quick fixes available, such as Reduce Noise, Sharpen and Soft Focus. You can also quickly increase or reduce contrast and brightness to get the look you want.

3: Obscure effects
As well as the traditional image-editing options, you can also apply more dramatic effects, and add frames to your photo. Here we have an arty-looking strip frame with a red filter applied.

Achieve easy creative effects in TouchUp

App used: TouchUp Lite
Developer: esDot Development Studio
Price: Free

1: Similar interface
The interface for TouchUp is very similar to the one found in Photoshop Express, although the menu is at the top rather than the bottom where it is in Adobe’s app. It’s still easy to navigate, though.

2: Simple filters
TouchUp has some great filters and options, such as the one used here, which allows you to replace one colour with another. Here we turn the red car into a blue one, just with a quick swipe.

3: Crop your image
You can then use Crop to focus on the main part of the image, or to remove unwanted distracting elements. This is done by dragging the box with your fingers, then clicking Apply.

Experiment with filters in Photo Effects HD

App used: Photo Effects HD
Developer: AppInTheSky.com
Price: Free

1: Shoot from the app
Photo Effects HD allows you to import pre-existing photos like the other apps here, but you can also use your iPad’s camera (if applicable) to take a new one and then start editing it straight away.

2: The effects
Clicking on the FX menu brings up a selection of filters. Try out a few by tapping on them. Some of the best are Vignette, which creates a tunnel effect, and Lomo, which adds a retro feel.

3: Rotate and flip
As well as using filters, you can also rotate images, which is great for adding new perspectives. You can also flip your photos horizontally or vertically, which is useful if you’ve taken a photo in a mirror.

From : iPad Tips, Tricks, Apps & Hacks Volume 4 - Imagine Publishing Ltd