Introduction

As the adage goes, a picture is worth a thousand words, and with iPhone cameras getting better and better, it’s easier than ever to take amazing photos without expensive equipment. However, sometimes the difference between a good photo and a great photo is in the editing.

With a variety of built-in editing tools and a plethora of photo-editing apps available, iPhone users have everything they need to edit and enhance their photos directly on their device, whether it’s for personal use or social media sharing.

In this article, we’ll take a look at how to edit photos on iPhone, from basic adjustments to specialized techniques and innovative tricks.

Step-by-step guide

The first step to editing a photo on iPhone is selecting one to work with. Once you’ve chosen your photo, tap the edit button in the top right corner of the screen, and you’ll be taken to the editing screen, where you can find all the basic editing tools.

Adjust the brightness, contrast, and saturation

The first thing you’ll want to do when editing a photo is adjusting the basics, such as brightness, contrast, and saturation. Use the slider to find the perfect balance for your photo. Don’t go overboard; you want the photo to look natural.

Crop and straighten the photo

If your photo is wonky or has unnecessary background objects, you can crop and straighten it. Drag or pinch the photo to adjust its boundaries, or tap the rotate icon to straighten it.

Add filters and effects

To add some extra flair to your photo, you can apply a filter or effect. Simply tap the filter button and scroll through the options to find the perfect one. Be mindful not to overdo it.

Adjust lighting and color balance

If you think the lighting or color balance of your photo needs adjusting, tap the light or color button. You can adjust the warmth and tint, as well as the exposure and highlights.

Add text, frames, and stickers

If you’d like to add some text, frames, or stickers to your photo, tap the three-dot icon to access the editor tools, where you can add the desired item.

Best editing apps

The iPhone App Store is full of fantastic photo-editing apps to choose from, making it hard to decide which is best. Here are four top editing apps that we recommend:

Adobe Lightroom

Lightroom is a mobile version of Adobe’s famous photo-editing software with a vast array of advanced editing features, including selective adjustments, noise reduction, and advanced color grading, which will help you elevate your photos to the next level.

VSCO

VSCO is one of the most popular photo-editing apps out there, known for its film-inspired presets, which give photos a distinct and unique feel. It also has a range of editing tools, including exposure, contrast, and saturation, all in one place.

Snapseed

Snapseed is another great editing app that comes with a range of tools, including selective adjustments, healing tools, and vintage filters, making it perfect for creative editors.

Afterlight

Afterlight is another favorite editing app, with an extensive library of filters and textures, as well as a range of advanced adjustment tools, making it perfect for those who want more than just basic editing tools.

Specialized techniques

Once you’ve familiarized yourself with the basic editing tools and favorite editing apps, you can start exploring specialized techniques to take your photos to the next level.

Color correction and temperature adjustments

If your photo colors don’t look right, you can adjust the temperature, highlight, and shadow using the editing tools, either selectively or as a whole.

Cropping and resizing

Cropping and resizing are essential techniques that can help you enhance your photo composition. You can crop in different ways or resize your photo to fit a specific ratio or size required by the platform.

Adding and customizing filters and effects

If you didn’t find a perfect filter or effect in the app, you can create your own by adjusting the settings of existing ones or creating a custom one. This way, your photos would look unique and have your signature editing style.

Retouching portraits

If your photos are portraits or have people in them, you can use portrait mode to create a beautiful bokeh effect or use portrait lighting to make the subject stand out. You can also use the retouching tool to remove blemishes or whiten teeth.

Photo-editing tricks

You can make your photos stand out even more by using some innovative tips and tricks. Here are some of them:

Portrait mode and depth of field

Portrait mode is an amazing tool that allows you to blur the background and keep the subject in focus, creating a beautiful bokeh effect. You can adjust the aperture to choose how much blur you’d like to have.

Double exposure

You can create a double-exposure effect by blending two photos together to create a unique and artistic look. Paste one photo on top of the other and use the masking tool to show parts of both photos.

Reflective surfaces

Reflections make for great photo opportunities. You can use water, windows, or mirrors to create an artistic look. Use the editor tools to adjust the contrast and saturation to make the reflection more prominent.

Playing with shadows

Shadows can add mood and depth to your photos. You can take advantage of different light sources to cast interesting shadows and use the editor tools to adjust the brightness and contrast of the shadows to make them more prominent.

Before and after

Finally, to better understand the transformative power of editing, you can create a series of before-and-after photos that showcase your editing skills. Here are some photos that we’ve edited to demonstrate:

In this example, we’ve used the Adobe Lightroom app to adjust the exposure and highlights, which significantly brightened the photo and brought out more details.

Here, we’ve used the portrait mode to blur the background and create a bokeh effect, making the subject stand out more.

Conclusion

Editing photos on iPhone can seem daunting at first, but with the right tools and techniques, you can create stunning photos that showcase your creativity and imagination. Be sure to experiment with different tools and apps until you find the right ones for you and your style.

Remember, editing is a creative process, so don’t be afraid to try out new things, take risks, and see what works for you.