Free Online Photo Editor

Where to start when editing a photo

Always start with the light, then the colors, and save effects for last. A photo that's too dark is best fixed first with exposure: a setting of +30 brightens the image by about half a stop, as if the camera had let in more light. Brightness mainly affects the midtones and better preserves very bright areas. Contrast then widens the gap between shadows and highlights: a few points are often enough, and beyond +40 the shadow detail starts to get crushed. Finish with saturation, in moderation, then sharpness if the image looks a little soft. Double-click a slider to reset it to zero.

Temperature and tint: fixing a color cast

A photo taken under light bulbs often looks orange, and one taken in the shade or on a cloudy day leans blue. The temperature slider compensates for this: move it left to cool down an image that's too yellow, right to warm up one that's too blue. Tint corrects the other axis, between green and magenta, which helps under some fluorescent lights that give skin a greenish tone. To judge, look at an area that should be neutral, like a white wall, a sheet of paper or a gray sky, and adjust until it no longer leans toward any color. You can also push it on purpose to create a mood, for example a warmer sunset.

Cropping for Instagram, stories or a screen

The right crop depends on where the photo will be seen. The square 1:1 format suits profile pictures. The vertical 4:5 takes up the most space in an Instagram feed. 9:16 fills a phone screen for a story or a wallpaper, and 16:9 matches TVs, computer screens and video thumbnails. 3:2 and 4:3 follow the proportions of camera sensors. The rule-of-thirds grid shown in the frame helps you place the subject on a strong point rather than in the center. If the horizon is tilted, the straighten slider levels it; the image is enlarged slightly so no empty corners appear.