These days, most smartphones have great cameras—so why do some people's photos look much better than others?
For almost all the best photos taken on smartphones, the answer is editing, using a number of photography apps. From cropping to color correcting, small tweaks can make the difference between a forgettable snapshot and a truly great photograph.
Today the process for improving a photo is incredibly easy. There is an app for almost any photo editing you want to do. With so many brand managers creating visual content in-house, it's important to take the time and put forth the strongest possible image to draw in your audience.
Here are 10 favorite photo-editing apps, according to some of the most successful photographers on social media:
1. Snapseed
This Google-owned app has almost every tool you could want for photo editing.
With Snapseed, you can straighten, sharpen and color correct easily. The app also has filters that you can use to stylize your photos.
Snapseed is free for iOS and Android.
2. VSCO
VSCO dominated the film-inspired filters shortly after Instagram first gained popularity, and is still a classic favorite among Instagram users.
VSCO provides a plethora of filters and tools to edit photos. If you find a group of editing settings that you particularly enjoy, you can copy and paste them onto photos, making it easy to edit clusters of images in a cohesive way.
VSCO is free for iOS and Android, with an additional cost for extra filters.
3. Over
Photos with stylized text are incredibly popular on social media.
Over makes it really easy to overlay text on your images. The app has a range of fonts that you can use to write out your message.
Over costs $1.99 for iOS and $3.99 for Android.
4. Priime
Similar to VSCO, Priime has filters inspired by popular photographers. It also has an algorithm that analyzes your photo and recommends filters that would look best.
Priime is free for IOS, but is not available for Android.
5. TouchRetouch
Have you ever taken a photo you're psyched about, only to later realize there is a tiny smudge and a piece of trash distracting from its greatness?
With TouchRetouch you can easily edit it out. Problem solved.
TouchRetouch costs $1.99 for iOS and Android.
6. Image Blender
Stuck between two edits? If you wish you could combine two filters, you can with Image Blender.
You can also get creative, making images that mimic double exposure photos.
Image Blender is $2.99 for iOS; a similar free app is available for Android.
7. Squaready
Whether you're feeling boxed in by the square dimensions of Instagram, or just need the perfect crop, Squaready is your friend.
It's simple and straightforward with no frills, but it's also effective.
Squaready is free for iOS; a similar free app is available for Android.
8. Frontview
Trying to get the perfect architecture shot? Make sure you correct for building parallax—which is when the buildings look warped due to the distortion of the lens—with Frontview.
Frontview is free for iOS, but is not available for Android.
9. Layout
Layout is a new app that was recently introduced by Instagram that makes it easy to create image collages.
Use it to create a simple collage or get creative and combine images artistically. The possibilities are vast.
Layout is free for iOS and will be coming soon to Android.
10. Instagram
Instagram's popularity boomed partially because of their initial filters and square images.
Though interest in the original filters has waned, Instagram regularly introduces new tools. Currently, you can straighten, color correct, sharpen and create a few photo effects with the social media app's tools.
By no means are Instagram's tools innovative in the editing space, but learning how to use the app's filters and other tools is a good place to start.
