Tools of the Trade

Photo-Editing for dummies.

I will be the first to admit that I am anything but a professional photog.

I actually got into shooting self-shots and my own pics by accident.

I am a stickler about copyright issues and I refuse to post others pics or re-blog. This limits a blogger immensely; so some ingenuity on my part was necessary.

These sites have been some tools of the trade, that I have used.

I decided early on that I would do my own pics and go from there.

I started with a Kodak sure-shot and then moved on to a Nikon D-3100 due to its point and shoot capabilities. I found that it would give me time and room to grow, while embarking on the journey of learning photography.

Along with taking pics, comes the challenge of editing: and it isn’t an easy feat.

(Much respect: to you photogs out there.)

Therefore, I came up with this writing: ‘Editing for Dummies.’

There are various online editing websites that you can go to, where it isn’t necessary to download anything. Here are just a few…

1. www.picmonkey.com The basic edits are free and the royal edits are not. I cross edit my pictures many times and use different sites; in order to get different filters and effects.

2. www.pixlr.com I like this one, but at times it does so much for me: that layering isn’t possible. I do like this site for when I want the editor to do all of the work for me.

3. www.photo505.com This site is full of fun effects.

4. www.photofacefun.com This is also full of fun effects.

5 www.getgimp.com This is a free download to get ‘Gimp photo shop,’ this is harder to navigate and takes some experimenting and possible tutorials to master. There are numerous tutorials on Youtube.

6. www.download-photoscape.net This is a free download for photo-scape.

It is a more in depth photo shop and it will take some studying for a novice.

Two things: When I download anything I try to go through www.cnet.com just go there and type in downloads when searching for an item. Some downloads are free and others are not, but the site is a trust worthy site and I tend to be leery of down loading things due to malware.

Please read the terms of agreement: as many of the free editing sites only permit using the pics that you edit through them, for blogging, or sharing with friends and family. In other words they don’t you to sell them. I honor copyright and regulations and I encourage you too also.

Hope this helps and happy blogging…

©Amber Hawkins