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Technology

What is Picture Editor Software?

By Bethany Keene
Updated Feb 06, 2024
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Picture editor software is a type of computer program that is used for editing digital pictures and retouching photos. Picture editor software may be used for photos taken with a digital camera and then uploaded to the computer, or one may choose to scan older, non-digital pictures into the computer, and then edit them that way. This software can be very basic and simple or highly complex and difficult to use; be sure to choose the best photo editing software based on one's skills with software and photo programs.

There are a number of different picture editor software programs available in stores and online. It may be best to read reviews of different programs, or to ask store employees for recommendations before making a purchase. These programs vary drastically in price, and it may not be necessary to buy an extremely expensive program just to remove red-eye from a few photos, for example. It may also be a good idea to purchase an additional instructional manual or tutorial program, which can make it easier to understand some of the more advanced features of picture editor software.

Once the picture editor software is installed on the computer, it may be able to automatically scan the computer for photos, or the user may need to add them manually. At the most basic level, photo editor software will allow the user to make changes to the photo such as removing red-eye or airbrushing a blemish. In addition, it can adjust the light levels in the picture, making it appear darker or brighter, or enhance, sharpen, or soften certain areas of the photo.

The colors of the photos may be adjusted as well in picture editor software; for instance, the user may be able to make the photo appear in black and white, greyscale, or sepia toned. Colors may be enhanced to make the picture look warmer or cooler. Of course, the photo may also be cropped, rotated, zoomed in, and otherwise adjusted. In addition, some picture editor software programs allow the user to add additional items to the photos, such as a printable border, or even superimposed images.

These are just a few of the features that a photo editing software program can offer. Most people who shoot digital pictures, or who want to make changes to older film pictures find that this type of software is very beneficial. With practice, it can become easy to use the software and to better understand the more advanced photo editing features.

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Discussion Comments

By clintflint — On Dec 22, 2014

@Mor - It took me a long time to figure out the whole layers function on picture editing software but I couldn't do without it now. I don't use it so much with photos unless I'm changing them quite a bit though.

You can't do without it if you're trying to add text and effects and things to a picture though. I never used to use it when I first started using this kind of software and I don't know how I got away with it now.

By Mor — On Dec 21, 2014

@croydon - It's kind of a difficult thing to balance sometimes, because you might not want to save over previous versions, but you will also want to make sure that half an hour of work isn't going to waste if your picture editing software crashes (which mine does with quite a lot of regularity).

I tend to try and use the layers function to keep track of changes rather than making different saves, because that way it's all on the same file and it's easy to make comparisons.

But I've also got it set up so that it will prompt me to save every ten minutes or so. I used to have it so that it would save automatically, but that sometimes wiped things that I needed by saving over them.

By croydon — On Dec 20, 2014

The most important thing to remember if you are planning to edit photos is to make sure that the original has been safely saved in a separate file before you start. It's very easy to accidentally save over the original and there's no way to get it back if you do that. Layers are another really good way of making sure that you track changes throughout your process, but even then it's easy to make a mistake and manipulate the wrong layer without realizing it.

There's nothing worse than that sinking feeling you get when you realize you've lost a photograph forever and no matter how careful you are while editing, it's something that can happen unless you've backed up the photo somewhere else.

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