3 Simple Photo Editing Fixes for Correcting a Bad Photo

1. Exposure

If you have taken a photo with too little light exposure, the photo will appear to be very dark, such as the image below:

In this image, you can barely see that there appears to be a man in a dark setting, such as a bar. In order to see the man more clearly, it is important to increase the light.

On the right-hand photo editing bar, select "Adjust Exposure." You will find that by increasing the Brightness meter in the editing bar, the brightness of the entire photograph will increase. Here's an example -- what a difference!

2. Color

Color is often the trickiest part of photo editing. After all, color is such a crucial element when it comes to adjusting the overall feel and look of an image. We can see in this image (below) that the color combines elements that are both hot and cold -- and unnatural.

By adjusting the color temperature to make the colors warmer, the appeal of the photo increases.

We can then adjust the tint to create more realistic skin tone. By adjusting the saturation, we can lighten the intensity of the colors. Review the photo below for an example (the purple tint made the photo look unnatural).

3. Cropping

The cropping tool helps to narrow down the focus of the photo by eliminating unnecessary surroundings. Keep in mind that in many photos, it is important to include at least some of the surroundings in order to create ambiance.

The cropping tool in Windows Photo Gallery is found on the right-hand photo editing palette. Using these simple tools, this image could cropped like this...

The difference between this photo and the original is striking, don't you think?

By understanding how to use simple photo editing software to improve your photos, you will not only be pleased with the results, but you will be prouder to share your photos with friends and family.

Remember that a bad photo only has to be a first draft of a photo. By identifying those areas of the photo that could use improving, such as the color or the cropping, you can greatly improve the end result.

Take some time to play around with your photos using photo editing software until you create a photo you love from what had been a potentially bad photo.