3 reasons to edit your phone photos with Snapseed

If you're a big Instagrammer like I am, then you'll have often felt a bit restricted by the simplistic nature of the editing functionality within the Instagram app itself with only a dozen or so filters to choose from. That's why I choose to edit my phone photos with Snapseed

Snapseed is not to be confused with Snapchat of course - they are completely different apps. I honestly believe Snapseed is one of the best mobile phone apps out there for quick but punchy editing that take your photo from good to grrrrrrreat!

From this to this.

It's a very simple app to use, so here's my top 3 quick and easy edits to really make your photos pop:

1.  Tune up your image (brightness, ambience and contrast)

Use the Tune Image button. Tap on the screen, then scroll up and down to get options for brightness, ambience, contrast, saturation, shadows and warmth. Once you are in the individual tuning function, scroll left and right to add or subtract brightness, ambience and contrast etc.

As a minimum on every picture, I always brighten the picture, add a bit of ambience and a slight pop of contrast.

2. Add a bit of Drama

Some pics look great with a bit of drama added. My favourite edit is to add about 50% Filter Strength and a little bit of Saturation, but it depends on each picture how much looks right. Just play with it till it looks right. To move the Filter Strength up and down just tap on the photo and scroll up and down.

 

3.  Add some Center Focus

There are a number of good edits within this filter, I usually just try each one and figure out which one looks best for the individual picture, but my favourite edits are Portraits 2 and Old Lens. If you tap on the screen, you'll get a center dot that you can move around or make the vignette around the outside more or less intense.

Then Save to your photo library and post into your Instagram feed a shot with a lot more oomph!!