Fun with Photo Editing Filters

If you are participating in the next Brenda Photo Challenge and don’t have a good grasp of photo editing programs, don’t panic! Cindra of Knits & Pics & Favorite Things recently mentioned a free online program called Picnik, and I did a little test drive of it. Let me tell you, it is EASY! Just upload your photo, click on different editing techniques, move a few slider bars, and you can modify your photos in a flash. When the editing is completed, you can then download the file back to your computer. They offer a premium service too if you want more bells and whistles.
Even the best photos can be improved with a little editing (e.g., color balance, contrast, spot touchups, sharpness, cropping). But after you finish those fine touches, you can have a little fun with special effect filters. Let me show you a few examples of how I quickly changed one of my photos using the Picnik program.

Original Photo (Grand Canyon Hopi House)

Using Create/Effects/Sepia

Using Create/Effects/Vignette

Using Create/Effects/Posterize

Using Create/Effects/Heat Map

Using Create/Sandbox/Circle Splash with Hardlight Setting

Go grab a couple of pictures and play with Picnik! And don’t forget to sign up for the Brenda Photo Challenge!