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BBHQ task: PHOTO EDITING

by Wasifa Ahmad Hasan



It’s time for MARCH task in BBHQand it’s about photo/video editing.

As I do not do videos, let’s stick to photos.


I must say, photo editing is not everyone’s cup of tea. Some photos turn out so much “edited”, it looks like they have bathed in Photoshop! 
I don’t actually “hate” Photoshop, but I am not fond of the overly airbrushed look.
See the following picture? The after effects are….well…”otherworldly”! 

Now look at this one. The editing is done nicely! Skin is smoothened out a bit, the extra shine is gone, so are unwanted spots.

So you get my point, right??
Anyway, let’s see what this month’s photo editing queries are!




What program(s) have you used in the past and currently using for editing your photos? Can you provide a short review, likes/dislikes?



  • I mostly use Picasa photo editor for cropping, adjusting the light balance and watermarking my pictures.

  • I have recently started to use GIMP which, I have to say, is easier than using Photoshop. It’s good for beginners.

  •  PicMonkey is also very good for creating effects on photos.



What are your thoughts on image editing websites; free or purchased?

I try the free image editing websites, but there are some premium features in the purchased version which you will not get in the free sites.




Do you use photography apps on your smartphone?



Yes, sometimes I use the photography apps on iPhone. Here are the apps I use-

  • Camera!
  • Visage Lab
  • PE-Fotolr
  • Camera-Fotolr










What program(s) would you recommend for beginner bloggers?

  • Beginner bloggers can start with Picasa. Because when I tried the complex programs for the first time I was clueless. Picasa is really easy to work with, if your pictures are already captured well.

  • You can also try GIMP. You can change the transparency, hide the unflattering spots/parts. Main thing is, you can download it for free!

  • Try using PicMonkey sometimes. There are some nice filters/effects you can choose from which will give a nice touch to your photos. Here is an example after using PicMonkey effects.




What is your editing process like? Do you edit individual pieces or schedule a day for all your editing?

I store my pictures in my computer and sort out the good ones before I start to write an article. When the article is finished, I start to edit my photos.

I also do the editing process when I have free time.



For fun, show us some before and after examples from when you first started blogging and what your current content looks like.




Prepare yourself now! Because your eyes are going to hurt….

There are so many things wrong with the above pictures! 
It’s not captured well. Not focused well. Color is way too off-balanced.  



Now see the following pictures. I have edited these using Picasa. The 1st one is without any effects. On the 2nd one, I have used “Glow” and “Black & White” effects which have resulted in a washed out look. On the 3rd one, I have “Sharpened” the image and then used “Black & White” effect. The 3rd one is looking much better, right?


I am still learning different effects and editing process. Here is another example after using filter and adjusting the color.






There are both positive and negative sides of editing effects. Without the “flawless” or “blemish-free” or “whitened” skin, consumers won’t buy the foundation or concealer. BUT too much airbrushed picture gives an unrealistic look and creates a false image. That is why I try to control the impulse of erasing every blemish and whitening the skin when I am editing. My pictures do not look perfect, but at least those look real!

 

What do YOU use for editing pictures? 
Do suggest me any improvements or editing software which will be helpful!

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Stay Healthy, Stay Beautiful!





[Images are collected from internet, unless otherwise stated]






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10 comments

Wasifa Ahmad March 18, 2013 - 7:45 pm

Hello Vanessa! Glad to have you here! I just linked my blog to bloglovin and so far loving it!

Reply
Vanessa March 18, 2013 - 7:42 pm

Thank you so much for the follow.^^
Follow you back on bloglovin and gfc,too.
Do you also follow me on gfc?
Lovely greets

Reply
Wasifa Ahmad March 17, 2013 - 4:53 pm

Hey Martha! Me too… I am happy that I could join 🙂

Reply
Martha Woods March 17, 2013 - 4:49 pm

That first set of eyes definitely looks otherworldly, but in a cool sense! But I do agree, it's easy to go overboard with the editing tools. And it is not attractive in the end imo.

So glad you could do this month's task!

Reply
Wasifa Ahmad March 17, 2013 - 7:00 am

Hey Tina! Thanks. I will check it out 🙂

Reply
Wasifa Ahmad March 17, 2013 - 7:00 am

My sentiment exactly! I am relatively new to PicMonkey, so far loving it.

Reply
Tina Lee March 17, 2013 - 5:18 am

Awesome article, Wasifa. My favorite site is http://ipiccy.com/. It's the best once you learn it. <3

xo-Tina

Reply
Pang March 17, 2013 - 4:22 am

I like using PicMonkey. I use it a lot. It annoys me when beauty bloggers can't keep their pictures looking real. I am especially turned off with the air brushed effect. If your blog is about photoshop, photography, and photo editing then fine, that's acceptable. But if you blog about beauty, keep it real as can be. I don't expect any beauty bloggers to look flawless but I'm turned off when they feel the need to look like a makeup model.

Reply
Wasifa Ahmad March 16, 2013 - 11:07 am

Hey! Thanks for the feedback.
and yes, do try GIMP and PhotoMonkey.. it will be helpful.

Reply
A random girl March 16, 2013 - 9:56 am

I have always used photoscape for editing. I do not own a very good camera so that's where my pic-related problem lies.:D
I think i'm going to give GIMP a try.

Very well-written article as always 🙂

Reply

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