5 easy-to-use edits for your photos

There’s a host of editing apps out there on both iOS and Android plus most phones even come with reasonable editing tools. However, for the purpose of this post, Adobe Photoshop Express – which is available for free on both iOS and Android, is recommended.

To help make sure you have the best possible images, here are five simple fixes for common photo issues that you can fix in a matter of seconds.

1. Crop.

Always consider if your picture would gain from being cropped to a certain size or area. Most times, you see unnecessary people or objects in the frame or in the picture, which deviates from the image’s full impact. Don’t be afraid to play around with crop options to see if a strategic chop would make the photo better.

In Adobe Photoshop Express, the crop tool is the second icon along the bottom menu. Once you've selected this tool, it's just a matter of using your finger to drag the crop lines where you want them.

If you change your mind at anytime, you can simply tap the undo button (the curved arrow on the top menu) to revert to your original image.

2. Sharpen.

You see blurry pictures all the time. Everybody has them, especially pictures of beloved kids and pets. Although there isn’t much you can do about a blurry picture, it’s very easy to fix a small amount of blurriness.

Tap the icon on the bottom menu that has three lines with dots. From here, you'll see options to change the image's clarity and to sharpen it. Tap on the options to start the process, then use the slide tool to select the level that suits your image best.

3. Red eye.

Red eye is a really simple fix. In the Adobe Photoshop express app, tap on the eye icon at the bottom of the screen. You can then choose the "Red Eye Auto Detect & Correct" button for an automatic solution, or tap on the red eyes in the image to fix them manually, if you prefer.

There's no excuse for pet pictures with weird eyes either, this app also offers a way to correct the animal version of red eye so everybody wins.

4. Blemishes, spots and so on.

Not to support all that fake photoshop beauty, but it makes sense to edit the odd pimple or spot, especially in a picture that is otherwise ideal.

The app has basic blemish and spot smoothing abilities that can remove spots, dust and dirt. Swipe left on the bottom menu until you can see a bandage icon. Tap it, and then tap the areas in the image that need improving.

5. Darkness.

Smartphone cameras are steadily improving with all the new devices but it’s still too easy to take a photo that is too dark. The good thing, however, is that you can play around with exposure levels to fix that.

In the Adobe Photoshop Express app, simply adjust an image's contrast, exposure, highlights, shadows, temperature, tint and vibrance.

To access these tools, tap on the icon made up of three bars with dots, and go through the various options available.

Enjoy!