Would you like to be able to embellish the photo suits by adding writings, stamps, special effects and various other decorative elements but you don't have the faintest idea how to do it? Don't worry, I can help you out. If you spend a few minutes of your precious time reading this guide, I can in fact explain to you how to decorate photos, both acting from a computer (therefore with the aid of special software and online services) and from smartphones and tablets (using specific apps).
How do you say? The question interests you but you are absolutely not an expert in photo editing so you fear that the resources I am about to show you and the operations I am about to suggest you to put into practice are out of your reach? Never! Contrary to appearances and beyond what you may think I assure you that by following my tips you will be able to decorate photos in a flash, with or without previous experiences, you have my word.
Then? Have I convinced you? Yup? Fantastic. So I would say not to waste any more precious time, to ban the chatter and immediately start getting busy. I am more than sure that in the end you will be able to tell yourself very happy and satisfied with what you have learned and that, in case of need, you will be ready to provide useful advice on what to do to all your friends in need of receiving a similar tip.
I went directly to ▶ ︎ Decorate photos from your computer | Decorate photos online | App to decorate photos
Decorate photos from your computer
GIMP (Windows / macOS / Linux)
Let's start this guide on how to decorate photos by talking about GIMP, a famous free and open source software that is very close to the equally (indeed, more!) known Photoshop (I told you about it in my guide on how to download Photoshop). Precisely for this reason, it is considered by most to be the best alternative at no cost to the famous photo editing program made available by Adobe.
The program can be used on Windows, on macOS and also on Linux and offers numerous advanced and non-advanced photo editing tools that are very useful for decorating photos and for making the already various changes to images.
To decorate photos with GIMP, download and install the software on your computer, start it by clicking on its icon, select the item Apri ... from the menu Fillet and choose the photo on which you intend to go to act. Once the image is open, use the instrument panel placed on the right and that of levels on the left to begin making changes.
If you think you need more details, feel free to read my guide how to use GIMP through which I have provided you with all the explanations of the case.
PhotoFiltre (Windows)
If you use a computer with Windows installed and if GIMP has not been able to attract your attention in a particular way, I invite you to try PhotoFiltre. This is a free software that allows you to decorate photos in a very practical and intuitive way. The program, in fact, integrates a series of filters and tools capable of returning excellent final results.
The software also features a very simple user interface and offers its users a wide range of brushes to suit all tastes. In short, what more do you want?
To start decorating photos with PhotoFiltre, download and install the software, start it via its icon, click on the item Fillet located in the upper left part of the window that opened on the desktop and choose the item Open ....
Then select the image on which you intend to act and wait for it to be loaded by the program. Then you can make various changes to the chosen photo using the rich toolbar located at the top and the one with brushes, shapes and stamps on the right.
Pixelmator (macOS)
If you use a Mac and are still looking for a resource through which you can decorate photos, I can't help but suggest you try Pixelmator. It is a well-known application for photo editing on macOS, it is extremely powerful and sufficiently versatile but at the same time it is also very easy to use. In short, try it now to decorate various shots and images and you will see that you will not regret it.
Pixelmator, but I'll tell you right away, is a paid resource: it costs 29,99 euros on the Mac App Store (even if it is occasionally discounted). Eventually, a free trial version is also available that can be used without spending a cent for a maximum period of 30 days.
To start decorating photos with Pixelmator, start the program using its icon, select the image on which you intend to go and act through the window that is shown on the screen or by first clicking on the item archive attached to the menu bar and then on Apri ... and edit the shot as you like using the tools and resources available.
The Pixelmator workspace is divided into three parts: on the left there is the bar with the most important photo editing tools (brushes, palette, selection and so on), in the center you find the photo to be edited while on the right there are panels for managing levels and applying filters.
Decorate photos online
Pixlr
You don't want or can't download and install new programs on your computer and are you interested in understanding which resources you can use to decorate photos directly online? Yup? So for starters I suggest you pay attention to Pixlr. It is an excellent online solution that offers even three different services (which are listed below), all accessible directly from the web browser, to decorate photos.
- Pixlr Editor - This is a kind of online Photoshop. It almost perfectly reproduces the interface of the well-known Adobe software and includes a lot of interesting functions thanks to which it is possible to decorate the prior images. It is without a doubt one of the best solutions available online.
- Pixlr Express - It is a more streamlined photo editor than the one just indicated that allows you to change the parameters of the images (colors, brightness, etc.), apply filters in Instagram sauce, insert writings and other very interesting effects . It also allows you to create photo collages quickly and easily.
- Pixlr O Matic - Another very essential editor that allows you to customize photos, uploading them from your computer or taking new ones using the web car connected to it, with filters and effects of various kinds.
All the services for decorating photos offered by Pixlr can be used at no cost and without having to register. On the other hand, it must be installed on your computer in order to function Flash Player (if you remember correctly, I told you about it in my guide on how to install Flash Player).
P
As an alternative to Pixlr home solutions, I invite you to try P. This is another very famous Web service for decorating photos thanks to which it is possible to apply filters and effects of various kinds to images (function Edit) and correct the most common defects (function Touch up). In order not to miss anything, it also allows you to create collage and Facebook covers (function Design).
The service is usable at no cost but some filters are available only and exclusively for those who choose to subscribe to a paid plan (which, however, can be tried for free for a period of 30 days).
Using PicMonkey is extremely simple, to the point where explaining how to use it is practically superfluous. In any case, just connect to its main page, choose one of the functions listed above by clicking on the relevant button located at the top and choose whether to upload a photo from your computer, from Facebook or from another website.
Once logged in to the editor, you can start making all the necessary changes to the image through the sidebar with the list of all the available functions: effects, filters, texts, frames, basic photo editing functions (rotate , crop, etc.) and more. When you are satisfied with the result, click on the button Save at the top and choose the format in which to save the image.
Please note: Also in this case, in order to use PicMonkey it is essential that Adobe's Flash Player is installed on your computer.
FotoFlexer
Another popular browser-based photo decorating tool is FotoFlexer. It is essential, this must be said, but still perfect to embellish your images by adding various decorative elements and making numerous corrections.
To use it, connect to its home page and click on the button first Upload photo and then Upload to select the image you want to act on. Alternatively, you can import photos from Facebook, Flickr and other online services by clicking on their icons located in the left sidebar and authenticating with your account data.
Once the import is complete, use the tabs and buttons on the service toolbar to apply all the changes and decorations you want. In the card Basic find all the quick correction tools to optimize the parameters of the photo (auto fix), eliminate red eye (fix red eye), resize the image, rotate it etc. In the card Effects there are tons of filters to apply to photographs with just one click while in Decorate there are tools to apply text, drawings and frames to the image.
When you are satisfied with the result, click on the button first Save (found at the top of the page) and then up Save to my computer to download the image to your PC.
App to decorate photos
Do you rarely use your computer and are you looking for an app for smartphones and tablets that allows you to decorate photos directly and comfortably on the move? Then take a look at the resources listed below.
In the list below you will find in fact several and interesting applications used precisely for the purpose in question and available for both Android and iOS as well as for Windows Phone. Choose the one that you think will do the most for you and download it now.
- Photor (for Android, iOS and Windows Phone) - It is undoubtedly one of the most popular and used apps for editing images from mobile. It offers many interesting features, including the ability to create collages and add text to images. It's free.
- Aviary (for Android and iOS) - A free and easy-to-use app with which you can decorate photos in various formats using frames, flaw correction tools, drawing tools, memes and much more.
- Snapseed (for Android and iOS) - It is a well-known app for editing images down to the smallest detail. It offers a variety of photo editing tools, is fairly simple to use and is free.
In addition to the ones just mentioned, there are also other photo decorating apps out there that are definitely worth a try. If you want, learn more by reading my guide dedicated to photo editing apps and my photo app tutorial.
How to decorate photos
