Would you like to embellish your shots by adding some captivating effects but you are not very practical in terms of photo editing and would you like us to recommend some software, possibly easy to use, suitable for the purpose? Then I would say that you have just landed on the right guide, at the right time. Just think ... today I really thought I'd tell you about the ones that, in my opinion, represent the best photo effects programs present on the square.
Come on: take a few minutes of free time, get comfortable and start concentrating on reading the following. Together, we will discover the most interesting software dedicated to adding effects to photos for Windows and macOS (as well as for Linux), but also those that are the best online services suitable for the purpose and, so as not to miss anything, even the most useful apps for smartphones and tablets to apply fantastic effects to images.
Then? May I know what are you still standing there? Immediately test the resources you find below and I am sure that, in the end, you will be happy and satisfied with what you have learned and the results you will be able to obtain, even if you are not a photo editing expert. Let it bet?
Photo effects programs
Looking for gods photo effects programs thanks to which to make your images more beautiful and captivating? So, as they say, you have found bread for your teeth. In fact, below you will find those that, in my humble opinion, constitute the most valid software in the category for Windows e MacOS (other than Linux). Try them now and you will see that they will satisfy you.
XnRetro (Windows / macOS / Linux)
The first among the photo effects programs that I invite you to consider is XnRetro: it is a free software available for Windows, macOS and Linux which, as the name implies, allows you to apply many beautiful retro filters to photos, all in an extremely simple way.
To download it to your PC Windows, go to the program's website and click on the button Zip Win 64bit (if you are using 64-bit Windows) or on that Zip Win 32bit (if you are using 32-bit Windows). When the download is complete, extract theZIP archive just got it and start the .exe file present inside. Once this is done, you will find yourself in front of the main screen of the program.
Se, invece, stai using MacOS, you can download the software from Mac App Store, by connecting to this Web page, by pressing the button See in the Mac App Store and clicking on the button Ottieni / Installa in the window that opens. If necessary, authorize the download by typing your Apple account password or using Touch ID (if you have a Mac equipped with this component). Afterwards, start XnRetro by clicking on its icon that has been added to the Launchpad.
Now, regardless of the operating system used, press the button with the folder and the blue arrow at the top left and select the photo you want to edit from your computer. Alternatively, drag the image directly into the program window.
Once this is done, choose which filter to apply to the image among the many available in the lower part of the window and make any additional corrections, using the adjustment bars related to saturation, contrast, exposure etc. placed on the right. Meanwhile, all changes to the image will be visible in preview in the left part of the XnRetro window.
You can make further changes to the photos by applying lights, vignette effects and frames of various kinds by clicking on the appropriate tabs (Light, Vignette e Frame) in the lower part of the software window.
When the changes are complete, press the button with the folder and the green arrow located at the top left and choose the location and format in which to save the output file. If desired, you can also indicate the exact dimensions that the modified image should have, by clicking on the arrow that you find next to the aforementioned button to save.
Tintii (Windows / macOS / Linux)
Another among the photo effects programs that I want to suggest you to consider is The targets. It is a software, also available in the form of a plugin for Photoshop and Paint Shop Pro, which allows you to turn photos into white while maintaining one or more "bright" colors. Unfortunately it is not free (the program costs $ 16,99, while the plugin costs $ 39,99), but you can try it at no cost and without limitations for ten days.
To download the program to your computer, connect to its official website and click on the button Download that you find under the name of the operating system you are using.
After downloading, if you are using a PC Windows, april il .exe file obtained and, in the window that appears on the desktop, click on the button Si and on that OK. Next, press on the buttons NEXT, Install e end, to finish the setup, and start the program by double clicking on the shortcut that has just been added to the desktop.
Se, invece, stai using MacOS, april il .pkg file just obtained and, in the window that opens, presses the buttons Continue e Install. Then type the password of your user account on Mac, press the button Install software and, finally, click on the button Close. Afterwards, start Tintii by clicking on its icon that has been added to the Launchpad.
Now, regardless of the operating system used, click on the button Close in the window relating to the purchase of the program that appears on the screen and, in the actual Tintii window, click on the button with the folder at the top left, to select the photo you want to edit.
Then, use the adjustment bars next to the previews on the left to adjust the coloring of the photo, use the bars at the bottom to apply further changes to the colors and save the final result obtained by pressing the button with the floppy disk present on the software toolbar and indicating the name, location and output format of the image.
FotoSketcher (Windows / macOS)
Another nice program that I want to invite you to consider is FotoSketcher: it is a software for Windows and macOS, thanks to which it is possible to transform a photo into a color or black and white drawing in a few clicks, also having the possibility to choose among many different drawing styles. It also includes various useful tools for adjusting the contrast, saturation and other parameters of the image and is completely free.
To download the program on Windows, connect to its official website and click on the link portable version – direct download. When the download is complete, open the .exe file just got it.
If, on the other hand, you are using a Mac, linked to this other web page on FOSSHUB and wait for the software download to start automatically. Next, extract theZIP archive obtained and drag the program icon inside it into the folder Applications macOS, then right-click on it and choose the item apri from the menu that appears, in order to start FotoSketcher, however, going around the limitations imposed by Apple on applications from non-certified developers (an operation that must be performed only at first start).
Now that, regardless of the operating system used, you see the FotoSketcher window on the screen, drag on it the image you want to modify, or click on the button with the blue folder and the photo present at the top left and select it "manually".
At this point, click on the button with thepalette icon present on the toolbar and, from the additional window that appears, choose from the menu Drawing style the effect you want to apply to your photo. By hovering the mouse cursor over it you can also see a preview.
Then, adjust (if you want) the other parameters related to the stylization of the image by moving the sliders next to the items Contour threshold, Repetitions etc., change (if you want) the settings related to the texture, the outlines and the frame and click the button Draw.
Once this is done, you will be shown the edited photo in the right part of the window. If you deem it necessary, you can make further "tweaks" using the button for the clipping and the one foraddition present on the toolbar. To save the modified image, instead, click on the button with the floppy disk at the top left and indicates the output format and location.
Online photo effects programs
You don't want or can't download new software to your computer and would like to know if I can recommend any online photo effects programs? Said, done: below you will find those which, in my humble opinion, represent the most interesting solutions in the category. Try them now and I'm sure they will satisfy you.
Yogi
The first among the online services to apply effects to photos that I recommend you try is Yogi. It is totally free, works from any web browser and operating system, allows you to transform images uploaded online by applying fantastic Instagram-style effects to them and to share them easily. It does not require registration and does not require the use of external plugins. What more could you want ?!
To use it, connect to the home page of the service and click on the button Get Started Now. Then drag the image on which you want to go to act in the browser window, or click on the button Click here to choose photos to select it "manually". Then click the button Start Uploading.
Once uploaded, presses on the preview of the photo that is shown to you and click on the button with the Magic wand placed at the top. Then select the filter you want to apply to the photo among the many available on the left and add (if you want) additional graphic effects, selecting them from the list that appears by clicking on the button with the square (always placed on the left).
If you want, you can apply further customizations to the photo by manually adjusting parameters such as saturation, highlights, etc. and cutting it, after clicking, respectively, on the buttons with i cursors and cutter (always placed on the left).
To conclude, click on the button Save at the top right, then on the button More at the top center and select the item from the menu that appears download for free to download the edited image to your computer. If, on the other hand, you want to share it online, press the button Share that you always find at the top of the page and select the option you prefer from the further window that opens.
Polarr
As an alternative to the aforementioned online solution, I recommend that you give it a try Polarr: it is a famous Web service for photo editing that allows you to apply many filters as well as to intervene "manually" on the various parameters of the images (brightness, contrast, etc.). It works on any browser and operating system and is free, but eventually it is also available in a paid variant (with a cost starting from $ 2,49 / month) that allows you to unlock extra functions, such as overlay effects.
To use it, first connect to the website of the service, click on the button Open photos located in the center of the page and select the photo on your computer to which you want to apply effects. once uploaded, click on the button filters (I cheer with i three headbands) located on the left and select the filter you want to use among the various ones available in the list. To view more filters, click on the button More filters present in basso.
If you want, you can also change, as needed, the colors, the perspective or the dimensions of the image, using the buttons located in the right sidebar.
Once you have the desired result, save the edited image to your computer by clicking on the icon with the up arrow at the top right. Then indicate the output format you prefer, the quality and the name you want to assign to the file and press the button Save a copy.
I also point out that you can choose to add a watermark to the photo and you can change the metadata by simply clicking on the relevant tabs in the window that is shown to you when you save the file.
Photo effects app
As anticipated at the beginning of the post, there are also a lot of photo effects app that you can take advantage of directly and comfortably from smartphones and tablets, both from Android that iOS. If this interests you, below you will find the ones that I believe to be the best available on the square.
- SnapSeed (Android / iOS) - renowned application for editing, correcting and applying effects to images. It is distributed by Google and includes a wide range of useful tools to perform the most disparate photo editing operations. It's free.
- VSCO (Android / iOS) - famous photo editing app that provides users with numerous beautiful filters and effects to use to beautify photos, as well as various preset templates to correct major defects in images. It's free, but offers in-app purchases (starting at 72 cents) to unlock additional filter and effect packs.
- Photo Lab (Android / iOS) - app that allows you to embellish the photos taken thanks to the numerous effects available, all organized by type. Among the other features offered, I would like to point out the possibility of creating photomontages. It's free, but offers in-app purchases (starting at 76 cents) to unlock more features.
For more details about the above apps and to discover other similar solutions, I refer you to reading my post dedicated specifically to photo effects apps.
Photo effects programs
