Whether you’re looking to get more out of your photography because your phone storage is stuffed with photographs you haven’t looked at since you took them, or you’re simply anxious to get out and capture some fresh shots, doing some creative photo editing can be a fantastic way to do it. And it doesn’t matter if you have the new iPhone 13 Pro, the Pixel 6 Pro, or an older, less powerful phone; the iPhone App Store and Google Play Store on Android are chock-full of powerful apps that can completely transform your existing photos, all from the comfort of your favorite squashy armchair.
I’ve compiled a list of my favorites, so have a look, make a cup of tea, and settle in for an evening of editing. You can even make a photo book out of your favorite images.
1. Snapseed
On iOS and Android, it’s completely free.
Snapseed, which is owned by Google, features a lot of exposure and color capabilities, as well as a lot of filter options, ranging from vintage styles to modern, punchy HDR effects. You can combine the effects to make some unique alterations to your image. And the best part is that it’s completely free.
2. Lightroom
Some features are free for iOS and Android, but full access costs $5 per month.
For professional photographers, Adobe Lightroom remains the industry standard, and the mobile version is very similar. There are no stickers, animations, or emoji here, but you do get fine grain control over your image and the same set of tools as Lightroom on the desktop. It’s the software I use the most on my iPhone and iPad to edit my own photos, not least because the photographs sync in the cloud, allowing me to start editing on one device and finish on another.
3. Adobe Photoshop Express
On iOS and Android, it’s completely free.
Many of the same capabilities as Lightroom, such as exposure, contrast, and color altering choices, are available in Photoshop Express, although it lacks some of the pro tools and cloud syncing, as well as the monthly price. It’s a terrific tool for bringing out the finest in your photos, but there’s also a good range of filters and overlay textures, as well as tools for creating fascinating collages from your photos.
It’s not as open to wild innovation as some of the other apps on this list, but it’s a good editing program at a reasonable price.
4. Prisma
$8 per month or $30 per year for iOS and Android.
Subtle filters and simple picture adjustments are not supported by Prisma. Instead, its psychedelic effects will turn your photos into weird artistic works. The end result has a painting quality to it, and many of the filters were inspired by painters like Salvador Dali and Pablo Picasso. The filters are powerful, and while they can be tweaked, not all of them will work with every image. Some filters were better for portraiture, while others were better for landscapes.
However, experimenting is a lot of fun, and when you find a photo that works, it truly works.
5. Bazaart
Only for iOS, $8 per month or $48 per year.
The montage and collage tools in Bazaart allow you to overlay several materials — such as images, text, and graphics — to produce a final work of art. It contains capabilities for erasing the background from behind a portrait subject (I was blown away by how effectively it worked!) so you can replace it with a new one or layer numerous effects. It also provides a large number of templates for making beautiful collages for Instagram stories.
There are so many various ways to combine different photographs that your only limit will be your own creativity. Take a look at Bazaart’s Instagram profile for more ideas.
