Editing photos on your Macbook is easier than you think. Whether you’re a beginner or a seasoned pro, macOS offers a range of powerful tools to enhance your images. This guide will walk you through the built-in options and explore additional resources for more advanced editing.
Built-in Photo Editing Software on Macbook
Your Macbook comes equipped with two primary photo editing applications: Photos and Preview. Both offer a variety of features to help you perfect your pictures.
Editing Photos with the Photos App
The Photos app is a comprehensive photo management and editing tool. To edit a photo in Photos:
- Open the Photos app and select the image you want to edit.
- Click the Edit button in the upper right corner.
- Explore the editing tools: You’ll find adjustments for light, color, retouching, cropping, and more. Click the disclosure triangles to reveal advanced options within each adjustment. For example, the Light adjustments include options for brilliance, exposure, highlights, shadows, contrast, brightness, black point, and more.
- Utilize the Retouch tool: This tool, indicated by a band-aid icon, allows you to remove blemishes and unwanted objects from your photos.
- Experiment with filters: Photos offers a selection of pre-set filters to quickly apply different styles to your images.
Editing panel in Photos for Mac
Editing Photos with Preview
Preview, often used for viewing documents, also provides basic photo editing capabilities:
- Open the image in Preview.
- Click the Markup toolbar button (it looks like a toolbox).
- Use the tools to adjust color, brightness, sharpness, and more.
- Remove backgrounds: Preview offers a powerful tool to easily extract subjects from their backgrounds.
Edit button and Markup toolbar in Preview
Markup tools in Preview
Exploring Additional Photo Editing Options
While Photos and Preview offer a solid foundation for photo editing, you might need more advanced features.
Shortcuts for Photo Editing
The Shortcuts app allows you to automate tasks and create custom workflows, including photo editing. While the built-in photography shortcuts are limited, you can explore the Shortcuts Gallery for community-created options or build your own.
Third-Party Photo Editing Apps
The Mac App Store offers a vast selection of third-party photo editing software, ranging from free basic editors to powerful professional tools like Adobe Photoshop and GIMP. Consider exploring these options for more specialized features and advanced editing capabilities.
Conclusion
Your Macbook provides a versatile environment for photo editing. Whether you prefer the simplicity of built-in apps like Photos and Preview or the power of third-party software, you have the tools at your fingertips to enhance your images and bring your creative vision to life. Remember to explore the various options and find the workflow that best suits your needs and skill level.
