Dear Tech In-Law,
I have some photos that I need to edit and enhance with text. Can you recommend an easy program to use?
Jay


Dear Jay,
Photo editing software applications like Adobe Photoshop and Photoshop Elements have been around for awhile but the popularity has skyrocketed recently with the rise of digital images coupled with online photo sharing and blogging sites. The great news is there are now several free options to get your pictures looking snazzy and they are offered online so they are easily accessible and not tied to one specific computer.

Here's an example from one of the online editors that I use called picnik. This is using a sample photo on their homepage they offer to try out the service.

First, the standard image:


I added a basic shape and text here:


There are all sorts of options available on these sites such as color effects, size, text, shapes, distortions, touch-ups, frames, etc. Picnik offers several options for free and they have some advanced features available with a paid account.

Picnik is not the only game in town. FlauntR, FotoFlexer, and Picture2Life are some other free alternatives that offer robust editing tools. And what about Adobe? In 2007 they announced that they would be offering a free, ad-supported online version of their popular Photoshop application. This has not yet emerged but I would guess this will be released this year and I am sure they will impress with what they are able to offer.

Do you have a favorite online photo editor? Post it in the comments!